Hip hop "desert island"; best albums suggestions

[Recursion]

Actually it's not a "greatest" albums suggestion. A friend of mine who has never really enjoyed hip hop has suddenly become interested in it. He asked for 5 albums that are best for someone who doesn't know hip hop to learn about it. Here are mine (the order is deliberate); I would love any suggestions

1. The Low End Theory
2. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Down Back
3. Aquemini
4. The Marshal Mathers LP
5. Fear of a Black Planet

This guy is into opera like I am (it's how we met) so he's down with the idea of narrative music; what 5 albums would you choose to introduce somebody to the genre?

Obviously this list is showing my age and East-coast geography, but he shares those with me so maybe that's good.

[ghostsofgiants]

1. I dunno if I'd use them as introductory albums, but these are my five favourite hip-hop albums...

I tend more toward underground hip-hop:

Deltron 3030 - "Deltron 3030"
El-P - "I'll Sleep When You're Dead"
The Roots - "Things Fall Apart"
Sage Francis - "A Healthy Distrust"
Atmosphere - "Seven's Travels"

[Onceuponalife]

2. mine

1. Power in Numbers-Jurassic 5
2. Gorillas in tha Mist-Da Lench Mob
3. Paid in Full-Eric B. and Rakim
4. King of Rock-Run DMC
5. Radio-LL Cool J

[Recursion]

3. Sweet

Tres old school. Good ideas.

[Omphaloskepsis]

4. Some of my faves... But I have bad taste.

Geto Boys - Geto Boys Greatest Hits
Slick Rick - The Art of Storytelling
Talib Kweli & Madlib - Liberation
Jurassic 5 - Power In Numbers
Dr. Octagon - Dr. Octagonecologyst

[Deja Q]

5. Hmmm

1. All Hail the Queen
2. Fear of a Black Planet
3. Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em
(though for #3, I wouldn't be listening to it too often...)

I'm not much into rap, but 'old school' hip hop vs the non-talent being put onto CD today, the choice is crystal clear. Seriously, there is structure and layer to the old music of Queen Latifah and Public Enemy. (Old, sheesh, this was 1990.) MC Hammer was always a bit simple and bubblegum, but it was rather entertaining and had the occasional positive message too.