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.

More than it's lack of rap, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded suffers most from not fully being any one thing, as it's unable to balance multiple approaches into one package.

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.

Satellite Flight captures Cudi’s adventure back home to the moon and does it brilliantly.

With a slimmed down tracklist and looser vision, A Better Tomorrow would be a fantastic offering. But as it stands, what could be the last Wu-Tang album ever leaves much to be desired.

Although D4 will not be celebrated as much some of his other work, he does reminds all why Hova considered sending "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" to "the Mixtape Weezy."

He may be coming to grips with the fact that there are limits to what you can do at the top, as his clash with Billboard regarding his Samsung deal showed, but that doesn’t stop him--lyrically, promotionally, or otherwise--from trying to push the boundaries out a little further.

Even with some lack of vulnerability and risk, Tha Carter IV displays the nonsensical approach that fans have grown to love. Future and previous aside, Weezy's present is bright.

Overall, the album has a good balance of solo tracks and features.

With Violence Begets Violence, JMT are as vicious and energetic as ever, reminding why they've been able to enjoy such longevity.

He proves easy to listen to both as a capable MC with some shining moments.

Rubba Band Business plays to Juicy J's strengths and succeeds in highlighting the best of what he has to offer.

The album isn’t necessarily a classic, or better than The Heist, but it does prove Macklemore is here to stay.

The result is tailored toward the stereotypical collegiate definition of "fun," sounding like the soundtrack to a keg party, rather than the "grown and sexy" interpretation of a good time.

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

The two music minds came up with a project that wavers between brilliant synergy and occasionally uninspired filler.

Indicud is an at-times very good album, but it’s certainly no 2001. This isn’t because of a lack of ingenuity or creativity on Cudi’s part, but rather because the decision to act as the project’s sole producer didn’t do him any favors.

Spanning 16 tracks, 1017 Bricksquad Presents: Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Flame – Ferrari Boyz gets redundant at times, but it features more studs ("PacMan,") than duds ("Mud Musik").

While the songs with Rae's contemporaries bang, the joints starring his artists--JD Era, Ceazar-N-Reason, Camoflauge, Big B, Tommy Nova and R&B singer Altrina Renee--are hard to sit through

The album probably has more features than any other Budden project, but it’s not overbearing. Also, Joe does not move away aimlessly from what he is good at and what he enjoys.

The seasoned MC isn't exactly saying goodbye to rap. However, whenever he does decide to hang it up, Trill O.G. will surely go down as a testament to why Bun B is one of the trillest to ever do it.

Kurupt’s energy doesn’t carry over to every song on Streetlights.

Unfortunately, the third installment of the critically acclaimed series fails to excite.

He simply doesn’t provide enough flash to continue his meteoric ascent toward becoming an independently viable brand.

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.

What works for Wiz is crafting similar songs to perfect the Taylor Gang aesthetic.

Rolling Papers 2 may not eclipse Wiz's most acclaimed work, but it is an admirable effort that shows growth in a creative evolution that gives hope that his best could still be ahead of him.

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.