Pink Friday was one of the most highly-anticipated albums of 2010, largely due to curiosity. The reality is that it could have never lived up to the hype it prematurely received. Still, there's room for growth, and Nicki Minaj has both the skills and the following to keep moving up.

Those who are less dedicated to the soul-trap genre might find the hour-long, 24-track album a test of their aural endurance. Beautiful Mind shows every element that contributed to Wave’s rapid ascent to the top of his genre: the interplay between his vocals and verse; the bitter honesty with which he describes his early life experiences; and his skill for turning any sample – no matter how well-known – into his own anthemic trap-soul style.

MMM is by no means is it Diddy’s best work but, it does deliver some quality music with a little something for everyone. Whether you are looking for tight rhymes, big production, exciting collaborations or even just some of that signature Diddy ad-libing, MMM is definitely worth a play or two.

Rich The Kid has done a fine enough job with his second album, and he’s successfully set the stage for a career that could be long, fruitful, and ultimately well-respected.

Though his delivery, wit, and overall presence are exciting and the EP is good for surprises such as Gucci Mane exceeding expectations over El-P's contribution "Telephuck," the continual insistence on raunch risks becoming stale.

Jesus Piece ends up being the least compelling release in Game's storied catalogue, but that doesn't mean it's not worth a listen.

The self-proclaimed "White trash heartthrob" kicks off his show with a display of lyricism and content that aligns very closely with Yelawolf has always been about - sincerity, family, community and of course Chevrolet Caprice Classics.

"Stocking Cap" Sai may be no more, but Saigon proves that he still hasn't lost his touch on the mic.

With tracks like "15 Minutes" to slow things down for those romantic moments, and an upbeat song such as "All Said And Done" to keep things moving along at a decent pace, Jamie Foxx's LP is a pleasant addition to the current R&B landscape.

It doesn’t introduce a new sound, nor does it feature many moments we haven’t heard before. Yet what makes this album important are all the reasons Hip Hop needs Freddie Gibbs. On any one album, he can give you pieces of Tupac, UGK, Three 6 Mafia, and blend them into a harmony that would make Bone Thugs-n-Harmony proud.

Evermore: The Art Of Duality is an album that might overstay its welcome once it’s finished, but it is a project that takes an old concept album idea and breathes new life into it while, concurrently making the talent and the rep of this against-the-grain Beast Coast duo grow bigger with each new release.

Overall R.E.D. is concise and beautifully simple, making it one of this year's smoothest R&B albums.

There's still a bit more growing to do, but Master of My Make-Believe shows that's she's headed in the right direction.

Despite the house and dance beats and Marc Anthony features, Pitbull is still a rapper, and a decent one at that. He has definite personality on the mic, a trained and well-executed flow and delivery, and an ear for a good club banger.

While each track on Loud is an audio Polaroid of past work, there's little evolution. It's evident Rihanna is working her way to the top, but she's been doing that for three albums now.

It maintains a musical energy intense enough to fuel a good party, yet throws in just enough of a dash of introspect to remind listeners that behind Jim Jones' exotic cars, empty bottles left behind at VIP tables, penchant for the drug business, and platoon of fly females, the man still has a heart.

Cruel Summer is heavy and brash, and in that sense, it succeeds. G.O.O.D. Music's first outing successfully showcases the collective's talents, but it's ultimately an underachieving and uneven effort.

I Never Liked You continues his stagnation from High Off Life, settling for comfort rather than experimentation. The songs are rehashes he’s done more effectively in the past. His signature consistency is still there.

While Take Care could be much better in some theoretical ways, it isn't bad in any objective way either.

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

Hail Mary Mallon gives us one of the better independent albums released of the year. The artists' ability to have fun, while weaving a complex and serious narrative is the thing that only seasoned lyricists could pull off.

Overall, A$AP Ferg’s Trap Lord, is a solid, if an sometimes-uninspired effort.

While G I R L is too surface-level at times, it hits the target it’s aimed for.

Equipped with drowsy articulation tinged with a melodic pinch of raspiness, Xan is far from an astute lyricist but isn’t actually a slouch on the mic in terms of flow and rhyme schemes.

J. Cole's debut album has flaws just as others' rookie seasons did, but Cole World: Sideline Story definitely proves that he deserves a prominent spot on the team.

A vulnerable, sexy, and fun record, Age/Sex/Location is a fitting eye-roll at the R&B is dead debate.

Aside from “Run Away,” none of the tracks on Bush are utter drag-and-recycle-bin drop material, the album is a surprising letdown from two legendary artists who have (literally) a platinum track record.

Notwithstanding a couple musical blemishes, IV Play diligently continues The-Dream’s tenure as one of the premier acts in R&B.

On Traumazine, Meg recaptures her narrative, sound and essence, ready to swing into the next chapter of her life.

For now, Follow Me Home is a lowrider journey to California, with many ups and some downs included.

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.

Some Cold Rock Stuf continues with a gracious mixture of up-tempo and moody cuts, though some are more favorable over others.

Though not his greatest body of work, it places his cunning lyrical skills front and center while showcasing his and Scram Jones’ identical ears for quality, bass-heavy production and the fact that gangsters want to have a little fun, too.

While Vol. 2 provides instrumentation that commands each track. Most of the beats consist of rattling snares and melodic 808 drums that drive a uniform basis without sounding totally identical.

Few producers in the game boast similar originality and creativity, which makes Invite the Light a refreshing new album for 2015 and beyond.

His involvement in the actual song-making process may be limited, but his ear for the finished product shouldn't be understated.

The Love Album is at its best when Diddy creatively assembles unexpected collaborations, chooses inspired beats, and lets his co-stars lead the show.

Here I Am is a solid effort by Destiny's other child.

Southsiders is a solid album. The production is consistent and there are moments of enlightenment from Slug. But due to Atmosphere’s already extensive catalog, it doesn’t easily separate itself from previous works.

Shlohmo creates reverential moments out of human gloom, and does so with a level of execution that invites multiple listens while defying comparisons, too.

Z is strongest when SZA avoids usual Pop tropes. Too many songs are about being left brokenhearted, and don’t add much to what’s already been done.

As a whole, the feel-good album’s set of eclectic beats doesn’t disappoint, but it lacks diversity.

Indicud is an ambitious project that Kid Cudi took a blind shot at, and while by no means does he completely exemplify his immortal identity, he certainly makes a compelling case nonetheless.

At times the style itself feels like a copy of Rae’s hits instead of an organic creation, but The Chef does a good job of balancing the radio-friendly Rap with material his diehard fans crave.

Girl On Fire pushes her superb writing skills forward without losing what makes Alicia Keys the artist she promised to be 11 years ago.

No, his music isn't appropriate for every situation, but when T-Pain is what you're in the mood for, there's still no better T-Pain than T-Pain.

The album is repetitive in nature (a sure complaint for anyone highly critical of his solo work), Prodigy continues his largely consistent reign as a still thriving pioneer of New York’s once thugged-out era.

Despite its missteps, GMB is a commendable project that should hold over diehard fans.

Overall, Fortune further indicates a changing of the guard in urban music, as Chris Brown's feel good songs find his most staunch advocates willing to overlook his lowered standards of musical content.

The Solution once again combines Buckshot and 9th Wonder's accomplished and refined skill sets as pioneers of the '90s and the past decade respectively.

Gift of Gab is a craftsman, and achieves goal to provide uplifting music.

The inclusion of a small handful of featured emcees spices up the pot appropriately and where and when they cook are choiced well.

With a dynamic range that stretches from speedier tracks like “I Wish” to the slow and steady “90’s Class Act (Ek),” PeteStrumentals 2 refuses to settle on a single model, rather incorporating snippets of what Pete Rock has shown has fans over the years.

At its very best, Seen It All is a glimpse into how Jeezy can make his living on the back nine in a crowded subgenre with no use for him anymore: By recalling the most chilling details of his drug dealing past with a flashback-like crispness.

Despite the somewhat lethargic back half, falling or flying ends on a high note thanks to a powerful set of closing tracks in “Backwards” and “What if my heart beats faster.”

Let’s Start Here. is exciting at the first listen because the style is new to Lil Yachty himself. Alas, the shiny sheen of new experiences tends to dull over time and with repetition.

Like an episode of Atlanta, 3.15.20 takes us in various, episodic directions that are snapshots into the thought process of Donald Glover. He ties it all together with the unifying, timeless theme of love. It’s just a shame his vision was marred by musical risk-taking that falls flat almost as much as it soars.

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.

Besides a few questionable features, there’s nothing offensive or particularly bad about Hollywood’s Bleeding. It’s just Malone playing it safe and betting on the likelihood that the streaming algorithms will reward him once again.

There isn’t much more context to be found in the music, which isn’t nearly as fun or inventive as his previous work. It’s unclear exactly what Thug was trying to communicate here; if it’s meant to be a good bit of escapism, both for artist and audience, it’s a little too brooding.

Czarface Meets Ghostface is far from a “bad” rap album despite having a seemingly uninspired rap trio. From a bar-for-bar standpoint, the rhymes on here are better than a lot of today’s modern offerings but it’s missing the menacing attitude which is often times half the battle.

There are no deep layers to be uncovered on Queen. No methodical analysis responding to her critics for her reliance on sexual ploys. Nary a mention of any mental anguish the grave allegations her brother faces.

There are without doubt a few tracks on this album that could make it to your favorite ScHoolboy playlist but said “few” don’t outweigh the remaining dozen that fall flat on their blank face.

Although its admittedly a mixed bag, Tory’s latest successfully pays homage to ‘00s R&B while also delivering plenty of bedroom jams, club bangers, and pregame bops to keep his fans vibing.

The rawness of Kanye West’s current existence manifests in music that actually means something, which is the first time we’ve been able to say that about a Kanye album in some time.

As it stands, Born 2 Rap is a proclaimed swan song that feels more like a playlist. Let’s hope Jayceon has one more in him.

In short, WE DON’T TRUST YOU should have been shorter. The first half dozen tracks, with a few other gems scattered scarcely throughout, show just how musically connected Metro and Future truly are but fans will be able to tell when the focused material ends and the frivolous filler starts.

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.

Earworms aside, some songs are merely second-rate homages. ... 7 does show some promising directions for the meme maestro.

This album should have and could have been as epic as it seems Kanye’s dive into his faith has been. All in all, the project is a decent affair that falls short of its potential.

Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho conveys exactly what fans might expect from two of the hottest trap rappers out. Soaring, robo-rhythmic tunes? Check. Endless braggadocio? Check. A seamless blend of vocoder-tinged singing and cocky flows? Check, check, Nike Swoosh. But don’t expect a structured, meticulous project. Rather, it feels as if La Flame and the Migos leader went into the studio, indulged in the ganja, and all grooviness broke loose.

While there are moments on Boomiverse that reminds you of who you’re listening to, the lows are painful and distracting, to say the least. Weak production and terrible hooks drown out the enjoyable moments of the supposed intergalactic trip.

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.

Pressure will appease fans looking for mindless tunes to cruise or smoke to but Snowman’s reluctance to push the envelope at the risk of alienating his longtime congregation is simply frustrating.

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

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.

The beats are pleasant to excellent, the raps are practiced yet dry, and the trio that has come so far finds itself not moving at all.

If slightly unexciting, Richer Than I Ever Been is a testament to the lasting talent of the MMG commandant, even if he doesn’t break new ground.

It’s an unexpectedly, confusingly good collection of rap songs.

While B.I.B.L.E. doesn’t break any new or exciting ground and lacks any song of the summer contenders, it is solid enough to command streams and further prove his commercial viability.

This project is simply too long. The songs themselves are actually quite good in their own unique way but it’s difficult for anyone to jump around a 25-track album and get the most out of it. The Mansion would have been better off as a collection of mini condos.

The project offers disposable fun bangers and somber explorations of their pain but doesn’t elevate or illuminate Baby or Durk. It hints at lofty ambitions: an attempt at a seminal artistic statement about their influence, and dually, a victory lap after their recent success.

Instead of replicating last year’s hit mixtape, Nasty is clearly set on experimenting and expanding her sound. Even though it shows that she’s a risk taker, Anger Management is unfortunately half-baked.

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

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.

The budding star easily could have played it safe and stuck to a winning formula, which remains a strong suit (i.e. Issa’s “Bank Account” and “Close My Eyes”). Instead, he challenged himself to be more musically ambitious. While his experiments didn’t produce dynamic results, the positives overshadow the negatives.

Even at over an hour long and spanning a multitude of genres, it lacks any depth of feeling that grows tiring over 64 minutes. There’s a truly great 12-track version of INSANO hiding away somewhere.

Like his previous albums, They Got Amnesia is a simple collection of songs with slightly more consistent performance and significantly lower peaks.

Despite impressive features and banging singles, JACKBOYS seems too lean of a project to feel like a noteworthy introduction to Scott’s label and collective.

The album is full of minute details that highlight Durk’s complexity as a character and a writer, wielding pain with a skill far beyond others who call themselves melodic rappers. However, too often the production formula runs stale as the piano-led instrumentals mush tracks together.

Scarlet is an album worth hearing but not listening to. It’s still arguably Doja’s most gripping body of work to date because it sounds amazing, but it lacks the integrality to secure a legacy.

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

A solid, but ultimately forgettable record despite its impressive sales numbers, a come and go affair with moments of brilliance but not enough originality to stand out in the crowded field that Trippie helped tillage years ago.

Quavo shows consistency on this album through trap-a-long choruses and fresh sounds but there are definitely some misses that will likely never be streamed again.

Gunna’s still making songs that would fit on a Drip Season deluxe, but it’s juxtaposed with pain ballads you’d hear on a Lil Durk album. And though the instrumentals and somber delivery evoke the pain he’s clearly going through, he keeps the audience at a distance, making the album poignant, but also obligatory.

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.

IDK has demonstrated he already holds the keys to his own success through past releases and, in fleeting moments, on USEE4YOURSELF. The skills are there — the confidence just needs to follow.

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.