I think while not a classic year for hip-hop, there was still some really good stuff released in 2006.
A lot of people seem to think that Fishscale was overrated. Personally, I love Ghost and thought it was mostly great. Bit of flotsam near the end maybe. If you ask me, Clipse would win my vote for most overrated of the year.
Others I enjoyed in 06 were Spank Rock, POS, Rhymefest (although Build Me Up was truly awful), Murs, Sway, Aceyalone and Akala.
The best stuff I heard this year though, was Jedi Mind Tricks and People Under The Stairs. These two and Fishscale would be my top 3 of 2006.
Haven't really listened to Lupe Fiasco, or Nas, and I only just got hold of The Coup, so I've formed no opinion yet. Some potentially great stuff coming up in 07. Here's to a great year for hip-hop.
"I know that human beings and fish can co-exist peacefully"