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").

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.

The focus of Quavo’s “Rocket Power” is on him — as it should be.

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

This album is Prodigy and Alchemist giving long time fans exactly what they want.

Even though "Volcanic Sunlight" sounds explosive and blinding, it turns out to be quite warm and inviting...It's a pleasant if at times uneven experience.

Open Mike Eagle does one better and shows a path forward for hip-hop.

Jidenna is good enough as a singer that if he did it full time I'd respect his hustle, but I like his wordplay, breath control, punchlines and swagger as a rapper enough that he'd be just fine only rapping. That he chooses to do both and do them both well shows he won't be defined by you, me, or anyone else.

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

It is claustrophobic, depressing, but also beautiful in its own sad way. While the circumstances that led to “Fall to Pieces” are terrible, the album is incredible.

Individual songs can be seductive but his singing can lull you into a peaceful state over such a long stretch. Yeah it’s not much of a complaint at all is it? Don’t buy this album if you don’t want to chill out too much.

Producers have historically had a difficult time with albums, but Jake One shakes that trend and comes through with a hot album.

“Hot Pink” doesn’t show an evolution of Doja Cat artistically or musically. The production from the likes of Tyson Trax, Yeti Beats and even the famed Saleem Remi is as slick as her debut, but also just as saccharine as her debut.

Talib Kweli has made the career-defining work that his fans have been expecting for nearly a decade.

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.

He certainly gets outshined by the original score--but that only serves to make a much better album than many anticipated from the Boss himself.

You have to be a fan of either or both men going in, and IF you are, then the sheer force of their persona and their political viewpoint won't be off-putting to you. Newcomers beware, this album is not the place to start.

It may be hard to take Mac Miller seriously at times, but it's just as hard to dredge up any overwhelmingly negative feelings about Watching Movies save for two [the cover art and the deluxe edition feels like there's some filler material ].

The 40 or so minutes of "All People" are what I imagine taking a shower in a waterfall on a hot summer day would be like--nd if you're too far removed from nature to do that then it's like putting on your swim trunks and running around an open fire hydrant.

Drake breaks no new ground here, and retreads the same tales of love and regret so many times that the songs bleed together. If you just want background music for making love, this is your album. If you want to have your imagination captured by fantastic tales or be taken on an emotional roller coaster, don’t bother. There are no highs or lows here. We’re on medium the whole time.

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.

Unfortunately the haste to produce and release the album shows when listening; the thing is clearly rushed and even feels a tad opportunistic after the surprise critical resurgence of the Wu after the Raekwon-directed "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II."

'So Far to Go' embodies everything great about Common--his witty delivery, smooth flow, loquacious lyrics and perfect sense of timing --but then the same could be said for virtually any track on Finding Forever.

Durk is more than just authentic though, he’s creative and compelling. He elevates drill from a regional art into a crossover territory that may earn him more haters but will definitely gain him more fans.

There is very little that doesn't work, with both Marley (obviously) and Nas (surprisingly) meshing flawlessly into practically everything.

The Odd Future fam needs better quality control to stay relevant in 2013 and beyond.

Tame and Del are like-minded rappers who have been heading in the same direction for years musically without having crossed paths. Now that they've finally linked their styles together in tandem, it's a blessing to all of their old fans and soon to be new ones.

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.