It feels somehow safe and experimental, foundational and radical. [Jan 2007, p.110]

Size earns his crown as he breaks through the jungle unscathed on In the Mode. He rises above mainstream neighbors Tricky and Massive Attack to take credit for an eclectic mix of what would have been one painfully long trip if left to any old Limelight DJ.

With its ice-cold beats, smoldering bass lines, and shimmering textures, this is one of the most openly erotic albums British pop has ever given us. [Apr 2003, p.178]

­This endearing debut from Imani Coppola’s latest side project deftly explores the ferocious singer’s favorite themes--race, two-timers, herself--over programmer Adam Pallin’s sprightly soul interpolations.

With Kiss of Death, Jada's well on his way to achieving hip hop immortality. [Jul 2004, p.136]

Together, they paint devastating emotional portraits, and they sidestep tedium by remaining rap's most lyrically inventive group. [Nov 2006, p.155]

The risks he takes with the production are a big part of the allure of God's Son. [Feb 2003, p.135]

It's a typically eccentric tour de force from Mos Def. But this time, he recruits producers capable of keeping pace with him.

Unlike other albums maniacally programmed to target every pop niche (hello Jennifer Hudson!), Doolittle delivers one of the rarer qualities you’ll find in a contemporary album: a clear sense of who she is.

This may be the first time Madonna hasn't pushed herself to explore new ground, but at least she's chosen a good place to rest. [June 2003, p.155]

Excellent. [Oct 2006, p.142]

Lay It Down is almost indistinguishable from green's past hits. Then again, maybe that was the point. [May 2008, p.74]

The album is a celebration of LaVette's vocals--burnished, bruised but resoundingly unbeaten. [Nov 2007, p.96]

The result is arguably his best work contextually since "Death Certificate" itself.

Rick Ross is on pace to make his best and most complete album yet. He knows it. And soon hip hop fans will too.

Mariah gets back to her winning formula with Mimi. [May 2005, p.139]

II Trill draws its cohesion from its production, a stew of juicy grooves, synth patches, and gumbo-thick basslines. But what makes the album tick is an emotional complexity: Like an old sage, Bun B gracefully vacillates between raw fury and weathered wisdom.

A resurgent Prince unleashes his strangest yet most alluring rock project since 1988's astonishing "Lovesexy." [Sep 2007, p.137]

Mobb Deep's Prodigy has embraced the chaos, pain and disarray that's cursed much of his life and used to power an angry, pained, and ironically vital album, H.N.I.C. Part 2. Prodigy's physical self may be incarcerated, but his music has never sounded freer. [Apr 2008]

Although the majority of The Last Meal's17 tracks are scrumptious, a couple of bland dishes found their way onto the menu. Although this album isn't quite as inventive as Doggystyle, Snoop blesses us with the right blend of West Coast gangsta funk, R&B, and that one of a kind flow we can't get enough of.

Way, way better than just "OK." [Apr 2005, p.168]

Despite its frustratingly uniform theme--coke--and Jeezy's inflexible, one-speed rasp, his sophomore effort, The Inspiration, suggests that last year's victories were no fluke. [Feb 2007, p.121]

Rarely does rock music feel so simultaneously orchestrated and raw. [Mar 2008, p.98]

The sample-heavy results are cohesive yet diverse, a proper canvas for Ghost's finest effort since Supreme Clientele. [Apr 2006, p.151]

Suddenly with these [guest MCs] additions, a sound that felt dusty and dilapidated is now exuberant. [Sep 2007, p.137]

Disorienting and sometimes brilliant. [Jan 2007, p.109]

A strong statement from a veteran still pushing his artistic boundaries. [Dec 2006, p.170]

While MC Naledge and producer Double-O’s impressive follow-up effort The In Crowd continues in a similarly versatile vein, the vibe this time feels less like a greenhorn B-boy coming-out party than it does a self-assured statement of purpose.