At times Abstract is advancing the alternative Hip-Hop genre, while in other moments he’s relishing in an indie-pop fantasy. Generally, he’s at his best when he’s building off his previous Hip Hop success.

The seven-track offering spills alpha male-isms from a “money-over-bitches” point-of-view, yet remains sultry enough to appeal to the fairer sex. It’s a tenuous balance Ty walks like a seasoned tight rope artist.

Game’s first installment The Documentary 2 is a fine achievement in making the familiar sound fresh. It will be exciting to see what he has in store for the second go-round.

This Time isn't Sigel's strongest endorsement as an emcee--that would be The B. Coming--but it is a testament to his impeccable ability to select production.

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.

Ibeyi is executed expertly and encapsulates entirely its artists’ public narrative and ambitious musical inclinations up to this point. For now, that’s a blessing and all we know enough to ask for.

Today's Hip Hop scene has a rotating cast of notable stars, yet Watch The Throne simply wouldn't have felt the same had it been two different rappers converging for something this monumental.

Though he’s still lyrically sharp, in the moments when he revisits and spins familiar themes, things begin to feel comfortable and less remarkable. Still, this album succeeds by expanding on what hardcore Griselda fans already know.

PRhyme can be closed off to the Rap of today, but their rendition of the Rap of yesteryear will always have a place in any era.

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.

The group's unpredicatability and totally unique style is grassroots Hip Hop at its best.

Lucky 7 doesn’t deviate from the framework of Statik’s previous compilations, but it does highlight his masterful command of each individual track, without ever simplifying the approach or integrity of the album.

Some songs border on perfection. A few more are just solidly average. Yet, it all balances out, and the rhymes on full display make Shady XV a great compilation release.

Debuts this good just don't come along very often, and it all comes down to the precocious Harlem rookie's vision.

While underground Hip Hop peers such as Cage and Zion I have struggled in their efforts to expand genres, one of Ohio's best widens his scope with a fiery intensity and a welcomed sound.

Although Everything’s Fine is well-crafted from front to back, there are a few hiccups.

At 28, he’s very much hitting his stride in Rap, using every transitional moment to add one more compelling chapter to his narrative.

Overall, Tyla’s debut fulfills the promise of her first international hit: sonically, she is truly the foreign exchange student who is ready to take America by storm. And she has all of the makings of a relatable, cross-genre, international star intent on carving a lane of her own.

She fills her brazen concept album with shared experiences to fully encompass what it means to be a Black woman dealing with love and relationships. Every tale might not apply to every listener, but Sullivan guarantees no experience is left unrepresented.

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.

Proving himself one of today’s most flexible emcees, Old’s back end is Brown’s furthest departure from straightforward Rap to date, with him successfully adapting to faster 4/4 tempos reflective of the more erratic subject matter.

Full of political and social commentary, Pharoahe's W.A.R.-time performance will leave fans hoping he continues his trend of cutting the wait time between albums in half.

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.

The end result is an album that is as much a wild party as it is brutally honest.

This is a strong return to form for the self-proclaimed King of the South.

Experimental is a tag few artists at his age would attempt, and yet Ghost does it with immeasurable confidence.

Despite its delay, it's by no means a swan song, contractually and musically. R.E.D. is a lot of many things, only adding to the anticipation already for Game's final offering to Interscope.

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