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.