XXL's Scores

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For 380 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 68% higher than the average critic
  • 6% same as the average critic
  • 26% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 0.8 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Music review score: 74
Highest review score: 100 Life is Good
Lowest review score: 40 Hotel California
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 260 out of 380
  2. Mixed: 120 out of 380
  3. Negative: 0 out of 380
380 music reviews
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    • 44 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Skins
    The songs are short, not mixed particularly well and--perhaps due to his untimely passing--feel unfinished. Had X been around to see this album all the way through and hash out some of its rushed wrinkles, it has the potential to have been his best project yet. But as it sits right now, Skins renders itself another opportunity for XXXTentacion's cult-like following to continue enjoying new music.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Everythang's Corrupt
    His voice is a powerful weapon, and he still has some ideas worth mining, but he’d be better served under the direction of a producer who could focus his sound, kill a couple bad hooks and weed out the filler. We’re not expecting Dr. Dre or Bomb Squad-level results anymore, but some outside guidance could help.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Nuthin' 2 Prove
    Nuthin’ 2 Prove, like it’s 2018 predecessor, Lil Boat 2, largely sees Yachty spinning in place, warring with his past and grasping at a murky future.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Quavo Huncho
    A scattershot collection of fresh-yet-familiar thumpers that will nicely keep the Migos brand bubbling through the forthcoming solo sets from kinfolk Offset and Takeoff. This is step one in building anticipation for the inevitable reunion record of three voices that, until proven otherwise, are best experienced playing off one another.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Mudboy
    On songs like “Kyrie” and “Gmail,” he briefly lives up to that raucous potential. Unfortunately, the missteps--the thin singing voice used on “WESPN” and awkward yogurt references of “Danimals”—hamper much of the promise.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Drogas Wave
    At 24 tracks and 98 minutes long, the bloated project sounds like two distinct albums. Often we learn more from a story by what isn’t written, rather than by what is. Lupe spends so much time telling the story of everything, he leaves little room for the listener’s reflection on anything.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Slime Language
    Endearing, ambitious and a tad overstuffed, Slime Language is a literal and figurative family reunion. However, like any Black family reunion, the project captivates when the young are allowed to flex in front of the father and claw their way from the periphery to the main stage.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Stay Dangerous
    Stay Dangerous doesn't quite feel like the grand statement of Still Brazy or My Krazy Life. It's a slight step back from a rapper who is capable of much greater. While the brief glimpses of his personal life aren't quite enough to elevate the project, it's worthwhile to hear him breezing over Mustard beats once again.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Ye
    Ye feels lyrically scatterbrained, as if its creator was unable to focus on anything for long enough to deliver a cohesive message.
    • 49 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Total Xanarchy
    What makes Total Xanarchy shaky is also what makes for an honest debut. Sure, there are moments of redundancy and filler songs that could have been left on the cutting room floor. But a lot of music on this album is fresh, exciting and a sign of the changing times.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Rubba Band Business: The Album
    Rubba Band Business plays to Juicy J's strengths and succeeds in highlighting the best of what he has to offer.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Saga Continues
    The Saga Continues falls hazily to the side. While the project's title indicates the "saga continues"--featuring solid rhymes from each member and sample-heavy beats from Mathematics--it's not the opus that will surpass the classics in Wu's already established legacy.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Autobiography
    While the LP is worth the wait and a worthy debut, it lacks the explosive selections and raw exuberance that put Vic’s Innanetape mixtape in classic territory and ignited his buzz.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Jungle Rules
    French’s tendency for repetitive subject matter and lack of a distinct rhyme or reason in terms of the type of creative direction that solidifies an artist as an entity of their own leaves a bit to be desired from Jungle Rules. Those missteps aside, Jungle Rules is a quality long player with a few worthwhile peaks, in spite of its valleys.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Teenage Emotions
    For the majority of the 20 tracks, each has a different producer and no two songs sound alike. This both helps and hinders the listening experience. On one hand, the scattered sounds align perfectly with the overarching idea of wildly varying teenage emotions, but on the other, it’s hard to attentively listen to all the way through--especially with a whopping 21 songs.
    • 56 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Drogas Light
    Not unlike Lasers, lots of songs on this album have focused verses from Lupe and large scale, sing-along choruses from featured guests, which both helps and hinders the overall listen.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin'
    The album’s biggest issue is its length. ... While the project is lengthy, it’s just good to hear Kid Cudi sound like himself.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    MC4 [Mixtape]
    What he does on MC4 is play to his strengths. French knows he isn’t a lyrical miracle but recognizes what it takes to make a strong rap song whether he plays point guard or not.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Big Baby D.R.A.M.
    Big Baby D.R.A.M. does have moments where tracks like “Sweet VA Breeze” and “WiFi” easily blend into each other, sounding a bit too similar. But those middling songs don’t really hinder the overall replay value of the album.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Woptober
    Woptober includes a few snags in the form of pedestrian offerings such as “Wop,” the repetitive “Right on Time” and the underwhelming Young Dolph collaboration, “Bling Blaww Burr,” but the album finishes strong with the revealing closeout cut, “Addiction.”
    • 85 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Atrocity Exhibition
    At times, he comes across as brilliantly unorthodox with flows, genre-crossing beats and meticulously honest lyrics but those unfamiliar with his outré style may be pushed even further away from the album’s peculiarity.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Anything but Words
    Banks & Steelz constantly shift shapes and sounds on Anything But Words, but the experimentation doesn’t always work. However, the album never bores even in its uneven tracks.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    SremmLife 2
    SremmLife 2 is by no means a sophomore slump but just doesn’t quite fill the same space as the first installment did last year.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    No Hard Feelings
    With No Hard Feelings, Dreezy attempts to find a happy medium between street rapper and silky songstress. Fans of her harder bars and grittier raps will be championing for the former while those looking for versatility will appreciate what she has to offer here when it comes to her sing-song flow.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Coolaid
    We get a strong dose of the old school Snoop we love and know while getting a little taste of the more distinguished Doggfather who we hope will eventually provide tracks filled with more wisdom and less weed. Don’t count on the latter though.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    New English [Mixtape]
    Brevity in music can be good, but some of these songs seem to end as quickly as they start, and could be fleshed out a bit. Desiigner’s lyrics also seem to be limited in subject matter, and the themes of the song can all seem the same after a while.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Lil B.I.G. Pac [Mixtape]
    At such a flourishing stage in his career, Kodak should continue to refine his sound throughout a full body of work but growing the brand via authentic hit records should be somewhere on his radar. With attention spans shortening by the second, Kodak’s follow-up project should aim to have something go far beyond the Internet.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    King of Memphis
    The self-proclaimed king has his fair share of high moments on the project but the room for growth lies in his subject matter. Money is the motive for Dolph yet he doesn’t venture too far away from the green to give listeners a distinct variety in subject matter.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Slime Season 3 [Mixtape]
    Overall, Slime Season 3 stacks up well against Thug’s colorful catalog and is undoubtedly the most listenable mixtape in the series thus far.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Drink More Water 6 [Mixtape]
    There isn’t enough here to make Makonnen’s name start buzzing like it used to. The jury is still out on whether or not he will fade into the one-hit wonder category but one thing is for sure, the EP hinders more than it helps.
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