Free Will is a solid project worth the spins but misses the opportunity to deliver a career-defining album by not having the personal touch that’s needed in his discography.

The end result is his most introspective material since “Daylight.” Dedicated fans will appreciate it for its familiarity, which ironically, might also be their deterrent from it.

Drake feeds his own ego and starves his humility. There are engaging moments scattered throughout, such as the subtle outro to “9” or dvsn’s stellar turn on “Faithful,” but from the content to the execution, Views is strangled by the 6ix God’s own delusions.

It is both album and manifesto, and illustrates the true power of art. The power to conjure back from the dark the voice of people the world has chosen to ignore.

King of Memphis has all the ingredients of a breakout debut album with 12 featureless tracks but it settles in as another conventional Dolph project.

It’s the subtle sequencing--deliberate to show his progression--that elevates the project from merely a delinquent to being the tale of a reformed man.

Despite the occasional uncertainty, Always Strive and Prosper answers more questions than it poses. Ferg has clearly stepped up his game by delivering his most well-rounded project thus far.

Layers is an album of tremendous depth and skill, and shines a light on Royce 5’9” as multifaceted artist.

Tweet’s songwriting on Charlene is profound enough for us to feel something but doesn’t go over the top with wild emotions.

This collection is as heavy, thoughtful and laborious as anything Mike Eagle has released to date, but luckily he’s reached a place where he can withstand indie Hip Hop’s glass ceiling.

Their chemistry is unquestionable and the music derived from that unique harmony is constantly improving.

Slay-Z isn't quite such a project [that will eclipse anything she does offline] but her talent is still apparent throughout its run time.

Boosie’s eighth studio album is ambitious in scale, and contains some of his best work to date. The message and content aren’t always constant, but the ebb and flow of the experience enable a strong diversity of sound, and Boosie adapts to the beats like a chameleon with different colors.

Young Thug's extensive catalog is spotted with dynamic moments and this project seems to forgo such progressiveness. The range is still there, but sectioned into neatly packaged offerings.

Produced entirely by Erick “The Architect” Elliott, the 12-song mind trip is hodgepodge of haunting strings, ambient sounds fit for a sci-fi film and hard-hitting drums.

ColleGrove peaks when it stumbles onto potential hits off sheer energy but it never sparks the same fervor that songs about their old stomping grounds could.

What strikes you most is the sheer joy present in the sessions, imperfections galore. The free-flowing yet concentrated totality of Kendrick’s method.

The title harbors on his crash-landed placement in the mainstream where he simply wants to co-exist while the music, albeit a times disjointed, makes up one of the most self-aware, socially conscious rap albums in recent memory, if not ever.

Aside from its individual weaknesses, as a whole, The Art of Hustle doesn’t feel very intentional; it’s a collection of songs more than a body of work.

Much like his subdued persona in the media and social world, BJ has put forth a project that speaks louder than any other outlier that dictates what rides the trend.

In many ways, ANTI is a step in the right direction for Rihanna, creatively.

There's noticeable growth from their EP and mixtape in both Majid's singing and Jordan's production.

Moments like “Pt. 2” where Yeezy reflects on his parents divorce, his mother’s passing, his near fatal car crash over Rick Rubin, Mike Dean, and Metro Boomin’s bouncing madness linger long after last listen.

On Khalifa, there isn’t much that raises nor lowers Wiz’s stock and after a couple more play throughs the album comes across as fairly average.

As it stands, EVOL is nothing out of the ordinary from his past endeavors. With no measures in place preventing from Future releasing new full-length projects, this album could easily be surpassed in a month or two.

Although it is still to be determined if Thugger can step it up a couple of notches for an album that will be touted as an official release, I’m Up doesn’t offer up any reason to doubt him.

The 17 tracks and 63 minutes of Islah flow surprisingly well; even though there’s room to cut the fat, it doesn’t drag on the way many albums with that many songs do.

Williams isn’t here for you to simply digest his art and move on. He wants it to stick to you, to stay in your heart, mind and soul, the same way it does with him as the artist. And MartyrLoserKing accomplishes just that without question.