DX enthusiasts, loyal readers, passer bys, haters, and baby mama’s, it’s that time of the year again. ’07 is nearly in the can and it’s safe to round up our favorites. This year the list was decided by audio guru Joel "Shake" Zela, Gotdamn Editor-In-Chief Andreas Hale, wunderkind Jake Paine and myself (code name: J-23). It may have taken 7291 emails to reach a conclusion, but we’re here. Sure, we’re missing some great stuff but you’ve gotta draw the line somewhere. So we drew it, here are the 25 albums we feel you should have bought (yeah, right) in 2007.

P.S. In order of their release date, in case you’re wondering.

Sean Price – Jesus Price Supastar

What We Said Then: “The artist formerly known as Ruck returns on 2007 as our savior, Jesus Price Supastar. With the Justus League’s 9^th Wonder and Khrysis handling the bulk of the albums production again it takes on a familiar feel of P slapping around bitch ass rappers over soulful backdrops. It works best on joints like the 9^th Wonder produced, Skyzoo assisted You Already Know, or Tommy Tee’s throbbing Church featuring the Loudmouf Choir.” Rating: 4

What We Say Now: More or less, this is Monkey Barz 2. The "is this really Ruck?" factor wore off, but the dope rhymes and stick-up-rapper element still kept me interested. "Hearing Aid" might be Khrysis' best beat to date, as Sean Price used his revamped popularity to push Duck Down into uncharted waters - going beyond Brooklyn in so many ways. The success story of ‘05 isn’t going anywhere. Rating Now: 4/5 – Jake Paine

Black Milk – Popular Demand

What We Said Then: “From the Bomb Squad-style in-your-face assault of Sound the Alarm (featuring Guilty Simpson) and the head-bobbing syncopated funkiness of Insane to the string-laden soul of the cinematic Shut It Down and the double dutch handclaps and jazzy bassline of the rollicking Watch ‘Em (featuring Que Diesel and Fat Ray), the album leaves no doubt that Black Milk is one of the most promising up ‘n’ coming producers on the hip-hop scene.” Rating: 4

What We Say Now: In short, “Sound the Alarm” STILL bangs from my speakers. And after nine months, an album with Aftermath’s Bishop Lamont and countless bangers with Pharoahe Monch, Guilty Simpson and more; I’m convinced that Black Milk is the real deal. Proving doubters he’s not just a Dilla clone, he’s creating his own lane and pushing the petal to the floor. The 4/5 stands but don’t be surprised if he pulls a 5 out with a future project! – Joel Zela

Evidence – The Weatherman LP

What We Said Then: “Overall, the album has a good number of standout tracks that will interest a majority of the independent hip-hop fans, especially the Alchemist and Slug tracks, where Evidence seems at his most honest and most hungry.” Rating: 4

What We Say Now: Evidence has never been the most dynamic lyricist, his voice drones after a while and his beats generally sound pretty similar. Needless to say I wasn’t expecting much from an entire album of just him, boy was I wrong. The Weatherman LP featured some of the year’s best production from The Alchemist, a great guest list and Ev really spreading his wings as an artist. Most definitely a 4 out of 5. – J-23

El-P – I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead

What We Said Then: “El-P's hyper-intelligent paranoia raps are every bit as cinematic and affecting as his 2025 post-apocolypse New York soundtracks. Decipher it as you may, but I'll Sleep When You're Dead is such an incredibly fitting title, for reasons you can’t even really articulate.” Rating: 4

What We Say Now: El-P has always had one song on every album that sticks with me. I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead followed on the complete-creativity seen with Cage’s Hell’s Winter as another ‘90s underground non-conformist caters to hipsters and hardcore Hip Hoppers with an album that challenges Lil’ Wayne and Juelz on its “can’t feel my face” factor. I’d never play it for anybody besides myself, in headphones or alone in the whip, but El-Producto became El-Super-Producario with some help from his friends. Rating Now: 4.5/5 – Jake Paine

Devin The Dude – Waiting To Exhale

What We Said Then: “For really, rappers just don’t get more likable than The Dude. On his classic Who’s That Man, Moma? he told us “look at these balls, they’re so big/the hairs on’em look like two big old afro wigs,” a line made infinitely funnier when heard with his sleepy, smoked out drawl.” Rating: 4

What We Say Now: I'll always love a rapper who rhymes about the problems of a Blues singer: weed, wine and women. Although it falls short of the classic Just Tryin' Ta Live in timelessness and originality, Devin, a modest, blue-collar emcee, really stood out in his state and the state of Hip Hop. "What A Job" belongs on the concrete definitive 2007 playlist. Rating Now: 4/5 – Jake Paine

Redman – Red Gone Wild

What We Said Then: “Don’t be foolish enough to expect any new and improved Reggie Noble, he may not be permanently clad in a bubble goose, timbs and a tissue stuck up his nose that PPP shit, but Red Gone Wild is still some good ol’ Brick City mashin.” Rating: 4

What We Say Now: This album was the first Redman effort that worked without the visual aid of dope videos. Though I'm forever bound to Reggie Noble over Erick Sermon production, "Put It Down" deserved to be the single, as Redman (along with Ghost) were the artists that upheld the Def Jam name in '07, despite fickle marketing budgets. A great set-up for Gilla House to be Jersey’s Theodore Unit. Rating Now: 4/5 – Jake Paine