The project is one of his best thus far by virtue of him composing an album in which listeners can empathize with how he views religion ("Hallelujah"), the club ("Ball"), women ("Guns and Roses," "Can You Learn," and "Crusin'") and so forth.

The Saga Continues falls hazily to the side. While the project's title indicates the "saga continues"--featuring solid rhymes from each member and sample-heavy beats from Mathematics--it's not the opus that will surpass the classics in Wu's already established legacy.

At such a flourishing stage in his career, Kodak should continue to refine his sound throughout a full body of work but growing the brand via authentic hit records should be somewhere on his radar. With attention spans shortening by the second, Kodak’s follow-up project should aim to have something go far beyond the Internet.

The kind of God level rapping that Ab-Soul showcases on Do What Thou Wilt means this album will exist predominantly in the headphones of those shrewd enough to understand.

Even with so many features, Tyga rarely lets the album get away from him, remaining in the driver's seat even when next to young stars and legends.

Overall, Rodeo has plenty of bangers and noteworthy collaborations that help bring out a futuristic trap sound that could bleed into the mainstream of hip-hop in no time.

Ye feels lyrically scatterbrained, as if its creator was unable to focus on anything for long enough to deliver a cohesive message.

For the majority of the 20 tracks, each has a different producer and no two songs sound alike. This both helps and hinders the listening experience. On one hand, the scattered sounds align perfectly with the overarching idea of wildly varying teenage emotions, but on the other, it’s hard to attentively listen to all the way through--especially with a whopping 21 songs.

Self Made Vol. 3 won’t silence the haters of Rick Ross’ MMG movement, and it certainly does not break the mold of previous iterations in the series. However, the album’s hits should have a lasting impact, serving as jump off points for several of the artists on the label.

True to Self may fall short in terms of being a showcase of Bryson Tiller’s maturation, but wins in terms of its aesthetic and addictive refrains.

He could have benefited from having the album broken up into seven-track EPs and released over the course of two-three months, but we’re forced to aimlessly sift our own way through D.Z.A. Lucky for us, there’s enough gold in there to go around.

RetroHash is a confused jumble of ideas that has its heart in the right place.

X certainly proves that Chris Brown’s talent will forever shine through over whatever troubles come his way.

Raekwon’s passion and well-crafted rhymes show he’s still capable of creating high quality work as an MC, but F.I.L.A. is too disjointed to stand beside his best work.

While Ludacris’ name may miss several Best Rapper Alive lists, he never fails to deliver on each album. If Ludaversal is a reminder that he hasn’t fallen off lyrically, the game should pay attention.

With so many personalities vying for attention, the artists struggle to display their own individuality, instead constantly relishing in their new spoils.

The album is a standout effort that introduces the full-range of his talents as an MC with crafty songwriting abilities and deft ear for a sonic palette.

Kiss The Ring is brief and overrun with enough proven formulas and artists that the opportunity for a miss barely exists.

By using his seasoned ear and stuffed phonebook, Dram has fed his base with what is indeed Quality Street Music.

While some may feel the clap-back approach reeks of bitterness, there's no denying how skillfully Em runs through these six minutes of lyrical acrobatics. He keeps listeners more attentive than he has in quite some time with an abrasive attitude that was missing from Revival.

With his gruff tone and no-nonsense flow, Rob holds down 14 tracks with only one guest appearance without any problems.

On Finally Rich he continues to execute a his niche sound, and at a high level.

If you’re willing adjust to a less joyful Guwop, there are actually some great things happening on Trap House III.

Though the content of We The Best Forever is what we've come to expect from a DJ Khaled offering-grandiose odes to the grind and getting yours-that he understands how to create those better than most is what makes a DJ Khaled track, and album, worthwhile.

Even without being a completely authentic offering from the Killa Beez, Legendary Weapons is a solid listen that can hold fans over and shows the Wu's weapons remain razor sharp, leaving hope for an official LP.

It pans out as--at the very least--a unique and varied production that asks to be received seriously, even if Riff Raff’s choppy, uneasy flow and absurdist imagery runs counter to that.

Major Without A Deal is another step forward for Troy Ave, but it’s also another win for the birthplace of hip-hop.

Khaled sticks to what he knows best throughout this LP and that’s creating hits with ease. The 22 songs on Grateful aren’t anything out of the ordinary for Khaled or any of his featured guests but they remain hits nonetheless.