Campaign may not exceed the musical brilliance of Free TC but it’s a close runner-up.

While the LP is worth the wait and a worthy debut, it lacks the explosive selections and raw exuberance that put Vic’s Innanetape mixtape in classic territory and ignited his buzz.

While BS may not exhibit the growth sonically or conceptually that fans may have anticipated after hearing Cole’s early work, he remains too gifted lyrically, too keen of a storyteller, and too emotionally open for his sophomore LP to be anything less than impressive, but not overly so.

YSIV succeeds when it forgoes pretentious views on what hip-hop should be and instead focuses on what makes the self-proclaimed Young Sinatra unique. The trio of “Everybody Dies,” “The Return,” and “The Glorious Five” feature the Everybody MC at his most fluid and nimble.

His cadence and dance party-made flow make light of his more serious situations in a way that translates well to listeners. His rhymes are relatable and the beats are bumping—a true win-win.

Shunning party-hearty staples for the mainstream and taking it back to the concrete, Snoop Dogg turns back the hands of time on Neva Left, delivering an album that is a testament to his unprecedented staying power.

MFH2 highlights everything we have come to love about Gates and more. Even though he wavers with some vocal performance on a few tracks, he still manages to put together a solid free sample project that should tide us over until his sophomore offering drops next year.

OF Tape, Vol. 2 works within itself, and adds another project to the growing catalog of the collective.

Stay Dangerous doesn't quite feel like the grand statement of Still Brazy or My Krazy Life. It's a slight step back from a rapper who is capable of much greater. While the brief glimpses of his personal life aren't quite enough to elevate the project, it's worthwhile to hear him breezing over Mustard beats once again.

Fraud’s production matches his laconic delivery in a way that other producers’ work just hasn’t. This makes Saaab Stories a much more cohesive mixtape than it would have been otherwise.

Nine albums removed from anonymity, Rather You Than Me secures Rick Ross’ slot within the list Top 5 of rap soloists to emerge from the South over the last 20 years, and is among his more cohesive bodies of work to date.

If Teflon Don was a buffet-style feast with deluxe entrées laid out for the listeners, God Forgives, I Don't is a full-course dinner that starts with a plate of bruschetta and ends with a zeppole.

Seen It All: The Autobiography is a solid offering, and shows growth of Tha Snowman who is 10 years deep in the rap game.

It truly sounds like a vintage New York hip-hop album, and it’ll appeal to those still looking for that. On the flip side, the production is so outdated you can’t help but think that these songs have literally just been sitting around this whole time.

With Rich Forever, Ross continues to cement his position as one of hip-hop's best artists.

The project gives fans an answer to the hypothetical of what a full album between Drake and Future would sound like, right now, in 2015. It’s cutting and honest and self-congratulatory and vindictive. It’s fantastically decadent and brutally real at the same time.

All in all, The Divine Feminine is an experiment well done. Mac Miller’s creative mind explores the ins and outs of the modern relationship while maintaining a certain level of sophistication that can be considered timeless.

Atmosphere has never been afraid to bare everything, strip things down to their most honest form, and grow with their listeners. Southsiders is the next step in that lineage, and one that falls directly in line with their previous work.

Within the framework of Queen--equal parts an album for her fans, a victory lap and a reminder of Minaj’s unflappable meta presence--the enormity of her success and her cultural impact is undeniable. There are genuine moments of the excitement and fun Minaj associates with her beloved New York City.

The album’s biggest issue is its length. ... While the project is lengthy, it’s just good to hear Kid Cudi sound like himself.

Despite the abundance of features (twelve), Snow's fourth studio album is indeed a win.

With Self Made 2, MMG takes another step toward truly becoming untouchable.

With 16 tracks that move from the trap, to the clubs, to the gutter, and back again, Trap or Die 3 is potent enough to leave listeners fiending for his next hit.

The Infamous Mobb Deep is a must-have in a true Mobb Deep fan’s collection. Crafting such a quality hip-hop album, two decades after your magnum opus, is a remarkable feat.

The lean guest list of trap all-stars Young Thug, Gunna and Travis Scott delivers solid if unspectacular support down the home stretch. Diehard Future fans, of which there are legion, will be satisfied. But at 20 tracks, The Wizrd runs overlong. Jewels like “F&N” (with its nifty beat switch), “Promise U That” and “Faceshot” run the risk of getting lost in all the streaming.

The Roots have not only proven once again that they are one of hip-hop’s most consistent acts, but also one of the genre’s most important.

All in all, 21 Savage manages to craft a fairly concise project with Issa Album about all the things that make him such a compelling rapper in today’s hip-hop landscape.

Ab’s creative leaps are sometimes jarring at the onset, such as “Closure” featuring Jhené Aiko, a track that will be deeply unsettling to the National Association of Backpacker Excellence among others.

There's rarely a weak bar on welcome to: OUR HOUSE, though the verbal dexterity isn't quite as stunning as it was on their debut.

He's not always as nuanced as he's shown the ability to be, and can indeed come off preachy, so those with already established ideologies may find aspects of this album off-putting.

You Disgust Me is another another project where the beatmakers show their knack for spitting gritty 16s and attemping to outdo each other on their head-nodding production. Once again, it works.

On past projects he has been comfortable sticking to a script he’s outlined for himself but here, he operates without rules. He isn’t bound by tempo, theme, style or even genre for that matter. All that appears to matter to Big Boi on Boomiverse is making good music that players can still bump in their Cadillacs.

The self-proclaimed king has his fair share of high moments on the project but the room for growth lies in his subject matter. Money is the motive for Dolph yet he doesn’t venture too far away from the green to give listeners a distinct variety in subject matter.

Although some of its strongest cuts already appeared on its predecessor ("My God," "Alone In Vegas," "I Still Wanna"), Pusha ultimately leaves anticipation for his official solo introduction.

Although the creative achievements aren’t revolutionary, they are thorough and consistent.

Overall, Bush is a fun and enjoyable listen from start to finish with the album’s retro imagery brought to life by Snoop Dogg and his slick persona.

Cherry Bomb is his greatest achievement thus far, solidifying his place in the game, with or without the conspicuously absent Odd Future crew.

The album highlights everything we have come to love about Drake but in too much excess. Clocking in at just under an hour-and-a-half and spread across 20 different songs, Views renders itself too long.

Taken on the whole, Camp is full of top-tier lyricism, honesty, uncertainty and triumph.

Though he may no longer be quite the underdog he once was, rapping like it--at least for no--still works

Dreams and Nightmares doesn't break new grounds in hip-hop, however it does serve as a respectable release from the rapper who's on the verge of universal acceptance-a road similarly traveled by his cohorts Rick Ross and Wale.

Ace is still aiming for the club on certain tracks. His enthusiasm and rapid-fire flow sound at home over the menacing summer jam “Bugatti” with the warbling hook of Future or on the triumphant “We Outchea”. But on other tracks, like the flimsy Chris Brown-assisted “Rider,” he comes off clumsy and out of place.

In stark contrast to less talented producers who enlist MCs for name recognition alone, Statik’s posse cuts are the product of thoughtful placement.

Woptober includes a few snags in the form of pedestrian offerings such as “Wop,” the repetitive “Right on Time” and the underwhelming Young Dolph collaboration, “Bling Blaww Burr,” but the album finishes strong with the revealing closeout cut, “Addiction.”

Saigon's second LP offers a sizable amount of diversity over fitting instrumentals, exhibiting how much he has evolved as a rapper by personifying his bars to reflect his music and his life.

In order to show growth, and furthermore her push for long lasting notoriety, Lil Loaf seems to serve up a different persona on each song. But whether it’s addressing the haters or luring her love in for the kill, the young upstart makes sure to maintain her cool in any and every situation.

The sonic mood of Ambition reflects its title and author and proves, on the whole, far warmer than his debut.

Carti’s efforts on this debut project are definitely well-absorbed and not taken for granted. While the majority of the mixtape isn’t anything radically different from the music he’s been making for the past three years, it’s a sign of consistency in sound.

While the tides of hip-hop may be in flux, and the release might not break any new ground, the collaborative LP is a genuine and welcomed addition to the modern hip-hop landscape.

Despite showing moments of progression and growth throughout the EP, Ty Dolla $ign still has a long way to go in terms of constructing an album, which hopefully will be fine-tuned as he prepares for his major release later this year.

Its greatest moments shine through in club hits that seeped through virally on the web and made him a nationwide phenomenon on the radio, it’s other moments aren’t as flashy.

Despite the album’s loaded guest list, T.I. manages to squeeze in enough room to allow himself to shine and tells us why after nearly 15 years deep; he’s still a top-tier artist in the game.

Big Sean is justifiably basking in his moment on Finally Famous, oozing lyrically dexterous flamboyance over lighthearted production.

The album, while slightly unfocused, does have its moments, and Inglish in particular, has revealed himself to be an artist to keep an eye on going forward.

Fetty’s attempt at putting together a full, formal project takes away from the overall prestige of his hits that have been so cherished over the past 12 months. This isn’t to say that the next album will won’t be able to more effectively balance hits and album cuts. But this one feels like the first attempt that it is.

The album doesn’t come without its criticisms, though. “Only 1,” with its elementary hook and flimsy delivery, seems tired and immature. And “Chain Smoking” with Curren$y and labelmate Stalley disrupts the cinematic flow of the album. However, Gunplay delivers on the overall theme of showing what made him a living legend.

Pluto may be far from the sun, but Future shines brightest when he aligns with the stars.

Endearing, ambitious and a tad overstuffed, Slime Language is a literal and figurative family reunion. However, like any Black family reunion, the project captivates when the young are allowed to flex in front of the father and claw their way from the periphery to the main stage.

Strange Clouds is a sophomore album that straddles genre lines but does so with an authenticity that many rappers testing the pop waters lack.

Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to its potential, and the result is lackluster, with bland efforts both lyrically and production-wise.

A healthy batch of impressive, often incredible music.

French’s tendency for repetitive subject matter and lack of a distinct rhyme or reason in terms of the type of creative direction that solidifies an artist as an entity of their own leaves a bit to be desired from Jungle Rules. Those missteps aside, Jungle Rules is a quality long player with a few worthwhile peaks, in spite of its valleys.

Filled with lust, desire and sexual journeys, Trey Songz reaches an expected level of mainstream success with Trigga, and while safe is always encouraged during sexual acts, perhaps Trey could’ve taken a few more risks with this album.

Luda may not have evened the playing field, but he certainly created an excellent musical forum for the sexes to air out their differences.

EVOL is only the latest building block on one of the most impressive runs from any rapper we’ve seen, and Future shows no signs of slowing down for anything.

Mastermind is a powerful album, an album with an identity, and one that has some solid songs and a handful of hits. Ross delivers just what he promised.

We get a strong dose of the old school Snoop we love and know while getting a little taste of the more distinguished Doggfather who we hope will eventually provide tracks filled with more wisdom and less weed. Don’t count on the latter though.

G I R L not only represents a proper representation of his creativity, but, with high-profile guest spots (Timberlake, Cyrus, Daft Punk) and a number of radio-ready singles, it should also be a success on the charts and further his reputation as a pop icon.

The Weeknd is a self-described pop star, and proves his worth on Starboy, an album with plenty to love.

He’s perfected his lane, but he hasn’t pushed anything forward or changed anything significantly.

Big Sean rises to the occasion on I Decided., arguably the best album of his career, and one that secures his spot as one of the top five artists in hip-hop today.

The Album About Nothing has an infectious, feel-good vibe with an undeniable cohesiveness.

The combination of one voice and one like-minded production team makes for a very clear, concise body of work, which FUTURE definitely is.

What he does on MC4 is play to his strengths. French knows he isn’t a lyrical miracle but recognizes what it takes to make a strong rap song whether he plays point guard or not.

The tandem intuitively displays a concept--the grind, fame, and reconciliation--by evolving the lyrical content and changing the aural backdrops

Weighing in at a terse 32 minutes in length, spanning eight tracks plus an introduction, the album is a cohesive and methodical offering yet because of the constrained spin time, neither Bishop Nehru nor MF Doom have the space to flex their creative impulses and push the envelope in their respective spheres.

It's a pretty fun album to listen to--just don't listen too closely.

J. Cole is righfully satisfied with the end product, as will the fans.

ll in all, the project is a welcome addition to the D-Block rapper’s catalogue, though it’s narrow vision holds the album back from reaching any great heights.

The album is a hulking catalog of Drake in his comfort zone, a space in which his ability to create memorable music that sits perfectly in the cradle of the cultural zeitgeist is unmatched. Still, the excessive 25-song tracklist is a misstep.

While Adventures of Bobby Ray is B.o.B’s story, the feeling he conjures makes it easy to relate. It’s safe to say this genre-blending debut is a step in the right direction for the young rap star.

Stay Trippy is a record that knows to stay within the lane that it’s carved for itself. Big-budget stripper rap has rarely sounded so fresh.

ColleGrove isn’t necessarily a letdown but doesn’t exactly exceed expectations. There are some moments of brilliance from both sides but overall, a collaboration of this magnitude should have stronger replay value across more songs.

The rapper coolly exceeds expectations in his artistic self-awareness and this go-round shines like his diamond-studded Fozzy Bear chain.

With both touching on their experiences in the prison system and their rise to the top of the food chain, Plata O Plomo is a triumphant return for Fat Joe and Remy Ma.

Dirty Gold‘s shortcomings overshadow the shining moments on the album as Haze struggles to find her identity, somewhere between underground rebel and mainstream player.

Napalm is a well-rounded LP full of illustrative and cohesive tracks, while surviving a few average hooks, such as on "Gangsta Gangsta."

Summer Knights is for the hip-hip heads and less for the kids that are Joey’s usual teenaged fanbase.

It's packed with the right ingredients for yet another solid appraisal from both fans and critics.

Matching his lyrical abilities with polished production and radio-ready hooks, The Gifted sees Wale inching towards hip-hop’s upper echelon, while still exhibiting the hunger of a young MC on the rise.

Complete with unbridled lyricism, top-notch production and conceptual brilliance to tie it all together, Everybody is a hallmark release that further solidifies Logic solid standing in hip-hop.

Five albums in, Wale remains one of the more mercurial talents in rap, with SHINE serving as further evidence of his abilities as an MC and a reminder of his lyrical radiance.

The majority of Sorry 4 The Wait reinforces that he's still capable of doing this [dismantling aggressive beats with purpose and flair], even if it doesn't exactly live up to classic mixtapes in his catalog.

MellowHigh has its thrills with some credit going to Earl’s playful verse on “Cold World,” but too often the album feels stagnant.

There aren’t many who can effortlessly make the transition from mixtape rapper to hitmaker. For Kid Ink, it is proving to be an incredibly smooth one.

There isn’t enough here to make Makonnen’s name start buzzing like it used to. The jury is still out on whether or not he will fade into the one-hit wonder category but one thing is for sure, the EP hinders more than it helps.

Because The Internet shows off his full array of talent (writer, musician, comedian) and makes him stand out from the rest.

Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight is a roller coaster ride of an experience, with an endless amount of highlights, whether it be an indelible hook here or timely guest verse there.