In a year of political and social upheaval in 2016 he reached deep down to make a very personal statement from beginning to end on Black America Again and it shows in every word he wrote.

The irony of releasing three beautiful albums it that even a great album like "RTJ3" can still wind up being ranked third in descending order. As good as it is nothing here can top "Crown," "Angel Duster" or "Early" for me. By no means is this in any way a negative. It's like saying you're going to listen to your third favorite Ice Cube or third favorite Michael Jackson album--you're still going to wind up listening to some brillaint s#$t over and over again no matter what.

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

It's funny and soulful, and will help keep the blues at bay.

In its best moments, Made in the Manor transcends time--and even place--and attains universal meaning.

This album succeeds in its goals despite the heartbreaking passing of Phife Dawg while it was being recorded, and even though I had accepted "The Love Movement" as their last chapter all those years ago, this is a much more fitting end.

Let Them Eat Chaos is another fantastic album by an incredible talent.

Throwback to the Future is a solid album that is a nice change of pace from what I normally listen to.

Atrocity Exhibition is a party rap album, a drug rap album, an emo rap album, and a post-punk album all rolled into one.

It's not her best album, as there are clearly concessions on display but it doesn't let her anthology down and she is now free of her label.

While most of the album is concerned with asserting that YG is still a G despite his fame, it closes with a trio of protest songs.

The end result sure looks promising from the moment you hit play, with over an hour of music and 18 tracks to look forward to, the kind of full length project all those [Kickstarter] backers have demanded.

Influenced by many but perhaps literally fathered by none, ScHoolboy Q remains an intriguing enigma whose ambitions presently know less limits than Percy Miller.

It's hard at times to be a fan of this genre, because it can be overly formulaic and offer little hope for the future, but despite the dark trappings there's still some musically redeeming fun to be had.

If you're not expecting an hour of profound wisdom from start to finish this is an ideal late summer mixtape to ride around to.

The Mountain Will Fall is DJ Shadow's best album in over a decade, largely because it is his most consistent since "The Private Press."

Slay-Z is a solid EP that is also incredibly frustrating. It's frustrating because it is an example of the talent that Banks is wasting by devoting so much of her time and energy to having pissing contests on social media.

While Aesop Rock may not be every hip-hop fan's cup of tea, you must respect the man's grind. All-in-all The Impossible Kidis like (yet unlike) any Aesop Rock release: Ill underground beats and a lyrical prowess that yields rewards with each willing listen.

Konnichiwa is proof of not only Skepta's skill on the mic, but also of his ability to put together a strong, solid album. As Grime continues to rise, its leaders are well worth watching.

Despite some lyrical flaws here and there, it still shines.

We've come to expect nothing less than near-perfection from K.Dot and he comes pretty damn close on his most recent effort.

She sells her message with having mad skills and swagger to spare.

The Life of Pablo has a lot going for it, but sometimes, even with all the best intentions, you can mess up a good thing just by virtue of being yourself.

Where Bjork's music is grounded in indie and experimental pop, as well as Bjork's innate quirkiness, Kelela's music is still R&B at its core. She's great singer and a fantastic talent.

Rihanna delivers the best LP of her career. It's not chock full of huge singles; it takes risks and may well alienate the more casual element of her fanbase, but really they should have grown up with her over the last decade (otherwise newbies should stick to "Good Girl Gone Bad" and "Loud").

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.

Malibu more than lives up to the high expectations facing Anderson .Paak.

King Push's Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude is a damn good record, but it is not flawless.