= 91.6 =

Pete Rock and CL Smooth, the household name! Golden Age rap is just nothing you can't front on, everybody just had to step their game up even if you were in the studio/tour for only a year or two. On '92 the two had released an album that was the best produced album in NY at the time, no one had reached the heights of Pete when it came to making beats but only two years later the game is practically standing on its head and doing the same old shit would be a suicide. Thus Pete and CL ... read more

= 94.4 =

The best of their three albums, "Stress: The Extinction Agenda" is an appropriately grim title for OK's darker brand of the '90s conscious hip-hop usually associated with Native Tongues. A unique aesthetic, but the main attraction is the lyricism. If you've wondered why many consider Pharoahe Monch a GOAT emcee, look no further. He puts on a clinic here and Prince Po's no slouch either. Way ahead of its time and it'll continue to impress for decades to come.

= 91.4 =

Album that is as good as it is mainly because of creativity, it's one of the most fun albums of all time, it's playful lyrics are really funny and it's done well, I mean how you going to make a song called Ya Mama, with actual yo mama jokes, and actually make it a good song??
Same with Oh Shit and I'm That Type of Nigga etc, the lyrics are hilarious.
Also, my favorite song on the album, Otha Fish is about the lost love but in a lighter way than Passin Me By, and it's my favorite ... read more

= 90.4 =

This is the classic debut of A Tribe Called Quest. I'm going to start of by talking about the rapping on the album. There is pretty much no rapping by Phife dawg, but it really doesn't matter because q tip is great on his own. Q Tip is a good mc he has a strange voice which is pretty much the highlight of his rapping and he has a smooth flow as well (on this album). I know that when A Tribe Called Quest were making this album that the engineers and all of those guys at the studio ... read more

= 73 =

I have never been a big fan of Migos. There style was so irritating and repetitive to me. Yes, I respected Migos in the same way I respected Future. At least they have their own sound. This record however was the first time that I have ever liked a Migos project.
The opener on this album is a song without much structure, basically the three rappers just rap for a couple minutes book ended by the ever annoying DJ Khalid. However the lull does not last long as the song T-Shirt brings ... read more

= 73 =

This is gaining some steam as one of the more underrated records of the year so far and understandably so. If you offer Future fans a trap record or a pop record, most are going for the trap. Ironically, the pop record is the more artistically adventurous of the two and people are just starting to fully appreciate that, myself included.

= 68.6 =

Taking a 17-track, feature-less Future album as, you know, an album ain't the right way of doing things, even if Future's sequenced it to play like one (ie. start with a bang; end with introspection). Me, I think this is a step-up from the disposable EVOL if only because the number of highlights: the cultist vocal loop of "Rent Money"; the woodwind loop of "Mask Off", though I wish the sample was used more than just once (it's so understated!); "I'm So ... read more

= 70.8 =

The first grime record I've ever given a fair listen to. Thanks to Drake for piquing my interest. This one's about half-and-half street shit and R&B / pop crossover cuts. Both halves have their complete misses but there's plenty of good cuts. My favorites are actually the best pop tracks. They're just good songs in general, and they don't seem forced at all.

= 73.2 =

Its not like this album is bad, its OK but that is the thing, its just so OK that its boring. I find Smino's voice kind of annoying when he's rapping but his singing voice is quite entertaining. This album definitely didn't need to be as long as it is, I think if he made like a 30 minute project it could be a lot more enjoyable. Smino for me is just such a 2017 sounding hip hop artist, in two or three years chances are this album will be completely forgotten about but it might gain ... read more

= 53 =

Kodak cements his sound on this debut album. This sound includes his somewhat droning voice and almost monotonous delivery. The saving grace is the production, which, dare I say, is some of the best I've heard from anything coming out of the trap scene recently. This production makes Kodak's vocals bearable for a while, but some elements, specifically the lyrics, only work for about half the album until it begins to drag on.

= 59.4 =

Holy Jesus this is bad. The first 2 tracks are decent as well as "Tranquillo", but even that shit was average at best. I know this is supposedly a collection of leftovers, but c'mon Lupe. I expect a little more substance from you. I've reviewed several trap rap albums this year and it's honestly getting sickening to me at this point. Not everything here is trap rap, but just the thought of enduring more of it triggers me. Some tracks on here reminded me of Drake, which was ... read more

= 58.2 =

I didn't expect this to go over well with me, as I don't care for Big Sean at all. His songs and features have never impressed me in the slightest. This is actually the first Big Sean project I have decided to sit through. It's hard to listen to this and not bring up Drake. Let's be honest here. Big Sean is a poor man's Drake. There is no need for Big Sean if Drake already exists. Drake does it better, period.

The two obvious stand-out tracks are "Bounce Back" and "No ... read more

= 75.2 =

In the world we live in, it's nice to hear someone so in tune with their soul and their surroundings make some beautiful music like this. The uplifting lead single is what drew me into this but some of the most effecting songs are the heaviest emotionally: Dear Black Son, The Bitten Apple, Out of Here. Uncle Usi Taught Me is a unique story telling/political track that critically looks at both the US and Iran. Before They Called You White is a classic Brother Ali style political song, ... read more

= 75 =

Wasn't feeling this on first listen, but it's always difficult to make quick judgments when an artist diverts from established perceptions. Reminds me of Nas's I Am; like an overt attempt to grow as a song writer at the expense of the lyrical density that fans have come to expect. That being said, he's still better than the vast majority of MCs today and the hooks are starting to grow on me. Plus, extra points for any artist getting political in 2017.

= 77.4 =

I wasn't familiar with Quelle Chris before this release and wasn't sure what to expect based on the title and artwork. Some light sampling didn't alleviate my confusion, which quickly turned to his monotone delivery. It's rare these days to hear an MC who doesn't sound like anyone prior, but Quelle Chris is truly an original. It was an acquired taste, but I was sold when I heard "Fascinating Grass" and the rest fell into place from there.

= 79 =

It's a solid album for sure. Oddisee's lyricism has only been getting better and better, everything connects here besides a few songs about relationships which I just can't get into. He's experimenting with his flow more, and topics include digging a little deeper into his back story and childhood, as well as current issues like racism, religious extremism and Trump. The beats have a good amount of funky licks and even some disco and Carribbean inspired grooves to them. Despite all that ... read more

= 78.4 =

Freddie's aggressive rapping is great in this one, but unfortunatly the beats that accompany him arent all that great. Just some very barebones trap beats that are completly unmemorable. And because of that the songs arent nearly as impactful as they should have been. This is nowhere near Pinata, but its still a solid listen. Gibbs is very talented behind the mic, so its a bit disappointing to see him release rush products like this one.

78.6

This guy is surprisingly good. I feel bad saying that, because I expect someone like Jonwayne to hear on an almost daily basis. Basically just like the random unknowing guy from, "LIVE From the Fuck You", which shows a back-and-forth between him and somebody whose girlfriend is a big fan of Jonwayne. I'll be honest, I wouldn't expect the dude to rap this well either if I had to judge him unknowingly. Regardless, this dude has the voice for hip-hop. The production is a great fit ... read more

= 79.8 =

This album has some bars, man. Droog is a fantastic lyricist and his flows are sharp throughout. The production is very clean and not too busy so that his words can take the spotlight. There's some serious rap nerd humour in this album, including one line that really cracked me up: 'people too nosy / but still nobody knows what i do like jarobi'. HA

I do wish, though, that Droog tackled some more ambitious song topics on this thing - he's more than talented enough to put some really ... read more

= 81.8 =

Travis Miller is under another moniker, this time embodying the desperation and the sadness, the hopelessness of unstable mental health. It's depressive and self-loathing, switching between noisy and distant instrumentals of anxious atmosphere to deranged, hysterical tracks where Miller drips his existential conditions within his lyrics to drawl desperately about loneliness and addiction. Volume 1: hits you very, very hard. From track to track you are transported into this space that ... read more