GREAT

Although this was a leak from a couple months back, it stands out tremendously in the circumstances of Juice WRLD’s death. This song shows the talent that he had on his highest career moments. Like the posthumous single “Good News,” it’s both sad and hopeful. Even though I was never the biggest fan of him, I had respect for him and his art. After hearing this twice, I already know that this is one of his best releases to date. The painful lyrics reflecting his ... read more

MEH

Getting a collaboration from Travis Scott and Kid Cudi is always something exciting, so I’ll take this single here. The production is really hypnotic, the outro of the song is great, and Travis has a good contribution. Despite not being too bad of a pairing here, there a couple things that are holding me back from liking it even more than I do. The two artists don’t have chemistry at all, as their parts are almost separated. Cudi is also slightly outdid by Travis. Ultimately, ... read more

Nice set of bonus tracks from the ‘Circles’ album. “Right” is my favorite of the two.

The posthumous team for Mac Miller did a great job for this album. The album is cohesive and the track listing is consistent. There’s not one bad song on this album. I really appreciate this project, and the hardcore Mac Miller fans should enjoy this even more than I do. Compared to 2018’s Swimming, this was an improvement mainly because of how much more engaging each song is. I have no problems with this LP, and it’s a solid project all around. There are not many posthumous ... read more

My first full album listen of OutKast was an entertaining one that proves the skill of André 3000 and Big Boi and shows the potential they had to improve. The Southern focus on here makes for a compelling project that I enjoyed most of. It has plenty of solid highlights during all of its runtime.

Favorite Tracks: Ain’t No Thang, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, Player’s Ball, Claimin’ True, Funky Ride, Git Up Git Out, Crumblin’ Erb, D.E.E.P., Player’s Ball ... read more

‘Long Live Mexico’ is not too bad, but it’s bland sound and runtime make it nothing more than average in my opinion. There are some decent cuts on here, but nothing on this album really stands out too much.

Hear me and hear me good, I’m here to double down. That shit is a 2 pack of ASS. The fuck are you talking about, that shit stinks!

A great album that has been one of Fantano’s worst reviews so far. Saba’s ‘CARE FOR ME’ is a worthwhile project that often talks about his feelings after the tragic death of his cousin, DinnerWithJohn. The lyricism and the production on this album is strong, and it has a perfect length of ten tracks. Through a personal set of songs, Saba creates one of the best LPs during 2018. He surely deserves more recognition than he has.

Favorite Tracks: BUSY/SIRENS, LIFE, ... read more

This is an amazing album, no question about it. GKMC has been my highest rating of this year so far. It’s a near flawless LP with no bad tracks. Kendrick’s storytelling, production, and rapping is all top tier on here. It’s crazy to think that he was able to make a follow up at the quality of this. There is so much to see here and it is one of those albums that is a must listen for any hip hop fan.

Favorite Tracks: Sherane, Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe, The Art of Peer ... read more

This is going to be my first review as part of my brand new ranking of Kendrick Lamar’s albums. Lamar starts off his career with a solid and focused debut album. Although it doesn’t live up to much of his future work, there is plenty to praise here. It’s evident that he’s still trying to find his style on this project, showing the amazing growth that he eventually makes. The album is named after the Section 8 housing project located in the inner city, and his birth ... read more

‘A Written Testimony’ is a solid debut from Jay Electronica. This could also be viewed as a collaboration between him and JAY-Z. Although some of the songs in the middle stretch don’t stand out too much, there is plenty of good material on here that makes for an enjoyable album. I’m thinking this will grow on me even more as time passes. I’m glad this project was finally able to come out.

Favorite Tracks: Ghost of Soulja Slim, Shiny Suit Theory, Ezekiel’s ... read more

Going to update this soon, need another listen.

Wasn’t able to rate this, but it’s a pretty enjoyable set of tracks that have a lot to offer. If you’re a fan of lyrical hip hop with layered production, this is for you.

Before I start the review, I want to say I listened to the original 2011 mixtape on DatPiff, so I did not include “Twenty Eight,” the HOB bonus track on Trilogy. But anyways, ‘House of Balloons’ is the first mixtape to be released by The Weeknd, and is considered his best project by many. Coming into this, I had heard 3 of the 9 tracks previously. The rest was all new for me. Even though I ended up liking this is a lot, it seems to be a little bit overrated. Either way, ... read more

I’ve now officially gotten the chance to give ASTROWORLD a listen again. It is the third studio album by Travis Scott, and follows up his 2016 project Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight. This album is a passionate love letter to his hometown Houston, a banger filled mess, and a deep dive into Travis Scott’s personal life. The relationship he was in with Kylie Jenner at the time changed a lot of this album, as the closer “COFFEE BEAN” is a track dedicated to sticking with ... read more

‘KIDS SEE GHOSTS’ has always been a project that I’ve enjoyed a lot, and this listen proved that to me. This collaborative LP is one that was very needed during 2018, one dedicated to mental health. Cudi and Ye both had their confrontations of hardships before this album (Cudi being criticized for subpar music, Ye having to end the Saint Pablo tour). KSG has a strong connection to Kanye’s Ye album, which was released as part of the same GOOD Fridays series. An example of ... read more

As I’ve been waiting for some new Playboi Carti material, I decided to give ‘Die Lit’ another listen. What I got from it is mostly positive. Most of the songs are at least good, and provide a lot of the music that Carti’s fans want. The only problem about this studio debut is its 19-track and almost hour long length, which can get tiring at times when he lacks the skill to switch his style. Despite this, the style spread all over the album is a big part of what makes it ... read more

A good album that goes over a unique narrative of Denzel analyzing his hometown. In this “transitional project” for Zel, he talks about Carol City and how his earlier years have shaped who he’s become. There are a handful of highlights on here, but they don’t end up making an album better than arguable classics like Imperial and Taboo. I enjoy this consistent record though, and it’s a worthwhile addition into the nearly flawless discography of Denzel Curry. To this ... read more

Not a bad mixtape at all, there’s a handful of solid tracks on here. It’s a decent project that features some catchy tracks that could have been built into more. Just to clarify, I’m not including “Dior” and “War” into this rating. Too bad Pop had to leave so early on. Rest In Peace.

Favorite Tracks: Invincible, Get Back, Christopher Walking, Element, Armed N Dangerous

This isn’t real