Dam-Funk's production is solid and quite funky, while Snoop's personality shines through his vocals just as they have for the past twenty years or so.

Occasionally it leaves you underwhelmed and yearning for more, but that still counts as a positive, because so many other rappers wind up doing more and leaving you wanting a whole lot less.

The problem is that it's just too light on hip-hop, and too close to the other experimental work they've already done in other side projects.

Rugby Thompson is one of those hard albums to critique in that as hip-hop it is inoffensive, and yet when it comes to pushing the boundaries of what the art and music could be there's literally nothing you could point to as innovative or revolutionary.

In all honesty, it's not the sentiment that bothers this reviewer. Rather, it's the insertion of the sentiment into what should have ostensibly been a light-hearted romp, a fun return to their days of old.

The only potential pitfall is that the tableau that is a Curren$y record leans too much towards self-care and opulence like some showy Instagram account. ... While “Covert Coup” was more varied musically, the familiarity of the arrangements and orchestration on “Continuance” ensure a certain timelessness.

It's clearly a release intended for hardcore Odd Future fans.

At only 26 minutes “Fuck the World” is (more than) a little on the short side, but it’s still long enough to make a powerful impact with a croon as opposed to a boom from the cannon. The only other complaint I could issue is that at times Brent Faiyaz is self-indulgent to the point of straight up misogynistic attitude lyrically.

Live Love A$AP is compelling but wildly uneven in execution.

This feels indulgent without MD being committed to any of his whims, and that exposes Mos Def as an artist that no longer seems to know what he wants to do.

At his best on "Evolve or Be Extinct", though, he reaches a pleasing mixture of understated beats and slice-of-life rhymes that are occasionally profound. At his worst, songs like "Scar" have neither beats nor rhymes I ever want to hear again.

Throughout “Chixtape 5” though I keep finding songs that pay tribute to hits by other people, and in each case Tory Lanez is not the rapper on the track. ... He’s just straight up crooning. He almost raps on “If You Gotta” featuring Fabolous but can’t resist the urge to sing. Unfortunately this leads F-A-B to imitate him instead of vice versa. The album’s slicker than the tile floors behind the counter at Wendy’s though.

The 44 minutes of this album could exist without Mr. Freeman, but they couldn’t exist without Metro Boomin. ... [21 Savage's] a solid RAPPER through and through and in an era of singers I’m always going to appreciate that, but if I said I could ignore the banality of “Savage Mode II” lyrically I’d be lying.

Despite having all of the right elements, this album seems far more forgettable than the aforementioned "The Last Kiss."

It isn't a flawless EP, but it works more often than it doesn't and is proof that there isn't that much difference between genres as we sometimes pretend there is.

Ultimately the album gets away with overly familiar breaks thanks to the superb level of stars. ... It’s not his best compilation, it’s not his worst, but it’s another one.

Migos don't glorify the trap, they reflect it, and when the hood doesn't need the trap then there won't be "Trap Funk" any more.

All in all, the flow is the same, the beats are a little different, and the person is a little more scarred and a little more wise than we last saw him.

While EVOL seems to be more consistent than "Purple Reign," it doesn't quite hold up to his previous releases. EVOL leaves you wanting more but not in a good way.

While it's disappointing that Bada$$ doesn't offer more inspiring rhymes, it would be a mistake to write off "All-Amerikkkan Bada$$" because he isn't the second coming of Ice Cube.

He's well-produced, well-connected, and well-forgettable.

This is a truly throwaway fast food album. You will enjoy it for a while, and in a year, I guarantee that you will not be listening to it, save for a few songs (such as "Legendary" and "Ambition").

“Everybody’s Everything” reflects Peep’s short but impactful catalogue by deviating little from the things that made him viral — his hazy wavy style, his emotional delivery, and his apparently complete lack of control over his demons.

You can never really get a sense of what Q is or what he wants to be.

When push comes to shove, there are only about three songs here that merit that kind of mindshare--and none of those come close to his best singles. By his standards, Mastermind is technically a good album, but neither timely nor memorable.

As action-packed as beats and rhymes are, CZARFACE was a quick read I soon found myself putting back on the shelf.

It may be hard to take Mac Miller seriously at times, but it's just as hard to dredge up any overwhelmingly negative feelings about Watching Movies save for two [the cover art and the deluxe edition feels like there's some filler material ].

Whether it is a product of being stuck in mixtape territory for so long or having to work on a limited budget, The Nacerima Dream is neither dream nor nightmare.