Beats are such an integral part of rap music. I believe viewing it as mainly a lyrical art form is taking a look at it from a wrong angle. Rap is probably my favorite genre of music, so I feel pretty strong about this subject. I don't know entirely to what you've listened to, but after seeing you list albums liks Madvilliany and Ready to Die, it shows to me that you do want to really understand and appreciate this music. If I may suggest albums, based on what you've said: To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar is probably the best example of beats and tonal expression in modern rap music. It is very, very heavily influenced and implements jazz into the entire album. Not to mention the lyrics are very important tell a story through the entire album. This is probably my mainly point of rap that I enjoy the most. A lot of landmark rap albums, to me, tell the best stories in music. Another good example of this is Aquamini by Outkast. I suppose, as you say, you enjoy tonal music over lyrical importance. So, I can understand when an album is more focused on just rapping, like Eminem or something like that. But, a lot of rap that I focus on is very very beat heavy. Now, I could sit here and suggest trap music. I know that, that is not for everyone. But if I had to suggest any trap music, Denzel Curry's TABOO is probably, objectively the best trap album ever. My personal favorite is Die Lit by Playboi Carti, if I may also suggest. I'd like to shift a bit of focus to my favorite rap album, and in turn my favorite studio album ever produced in general; which is Liquid Swords by GZA. Liquid Swords to me, is everything I personally love about rap music. It's the album, other than TPAB, that I suggest to people. Lyrically, it has everything that makes gangsta rap perfect. It's hard, it's aggressive, yet it's sad and has something to say. The beats are nearly unmatched, and the sampling means something greater than most in the genre. Now, focusing on MF DOOM, I can see where your taste lies in that. May I suggest records like Endtroducing... by DJ Shadow (not rap but important hip hop), It Takes A Nation of a Million to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy (important early hip hop that heavily influences modern rap music), Enter the Wu-tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan (which is an influence in major samples being used during albums, much like Madvilliany), The Cold Vein by Cannibal Ox (a contemporary piece of nerd rap that is closely related to Madvilliany), Flower Boy by Tyler, The Creator (more lyrically focused, but obviously influenced by Madvillainy), Some Rap Songs by Earl Sweatshirt (all lyrical and a lot less beats, but all together is linked to that album. Experimental). Experimental rap is also something I would suggest exploring like Exmilitary by Death Grips or Atrocity Exhibition by Danny Green. I could go on and on about rap music, but I hope you can at least give some of these albums a chance. I don't know if I could convince you or anything, I just like seeing people trying to branch out their musical taste. So it's cool that you made a thread like this to try and reach out.