Whilst certainly not flawless, Black America Again sees Common deliver some of his most vital work and reaffirms his place in the discussion of greatest conscious rappers of all time.
No one out there is crafting visceral street tales like he is, and if he could just trim his track lists a bit, he has the talent to make a gangster rap classic in the future.
That he keeps getting better is just frightening, as he’s had a song that’s suggested a peak every year since 2011. And yet, here we are, continually marking the progress of Young Thug.
Atrocity Exhibition is Danny Brown’s greatest musical achievement thus far because the Detroit native not only elevated his lyricism, but also complimented said lyricism with atmospheric production and distinct flows that accentuate everything he’s saying.
Pulling no punches: Blank Face is the second best hip-hop album of 2016 so far, after The Life of Pablo.
It’s the high-concept eclecticism, however, that makes this record so cumbersome. Amidst unprecedented stylistic leaps and machine-gun rapping, comprehending the meaning of Splendor & Misery is a true challenge.
We Got It From Here… captures everything that has been essential to A Tribe Called Quest as a project – the focus on flow, the spirit of adventure, the balance of toughness and gentleness, streets and sky. Yet it also feels like an unlikely leap forward.
Coloring Book is another exceptional release from a vital artist only now coming into his own. In that, the future for Chance the Rapper is wide open to seemingly unlimited potential.
Rashad’s wheelhouse has expanded since his understated 2014 masterpiece Cilvia Demo, and he tries things on The Sun’s Tirade that show he’s learned from his TDE brethren about stretching the boundaries of hip-hop.