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In this attention-deficit ridden generation of Hip-Hop, the most important part of most albums is the introduction.

The greeting, the rising of the curtain or the knock on the door; everything about the beginning of an album has to say “hello, I’m here, and this is what you are in for.” Much like how a movie has to set the plot within the first couple of scenes, an album has to grab the listeners attention and let you not regret spending ten dollars (or wasting the hard drive space) on your project.

In this current decade, Hip-Hop artists are more aware than ever about what the opening track of an album must contain. In the 2000s, artists like T.I.,  Eminem, Young Jeezy, Jay-Z, Kanye West and more all mastered exactly how to open up the album as you were ripping open the packaging and reading the liner notes.

This week’s Wired 25 takes a look at the best introduction songs of the 2000s. Ranging from the intimidating, impactful, and subtle, we’ve got all the best from the year 2000 to now. Check out the list after the jump and check out the Spotify playlist down below including the 25 listed and a few extras we felt belonged, but just couldn’t fit.

Photo: Jonathan Mannion

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