While the tape may not win Gucci many new listeners, it should satisfy his already established fanbase.

Black Milk’s versatility shines on Hell Below, even if at times some parts felt disjointed. This is a small complaint for an overall album that culminates in the talented musician effectively communicating a consistent concept through the LP.

Chris Brown and Tyga have given fans what they wanted, but with an abundance of turn-up tracks, the album fails to tackle more serious topics, as the duo has in the past on “Deuces.” It’s a wonder why they avoided the prior formula this go round.

There was opportunity on Blue Slide Park to genuinely capture some real elements of youth, and the album doesn't capitalize on the opportunity.

There are no lyrical acrobatics-just his patented simple-sounding yet soon-to-be-sewn-in-your-brain one liners.

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.

The album doesn’t come without its criticisms, though. “Only 1,” with its elementary hook and flimsy delivery, seems tired and immature. And “Chain Smoking” with Curren$y and labelmate Stalley disrupts the cinematic flow of the album. However, Gunplay delivers on the overall theme of showing what made him a living legend.

Napalm is a well-rounded LP full of illustrative and cohesive tracks, while surviving a few average hooks, such as on "Gangsta Gangsta."

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.

RetroHash is a confused jumble of ideas that has its heart in the right place.

Although a few late quarter misfirings render the album’s title misleading, there is too much good here to say with a straight face that Iggy will amount to nothing more than a flash in the pan.

Despite showing moments of progression and growth throughout the EP, Ty Dolla $ign still has a long way to go in terms of constructing an album, which hopefully will be fine-tuned as he prepares for his major release later this year.

Raekwon’s passion and well-crafted rhymes show he’s still capable of creating high quality work as an MC, but F.I.L.A. is too disjointed to stand beside his best work.

MellowHigh has its thrills with some credit going to Earl’s playful verse on “Cold World,” but too often the album feels stagnant.

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.

On Finally Rich he continues to execute a his niche sound, and at a high level.

The album’s biggest issue is its length. ... While the project is lengthy, it’s just good to hear Kid Cudi sound like himself.

Even without being a completely authentic offering from the Killa Beez, Legendary Weapons is a solid listen that can hold fans over and shows the Wu's weapons remain razor sharp, leaving hope for an official LP.

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.

Rise Of An Empire, Young Money Entertainment’s sophomore album, is marred by its lack of star power.

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.

Fetty’s attempt at putting together a full, formal project takes away from the overall prestige of his hits that have been so cherished over the past 12 months. This isn’t to say that the next album will won’t be able to more effectively balance hits and album cuts. But this one feels like the first attempt that it is.

It’s the heated Cash Money conflict that’s carrying the project, no question, but aside from some of his singles and featured verses, this is as focused and engaging as we’ve heard Wayne since Tha Carter III. S4TW2 falls short of being a great standalone project, but it’s not built for that anyway.

The album, while slightly unfocused, does have its moments, and Inglish in particular, has revealed himself to be an artist to keep an eye on going forward.

The majority of the raps are unfortunately provided by ALC and Dr. No: two artists more known for getting busy behind the boards than on the mic.

Without a doubt, 2 Chainz has the formula to make great music--but now we just need a little more substance, and we’re not talking about freebase cocaine.

Rich Gang is not especially lyrical, but that’s not really a shocker; its strengths lie more in its hooks and club appeal, and it’s fully stocked with tracks that demand to be played at ear-shattering and floor-shaking volumes.

Khalifa likely won’t sway opinion of Wiz Khalifa, whether positive or negative. For better or worse, it’s a portrait of the rapper we’ve seen for years. It does do things a little more consistently and adds a little more detail than what we’re used to seeing.