What will disappoint Wayne fans on S4TW2 is his predictable beat selection.

Sullivan’s long time away from music has given her a new outlook on life and Reality Show is all the better because of it. Her excellence bleeds into songwriting and production while her crooning is as good as ever.

Outside of the disappointing “They.Resurrect.Over.New” (featuring Ab-Soul)--which connects conceptually, but sounds less dope doing so--Tetsuo & Youth glistens with maturity and imagination.

As a whole, there’s very little that’s progressive about B4.Da.$$ but it’s a distinguished retread and the most polished project the young emcee has put out to date.

Ronson and company created an album that’s accessible by all, a little bit of everything that everyone wants to hear.

While SremmLife is thin on substance, it’s built for clubs and late night adventures. Perfect for the time where sunglasses and Advil are eventually needed.

Black Messiah is ambitious and adventurous, and in that way it delivers wholly on the promise of D’Angelo as an artist.

Hallways is still an accomplished addition to Homeboy Sandman’s ever consistent output.

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.

The Pinkprint runs a middle path between pop over exertion and real lyricism, creating an everything for someone aesthetic that Nicki doesn't allow to shift into wastefullness. As such, it is an ambitious undertaking Nicki has wrangled in highly entertaining fashion.

Aside from the lack of significant risk-taking, Teyana Taylor generated a debut album that is honest and well produced. And while she takes absolutely no risks on the album, and her vocal range is limited, she never strays from what she does well.

Its narrative, the tropes, and the strategies are completely overcome by the albums terrifying integrity. It is immensely relatable because it is not afraid to be corny and cliche.

36 Seasons may not be Ghostface’s greatest project, but it is another notable addition to his extensive body of work. Rapping alongside Kool G Rap and AZ for the bulk of the album is certainly a treat, and the two have their own moments of glory. Production, on the other hand, simply does not hold on to the lyrical dynamism present between Ghost, Pharoahe Monch, AZ and G.

All in all, the Wu remains palatable. They each have their own skillset they bring to the table, and all of them do so with varying degrees of grit on 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.

The album skips along predictably and offers nothing much outside of Rozay’s usual narrative.

It’s a kaleidoscope of sounds that feels like a best of instead of a debut. It’s jarringly airy, flitting about and flouting conventions at every turn, and it’s sometimes so steeped in it’s 90s house past that it undermines its own velocity.

Hell Can Wait is Vince Staples’ best short release to date and his true-to-form introduction as a Def Jam artist. It’s proof that he can improve for a new audience without compromising to reach them.

With Cadillactica he’s found his stride by taking new steps. K.R.I.T. isn’t slept on, but he’s proven again that he should have a bigger bandwagon by now.

Vibes succeeds in getting its listener to flourish in a world of champagne toasts, faceless women and impulsive dancing.

Even though the first half of the album skates by simply on its beats (“Boomin’” pairs a light, airy set of electronic chimes with an ominous set of horns in the background; “What It Be Like” featuring Nipsey Hussle is luminously jazzy for Stalley, much like the later track “Free”), Ohio’s second half is much closer to vintage Stalley.

The album captures a swath of moods and tastes, and Black Milk’s lyrics are both imaginative and well-executed. The production is on the money, and he continues to make big strides lyrically.

There are a great many moments that make Under Pressure feel like a feature film about Logic’s life, and when at its best, it is creating that sort of imagery.

Throughout RTJ2 [El-P] holds his own rhyming alongside a superior wordsmith.

One of the most accomplished releases of the year, You’re Dead! embraces the uncertain, celebrates fear, and induces a meditative consciousness that’s hard to shake after listening.

NehruvianDOOM isn’t the first attempt to recreate Golden Age Hip Hop in the 21st century, but it’s an exceptionally creative take on the now-classic sound that succeeds in offering an enjoyable--and at times quirky--listen.

Tinashe allows her project to rise above the strain of heartbreak to create a simultaneously empowered and cohesive debut.

Personality aside, Chris Brown’s ability to succeed artistically at delivering sounds in all three sectors of urban Pop makes this release a great, yet disjointed listen.