I gave this album another listen after not clicking with it a few months ago, and holy this mixtape's amazing. The Weeknd created such a dark atmosphere that hasn't been recreated in another album I've listened to. Half of this project is perfect, with "What You Need," "The Morning," and "The Party & The After Party" being my main highlights. The subtle emotional undertones add a layer of melancholy and exhaustion, giving 'House of ... read more

It's good. Cole maintains his mixture of conscious and braggadocious rap on 'Cole World: The Sideline Story,' and it results in another fun release. Songs like "Dollar and a Dream III," "Lost Ones," and "Breakdown" are great examples of Cole's rapping ability and skill to go deeper on a track. At the same time, however, when songs like "Work Out" or "Mr. Nice Watch" follow those cuts, it breaks the flow and feel of the ... read more

This album's really overhated. Ye and Ty Dolla $ign pull off some great moments throughout the project, with "STARS" and "BURN" being the major highlights. The lyricism and flow of the album can feel wonky sometimes, but it's entertaining enough to make those flaws irrelevant.

I think the first half is much stronger than the second, as tracks 1-9 all carry a really fun, hype energy. I wish the duo could've experimented more with that beautiful sound we hear ... read more

What a crazy ride.

Slayyyter's 'WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA' is one of 2026's stongest releases (and we're not even halfway through the year!). Taking elements of pop, dance, electronic, and a few other genres, Slayyyter maintains a hype, energetic atmosphere throughout the album. Starting with a song like "DANCE...," which is both catchy and avant-garde, sets the tone for the project well. "BEAT UP CHANEL$," "CRANK," "OLD TECHNOLOGY," ... read more

It's aight.

JAŸ-Z's 'Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life' is the album that pushed his career into the mainstream. As a result, the project is much more hit-centric and sanded-over than Hov's two previous works. I loved 'In My Lifetime... Vol. 1,' and one of its biggest strengths was the album's great balance of commercial appeal and deep cuts. Tracks like "The City Is Mine" and "Imaginary Players" felt polished, yes -- but they carried ... read more

Bonus tracks are better than 80% of the stuff from the original album.

Great sophomore record.

If you've seen my review for Bruno Mars' previous album, 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans,' you would know that I am not a fan. A lot of the ideas presented on that project felt safe and uninspired, with some boring mega-hits spread throughout the track list. 'Unorthodox Jukebox,' however, shows Bruno's strengths perfectly.

Taking a slight reggae-inspired sound to the album, 'Unorthodox Jukebox' is a fun, energetic record. ... read more

Yikes, this is a HUGE misstep for Em. Genuinely awful album.

When I first listened to Eminem's 'Encore,' I didn't think it was too bad. Some wacky songs, sure, but nothing egregious. On repeat listens, however, this album has gotten worse and worse. I am a massive fan of Mathers' earlier work, with 'The Eminem Show' being a personal favorite project of mine, but 'Encore' fails to deliver in every aspect.

Let's start with the good parts of ... read more

Shocking. Genuinely jaw-dropping how A$AP Rocky could make something this special.

I am a massive Rocky fan, as both 'LIVE.LOVE.A$AP' and 'LONG.LIVE.A$AP' are some of my all-time favorite albums. Rocky's endless charisma, mixed with the smooth production, always makes for a fun listen. 'AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP,' however, throws out nearly everything you'd come to expect with an A$AP release -- and it's somehow just as good.

Starting from "Holy ... read more

I'll never fully click with 'OK Computer.' But that's okay.

One of the most iconic albums of all time, 'OK Computer' is THE album of albums. Coming in from Radiohead's previous work definitely helped me to appreciate it more. This album is full of amazing songwriting and beautiful instrumentation, and is one of the most haunting projects I've ever listened to.

From the intro, "Airbag," 'OK Computer' carries an almost space-like ... read more

YAY I LOVE IT

I have never been the hugest electropop guy, but 'U' is a great album. As my first underscores experience, I had no idea what to expect. I honestly didn't really like it at first, but a few more listens helped map its ideas and execution. April Harper Grey makes an energizing album while maintaining great writing and flow throughout.

"Tell Me (U Want It)," "Music," "Innuendo (I Get U)," and "Wish U Well" are all great songs. ... read more

BORING.

This is the one of the only albums I've reviewed that has gone into the bad scores! So, congrats Earl & MIKE. 'POMPEII // UTILITY' is a painfully boring listen, with sleepy flows and production all throughout. I loved Earl Sweatshirt's most recent project, and I had high hopes that I would like MIKE. But both rappers here mumble their ways through this 33 SONG long project.

Surf Gang provide drab trap production, which is an interesting decision. It does ... read more

VERSION 1 RATING: 80

I am confident that 'BULLY' will get a 'The Life of Pablo' treatment, so I'll be back to update this review until Ye finishes updating it.

Anyways: 'BULLY' FINALLY DROPPED! STILL UNBELIEVABLE. I had no faith in Ye until the livestream on the night before this album released, and hearing every song from there as an official release is mind-blowing. 'BULLY' combines the experimentation of 'Yeezus' with the soul of ... read more

'Nothing Was the Same' is Drake's magnum opus, as well as one of the greatest hip hop albums ever recorded. And I have a bit to say about it.

I first listened to 'Nothing Was the Same' a few summers ago. I was on the beach, and decided to play my first Drake album. I had just gotten into music and was super high on rap and pop, which I still am. I don't remember much from that first listen, but I do know that I immediately loved this project. I didn't listen ... read more

Absolutely underrated. Another great album from Jigga.

A lot of JAŸ-Z's catalog is greatly overlooked in hip hop discussion, with 'In My Lifetime, Vol. 1' being one of the most glaring examples of that. This album is full of hidden gems and great verses. The intro perfectly sets the stage, with Jay taking a more confident and aggressive approach. "Imaginary Players," "Lucky Me," "Rap Game / Crack Game," "Where I'm From": all ... read more

One of the most "nothing" projects I've ever heard. It is interesting to see Travis Scott's early stages, but 'Owl Pharaoh' is bland. "Hell of a Night" and "Uptown" are quite good, however.

Pretty nice album. Denzel's personality really shines through here.

Released over a decade ago, Denzel Curry's 'Imperial' remains as the first standout project by the Florida rapper. From the intro, "ULT," this album presents a unique mixture of chiller beats and aggressive raps. Zel's lyricism is in-your-face, with the various songs throughout the album tackling drugs ("Narcotics"), black life ("This Life," "Pure Enough"), and ... read more

I'm not the hugest fan of the bonus tracks, but any more of this era is always appreciated.

Bruno Mars is one of the biggest pop stars of the 2010s. His hits spanned all throughout the decade, and he is still going strong today. As of his most recent release, 'The Romantic,' I decided to check out his earlier stuff. And what better place to start than with his debut: 2010's 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans.'

This album is so boring. Sitting at 10 tracks, about half of it is so overplayed and recognizable that I never want to hear it again. "Grenade," ... read more

Timeless disco album. One of most jam-filled works I've ever heard.

Everyone on this planet knows who Michael Jackson is. From his legendary album 'Thriller' to his later hits and projects, Jackson has had one of the greatest impacts on music ever. And 'Off the Wall' is one of his greatest projects, combining the energetic and groove-filled sides of disco with the scale and intensity of pop and funk.

From the iconic opener, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get ... read more