Dusty Grooves: Dot Da Genius' 25 Favorite Albums

The other half of WZRD tells us about the records he can't live without—from Lil Wayne, Usher, Fela Kuti, and more.

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Image via Complex Original
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Intro

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Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

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Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

Label: Harvest / Capitol

Dot Da Genius: “I got put on to Pink Floyd and I got a chance to really absorb their album last year. I just think it's amazing, especially for that time period, their evolution from just being a jazz band to the Rock Hall of Fame. From the synth work, listening to the album they used to have synth leads that were really loud. But it sounded good, it sounded right. That's definitely one of my favorite albums.”

Bob Marley & The Wailers, Exodus (1977)

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Bob Marley & The Wailers, Exodus (1977)

Label: Tuff Gong / Island

Dot Da Genius: “That's my dad's favorite artist. As a kid, he always used to always play his records. That's like the only songs he played besides traditional Nigerian music. I got to learn his collection through just my dad playing it.

"You know as a kid you don't really pay too much attention, but your subconscious picks up on it. The great thing about Bob Marley is his music just feels so good. It's good vibes. He can put it on and people immediately feel good. Great musician, great artist, great body of work.”

Michael Jackson, Bad (1987)

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Michael Jackson, Bad (1987)

Label: Epic

Dot Da Genius: “Michael really can do no wrong. In general, the music is just superb. You can't even really speak on that kind of album because it's just greatness; it's self-explanatory. Everyone around the world knows what Michael did. There's not really much more that can be said on that album. It's just a great album.”

Nirvana, Nevermind (1991)

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Nirvana, Nevermind (1991)

Label: DGC

Dot Da Genius: “I was put on to that album by Cudi. I'd heard of Nirvana my entire life coming up. But I never was really 100% into rock back in the day. I never really did any research, but Cudi played me some songs.

“Everybody knows 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' so I knew that song. I knew Nirvana did it and it's an amazing song. I just never looked into it. But when I heard the album in its entirety, it's a well-formatted album and it sounds amazing. You never heard anything like it. To this day nobody has matched Kurt Cobain's vocal tone and his style of melody.”

Dr. Dre, The Chronic (1992)

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Dr. Dre, The Chronic (1992)

Label: Death Row / Interscope / Priority

Dot Da Genius: “You can't speak on Dr. Dre too much because everybody knows what he's done and what he's capable of. He produces whole albums. He has a reputation for putting out good music and being a perfectionist, and he's someone who takes good care of his musical works. Definitely someone I look up to.

"Rap like that only existed back then. We have a form or version of that now, but that was when hip-hop was really raw and uncut. It wasn't censored. You felt everybody's swag. And sonically, Dre really paid attention. He really did a great job mixing and mastering this album.”

RADIOHEAD, Pablo Honey (1993)

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Radiohead, Pablo Honey (1993)

Label: Parlophone / Capital

Dot Da Genius: “My favorite song from that album, obviously probably everybody's favorite, is 'Creep.' That song, it just sounds so good. Especially when I'm driving. I just find myself singing, and the vocals are just amazing. I felt like Tom Yorke really nailed it. He has such a very specific vocal tone; it's amazing. They definitely did the whole album justice. 'Creep' specifically, that song just makes me feel a way. I don't know why.”

The Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die (1994)

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The Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die (1994)

Label: Bad Boy

Dot Da Genius: “He's one of those few rappers that sounded good on everything he's on. I haven't heard a Biggie record that I didn't like. There are obviously songs that I like more than others, but for the most part I love all of his body of work down to features. He's still my favorite rapper of all time.”

2Pac, All Eyez on Me (1996)

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2Pac, All Eyez on Me (1996)

Label: Death Row / Interscope

Dot Da Genius: “Pac was such a poet. The thing about me, especially early on when I listened to music, I listened to the whole. Some people are very lyrical, they pay attention to mostly lyrics and what someone is saying. I wasn't that person. I listened to the song and if there was a flow, and the music sounded great, then I liked it.

"Pac was one of the first rappers that made me think and listen to his words. His words were always so powerful and he always had a message behind his songs. Me being from the East Coast and Biggie being my favorite rapper, I found myself trying to resist a little bit, but it's hard.

"When somebody makes great music you really can't deny that and he's proven that he's made music that's lasted the test of time. He's still relevant till this day. A lot more relevant than a lot of rappers right now. So he definitely did what he probably planned to do in his mind.”

Outkast, ATLiens (1996)

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Outkast, ATLiens (1996)

Label: LaFace / Arista

Dot Da Genius: “They're so unique. Their style of rap and what they talk about. It's so relevant to where they're from, you know, that whole Down South movement. The production on the album is amazing and it definitely inspired a lot of my works for sure.”

The Notorious B.I.G., Life After Death (1997)

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The Notorious B.I.G., Life After Death (1997)

Label: Bad Boy

Dot Da Genius: “Down to the production, they had so much swag back then. And back then, how cool you were was really measured by how much you liked him. Biggie just had this thing about him that was so cool, right down to the way he said things and his demeanor. He just had so much confidence.

"And him being from Brooklyn—I'm from Brooklyn, so I just immediately started relating. Any references he made to Brooklyn, I was literally locked in right there connecting like, 'Aww word!'”

Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)

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Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)

Label: Aftermath / Interscope

Dot Da Genius: “I'm a fan of all his albums. I chose that album because I bump that album and it brings me back to when it came out. I remember just listening to Eminem and being like, 'Man, what the fuck?' A lot of the things he'd say would be super-random and the shock value that came with his music really made you pay attention and want to hear him out and hear his whole album.

"It was an emotional album as well, and just like a conceptual album. I remember seeing it on TV all the time and him catching a lot of flack for a lot of the things that he said. Taking that risk immediately puts him at the forefront. He really just did what he felt like doing and didn't care. And it worked out. He's winning for sure.”

Fela Kuti, The Best Best of Fela Kuti (2000)

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Fela Kuti, The Best of Fela Kuti (2000)

Label: Barclay / MCA / Universal Records

Dot Da Genius: “As a kid I couldn't categorize them as albums, I didn't get to digest it as an album. My dad, he'd have his records, but he never really let me touch them as a kid. Those songs, they bring me back to my childhood and my roots. Definitely an inspirational artist if you learn his story. Definitely an influence.”

Jay-Z, The Blueprint (2001)

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Jay-Z, The Blueprint (2001)

Label: Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam

Dot Da Genius: “That's another no-brainer. I was in school when that came out and that's when the music industry was really thriving. You had the crews, like Roc-A-Fella and Ruff Ryders.  Jay-Z, he's just a classic guy. You can play his music anywhere, and although he has curses, for some reason the way he does his music you almost don't even notice them. It won't disrupt anything. Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Bink, where they took it, I still feel like it's unmatched. This album definitely pioneered that sound for hip-hop.”

Jay-Z, The Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse (2002)

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Jay-Z, The Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse (2002)

Label: Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam

Dot Da Genius: “I really like The Blueprint 2: The Gift and The Curse too. I know that's not one of his favorite albums, but to me I thought that was an amazing double-disc album. I never really understood why it wasn't received well because it's still better than a lot of albums that come out nowadays. It was an amazing body of work, and for him to put that many songs on one project and it be that consistent, not too many people can do that.”

50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003)

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50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003)

Label: Aftermath / Shady / Interscope

Dot Da Genius: “That's one of those albums that you don't skip any songs. It came out when I was still in school and I remember I had that album on repeat for months. It had people who weren't even hood trying to be hood, because the album was just so persuasive and so convincing.”

Usher, Confessions (2004)

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Usher, Confessions (2004)

Label: LaFace / Arista

Dot Da Genius: "No man can really say he ain't really feel that album. Most men have felt a way about one of those songs on the album. They maybe felt the same way. Even 'Burn' and the story of leaving a woman and not really wanting to leave her or her leaving you and you just gotta fall back.

"His album speaks for the men on that side on those topics. He definitely was the guy to listen to. If you was listening to R&B you definitely was listening to Usher. He's been doing it so long and he's been so consistent. That album is another one of the albums that brings me back to a certain time in my life.”

Lil Wayne, The Carter II (2005)

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Lil Wayne, Tha Carter II (2005)

Label: Cash Money / Universal

Dot Da Genius: “Wayne is a beast. All his albums are dope. I remember when I got this album, I listened to it for a long time. Even the songs on it that I didn't immediately like, they started to grow on me. It became one of those albums that I didn't skip songs on.

"Wayne has been doing it for so long and he's been so consistent, you can't really deny him. People have their taste but Wayne has put out a lot of records. There definitely has to be an album, or a couple albums, you feel from him—or a couple songs. So salute to Wayne. He's still doing it crazy right now.”

MGMT, Oracular Spectacular (2007)

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MGMT, Oracular Spectacular (2007)

Label: Columbia / Red Ink

Dot Da Genius: “They're trippy man. You can hear the growth in their music, their concepts, and their sound, basically their musical landscape. The first album had too many great songs on it. To me I feel like those songs can stand the test of time and be around for a while. Nobody really has their sound. That's another thing I really respect about them; their sound is reminiscent of other people but they made it their own. That's another great album. I listen to that today still.”

Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III (2008)

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Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III (2008)

Label: Cash Money / Universal Motown

Dot Da Genius: “I got hip to Wayne on Tha Carter. I knew his earlier stuff and I liked it, but I never got into The Block is Hot or 500 Degreez. But the first three Carters were amazing.”

Empire of the Sun, Walking on a Dream (2008)

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Empire of the Sun, Walking on a Dream (2008)

Label: Capitol

Dot Da Genius: “That album was amazing. Another album that Cudi put me on to. Luke and Nick, they're geniuses and I feel honored to have had the chance to work with them. So seeing the method behind the madness first-hand makes me like their music even more.

"They just make classic music and they're great live performers too. We opened for them once and their show was amazing—definitely inspirational for them to be doing it big. They're another group that's unorthodox. Luke changes like three of four times during their set and he has all these outfits. It's just a fresh live show.”

Coldplay, Viva la Vida (2008)

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Coldplay, Viva la Vida (2008)

Label: Parlophone / Capital

Dot Da Genius: “Another classic album. One thing I like about music is that it kind of brings me back to a certain point in time. Like, you remember the time period you embraced the album. I first heard the album when me and Cudi were doing his first international tour. It was just me and him going to Australia for like a month by ourselves with no tour manage—just going from city to city doing shows.

"Cudi bought the album on the way to Australia and then he let me rip it to my computer. For me it was just the soundtrack to Australia. We went all over and I was just recently back there, actually in January, and it just pulls me right back to that time period. You can see how the world just embraced the music coming from them.”

Rick Ross, Deeper Than Rap (2009)

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Rick Ross, Deeper Than Rap (2009)

Label: Maybach / Slip-n-Slide / Def Jam

Dot Da Genius: “He's definitely one of my favorite rappers right now. I like all of his albums. His first album was great and I was like, 'Alright, he's dope. I like his stuff.' But on Deeper Than Rap, I don't know if that's his most commercially successful album, but to me I felt like that album is a classic masterpiece. He has an ear for picking beats. That was my soundtrack to when I started mobbin' out in L.A. early on. When I was out there working, I was listening to that album and getting inspired listening to it.”

Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus (2009)

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Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus (2009)

Label: V2 / Loyaute / Glassnote

Dot Da Genius: “I like pop music, but I'm not too big on pop music. Their music is just big—you know. I really like the singer; I like his tone. It's just something fresh and it makes you feel good. All of their songs have a certain uplifting vibe to them. Down to the production, it's just a really really well-put-together album and I still listen to that.”

MGMT, Congratulations (2010)

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MGMT, Congratulations (2010)

Label: Columbia Records

Dot Da Genius: “I really like their second album as well. I felt like I couldn't just skip over their first album. I know their second album wasn't as well received as their first album, but to me it's better.”

Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

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Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam

Dot Da Genius: “That album is a no-brainer. That was the album after the whole controversy he had with Taylor Swift and everybody was just setting him up for failure. Online, everybody was ready to rip the album to shreds.

“I had the opportunity to be in Hawaii to hear the album coming together when we were out there working on Man on The Moon II. The way the album shaped up from the stages I heard it to the end, I was just like, 'Man, this guys like a genius.'

“To have to deal with that and deal with that controversy, and still come back with one of his best albums—that's incredible. It's definitely inspirational.”

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