I like some rap songs like Chuck D's Free at the Edge of an Answer, stuff by Eminem, Public Enemy, some A Tribe Called Quest songs etc...
Recommend me some rap/hip hop/whatever which you'd think I might enjoy. I think I would like ones with a reasonable effort on instrumentation and maybe changing beats as the song goes on... but really I've got no clue.

i personally only really like NWA as far as rap goes

hmm... one of my classmates was supposedly a fan of them... but I've not heard any... what should I check out by them?

Can try out some De La Soul. The best place to start is definitley 3 Feet High and Rising. Prince Paul is on the beats so its tough to beat that. A lot like A Tribe Called Quest in some respects.

If you like Eminem then check out his album Infinite. Its easily his best work but I must warn you it isnt perfectly produced and all popped up like a lot of his other stuff, very raw and underground and sounds that way too.

Eric B and Rakim kinda changed rap forever with their album Paid in Full. An old school classic that you might enjoy.

Nas's Illmatic is another classic that is very good.

fuck tha police, express yourself - the whole straight outta compton album

Dizzee Rascal's Boy in da Corner and Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back are the only rap albums I've really listened to and I like them both...