May 2005

Chicago rapper Common released Be, produced entirely by Kanye West, to near-universal critical acclaim. The concise, soul-sampling album is widely considered his masterpiece and one of the finest conscious hip-hop albums of the decade.

Barbadian singer Rihanna released her debut single 'Pon de Replay,' which reached the top five in multiple countries and launched one of the most commercially successful music careers of the 21st century. Her rise from Barbados to global stardom expanded the definition of Black Caribbean excellence in mainstream pop culture.