In the end, I think that long time fans of Big K.R.I.T. will find the album to be well put together, but they'll still be left wanting just a bit more.

Sean Price has rarely if ever lost a step and Mic Tyson is not going to be the time that he did.

There's just enough to be cut that this could have been one outstanding album instead of two discs that overall make a pretty damn good release.

Ali is a mess of contradictions, but his latest effort proves how well those contradictions work together. Mourning In America is another amazing album by Ali, hip-hop's best street preacher.

Big K.R.I.T. does a good job of separating the two personas at the end of the day. If the album was about 5 or 6 minutes shorter, it could have fit on a single disc but perhaps at the expense of the narrative. The double disc format really helps to drive home the point when the listener wants to switch from Big K.R.I.T.'s "Get Away" to Justin Scott's "Keep the Devil Off."

My Krazy Life is a successful debut album that achieves most of what it sets out to achieve.

Lupe Fiasco doesn't present tracks that are just a hot beat and some memorable bars--he's aiming for cinematic moments and drawing you into the atmosphere he seeks to create.

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

Despite the many cooks involved in this project, it maintains a sonic and lyrical cohesiveness.

The production throughout Aquarius is on point, whether it's the infectious, yet odd sound of "Wildfire", or the crashing bongos backing a pseudo-rap switch in to some long notes on "Far Side of the Moon."

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.

They were just waiting for the right time to kick precisely the right rhyme, so that "The Grind Date" would go down not just as an important date in rap history but in the pantheon of all musical endeavours since the dawn of mankind. It's that damn good.

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

The magic in "The Craft" is that whether you're a student of the craft of hip-hop or not, you'll always enjoy the experience. The magic in "The Craft" is that it doesn't get stale with time - the beats and rhymes only get fresher and fresher.

This Generation is a solid album.

Made is not Scarface's best album, that honor would go to "The Fix" or any of his earlier solos depending on where you stand. Yet, saying this isn't Face's best is no insult. Scarface on his worst day or even in unofficial form (see "My Balls and My Word") is still better than most other rappers on their best day

Stop wasting time and go to the store to get Rising Down right now.

BBNG have been doing this since 2010 and over a decade+ they’ve gotten really good at what they do.

Musically the adventure is pleasant because no matter how bugged out things get the choice combinations of loops, samples, electronics and drums prove Madlib continues to be a maestro in his chosen field. The raps of his alter ego Quasimoto though can be hard to deal with.

Well Done is a shining example of what collaborative albums should be.

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.

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.

Felt 3 is a work of art that unlike so many sequels in life exceeds what the originals had to offer, and indeed offers something everyone can appreciate.

“Alligator Bites Never Heal” makes sense as a mixtape designed to showcase a star in the making, even if some of the bites of famous rappers may feel a bit on the nose for long-term listeners.

"Murray's Revenge" clocks in at a meager thirty-three minutes, which is simply too short for a full-length album.... Regardless, he is back, and better than ever.

With strong lyricism, impeccable production, and a consistent tracklist-only "Hydromatic" and "Poppin'" lack the rest of the LP's highlights-DJ Quik has turned in another gem sure to keep lowrider stereos and headphones alike busy throughout the summer and beyond.

Top Boy has elevated Kano to a bigger platform, and his music has managed to follow suit. His character in the Netflix series may play second fiddle to Dushane, but he can consider himself “Top Boy” as far as British rappers go.

The raps are solid and the production under Fraud is not polished, but more refined this time around. All in all, “The Plugs I Met 2” is another feather in Benny’s cap.

It is an extremely well produced album with good emceeing. It is a unique experience as it should be.

While handling all of the production himself is a valiant effort, it’s evident that Royce had a wobbly experience with it in that it isn’t fully consistent. Even so, “The Allegory” is another solid effort from the Detroit rhyme sayer.

Nas has made a passionate album to reawaken your love of the art and if your heart isn't thumping in your chest by the end then it's not hip-hop that's dead, it's you.

You can’t examine Young Thug’s music too closely or think about it too carefully if you want to enjoy it, because the casual misogyny of throwing around “Pussy” as an insult reminds you he’s not exactly progressive. If you’re looking for bass to shake the concrete and singing so modulated as to nearly be R&B, tracks like “Jumped Out the Window” and “Boy Back” featuring NAV will definitely fit the bill.

However challenging or confusing his rhymes can be, the songs still work with their combination of banging beats, rich lyricism, and twisted humor.

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

Sampa the Great may be defined by where she hails from, but she also defines herself by making heartfelt songs with a universal appeal. Although this new album is my first chance to listen to her, I somehow feel like I’ve been listening to her my whole life.

I'm not even sure I like it, but I do respect that it's exactly the unusual artistic vision these collaborators conceived.

It manages to sound both isolating and uplifting at the same time, and really shows an artist who is honing their loneliness and boredom into creativity. It has helped me get through these long and strange months, and I highly recommend it.

There are few better ways to ride through the current Omicron surge than spinning “Garbology” and joining Aesop and Blockhead as they excavate garbage for gold.

Nothing Was the Same is a good album, occasionally great, but sometimes you end up yearning for more of those epic Drake SONGS, of which there aren't nearly enough.

It might be too early to call Cut Chemist's "The Audience's Listening" a masterpiece in 2006, let alone in the pantheon of all-time great turntablist albums like "Wave Twisters," but Cut Chemist defintely proves here that branching out from Jurassic 5 to pursue a solo career was anything but a mistake.

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

He’s a fine producer, a middling singer, and a very forgettable lyricist. The album’s title banks on his name being the sole draw, but if it has been titled “Featuring Kanye West, Quavo, Kid Cudi, Young Thug, Big Sean and Future” it would be a whole lot more accurate.

While it's good to see hip-hop stick up for Ross and his charismatic storytelling, their support sometimes gets in the way of hearing what Ross actually has to say, and at the end of 50 minutes you're left wanting more of Ross than you actually got.

While I don't feel this to be anywhere near the seminal work that I feel she is utterly capable of, this is still essential listening from a highly relevant emcee.

Whilst this album is by no means a classic, and musically the latter parts perhaps not faring as well with repeat listens, it is lifted up by superb lyrics and effortless charisma from the rappers.

Through soaking in various travails, and pouring them through the microphone, he has truly grabbed us. His beats have almost taken a backseat on this journey but it is worth it just to prove that his story, his journey and his life are much more interesting that a mere drum pattern and a sample.

Whatever genre you want to label Dedication as, it is a remarkable album.

"Subject: Matter" is a strong EP. Homeboy Sandman proves himself to be one of the most nimble, unique MCs out there.

Just Be Free is not hipster music, and it's not gay music. It's music for a good time, no matter what gender your partner is or what pronoun you use.

“E3 AF” certainly has its moments. The filthy Grime collaborations are brilliant and overshadow everything else, for better and worse.

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

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

This isn't their greatest album, but there's plenty to enjoy from Evidence, Alchemist, the carefully chosen guests and the mostly excellent instrumentals--Steppington isn't a fully realised character but a thin theme binding together a very good collection of eccentric hip hop.

Redman sounds every bit as strong in 2007 as he ever has. Unfortunately, he doesn't expand his range at all here.

Graduation is neat, tidy, formal, but lacking in personality.

There's immense lyrical potential, manifesting itself in lines like "Emotional luggage, nothin' of it, I don't check bags / I just carry on, leave that bullshit in the past," or "Master the flow, Alaska-cold / silent foot, assassin approach / high when I stroll / not even leavin' footprints in the snow," but it never quite carries over to the entire song. From that point of view this sequel is more of an afterthought to "Pilot Talk" than an afterburner.

While there are some good songs on Some Say it is often a frustrating listen, which is all the more disappointing given Ghostpoet's potential as an artist.

Skepta is more than happy to satisfy his core fanbase. It’s something Dizzee Rascal struggled to find a formula for, so “Ignorance is Bliss” succeeds in that regard. Minus the terrible “Animal Instinct”, it’s easy to recommend.

I can say I recommend the entire thing as high quality.

The fans who ride for Ev won't be disappointed by Cats & Dogs. He continues to show that love for hip-hop on tracks.

Rugby Thompson is one of those hard albums to critique in that as hip-hop it is inoffensive, and yet when it comes to pushing the boundaries of what the art and music could be there's literally nothing you could point to as innovative or revolutionary.

Boots is more than just a fiery orator, he's a powerful composer who adds the funk to the mix to make his words stick. While at times his style has been hit or miss, "Pick a Bigger Weapon" finds him at his most musically consistant and enjoyable.

He's clearly fought his corner admirably, because he's achieved it--it's an album that creates a particular mood, and vehemently sticks to it, even bending the will of the traditional rap joints in the process.

The production is too inconsistent to get him there, but it's certainly not due to a lack of intrinsic talent on his part. Keep your eyes on Q.

Antibalas' latest preserves the musical history of Fela Kuti, and is a hell of a good time.

The "Issa Album" was a full course meal while "Without Warning" ends up being more of a snack.

The music alone would be enjoyable, the words read on a page with no music would still be profound, but it is in their combination that The Last Poets still continue to create magic into their 70's and beyond. Maybe a little of that magic can rub off and help some melanin-deprived people "Understand What Black Is" but if not at least it's still a pleasure to listen to.

While most of these songs probably can't stand out alone, the project on the whole is a great addition to an already great catalog of one of hip hop's finest artists.

The best thing about listening to the Heiruspecs is that they sound like a rap group on the beginning of a long journey, as opposed to one who finally "made it" and feel content now that they're signed and distributed nationally.

This is one of the better instrumental hip-hop records I've heard in a while, and one that I'll keep on heavy rotation for some time.

Hip hop is an artform based on messages, yet all too frequently he comes across as a messenger with little to report.

He’s successfully bridged the gap from local to international with this album and when everyone can go on tour again I think he’ll have a ready made audience well outside of the United Kingdom.

York is an interesting and often times bizarre album.

The Bake Sale is a near-perfect EP, insofar as it acts as an imperious album primer: not too long, not too short; it doesn't give away everything, but displays enough to get you excited.

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.

Ultimately the first edition of The Block Brochure is almost exactly what one could expect from an E-40 album, and if you already knew his steelo going in that's good news.

Pharoahe Monch has always been among the most talented rappers in the game, and now with PTSD, he has an album that showcases not only his lyrical prowess, but also his ability to craft a fully focused and theme driven album.

When Common is feeling himself few can do it better, but one of the best things he does on "Nobody's Smiling" is spread the love around.

It's a solid debut with some fantastic moments.

I'm New Here is an album that is best appreciated as a whole, under optimum conditions, when you can really absorb what he is saying. It's worth your time and your money, and stands proudly among the better works in Gil Scott-Heron's large and impressive discography.

He has created a haunting, unique, and well-realized artistic statement that is the perfect soundtrack for the early hours of the morning.

SremmLife definitely lives up to the hype--yes, it's more focused towards the youth market, but it shouldn't preclude anyone reading this who enjoys the youthful energy of debut artists going nuts once they get a big chance.

Wasting no time and not adding any filler, the psychedelic soul of “Dreamin’” kicks off the album with Common sounding as though he hasn’t aged vocally. .... The album title has “Vol. 1” as a suffix, indicating there’s more to come. I hope so because “The Auditorium, Vol. 1” is the kind of listen that makes one wonder what’s next from the two.

If You're Reading This It's Too Late isn't that good.... There are definitely some songs that have commercial potential that I don't hate, and though I'd rather hear Drake rapping than singing, "Jungle" seems like the kind of track that with a few choice edits could get radio play.

Within the initial audio assault of "Matangi" lies a fine album, but it's also one that could have done with some pruning, a bit more care taken in the sequencing and perhaps a bit more self-belief.

You can never really get a sense of what Q is or what he wants to be.

The strength of "A Sufi and a Killer," though, is the remarkable consistency with which this eclectic and experimental record holds itself together. This is an album in which beats and rhymes truly serve as the yin to each other's yang.

It’s remarkable how these beats all have their own feel yet still work as a cohesive whole. The well-worn joke in hip-hop circles that Nas picks bad beats is effectively wiped. Nas is, in his own words, reincarnated, but with an additional self-awareness that is more grounded than his last few performances. There’s no cryptocurrency chatter or verses shoehorned into trap instrumentals. There are no skips, this is simply good ol’ Nas distilled.

Jake knows Freeway's strengths and plays to them with so much grace it's almost unfair to rappers who've got to piece records together with a hodgepodge of producers who craft their tracks with no one in particular in mind.

Any fans of mainstream hip hop, probably wouldn't touch this with a 20 foot pole. But fans of Def Jux, Anticon, even some Rhymesayers will definitely see the appeal of Geti's lyricism and storytelling.

Sage Francis is obviously not for everyone. Though he is a gifted lyricist, he is hard to follow, and the entirety of "A Healthy Distrust" has a rough edge that makes it far from easy listening.

Shorter than its predecessor, it is also a more cohesive and even effort, making Ace and Brooklyn the focal points of this hour plus narrative told in the now trademark laid-back manner.

Personal, heartfelt lyrics and soulful production have been key factors in K.R.I.T. building the following that he has amassed up to this point in his career, and this time around he's coming with much of the same.

You know what you’re getting with Benny the Butcher, which is reliability, authenticity, and tough beats, but it rarely surprises, inspires, or leaves a lasting impression.

This is the first time 'Ghostface Killah' and 'inconsistent' could ever exist in the same sentence. It's still a worthy investment and a must-have for fans, but I could've waited for an even fresher catch.

Songs like "Glitter Freeze" push that envelope to its furthest extent, where Albarn's sound becomes a plastic trance dance more at home with pulsing dancefloor strobe lights than a booming club with a DJ spinning the hottest rap hits. That may be a step too far for some. Tracks like "White Flag" and "Cloud of Unknowing" walk the line between those extremes.

BWET is a fascinating starting point, as she can spit complex rhyme patterns with ease. The hope is that this can progress into something deeper, but as things stand she's still a pleasure to listen to.