The nearly 45-minute album might just be too smart for a mainstream audience, who seemingly prefer hollow, bubblegum rap to intelligently constructed social commentary. Yet, this musically diverse Hip Hop package will provide a suitable soundtrack for those who still prefer their rap iced-out with depth.

For Future, his latest work will be more than enough to keep his name ringing in the streets, but not enough to have him be immortalized as an urban legend. Not yet, at least.

Plata O Plomo was definitely made with the right intentions and features some solid rapping but the most memorable moment remains “All the Way Up” which has since been inducted into Hip Hop’s overplayed archives.

While The Chief sets him up for a more focused sophomore effort, Jidenna’s genre-hopping album is merely a sliver of his versatility as an entertainer.

Releasing a handful of incredible singles ahead of an album sets a pretty lofty standard that the rest of the LP doesn’t always meet. In spite of its drawbacks, Culture showcases Migos at the top of their artistry and there’s no indication that it’s their peak either.

Is it going to be the album of the year? No. But it’s a very high quality, and very enjoyable.

Kehlani’s decision to provide spoonfuls of candor throughout the album is why she’ll reach the apex of R&B sooner than a lot of her contemporaries.

The flows are slicker, and the hooks more engaging. His writing is still standard fare for Gucci, but he doesn’t hesitate to play with his delivery.

Weighing in at 19 tracks and 86 minutes, PP&DS sprawls to a fault, but it sticks true to its branding.

Don’t Smoke Rock appeals to old and new heads alike, for its rooting in traditional NYC production and attention to contemporary details. Smoke DZA and Pete Rock prove to be a formidable duo on their first official outing, and the guests joining in on the fun comprise the collective cherry on top of the proverbial sundae.

The album transpires without so much as a lyrical couplet--exchanging raps for electromagnetic soul and fluorescent funk--and will ultimately be remembered for its experimentation over its execution.

RTJ3 ultimately mirrors the sentiment of too many movie franchise sequels that make the brand go stale.

Ab-Soul expounds on his cranial compound Do What Thou Wilt and fully revealed himself as an artist who plays mind games with himself and listeners. Although figuring Soulo lyrical intent continues to be a guessing game, at least there are some critical takeaways that linger far after indulging in the music.

With 4 Your Eyez Only, J. Cole deserves consideration for tugging at the heartstrings of listeners with raw human emotion but still leaves open the door to reach a musical zenith.

The Hamilton Mixtape is an enthralling musical journey through American history that manages to stay relevant to our country’s turbulent political landscape.

Starboy won’t immortalize his legacy just yet but it will strengthen a once desolate Toronto kid’s placement in a musical sect he probably couldn’t even have ever dreamed of being in.

He succinctly gets his point across by instilling that much needed old-school nostalgia lacking in music today with nine tracks. Instead of diving into the album with a bloated guest list, Bruno and his production team, Shampoo Press & Curl (with assistance from longtime collaborators The Stereotypes) ensure 80s babies stay forever young.

While Montana by no means offers up any profound lyrical executions on MC4, he clearly has fun doing what he’s doing and is finally learning to master the role he’s developed for himself.

HERE is sewn up together nicely and a testament to what Keys always gets right--speaking from the heart as she strokes those 88-keys.

Cozy prioritizes the gifts of its star much more than that of the mob’s other henchman, but its game plan ultimately proves triumphant.

Through thick and thin, Tribe embodies the fully fleshed out idea of the Hip Hop their impassioned audience clamors for: work that’s soulful, thought provoking, and gripping enough to transport minds away from strife to another world sonically.

There are some run-of-the-mill features from Lil Wayne (“Bout That”), French Montana (“Going Crazy”) and Chris Brown (“Pretty Diamonds”), but the rest of the supporting cast help elevate below-average tracks.

Big Baby D.R.A.M. is presented as a playlist of D.R.A.M.’s best conceptual songs rather than achieve the glory of playing a perfect album from front to back.

It’s a restlessly inventive work that adds a uniquely soulful layer to underground Hip Hop 3.0’s resurgent, evolving sound.

Although he’s far from a punk, the caricature we’ve come to know as Gucci Mane has shed a chunk of his unrepentant hood mentality in favor of a wiser narrator of the trap. Once he fully discovers how to convincingly put that into the music, the world had better brace itself.

As with so many projects with Prince Paul at the helm, it’s a genuinely intriguing sonic excursion.

Keith’s magnetism is absurd yet inspirational to think different.

A Seat at the Table is her strongest work to date.

The most rewarding aspect of Atrocity Exhibition is the ease with which Danny Brown conducts this freakshow.

His highly anticipated debut album The Healing Component serves as a 15-track showcase of youthful positivity.

Taking steps to advance his career without compromise, Michael Christmas uses Fudge’s Lady Parts to make what’s arguably the greatest showing off his talent to date.

The listenability is at an all-time high, but the writing itself is still lackluster.

There isn’t a ton of lyrical progression for La Flame on this album. ... But he soothing digitized finish and woven through the most polished contemporary drums in Hip Hop, it’s truly hard to hate. That puzzling beauty is the best part about Scott’s music.

Tirade is a refined exercise in Spottie’s advancement as an artist.

And the Anonymous Nobody is an album that, though lacking in congruence, displays De La’s staying power.

From the jamming intro to the sublime closer, Jeffery is a testament to the rapper’s carefree spirit.

Prima Donna is his most challenging work to date.

Fishing Blues may not be your bag due to its pacing and down-trodden tempo but in between the suburban man bars should lay some appreciation for storytelling.

Much of Blonde sounds more like a minimalist soft rock record with its sparse, isolationist guitars and pianos; little to no drums; and choruses that fade into the rest of Frank’s dense, congested lyrics.

Sremmlife 2 is worthwhile (and much needed) bid for album of the summer. It’s top heavy, “By Chance,” “Look Alive,” and “Black Beatles” feeling a lot like one of the best three song stretches of the year, but Swae brings a promising sense of experimentation to the entire project.

P3 doesn’t totally live up to the hype due to the excess sadness rendering it a tad boring but at the very least it gives us an explicit snapshot of where OVO’s second-in-command is at emotionally.

Some faults of Dreezy’s album is that it sounds like a combination of the current trends in Hip Hop.

A crossover single aside, LILDURK2X, at its core, really lacks any unique personality. From song to song we just get served disappointingly mediocre aggressive rap music that is hard to hate but also challenging to love.

There are instances on this album that do prove Khaled’s worth as a Hip Hop orchestrator in terms of matching high profile rappers with quality beats but unfortunately, they come too few and far between.

Mike WiLL Made-It and Zaytoven construct a cinematic backdrop, but Gucci’s execution is a bit wanting. Regardless, it’s a clear step in the right direction, a completely different beast than the b-side littered mixtapes he’s sanctioned from behind bars over the past three years, and begs for repeat listens.

Blank Face LP could’ve cut some fat from its 72-plus minutes and 17 tracks, especially since some songs cover the same ground. However, as a whole, Blank Face LP is a victory not only for ScHoolboy Q, but for a T.D.E. crew that had seemed to lose momentum outside of its star player.

Casting such a wide net over the span of 20 songs ends up being a gift and a curse as the brighter moments risk getting dimmed out by extremely ambitious attempts that fall short. Running so long ensures filler and repetitive topic material, but overall Snoop makes a strong case against ageism as he fuses the adult contemporary and Gangsta Rap genres.

MFH2 frequently chooses to forgo these extremes that make Gates riveting, opting for something more middle-of-the-road.

New English is a welcomingly satisfying first impression, but hopefully his GOOD Music debut Life of Desiigner brings more original ideas to the table.

Still Brazy is a testament that real-life experience breeds the best music but we can do without the shootouts from this point on.

Skepta manages to craft his best yet with Konnichiwa. A concise project that focuses on taking him past his south London ends and into Hip Hop’s mainstream. ... But if he really wants his career to truly win over the Yanks, some of those subpar lines need to be cleaned up.

Rather than cheap ploys to cross over, the questionable collaborations are more likely calculated concessions with the intent of sneaking his evangelical message to a greater audience. After the communion cup runs empty, Chance proves himself worthy of hero worship by subtly and subversively overthrowing the commercialized horrors of his town’s violent drill movement.

He seems to have complete control over the proverbial dance floor, switching up tempos to match the crowd’s mood throughout the 15-track album; this prevents 99.9% from feeling bloated and is yet another reason Kaytranada’s debut album is a resounding success.

Free Will is a solid project worth the spins but misses the opportunity to deliver a career-defining album by not having the personal touch that’s needed in his discography.

The end result is his most introspective material since “Daylight.” Dedicated fans will appreciate it for its familiarity, which ironically, might also be their deterrent from it.

Drake feeds his own ego and starves his humility. There are engaging moments scattered throughout, such as the subtle outro to “9” or dvsn’s stellar turn on “Faithful,” but from the content to the execution, Views is strangled by the 6ix God’s own delusions.

It is both album and manifesto, and illustrates the true power of art. The power to conjure back from the dark the voice of people the world has chosen to ignore.

King of Memphis has all the ingredients of a breakout debut album with 12 featureless tracks but it settles in as another conventional Dolph project.

It’s the subtle sequencing--deliberate to show his progression--that elevates the project from merely a delinquent to being the tale of a reformed man.

Despite the occasional uncertainty, Always Strive and Prosper answers more questions than it poses. Ferg has clearly stepped up his game by delivering his most well-rounded project thus far.

Layers is an album of tremendous depth and skill, and shines a light on Royce 5’9” as multifaceted artist.

Tweet’s songwriting on Charlene is profound enough for us to feel something but doesn’t go over the top with wild emotions.

This collection is as heavy, thoughtful and laborious as anything Mike Eagle has released to date, but luckily he’s reached a place where he can withstand indie Hip Hop’s glass ceiling.

Their chemistry is unquestionable and the music derived from that unique harmony is constantly improving.

Slay-Z isn't quite such a project [that will eclipse anything she does offline] but her talent is still apparent throughout its run time.

Boosie’s eighth studio album is ambitious in scale, and contains some of his best work to date. The message and content aren’t always constant, but the ebb and flow of the experience enable a strong diversity of sound, and Boosie adapts to the beats like a chameleon with different colors.

Young Thug's extensive catalog is spotted with dynamic moments and this project seems to forgo such progressiveness. The range is still there, but sectioned into neatly packaged offerings.

Produced entirely by Erick “The Architect” Elliott, the 12-song mind trip is hodgepodge of haunting strings, ambient sounds fit for a sci-fi film and hard-hitting drums.

ColleGrove peaks when it stumbles onto potential hits off sheer energy but it never sparks the same fervor that songs about their old stomping grounds could.

What strikes you most is the sheer joy present in the sessions, imperfections galore. The free-flowing yet concentrated totality of Kendrick’s method.

The title harbors on his crash-landed placement in the mainstream where he simply wants to co-exist while the music, albeit a times disjointed, makes up one of the most self-aware, socially conscious rap albums in recent memory, if not ever.

Aside from its individual weaknesses, as a whole, The Art of Hustle doesn’t feel very intentional; it’s a collection of songs more than a body of work.

Much like his subdued persona in the media and social world, BJ has put forth a project that speaks louder than any other outlier that dictates what rides the trend.

In many ways, ANTI is a step in the right direction for Rihanna, creatively.

There's noticeable growth from their EP and mixtape in both Majid's singing and Jordan's production.

Moments like “Pt. 2” where Yeezy reflects on his parents divorce, his mother’s passing, his near fatal car crash over Rick Rubin, Mike Dean, and Metro Boomin’s bouncing madness linger long after last listen.

On Khalifa, there isn’t much that raises nor lowers Wiz’s stock and after a couple more play throughs the album comes across as fairly average.

As it stands, EVOL is nothing out of the ordinary from his past endeavors. With no measures in place preventing from Future releasing new full-length projects, this album could easily be surpassed in a month or two.

Although it is still to be determined if Thugger can step it up a couple of notches for an album that will be touted as an official release, I’m Up doesn’t offer up any reason to doubt him.

The 17 tracks and 63 minutes of Islah flow surprisingly well; even though there’s room to cut the fat, it doesn’t drag on the way many albums with that many songs do.

Williams isn’t here for you to simply digest his art and move on. He wants it to stick to you, to stay in your heart, mind and soul, the same way it does with him as the artist. And MartyrLoserKing accomplishes just that without question.

Something About April II is the rare record that allows you be spirited away without feeling dirty or voyeuristic. As though you sought to change some flaw in the past that shouldn’t have been changed at all.

While not DS2 nor What A Time To Be Alive, Purple Reign is an important Future release because it shows an artist continuing the work of discovering his best talents while also staying well within his own, now well-defined zone.

For as good as the melodies and ripe drums and bass beats are on the album, more impressive is the songwriting.

Overall, The Buffet is a satisfying dish.

Pusha delves into risky artistic terrain and imparts flashes of lyrical genius only a few have the pedigree to pull off. The Prelude has once again positioned Pusha as an emcee with the ability to put forth a legendary piece of work.

Late Nights shoots at the moving target that is modern rhythm and blues and scores, because sometimes sheer talent just can’t be denied.

There’s no number of stars that can save this album from aiming high, falling short, and still somehow being quite entertaining at moments along the way.

When his conscious aligns with his songwriting We Didn’t Talk excels. He needs only seek himself and lead by example rather than trip over cliches.

While showing progression here, Chris Brown still is quite far from being the best man and artist that he can be. On Royalty, Chris Brown shows what happens when Peter Pan tries to grow up, but loves turning up in the club even more.

On a sonic level, much of this album is strong but the identity and continuity are lackluster.

After the first initial play through, this album definitely translates as Jadakiss’ most celebratory to date. The beats are more grandiose, less gutter horror story and more hustler’s celebration. The whole theme plays out like his very own victory lap.

It doesn’t hit as hard as some previous albums, but it surely proves just how good Rick Ross can be as a songwriter and collaborator. It also proves how sharp he has become as a rapper.

It’s when Bieber’s honesty feels less-than-honest and the tracks feel less-than-groundbreaking that this album falls short of the heights it should by all means be capable of reaching.

At 15 tracks, Heart Blanche is not much longer than 2010’s The Lady Killer and noticeably shorter than his first two albums, which both had no less than 18 tracks. However, sequencing is the heart of any album and Heart Blanche palpitates from its redundancy.

When he ends the album with “Cold Ass Nigga,” the most demonstrably aggressive verse on the album, you realize Shadow of a Doubt isn’t Gibbs flipping to go pop, but a man secure enough in the foundation he has laid to take a leap of faith.

So, all in all, Ty delivers a light, layered debut, with more depth than we thought could be drawn out of the trap&B sound he helped usher into the mainstream.

The Incredible True Story is both the overt and organic progression of an accomplished emcee maneuvering in his comfort zone past potential pitfalls.