There's something magical about pairing Talib with Hi-Tek on production that transcends his already almost unlimited lyrical potential and creates an extraordinary experience.

There's a decade of depth to D. Swain that shows in every bar, note, and beat of this Payback, one which should hopefully give the music biz a big smack in the face.

Saigon has had the time to craft an epic hip-hop album that's a fitting testament to his skill and his sheer force of will.

The only downside to "Feedback" is that by the time you reach the swinging latino rhythms of the instrumental finale "Canto de Ossanha" 52 minutes of hip-hop soul just won't seem like enough.

When nostalgic old-timers lament the golden age of hip-hop, for those championing our current era, Under Pressure is the album to point to.

The first overwhelmingly happy Atmosphere record.

This is the most satisfying P.E. album in over fifteen years, both a throwback to their glory years and a hopeful sign of more great years to come.

Years from now these "Donuts" will still be just as fresh as the day they first hit the store.

There won't be another album in 2015 with so much of the artist invested in it: mind, body and soul.

The only thing you really need to know is that no matter how you cop RTJ2, whether it's as a free digital download, a physical copy from Mass Appeal or the super-expensive "I'm On The Guestlist" supporter package you're getting more than your money's worth.

It showcases Rapsody's indisputable excellence as a lyricist and rapper, and it sets up the next stage of a career that will keep everyone in the industry watching closely.

There's just enough to be cut that this could have been one outstanding album instead of two discs that overall make a pretty damn good release.

Akrobatik and Lif are the ideal lyrical yin and yang.

Both the length and the effort he put into it justify why it took over three years for it to come out and all the bases are covered here. ... It’s hard to find anything to complain about.

In short, it is one of the best albums of the year, and could be one of the best albums of the decade.

Big K.R.I.T. does a good job of separating the two personas at the end of the day. If the album was about 5 or 6 minutes shorter, it could have fit on a single disc but perhaps at the expense of the narrative. The double disc format really helps to drive home the point when the listener wants to switch from Big K.R.I.T.'s "Get Away" to Justin Scott's "Keep the Devil Off."

Many worry that the Cadillactica theme might go over the heads of some and alienate fans but rest assured, at the core of it all, there's still the 808 bang, jazzy, soulful music and the same Big K.R.I.T. that so many have come to know, respect and love--on second thought, he's better.

Jake knows Freeway's strengths and plays to them with so much grace it's almost unfair to rappers who've got to piece records together with a hodgepodge of producers who craft their tracks with no one in particular in mind.

There are plenty of unexpected surprises to be found.

With very little filler and a strong selection of songs from start to finish, the hype that this is potentially "album of the year" according to Atlantic Records may ACTUALLY be true.

"Certified" treads a fine line between keeping it real and selling units, but Banner treads that line very well.

Here's an album of beautiful R&B songs, and she's chosen to intersperse them with messages of black empowerment.

While no album may ever top his debut's brilliance, this one comes close enough to make even his most passionate haters happy to hear the raw essence of hip-hop revealed in all it's true glory.

Pharoahe Monch has always been among the most talented rappers in the game, and now with PTSD, he has an album that showcases not only his lyrical prowess, but also his ability to craft a fully focused and theme driven album.

There's nothing boring about the tracks on Ego Trippin' though, from the hard hitting Neptunes produced "Sets Up" to the soft-spoken Polow Da Don produced "Why Did You Leave Me."

Dr. No's Ethiopium combines two of the best things on Earth: Egyptian jazz and hip hop. This is a fantastic album, and one that improves upon "Dr. No's Oxperiment."

To say "Things Go Better with RJ and Al" is as great as some of their earlier work would be an overstatement, but to say it's a dissapointment in any way shape or form would be a colossal lie.

Whether you want to doubt it or not, there's just too much right about the self-titled Slaughterhouse for this album to be wrong.