Rotting and Hip Hop

I've been thinking of taking up various rotting hobbies over the past several years. Brewing beer or soda, pickling things, making sourdough, making kefir, etc. Haven't had the chance yet. Kefir is farily low-maintenance and delicious, just pour on milk and wait a day every day.

One of my roommates is making a hip-hop record, and I'm like, I really should know something about hip-hop, so I'm taking suggestions for what one should listen to to get a feel of what hip-hop is all about. I'm already familiar with Grandmaster Flash and Outkast, but other suggestions are welcomed.