Jay-Z - Encore (2003)

When Jay-Z dropped The Black Album on this day in 2003, here was a rarity in Hip Hop - one of the all time greats choosing to bow out on the very top of his game.  I honestly can't think of a comparable example of someone else doing the same.
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As fate would have it, Jay's status appears
To be at an all-time high, perfect time to say goodbye
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The album is stacked with classic songs that show exactly why Jay was so revered in the community, even 11 years ago, but the song that epitomises the whole thing is without a doubt Encore.

Kanye West blessed Jay with a sumptuous, soulful instrumental to say his goodbyes over and also chipped in on the hook with John Legend.  With some trademark horns, killer keys and crowds chanting "Hova", this track could easily get by on sentimentality alone, but that's not Jay's style.

I honestly couldn't pick a favourite verse on here as Jigga absolutely kills all three of them, dropping some of his most quotable lyrics with one of the best flows in the game.  The theme of the song is basically Jay telling everyone how great he is and how much everyone is going to miss him - who else would have the balls and the ability to do something like that without sounding ridiculous?
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And I need you to remember one thing, I came, I saw, I conquered
From record sales, to sold out concerts
So motherfucker if you want this Encore
I need you to scream 'til your lungs get sore
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You would think the fact that Jay was tempted back to rap a few years later might weaken the effect of this song but it doesn't at all.  The sincerity in Encore is plain for all to see, this was Jay leaving the game and challenging others to step up and take his place.
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All cause the shit I uttered was utterly ridiculous,
How sick is this?
You wanna bang send Kanye change, send Just some dust
Send Hip a grip, then you gotta spit
A little somethin' like this....

Kanye West feat. Cam'ron & Consequence - Gone (2005)

On Kanye's debut album one of the many standouts was the epic closing track Last Call, so when his second album dropped a couple of years later I was excited to see how he would close it out.

OK, so Gone isn't actually the last track on Late Registration, but it's the last one that isn't a bonus or hidden track so I consider it the official album closer.

'Ye enlists Cam'ron and Consequence to help him out as he shows off one of the most impressive sample based instrumentals of his career. Employing a trick that he would use again on Watch The Throne, the track opens with a vocal snippet from the legendary Otis Redding, before Mr. West chops up the sample and makes it his own while delivering the kind of braggadocious lines that only he can get away with.

They claim you never know what you got til it's gone,

I know I got it, I don't know what y'all on

As the track continues, the instrumental gets more and more layered and while the guests deliver fine verses, Kanye steals the show with the last verse though as the beat and the song take a slightly darker turn.

If you couldn't already tell, I think this is one of the best examples of the kind of trademark soul sample based production that helped establish Kanye as the hottest producer around early in his career.

Personally I think that Kanye has continued to grow as an artist since then, but there are plenty that yearn for this kind of Kanye West to return. I think this Kanye is long gone and unlikely to return, so for now let's just enjoy this classic track