Hip Hop has been a huge influence on my life as well as other young African Americans of our generation. Being from the Hempstead Area of Long Island, it's not uncommon to hear rap lyrics blasting out of old second-hand Nissans and rental sports cars. Hip Hop tells stories, is often sexual, aggressive, calm, powerful and controversial. You name it, Hip Hop has it.

So, for all the Non-Hip Hop listeners on the fence about the genre, it's okay. I dabbled with every genre until I fully committed to hip hop when I was 12 years old. However, this list of 10 Hip Hop albums/mixtapes, old and new, I believe will hopefully help you expand your playlist and explore the world of hip hop. Enjoy!

1. "Telephone": Noname (Birth Name: Fatima Warner)

Released on July 31st, 2016, Telephone is Noname's first mixtape. The Chicago Rapper exercises her lyrical wordplay and poetry style jazz rap in singles like "Diddy Bop" and "Yesterday". Pitchfork ranked Telephone the 27th best album of 2016.

2. "Modal Soul": Nujabes

Japanese DJ Jun Seba (or Nujabes) released his second album, Modal Soul, on November 11, 2005. Many fans consider Modal Soul to be his best work by fusing jazz styles, live instrumentation, and hip hop. Songs include "Feather" with Cise Starr of CYNE and his famous "Luv (sic)" track with Japanese rapper Shing02.

3. "Coloring Book": Chance the Rapper

Everyone has seen this familiar face before. Chicago native, Chance the Rapper, released his album on May 13, 2016, exclusively on Apple music. During the first week, "Coloring book" was streamed over 57 million times, equalling 38,000 sales. Chance the Rapper won 2 Grammy Awards, including 'Best Rap Album', making Coloring Book the first stream-only album to win the award. His combination of Rap and Gospel makes him and the album stand out from the rest.

4. "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)": Wu-Tang Clan

Talk about hardcore. Despite having an underground, raw sound, 36 chambers was able to sell over 2 million in the United States alone. The true meaning and background to the album is still unknown to many fans and critics. The name, however, was inspired by the 1978 movie "The 36 Chambers of Shaolin."

5. "Illmatic": Nas

Illmatic was released on April 19, 1994. This was Nas's debut album. Although sales didn't reach expectations, Illmatic by many fans is considered to be the landmark of east coast hip hop and the greatest rap album ever created.

6. "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City": Kendrick Lamar

One of my personal favorite albums. Lamar released his second studio album on October 22, 2012. He explores his life and influence of the city of Compton throughout the album. It was certified Platinum in August 2013.

7. "Midnight Marauders": A Tribe Called Quest

One of the more relaxing, upbeat hip hop albums of the 90s. Midnight Marauders was released on November 9, 1993. This album focuses on regular everyday events in an urban community, such as bodega visits and ice cream. This is the third album from a Tribe called Quest that went Platinum.

8. "Under Pressure": Logic

Logic released his first debut album on October 21, 2014. He delves deep into his childhood past in Gaithersburg, MD, which involved his siblings selling crack cocaine. It was produced and released by his own independent label, Visionary Music Group. This album was certified gold.

9. "4 Your Eyez Only": J. Cole

J.Cole's fourth studio album was released this past December 9, 2016. This follows the story of a male drug dealer who falls in love and has a daughter, changing his life forever. Essentially, this album is a tape for the dealer's daughter to listen to as we learn that he had already died during the last song "4 Your Eyez Only" (cue heartbreak). On April 7, J.cole went Platinum for a second time with no features.

10. "The Sun's Tirade": Isaiah Rashad

Chattanooga MC Isaiah Rashad released his debut album on September 2, 2016. During the recording of his album, he struggled with substance abuse and a Xanax addiction. This project focuses on his upbringing into the rap game and the steps he takes to get there. His album debuted #17 on the Billboard 200.

These are only some of the many hip hop albums I've come across and I hope that these will help you appreciate the genre a little bit more. Cheers!

Note: A "Gold" certification is when an album sells 500,000 or more units. A "Platinum" certification is when an album sells 1,000,000 or more units.