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.