There's little doubt that "Tha Blue Carpet Treatment" ultimately qualifies as a successful follow-up to "R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta) - The Masterpiece," although there's also little doubt that Snoop is not pushing any new boundaries or exceeding already set expectations.

The In Crowd is a largely enjoyable record with very few missteps, but it's actually a little bit frustrating that they hint at Little Brother or Lupe Fiasco-esque levels of dopeness yet are content to hold the hand they've been dealt instead of drawing for a straight flush

So there you have it, a finely produced, polished, and performed album from one of the game's most hated emcees.

What makes this record successful, is exactly what Lupe refused to do on "The Great American Rap Album:" make enjoyable songs first and spread a message second.

Rob Sonic absorbs elements of earlier electronica, industrial and IDM to create delectably expansive, engrossing parfaits of sound- this is perhaps the greatest space boogie funk record since The Cold Vein dropped.

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.

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

This album will take you on an emotional roller coaster but it won’t give you a stiff neck or scare the living shit out of you. It’s a ride you’ll want to go on again and again.

It's safe to say that with "20/20" they've created another album that will serve their core audience well.

The beats are banging, and Waka proves that owning a thesaurus and being clever aren't the only way to be a rapper. Waka is a blunt instrument that beats you into submission.

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").

In the end, 8 Diagrams is a very good album that is best appreciated when taken out of the shadow of the Clan's greatest endeavors.

In fact whether or not you consider this an actual Wu-Tang Clan album there's not much to hate about "Chamber Music" other than the fact it's a small dose of the dopeness instead of the full out Wu-Tang hit that fans undoubtedly wanted.

The flow is intact, the rhymes are well written, and even though Smith hasn't crossed that line from pop friendly into hardcore gangsta... he's definitely a bit more rugged this time out.

It is a meticulously crafted album that goes down smooth and leaves you with something to think about.

It has some outstanding musical qualities, an author with a unique voice, a solid enough narrative and hit singles.

For fans of RA The Rugged Man, this is essential. For fans of early Eminem, this is essential. For everybody else, if you can ignore the swearing and appreciate the intricacies of RA's rhyming, you'll undoubtedly enjoy this because at least 80% of this record is straight up dope hip hop.

He... sounds more lyrically consistent and motivated than he has in some time.

Wayne, much like in his mixtape days, is finally having fun again. And when he does that, the results are captivating.

At its best--on "We Could Be Free"--"The Autobiography" adds to this reputation. At its worst, the album still sounds very good; aside from a pair of tracks that evince a teenaged boy's understanding of love, sex, and women (both of which--"Homewrecker" and "Gorgeous" -- are musically pleasant enough), there are just two more that rubbed me the wrong way. And that's mostly because they have a sound that is currently on-trend, which me feel old and out-of-touch.

I’m confident is his best work since his return in 2017. ... Roc Marciano isn’t likely to win over those who aren’t into this style of hip hop, but it certainly feels more accessible than the DJ Muggs record “KAOS” or even the “Rosebudd’s Revenge” albums.

If you even have the least inkling of how funky giving Oh No "unlimited access" to the archives of Rudy Ray Moore would be, I think you realize how enjoyable it would be to let him loop these beats and cherry pick his favorite emcees to flow over them.

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.

As tracks like the apt Andre Harris produced finale “Wings” show, EarthGang can fly on their own without any comparisons. They are as much R&B as hip-hop and for them it’s an ideal match.

While he's still the 21st century's answer to KRS-One, a rapper who is simultaneously intelligent and engaging, he needs to work with producers who are capable of sharing that vision with the masses in an equally engaging way. At times "The Beautiful Struggle" achieves this perfection combination, and at other times you're left loving the lyrics but lacking in headnodding dopeness.

The album is an excellent listen from start to finish, and a generally successful snapshot of London in 2008.

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

Whether he does fast angry raps like "Domo23" or revealing personal songs like "Lone," his music is never not fascinating.