Lil Wayne

As far as modern hip-hop mixtapes go, this is among the best. Not only do you get Lil Wayne exploring his violent and rhythmic free association on such songs as "Get 'Em," you also get Lil Weezy delving into his feelings toward Hurricane Katrina, which had struck a few months before this was released. "Georgia...Bush" is damn near the quintessential hip-hop statement on the subject, and Weezy's angry and anguished emotions are on full display throughout. Though not an official release, many critics hailed this as one of the strongest hip-hop records of 2006.