17. "Through the Wire" by Kanye West (2004)

Kanye West has ventured into post-rap realms that his lesser peers can't even comprehend. His oft-flawless production, sophisticated samples, and intelligent, fully drawn-out lyrics have expanded his sound into preeminent pop music. While Jay-Z might be this decade's most important MC, The D Man prefers Kanye's best work over the Jigga Man's every time. Kanye's brand of global entertainment is more inclusive than Jay Z's urban-inflected rhymes. And the crispness of Kanye's writing is a nod to the rap-prose of yesteryear and more satisfying than Jay-Z's tendency to descend into half-spoken drivel. A matter of taste? Perhaps. But there is no denying that Kanye, although beknighted by Jay-Z, gave even more back to his mentor, including this huge song with that sweet Jackson 5 sample.

"Through the Wire" established Kanye's signature style and is arguably his most important song. While driving home late from a California recording studio, Kanye fell asleep at the wheel and was involved in a near-fatal car crash. Just weeks later he wrote and recorded this track that ultimately laid the foundation for his astonishing debut, The College Dropout. Before "Through the Wire" Kanye was merely a great producer; afterwards, he was a bona-fide hip-hop star. Kanye spent years saving beats and soul samples for his long-in-the-works debut. With a sped-up sample of Chaka Kahn's "Through the Fire," Kanye delivers a comedic and killer blow-by-blow of his emergence, comeback, and eventual triumph. Such hagiography has always been crucial to hip-hop and MC primacy. Never before was it so vulnerable, funny, and clever.

Why listen? West should be thanked for shedding the gangster image predominant in hip-hop and creating a lyrical persona that can embrace vulnerabilities and other timely topical content. West's production, samples, and lyrical hooks have resulted in the finest catalog of any hip-hop artist this decade. "Through the Wire" is an entertaining example of all of the above.

Something else? "Gold Digger," "Touch the Sky," "Heard 'Em Say," "Good Morning," "Good Life," "Homecoming," "Champion," "Heartless."