I'll post some commentary on my list cause my choices seems different
<b>Beastie Boys-Check your head</b>
That classic beastie is really paul's boutique but there is something in the feel of this album. It kind of sound natural in some way. I know all the lyrics by heart. I guess I have listened this album at least twice as much as any other record ever made.
<b>Public Enemy-It take a nation...</b>
Really the best Public Enemy album. They are so incredible. This was (and it still is) more hardcore than alot of hiphop and/or rock album. Hardcore doesn't meen stupid tho. And this album was a step ahead of most hiphop album of the time 'cause of this intelligence (in the lyrics and in the beats too).
<b>Aphex Twin-Richard d. James album</b>
It's not hiphop. But this album (and other warp releases) influenced some hiphop artist like prefuse73 or DJ Shadow (some track on the new shadow sound aphex twinish to me...). Anyhow, this album redefine what beat is for me. Now I see the beat as a melodic entity not just as rythme. This album is also very personal and emotional, two word not generaly associeted with electronic record.
<b>Bjork-Homogenic</b>
Bjork is such an excellent artist. This is my favorite of her album. Emotion, technology and old school orchestra.
<b>El-p - Fantastic Damage</b>
When this album came out last summer, I just discovered that there was other hiphop things beside what media or big label show you. For me this record represent an equilibrium of experimentalism, emotion, lyrics, beat, hiphop, non-hiphop influences, guest, rawness (I don't think this word exist?), old school hiphop. It is the proof for me that there is something really good in hiphop today. In fact, underground artist like El-p, for me, are far more interesting then most of mainstream hiphop today.
I don't really know why there isn't 36 chamber or return to the 36 chamber on my list but 5 choice is not much...