The 00's

Hip-hop in the 2000s became the best-selling music in the world. Rappers became pop stars, moguls and brands, while the underground thrived on the side.

The story. Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) sold almost 1.8 million copies in its first week. Jay-Z's The Blueprint (2001) made soul samples fashionable again, with production by Kanye West and Just Blaze, and Kanye himself broke through with The College Dropout (2004). 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) was a phenomenon. The South took over: Lil Wayne, T.I., Ludacris and the crunk of Lil Jon owned the charts. Timbaland and the Neptunes made futuristic hits, while MF DOOM and Madlib made Madvillainy in the underground.

The sound. Glossy, expensive production next to sped-up soul samples, crunk and the first trap. Ringtones, mixtapes and music videos defined how fans heard their favorites.

Key albums

• The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem (2000)
• The Blueprint, Jay-Z (2001)
• Get Rich or Die Tryin', 50 Cent (2003)
• The College Dropout, Kanye West (2004)
• Madvillainy, Madvillain (MF DOOM & Madlib) (2004)
• Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne (2008)