Meek understands his audience, they expect a monumental introduction, summer ready hits, sincerity and more hits. He does this all, with a bit of style and an abundance of swagger.

Wolf’s production features a more textured and subtle sound than we’ve ever heard before.

The forward momentum shown on previous releases continues with Because the Internet. The jokes and gimmicks show up less often and in their place are introspective questions about himself, his relationships, and his family. Most of the time it works.

Has Jay-Z made another classic? Only time will truly tell, but my gut says MCHG will ultimately fall just short of classic status. Where does it rank among his now 15 albums? I’ve got it somewhere in the top third.

Ultimately, only time will tell if Dark Sky Paradise becomes the first Big Sean album that I like more than his mixtapes, but this one probably has the best chance yet.

You know that breathless feeling you had when you ran from the cops after they broke up a house party? This album is that feeling in musical form.

These days, Soul’s money tree has blossomed and with it, expectations have grown and relationships and trust are harder to come by. But for now at least, Soul is in control.

A listen will be worth your time.

The album is fun, enjoyable, and well-done.

It may have been a little long for my liking, but that's a small price to pay for listening to something this remarkably unique.

Vince sounds more alive on this album, that coldhearted monotone has found a bit of hope.

The Gifted is a collection of tracks from an unarguably talented emcee, but the point at which a collection of music becomes an album, a singular work with a focus and unity strong enough to truly make an impact, Wale still hasn’t reached that point.... In the meantime, we’re left with a quality album.

Love and Rockets is a chance for hip hop to transform back to its roots; the real, musical, easy to listen to simple beats and lyrics that we all grew to love.

A charismatic, agile rapper good enough to have a long and successful career, but right now a place in rap’s Hall of Fame is still a stretch.

Overall, Kid Cudi is refreshing and lively thoughout Indicud, proving he can go off and experiment (like he did on WZRD), yet come back to the Day & Night Cudi we have all grown to know and love.

Looking 4 Myself isn't a classic, it's just not, but until I hear better, it's the best R&B album of the year.

The album is an amalgamation of his past trade and his current, and as is fitting for an album from a man whose past is as powdery white as a Colorado winter, it’s dope.

R.A.P. Music sounds like exactly no other album to come out this year.

The point is that despite the delays and false starts and question marks, ultimately Young Jeezy has continued an impressively consistent run of quality albums.

We're still a long way from a classic, but Take Care once again proves that he's just too good to disappear anytime soon.

He’s added a catchier more movie trailer-esque sound, what some call pop but I’ll just call Love the Way You Lie, but really, despite the upheavals in the world, despite his relapse and recovery from drug addiction, for better or worse Eminem at 41 is essentially the same artist as Eminem at 28-years-old.

A few days of repeat spins now have revealed the album to have more depth and sustainability than I first suspected.

Forest Hills Drive has enough twists and turns to inspire an almost schizophrenic stream of reactions.

Songz isn't doing anything new, but when he's still delivering music this high quality it really doesn't matter that much.

Not only does it reinforce that Earl is a capable lyricist, but that he’s growing his legs as a producer. It’s also an album where you can tell the artist found his voice, finally overcoming the pressures of expectation.

If you're already a fan of Curren$y I have to imagine you'll at least enjoy adding Immaculate to the collection. And if you're not a Spitta fan there's a solid chance that Immaculate will, if not convert you to a full-fledged fan, at the very least respect the man.

T.I. is more lyrical than he often gets credit for, but it's his "swag" that truly separates him from the crowd, and Trouble Man is dripping with so much swag T.I. should bottle it and sell it.

The best moments on Gutter Rainbows actually come when Kweli pushes the hardest unto uncharted territory.