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

Clocking in at nine tracks and 31 minutes, Mars and Paak are in and out, delivering their best impression of ’70s funk, soul and R&B — albeit each track is so spit polished and clean, it noticeably lacks the raw charm of the original. But that in no way means An Evening With Silk Sonic doesn’t have its merits.

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

While it may be a bit disjointed at times, Captain California reels in his superhero status as a gifted storyteller and proficient rhyme executor, making his home at Strange Music the idyllic place.

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.

It’s fun and inventive; a mashup of experimental Hip Hop that harnesses a truly demented collection of sounds and influences from 80s commercials to gospel chorus. That combination might not make sense to everyone, but it’ll be a long revisited cult classic for those who get it.

Filled to the brim with ideas even when it sometime sounds as if he’s creatively a little too all over the place. Thankfully, even when he fails, listeners should be fascinated by even those attempts.

It’s not exactly the blockbuster conclusion Nas fans were looking for. Instead, it’s the cliffhanger ending that offers the chance for a reunion in the future.

When you factor in all its dexterity, randomness and overall generality, it’s hard to truly believe NASIR was the album he had been cerebrally building these past six years. No, this isn’t “grown man Hip Hop” to bring balance back to whatever the younger generation of mainstream rappers are doing at the moment; nor will it ever reside in the upper echelon of the living legend’s catalog. It is, however, imperfect fine art.

Ultimately, amid very high highs, it heavy-handedly embraces a sound that his most devout fans often turn to Griselda to avoid. Whether the initial shell shock wears off for those listeners remains to be seen.

The first half of the album, Khaled showed precise execution, stacking banger after banger. Had he sliced the album down to 15 or 16 tracks, he could have secured a very special project.

It’s a safe follow-up to the previous breakout project, serving as an ideal reference point for when she fully decides to take wholesale risks with her sound.

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

Magic 2 has a high floor as a rehashing of a proverbial tried and true formula of a Nas and Hit-Boy collaboration. It can still be magical, but you’re left with the sense that Hit could use a few new tricks.

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

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.

The Canadian megastar avoids the pitfalls of cheap, nostalgia bait by earnestly repurposing and breathing life into deep cuts from a bygone era.

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

On Eden, a follow up to this year’s Ephorize, CupcakKe refines her lyricism, diversifies her subject matter, and proves why she shouldn’t be dismissed.

Despite the casualness of everything, The Off-Season still earns buckets from the level of microphone craftsmanship he’s developed for himself and the melodies it brings.

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.

Although You Still Here, Ho? doesn’t boast as many catchy hits as its predecessor, Flo Milli’s studio debut still finds success by exploring new genres. Contrary to the record’s cohesiveness, each track is unpredictably experimental in sound and style when compared to Flo Milli’s previous work.

The good far outweighs the bad on 2000. It doesn’t reach the highs the hype promised and, no matter how much he believes it, the album doesn’t make the case for his self-proclaimed G.O.A.T. status. It is, however, a highly listenable, uncomplicated rap album, not burdened by any weighty conceit; a showcase for an MC with a great ear for production and innate rapping ability.

Music To Be Murdered By is far from the star-studded, commercially sustainable album Recovery was, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. On this album, despite its handful of flaws, Em shows strong signs of adapting to the times through modern musical choices and smarter songwriting.

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.

Voir Dire is an exceptional collection of raps, but missing connectivity between Earl and Alc holds back the tape’s potential. Where Earl breathes life into his verses, Alc plays it safe with more simple ideas that feel a bit boring and recycled.

While Come Over When You’re Sober Pt. 2 puts the cap on Peep’s short-lived career, it leaves behind clear evidence of his once-limitless potential.

It’s Almost Dry is a good rap record that delivers a few hard hitting tracks, some great production and bar-for-bar excellence by one of the best rappers in the game, but the album lacks the bite of past releases.