Five rap albums to take on the mothership when the government shuts down at midnight

Tonight when the clock strikes midnight, you should expect calamity, destruction and famine to sweep the nation, because word on the street says the government is shutting down. Word to Chicken Little: A bunch of awful things are supposed to happen...we think. They don't pay us the big bucks to chop it up on some Forbes shit, but what we can definitely help you out with are the five hip-hop albums you should take on the mothership, should calamity actually take place.

1) Mama's Gun -- Erykah Badu: When it goes down, you won't want to be caught out there with a butter knife, a case of blueberries and no way to elevate the mind. This is where Badu comes in. Her ethereal tracks and euphoric lyrical notions are the perfect soundtrack to the afterworld.

2) Rick James -- Greatest Hits: All Rick James everything, forever and ever, amen. There is no better representation of lawlessness with class and flair than Rick James. You'll wanna have this record on deck, simply for the confidence that comes with his soul music. And besides, "Mary Jane" is a cult classic and will never, ever go out of style.

3) Stillmatic -- Nas: Some will say that Illmatic was the better album, and they could be right. However, what Stillmatic has that Illmatic doesn't is "Ether," the eviscerating diss to Jay-Z -- you know, that other rapper from New York. This record will forever capture when rap was at its most ripe, competitive, creative -- and absolutely progressive for the times.