That's not to say there's no "Boom and Proud" anywhere to be found on Nothing but it's not "Shut 'Em Down" level like those old Bomb Squad albums from the 1980's and early 90's.

Lyrically, Jay-Z still has his gift for wordplay and flow. For what he does not display in terms of technical emceeing ability on this album, he makes up for it by dropping clever gems filled with knowledge.

This is a star studded line-up with Drake ("To the Max"), Future ("I Can't Even Lie"), Nicki Minaj ("Nobody"), and a few of your "grimy" favorites like Fat Joe and Raekwon ("Billy Ocean"). So are you going to enjoy all 80+ minutes of this double album that COULD have been a single disc? Unless you're not a fan of Migos and Travis Scott, yes.

Big Fish Theory sees Staples evolve as a rapper and an artist, and prove himself as a singular talent in hip-hop.

The danger though is that The King & I turns into a new version of the "Duets" album, simply rebranded as a Faith Evans album featuring snippets of her late husband. This is exacerbated on the second half of the album by one rap all-star cameo after another.

While it's disappointing that Bada$$ doesn't offer more inspiring rhymes, it would be a mistake to write off "All-Amerikkkan Bada$$" because he isn't the second coming of Ice Cube.

"U N Or U Out", "Marcberg" and "Reloaded" means he has the three outstanding records in the bag, but his recent work hasn't quite reached those heady heights of uber-braggodocio.

However he chooses to create his albums, both Logic's talent as an emcee and his insightfulness can't be denied.

With All the Beauty in This Whole Life, he created not just an album that represents an arranged amalgamation of his own experiences, but also a hip-hop album with so much soul that Rakim would blush.

Several aspects of the sonic structure on otherwise well-made beats and well-laid vocals sound blurred and mashed together. It is not a pretty listen by any means unless the listener is willing to bear the pain of a weak recording process.

His technique has a strong propensity towards predictable stream-of-consciousness rhyming.

Trying to cherry-pick highlights from "DAMN." is an exercise in futility: practically every track is superb, more a matter of taste than anything else. It's simpler to isolate the one bum note: "God" sounds like an Akon joint from the mid-Noughties.

None of these songs are terrible, but with the exception of Mr. West none of them are a creative force to be reckoned with on Mr. Graham's level.

Your patience will be especially tested during the closing trio of songs that could have been better had they been a couple minutes shorter and/or delivered with more zest musically.

Rick Ross' Rather You Than Me is fun to listen to.

The result is simply not up to par.

With Chill, dummy, P.O.S. manages a difficult balancing act between alternative music and hip-hop, the personal and the political, and being impassioned without being self-righteous. It's a strong album that is a welcome return from the Minnesota rapper.

On his new self-titled album Future loses sight of qualities that made his last run at the top a memorable one.

Offset has developed into a charismatic storyteller who holds your attention when he keep the stories on wax rather than behind bars.

For those who like a swell show of technical strength, a spin of this album will occupy your listen to and from the workplace quite well. For those seeking something more meaningful to go along with their skill showcase, however, don't feel bad about taking a pass on this one.

In a year of political and social upheaval in 2016 he reached deep down to make a very personal statement from beginning to end on Black America Again and it shows in every word he wrote.

The irony of releasing three beautiful albums it that even a great album like "RTJ3" can still wind up being ranked third in descending order. As good as it is nothing here can top "Crown," "Angel Duster" or "Early" for me. By no means is this in any way a negative. It's like saying you're going to listen to your third favorite Ice Cube or third favorite Michael Jackson album--you're still going to wind up listening to some brillaint s#$t over and over again no matter what.

Here's an album of beautiful R&B songs, and she's chosen to intersperse them with messages of black empowerment.

It's funny and soulful, and will help keep the blues at bay.

In its best moments, Made in the Manor transcends time--and even place--and attains universal meaning.

This album succeeds in its goals despite the heartbreaking passing of Phife Dawg while it was being recorded, and even though I had accepted "The Love Movement" as their last chapter all those years ago, this is a much more fitting end.

Let Them Eat Chaos is another fantastic album by an incredible talent.

Throwback to the Future is a solid album that is a nice change of pace from what I normally listen to.

Atrocity Exhibition is a party rap album, a drug rap album, an emo rap album, and a post-punk album all rolled into one.

It's not her best album, as there are clearly concessions on display but it doesn't let her anthology down and she is now free of her label.

While most of the album is concerned with asserting that YG is still a G despite his fame, it closes with a trio of protest songs.

The end result sure looks promising from the moment you hit play, with over an hour of music and 18 tracks to look forward to, the kind of full length project all those [Kickstarter] backers have demanded.

Influenced by many but perhaps literally fathered by none, ScHoolboy Q remains an intriguing enigma whose ambitions presently know less limits than Percy Miller.

It's hard at times to be a fan of this genre, because it can be overly formulaic and offer little hope for the future, but despite the dark trappings there's still some musically redeeming fun to be had.

If you can get past some of the dumb lines and the often blunt nature of Big Sean's approach to seduction, there's enough solid, modern R&B here to satisfy those craving something a bit more direct than Drake, but it could have been so much more.

If you're not expecting an hour of profound wisdom from start to finish this is an ideal late summer mixtape to ride around to.

The Mountain Will Fall is DJ Shadow's best album in over a decade, largely because it is his most consistent since "The Private Press."

While the beats are relatively mediocre and not at all unusual for this brand of hip hop, they do a decent job matching the dark picture Gucci paints. Unfortunately, that picture is more of a rough sketch as Gucci steers more toward unrefined flows and bland, mechanically arching vocals rather than a more thought out approach.

Other tracks, such as "Gave It All I Got" bring a more introspective sentiment to Lil Big Pac, but these are few and far between and still lack quality deliveries and substantial beats to back them.

Slay-Z is a solid EP that is also incredibly frustrating. It's frustrating because it is an example of the talent that Banks is wasting by devoting so much of her time and energy to having pissing contests on social media.

While Aesop Rock may not be every hip-hop fan's cup of tea, you must respect the man's grind. All-in-all The Impossible Kidis like (yet unlike) any Aesop Rock release: Ill underground beats and a lyrical prowess that yields rewards with each willing listen.

Konnichiwa is proof of not only Skepta's skill on the mic, but also of his ability to put together a strong, solid album. As Grime continues to rise, its leaders are well worth watching.

Drake's Views is him lying on a therapist's couch whining for large chunks of time and the album drags as a result. Yet, if you took the best dozen tracks, you'd have a perfectly enjoyable, listenable LP.

At the end of the day Mac Miller is without a doubt capable of bringing more to the table than shallow, boring rap. Unfortunately, he doesn't do much to prove that on GO:OD AM.

Despite some lyrical flaws here and there, it still shines.

All in all this project comes up very short. Lil Wayne is simply not what he used to be, and 2 Chainz leaves much to be desired.

Overall this album has some definite stand out tracks: "Not the Only One," "2 Phones," "La Familia" and "Time For That." The rest of the project is not bad, it's just generally underwhelming.

We've come to expect nothing less than near-perfection from K.Dot and he comes pretty damn close on his most recent effort.

She sells her message with having mad skills and swagger to spare.

He still has a lot of talent, he just needs to reign in his creative impulses (along with a few others) to make a better album next time.

The Life of Pablo has a lot going for it, but sometimes, even with all the best intentions, you can mess up a good thing just by virtue of being yourself.

Where Bjork's music is grounded in indie and experimental pop, as well as Bjork's innate quirkiness, Kelela's music is still R&B at its core. She's great singer and a fantastic talent.

Rihanna delivers the best LP of her career. It's not chock full of huge singles; it takes risks and may well alienate the more casual element of her fanbase, but really they should have grown up with her over the last decade (otherwise newbies should stick to "Good Girl Gone Bad" and "Loud").

While EVOL seems to be more consistent than "Purple Reign," it doesn't quite hold up to his previous releases. EVOL leaves you wanting more but not in a good way.

Malibu more than lives up to the high expectations facing Anderson .Paak.

King Push's Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude is a damn good record, but it is not flawless.

Older heads will appreciate the nods to earlier records but simultaneously be underwhelmed at the new takes on them. New listeners will enjoy the solo tracks that showcase Jada's lyricism and unique, nasal flow, but there just aren't enough of them.

It isn't a flawless EP, but it works more often than it doesn't and is proof that there isn't that much difference between genres as we sometimes pretend there is.

Rick Ross is an entertainer and Black Market is for the most part an entertaining album.

There's enough variation in energy and production to keep the listener engaged throughout, and several times there are sudden drops into another beat entirely in the middle of a song.

As disappointing as Bleeds is at points, it is still a Roots Manuva album. The man can weave an intricate rhyme like few others, and his message of searching for righteousness and forgiveness is one that resonates.

Gift of Gab remains a fire-spitter but his flow has withered slightly since the immaculately delivered rhymes crafted in the early 2000s, but it's not always noticeable. Musically, there's some jarring moments that hold this back from being one of their best works.

Somewhere beneath all the hype and production he does shine through.

The Documentary 2 & 2.5 prove that he is back, and yes, better than ever. This isn't based on a cursory listen: the evidence is all there. His lyrics are more considered; his flow is varied and on point pretty much throughout; the choice in music is superb; there are concepts that deserve your attention.

His lyrics are more considered; his flow is varied and on point pretty much throughout; the choice in music is superb; there are concepts that deserve your attention. The Game has delivered one of the greatest hip hop double albums in history.

The whole of the self-titled Fetty Wap album is remarkably inoffensive and uninspired.

The album succeeds in granting an audio interpretation to something that's showcased more prominently in a cinematic medium.

At the end of the day, I enjoy Cherry Bomb, both for it's misanthropic noise and for its funkier and jazzier sides.

The amount of enjoyment you take out of this is undoubtedly directly proportional to the amount of money you put into Meow the Jewels.

This is a decent mixtape that you'll happily spin for up to a fortnight, I reckon. But it's a hook. It's a sample to get you addicted.

It's surprisingly deep, well produced and definitely worth your time. It is by no means exceptional.

As a mixtape, it works, but is nothing more than generic New York street rap set to some largely forgettable instrumentals.

The album's best moments come courtesy of the newer, younger emcees, highlighting the different hunger levels on display.

Petestrumentals 2 is a worthy follow up to "Petstrumentals," and a must-listen for any fan of Pete Rock or instrumental hip-hop.

Ego Death is the perfect summer record. Breezy, smooth, lazy, and meant for warm nights.

Migos don't glorify the trap, they reflect it, and when the hood doesn't need the trap then there won't be "Trap Funk" any more.

If you can get into the fantasy and ignore the reality then DS2 might be good escapist music for a little while.

After three decades in the music business, it's inspiring to see him deliver an excellent album: overseeing it, driving his guests/writers/producers onto greater things and delivering it in an interesting way is no mean feat. His voice has matured.

Much of Love Story is tepid, but there are moments where Yela nails the singing/rapping combination.

Summertime '06 is extremely cohesive, but occasionally tiptoes on being monotonous.

It's cotton candy hip-hop that's enjoyable to consume but has no real substance.

Free Weezy Album is on the whole decidedly mixed. Weezy still has his swagger, and with a little more effort he could add some substance to go along with it.

It's not as consistently good as "The Salvation", or as instantly satisfying as his work with Torae, but with recent months slowing down on the incredible start we've had in 2015 for albums, this is certainly worth checking out.

This is one to spin a couple of times, then never again.

It is an album that pushes boundaries and yet is always listenable and relatable, even at its most intricate and complex.

A$AP's charisma and finesse mostly compensate for his shortcomings as a lyricist. That, combined with the trippy heaviness of Danger Mouse's production, make "A.L.L.A." an album worth spending time with, even dead sober.

He's a hollow rapper with no unique trait or style. He drifts through songs such as "Love You/How I'm On It" and "Young King" with no real concept of flow or knowing when to change tone.

On their self-titled debut, they were having fun. This time, they had fun but with focus.

If you are in the right mindset, Fated is a rewarding listen.

Some areas of this album [are] a little redundant.

Oddisee makes good music that deals with real life issues with wisdom and humility. Oddisee is not only fighting "The Good Fight," he's winning.

1 and 2 and lack the incentive and inspiration even great rappers need to make great albums, but it's an impressive compendium of what Shallah Raekwon is capable of.

The drawbacks to Bush are few and far between though, and even these complaints are more like minor annoyances.

The problem Ludacris faces is that both sides of him are great to listen to but it inevitably restricts him from making the cohesive magnum opus his career deserves.

The soulful production, harnessing plenty of live instrumentals, mixes well with the lingering hints of MMG production.

Though Bronson does try new things on his first major-label outing, he still includes his characteristic lyrical qualities along with elements from past releases. In a sense, he's re-introducing himself.

I Don't Like S#%! sees Earl continuing to mature and grow as an artist.