Gift of Game

Japanese version featuring a bonus track.

From Run-D.M.C.'s unlikely courtship of Aerosmith to Anthrax's union with Public Enemy, seemingly polar opposites have spawned a whole musical genre popularized by the likes of Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Kid Rock. Crazy Town's The Gift of the Game neatly slots into the rap-rock category. They obviously carry some clout, amassing an impressive guest roster for a debut album, including godfathers of the scene Red Hot Chili Peppers on stand-out track "Butterfly" and KRS-One on the storming "B-Boy 2000." As debut albums go, this is about as accomplished and cocksure as you get. --Helen Marquis