Flash and his collaborators provide good beats and rhymes so if this is what a "studio album" is for Flash in 2009 let's just hope there are plenty more on the way.

Don't go looking for the hidden meaning behind Hot Sauce Committee Part Two -- the Beastie Boys are just here to fight for their right to party.

It's lines like [in "Flicker" that] keep me coming back to Atmosphere's music, and make Southsiders another solid entry into the Atmosphere catalogue, warts and all.

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

With so many albums in his volumnious catalogue, it's neither the best nor the worst, but a passable experience with intriguing beats and rhymes is all anybody can ask for from this eclectic eccentric of hip-hop.

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

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.

Favoring melody over raucous beats is a risky strategy, but she just about pulls it off.

These may be simple tales, but Mims' flow is a smooth Manhattan flow clearly influenced by the likes of New York greats like Jay-Z while still vocally unique enough to entice a listener to pay attention.

It's counter-productive to analyze Keith's verses too carefully, because at some point they're just well constructed and well delivered jabberwocky.

Overall, “Voir Dire” isn’t bad. But to speak the truth, in the spirit of the album, both men have had more superior output. Plus, The Alchemist’s beats are usually better suited for rappers with gangsta motifs, because it sounds more like shared vision then.

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.

An ambitious album that takes chance that mostly succeed and only occasionally miss the mark.

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.

"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.

There are a few missteps (some songs that didn't quite click, a few beats that aren't quite up to par) and this album might not make too many year-end lists. But it's an album made with passion, spirit and a hunger to impress--something that's been missing in much of this corporate rap era.

Godfather Buried Alive is a worthy listen, showcasing Shyne's unfiltered honesty in its uncompromising form.

The Solution doesn't differ from the previous instalments at all. If you're a fan of either artist then it is certainly worth picking up.

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

It's not at Radiohead's level, simply because it's not as conceptually coherent; the lyrics may shock but they don't bite; the production (save for "On Sight" and a couple of others) is interesting but barely truly revolutionary within his own career arc, let alone when we count other contemporaries such as M.I.A. But while it might feel like an opportunity missed, at least Yeezus feels real.

Getting a sequel to the first two volumes was an unexpected and pleasant surprise, but outside of his hardcore fan base of Wu-Tang Clan fans there's not much chance of this album succeeding.

Hurricane Chris built on the strengths of "51/50 Ratchet" and did not repeat his previous mistakes, thus improving musically and lyrically as an artist.

For the most part the charisma of Lil Wayne and Drake carries We Are Young Money even when the actual content does not.

Despite the presence of some must-hear rap tracks, it's hard to justify the purchase if you are paying for only about half an album.

The beautiful mess of Mos Def makes for a bumpy listen.

Remember Me isn't a perfect album, but it has some great songs and a lot of promise.

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

It’s too slick and polished for a posthumous album.

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

Thanks in large part to the beats and the guest appearances, and in small part to Jeezy's frank delivery and raspy voice, it leans more toward the former [enjoyable] than the latter [obnoxious], leading me to give this album a cautious thumbs up.

The “Eminem sound” the first “Curtain Call” could accurately collate and celebrate (given 100% of it was produced by either Dre or Em) has been pushed aside in favor of party trick flows and quick-win hooks from guests. It still seems to be a successful approach, but it’s not as satisfying to revisit.

“The Coldest Profession” is certainly Roc Marciano and DJ Premier doing their thing, but it turns out that two greats of Hip-Hop combining doesn’t guarantee greatness.

Crime Pays is Cam'ron's triumphant return to form....You also have an overabundance of skits on the album that generally are just there and not entertaining.

If you absolutely can not stand rappers who should be called singers then you need to take a hard pass on Vert, but if you occasionally (or more often than that) enjoy the crooning, Vert is at least someone who can put it together in a way that is surprisingly decent and occasionally quite good.

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.

While none of the songs are straight terrible (except "Bugatti") none leave me feeling like I'd want to leave the CD in my whip on a long trip--it would probably lull me to sleep and I'd crash.

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.

As for meaningful depth to his bars, humorous “press rewind” punchlines or emotionally resonant stories, I regretfully must honestly say he didn’t grab me in any of these categories. As a lyricist he was “just there” — not terrible, not brilliant, just okay. Does he show future potential on “Meet the Woo Vol. 2“? Yes. Absolutely.

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

Though Swizz did vary the sound of the production, the album’s overall sound could’ve benefitted from a P.K. or Dame Grease beat. “Exodus” isn’t DMX’s worst album, but for a comeback album, a now-posthumous one at that, it should’ve been better.

The biggest problem with Wale's debut LP is that sure, the music is good, some of the concepts are interesting...But it is all very middle of the road, and Wale himself is an MC desperately in need of charisma.

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.

There are many quirks with this album, but realise that it doesn't feel like a debut from a fully-formed artist, rather someone that intermittently flickers with potential and then dials it down to play it safe for the radio.

A strange and unique album that is more rock and pop than anything most rap fans are used to.

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

It's too bad they didn't spend more time polishing this so that it could be a great album instead of a pretty good one.

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.

He tends to repeat himself and his punchlines lack punch--but Seen It All is an album you can listen to start to finish and not hate yourself for buying it.

The metallic fingerprint of Auto-Tune is all over My Everything, even the vocal trills that start off the album.

At times Sovereign exceeds at being entertaining and at other times her simplistic lyrics, heavy accent and electronic beats prove to be too much to grasp.

Putting the lyrics aside for the moment I’m willing to say there’s something here. The production goes from spartan and airy to distorted and noisy in a way that makes it feel like industrial trap rap, and his accent plays with your expectations of what the flow should be like. ... Ultimately I must still give a “meh” to the overall presentation, because like many of his U.S. counterparts, Yung Lean’s music relies more on style than substance.

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

Songs like “Wishing Well” carry on the things that made him popular — a catchy melody and hook, AutoTuned lyrics, tales of depression and drug use. All of Juice WRLD’s trademarks can be found here.

“Twelve Carat Toothache” doesn’t reveal a new facet of Austin Post, it just shines an even brighter light on the jewels that he drops.

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.

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.

The album is fun for that amount of time but doesn’t chart a new course for women in rap or rappers as a whole. Not every album needs to or should. “Fever” is our Trina for 2019. She won’t change the world but she will get you to talk about sex, baby.

For better or worse the album also achieves a certain bland uniformity at times by staying so true to the trap aesthetic and having Metro Boomin produce so much of the music. It's not ill-conceived, it's just that it all winds up becoming a bit monotonous if you don't randomize it and/or mix in some songs by other artists.

Regrettably though Soil 2 is a little more uneven than the last installment.

The biggest missed opportunity lies in Nas’ inability to reach beyond the ambitious presentation found in everything surrounding the lyrics. He’s entertaining in spurts, but much like his “godly” contemporary Jay-Z, one has to wonder if what he says ever really matters on “King’s Disease” any more.

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.

It's wholly derivative, self-pitying emo rap that owes everything in its essence to Drake, Weezy, Cudi, and Kanye. That said, Glover is an incredibly compelling and talented rapper.

As for today's singing rappers, Vert fits in comfortably next to the likes of Fetty Wap and French Montana, and I have little qualms with calling him a better writer than the latter. The production is a little bit more of a mixed bag.

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.

Wu-Block isn't a necessity, not for the Wu, not for the Block, not for hip-hop, not for the fans. And yet while it may be nothing more than a stopgap for all involved, it makes sense, not in theory but de facto.

The beat/choruses are impressive enough, and whilst it's doubtful you'll be bumping Finally Famous a year from now, it's an album with merits that avoids the curse of the opening tweet, and sets Big Sean up pretty nicely for the next phase.

To be honest, this just doesn't really feel like a Game album--there's a distinct lack of drama, of real hyperbole, of genuine excitement. It tends to come across as a resume.

POC is a step above his worst material and a far cry from his glory days.

It’s the definition of “it’s fine.”

The watery wave of “Payback”, the reverberating bass of “Traffic”, the head nodding flow of “Dead Presidents”, it all works. The lyrics? They sort of work. 03 sings his way through songs like the latter track, and while he’s mostly just flossing, he occasionally takes the time to call out peers who have let him down by not being as G as he.

Pitbull's rapping machismo enhances his songs, but for better or worse there are times on Planet Pit where he seems caught up in the limelight instead of shining in it. This is likely to be his most successful album to date regardless.

There's nothing to really get mad at, but there's not much to get excited about either. Scott is just "aight."

He can croon and autotune his way through some songs that are easy to ride to while faking it though--he ATL Jacob laced “Rocket Ship,” the Jacob and Jambo co-produced “Stick to the Models,” and the mellow radio friendly “Tricks On Me” from Nineteen85. Future has plenty of swagger and personality, knows all the right producers to take his style and make it sparkle, and has little problem serving his fan base exactly what they want.

Juice wants to get in touch with his feelings but then drowns them in a gallon of syrup.

His artistic ambition still lags behind profit objective and pursuit of happiness, but he also manages to be the kind of wordsmith that doesn’t have to spell everything out for you. But when he does, he gives a fairly balanced overview of the subject, see his thoughts on taxes in “Sam”. There’s still a cunning street edge to Chainz twelve years after “Supply & Demand”.

Well it’s a better Drake album than “Honestly, Nevermind” so that’s a plus. It’s not a better 21 album than “I Am > I Was” or “Issa” though so that’s a minus. If you split the difference you wind up with an average album. There are a few joints I’d care to play more than once.

The production on Dummy Boy is amazing. Tay Keith, Scott Storch, Murda Beatz and Ronny J among others lace 6 with some beats that match his "wavy" sound and style perfectly. The tracks are heavy on the bottom and have lots of room for 6 to flex his sing-song melodic flow.

Dam-Funk's production is solid and quite funky, while Snoop's personality shines through his vocals just as they have for the past twenty years or so.

Occasionally it leaves you underwhelmed and yearning for more, but that still counts as a positive, because so many other rappers wind up doing more and leaving you wanting a whole lot less.

The problem is that it's just too light on hip-hop, and too close to the other experimental work they've already done in other side projects.

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.

In all honesty, it's not the sentiment that bothers this reviewer. Rather, it's the insertion of the sentiment into what should have ostensibly been a light-hearted romp, a fun return to their days of old.

The only potential pitfall is that the tableau that is a Curren$y record leans too much towards self-care and opulence like some showy Instagram account. ... While “Covert Coup” was more varied musically, the familiarity of the arrangements and orchestration on “Continuance” ensure a certain timelessness.

It's clearly a release intended for hardcore Odd Future fans.

At only 26 minutes “Fuck the World” is (more than) a little on the short side, but it’s still long enough to make a powerful impact with a croon as opposed to a boom from the cannon. The only other complaint I could issue is that at times Brent Faiyaz is self-indulgent to the point of straight up misogynistic attitude lyrically.

Live Love A$AP is compelling but wildly uneven in execution.

As far as I’m concerned “We Still Don’t Trust You” is a solid hour of music that came with an unnecessary bonus disc.

This feels indulgent without MD being committed to any of his whims, and that exposes Mos Def as an artist that no longer seems to know what he wants to do.

At his best on "Evolve or Be Extinct", though, he reaches a pleasing mixture of understated beats and slice-of-life rhymes that are occasionally profound. At his worst, songs like "Scar" have neither beats nor rhymes I ever want to hear again.

Throughout “Chixtape 5” though I keep finding songs that pay tribute to hits by other people, and in each case Tory Lanez is not the rapper on the track. ... He’s just straight up crooning. He almost raps on “If You Gotta” featuring Fabolous but can’t resist the urge to sing. Unfortunately this leads F-A-B to imitate him instead of vice versa. The album’s slicker than the tile floors behind the counter at Wendy’s though.

The 44 minutes of this album could exist without Mr. Freeman, but they couldn’t exist without Metro Boomin. ... [21 Savage's] a solid RAPPER through and through and in an era of singers I’m always going to appreciate that, but if I said I could ignore the banality of “Savage Mode II” lyrically I’d be lying.

Despite having all of the right elements, this album seems far more forgettable than the aforementioned "The Last Kiss."

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.

Ultimately the album gets away with overly familiar breaks thanks to the superb level of stars. ... It’s not his best compilation, it’s not his worst, but it’s another one.

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.

All in all, the flow is the same, the beats are a little different, and the person is a little more scarred and a little more wise than we last saw him.

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.

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.