The magic in "The Craft" is that whether you're a student of the craft of hip-hop or not, you'll always enjoy the experience. The magic in "The Craft" is that it doesn't get stale with time - the beats and rhymes only get fresher and fresher.

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

While not as strong as some of her earlier albums, it does rectify the mistakes found on "This is Not a Test" and show that far from stagnating Missy is growing as an artist both in front of and behind the mixing board.

It's not your mother's, father's, sister's or brother's cup of tea, but for fans of D12 and/or Hunter S. Thompson, "Hannicap Circus" is one crazy trip through the mind of a lunatic.

It's no secret the Twins get gully. Fortunately for listeners, it's very contagious. Unfortunately, it comes at the expense of lyrical content.

You'll keep looking for songs with more depth than "Ba Bump," only to find that they're basically all at that level.

It's [the] beats by Danger Mouse that make "Demon Days" a winner, even when the Gorillaz concept threatens to overwhelm itself with pretentious twaddle.

Common's naturally smooth flowing voice is a pleasure to listen to, making even the times when he is overreaching his grasp that much more tolerable in comparison to lesser peers.

Musically the adventure is pleasant because no matter how bugged out things get the choice combinations of loops, samples, electronics and drums prove Madlib continues to be a maestro in his chosen field. The raps of his alter ego Quasimoto though can be hard to deal with.

The flow is intact, the rhymes are well written, and even though Smith hasn't crossed that line from pop friendly into hardcore gangsta... he's definitely a bit more rugged this time out.

"Beauty and the Beat" is a rare, valuable record that channels two markedly different types of music into a new one, a collage of sounds that hasn't been heard in a very long time.

Sigel is qualified enough as an artist to hold down an album on his own, but one gets the sense he didn't want to take any chances this record wouldn't sell and had to make sure there was one cameo for everyone.

A true original not to the game, but to rap music at its best.

Akrobatik and Lif are the ideal lyrical yin and yang.

"The Massacre" is still a fine follow-up to his last full length release, and despite a few miscues avoids letting down his fanbase.

Sage Francis is obviously not for everyone. Though he is a gifted lyricist, he is hard to follow, and the entirety of "A Healthy Distrust" has a rough edge that makes it far from easy listening.

The only thing really dissapointing about "Weapons of Mass Destruction" is that Xzibit seems to have once again forsaken his Alkaholiks homies.

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.

It's not that the album isn't good, it's that it pails in comparison to "Jackpot."

He traverses the well-trodden avenues of gun and drug rap, reinterpreting redundant rhetoric into remarkable displays of comic genius, all while sticking firmly to a food motif.

The album does maintain enough of a hard edge to keep Snoop from going TOO soft.

His verses sound lazy and unfocused... Nevertheless, "Encore" does prove one thing: that even half-trying, Eminem is still better than most of the rappers beside him with plenty of personality to spare.

While "White People" certainly shows no lack of adventure... one is ultimately left wishing that Dan and Paul toned the wackiness down a few knobs this time around.

The range on "The New Danger" is as broad and deep as the Brooklyn Renaissance itself.

They were just waiting for the right time to kick precisely the right rhyme, so that "The Grind Date" would go down not just as an important date in rap history but in the pantheon of all musical endeavours since the dawn of mankind. It's that damn good.

The best thing about listening to the Heiruspecs is that they sound like a rap group on the beginning of a long journey, as opposed to one who finally "made it" and feel content now that they're signed and distributed nationally.

While he's still the 21st century's answer to KRS-One, a rapper who is simultaneously intelligent and engaging, he needs to work with producers who are capable of sharing that vision with the masses in an equally engaging way. At times "The Beautiful Struggle" achieves this perfection combination, and at other times you're left loving the lyrics but lacking in headnodding dopeness.

While I don't feel this to be anywhere near the seminal work that I feel she is utterly capable of, this is still essential listening from a highly relevant emcee.

Nelly's taste in beats for "Sweat" is almost impeccable, and it's easy to imagine three or four of these songs all being singles.

Nelly pushes crossover so far on a few of these tracks a few of his more hardcore fans may be turned off, but frankly since this is a concept album songs like "N Dey Say" are what I expected from "Suit."

Do NOT approach this as a rap album, or you will be perplexed to no end. This is cerebral, intricate and inventive electronically-based music that is certainly hip-hop in ethic and inspiration, but channelled through a uniquely British conduit, interpreted by one of the more intriguing urban poets of recent times.

Rob Sonic absorbs elements of earlier electronica, industrial and IDM to create delectably expansive, engrossing parfaits of sound- this is perhaps the greatest space boogie funk record since The Cold Vein dropped.

It's good to know Ma$e hasn't lost his knack for perverting classics by other artists.

While it may churn out a few hits, The Hard Way ultimately is a letdown.

There are songs on here so thorough and ill they'll send a chill down your spine and raise the hair on your neck.

May be one of 2004's most important rap records.

Godfather Buried Alive is a worthy listen, showcasing Shyne's unfiltered honesty in its uncompromising form.

Shorter than its predecessor, it is also a more cohesive and even effort, making Ace and Brooklyn the focal points of this hour plus narrative told in the now trademark laid-back manner.

"Venomous Villain" is more of an Insomniac promo CD than a credible sequel to Doom's dastardly "Vaudeville Villain" release two years ago. Even so, Doom stylistically slays every opportunity he's given at the mic.

Goodie Mob sounds newly rejuvenated, almost vivified by the tremendous odds they faced coming back instead of impeded by it.

While it's not better than 50's national debut or G-Unit's album, it's certainly no worse.

"Chilltown, New York" proves itself a worthy successor not only to 2002's "React" but to the rest of Sermon's long and storied rap career.

Kiss of Death is the Jadakiss album that everybody's been waiting for, 'Kiss fans and critics alike.

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.

Overall, "No Said Date" is the collective combination of stellar performances across the board.

The order of the songs in the end seems carefully chosen, not unlike a play or movie where the emotional resonance from each piece is meant to build you up, bring you down, and build anticipation through each movement towards the climactic ending.

Once you listen, you'll never be able to look at rap's landscape the same way again.

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.