Kardinal Offishall — Not 4 Sale

If there were any doubts about Kardinal Offishall's status as Canada's premier rapper, Not 4 Sale puts an exclamation mark on it. Don't let the radio-friendly "Dangerous" (featuring Akon) deter you — Offishall's unparalleled ability to combine a dancehall vibe with some serious hip-hop verbiage is as strong as ever. "Burnt" (featuring Lindo P) sets the album's tone right off the top, with its infectious hook and hot-like-fire riddim. On songs like "Set It Off" (featuring The Clipse) and "Digital Motown" (featuring J-Davey) Offishall the lyricist shines as bright as ever. Usually when a rapper fills their album with the flavours of the year, you kind of assume they're trying to overcompensate for something. But in this case, however, Rihanna ( "Numba 1 Tide Is High"), T-Pain ("Go Home With You") and Estelle ("Due Me A Favour") are unequivocally second fiddle to Offishall's lead. Not 4 Sale finally proves that not only is he one of hip-hop's finest in Canada, he's one of the best in the world.