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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ye feels lyrically scatterbrained, as if its creator was unable to focus on anything for long enough to deliver a cohesive message.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Overall, Slime Season 3 stacks up well against Thug’s colorful catalog and is undoubtedly the most listenable mixtape in the series thus far.

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.

ColleGrove isn’t necessarily a letdown but doesn’t exactly exceed expectations. There are some moments of brilliance from both sides but overall, a collaboration of this magnitude should have stronger replay value across more songs.

Staying in the conversation by releasing a steady stream of new material can be good, but it works best when there’s more cohesion and less filler.

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.

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.

In order to show growth, and furthermore her push for long lasting notoriety, Lil Loaf seems to serve up a different persona on each song. But whether it’s addressing the haters or luring her love in for the kill, the young upstart makes sure to maintain her cool in any and every situation.

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.

Tyga has served up a solid effort with The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty, exploring new territory and pushing himself in a different direction than he’d gone during his ratchet past work. It’s just not necessarily a better one.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The LP is fun and a return to what hip-hop started out as in the parks--a way to rock the crowd and have a good time.

Theophilus London’s musical ability is evident throughout Vibes, a mesh-mash of genres that come together to form one of the better listenings of 2014.

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.

The times when it succeeds are when Tinashe doesn’t overdo things.

Weighing in at a terse 32 minutes in length, spanning eight tracks plus an introduction, the album is a cohesive and methodical offering yet because of the constrained spin time, neither Bishop Nehru nor MF Doom have the space to flex their creative impulses and push the envelope in their respective spheres.

The highs of PND 2 have replay value, and the lows--though there are certainly more of them--blend with the rest of the album as it plays in the background of a bedroom.

The lyrics on this album are more of the same.

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.

Filled with lust, desire and sexual journeys, Trey Songz reaches an expected level of mainstream success with Trigga, and while safe is always encouraged during sexual acts, perhaps Trey could’ve taken a few more risks with this album.

It pans out as--at the very least--a unique and varied production that asks to be received seriously, even if Riff Raff’s choppy, uneasy flow and absurdist imagery runs counter to that.

The album does not compare to Below The Heavens as the excess number of tracks and the lack of coherence, despite how long Blu and Bombay collaborated to assemble this LP, result in a middle-of-the-road project, regardless if the road is in the West or East.

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

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

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.

Finding the balance between sex, love, and ratchet, Testimony is truly a testament to a new era in R&B that shifts safe lyrics to smooth street tales.

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.

Its greatest moments shine through in club hits that seeped through virally on the web and made him a nationwide phenomenon on the radio, it’s other moments aren’t as flashy.

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

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.

Dirty Gold‘s shortcomings overshadow the shining moments on the album as Haze struggles to find her identity, somewhere between underground rebel and mainstream player.

When he does step out of his zone, his temperament--hood and Memphis to the core--feels out of place. But luckily for Gotti fans, these moments of mediocrity are brief. On the majority of I Am, he stays rooted in the ideas and melodies that he’s been refining since he first dropped From Da Dope Game 2 Da Rap Game over 10 year ago.

There is a lot of content geared towards the party, bullshit and get money topics that are present in rap culture. However, the production (which is mostly done by Bobby Ray) evokes a deeper appreciation for his music as a whole.

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

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

There’s just too much ambition and not enough energy to support Event II fully. Planet Deltron used to be more fun.

Self Made Vol. 3 won’t silence the haters of Rick Ross’ MMG movement, and it certainly does not break the mold of previous iterations in the series. However, the album’s hits should have a lasting impact, serving as jump off points for several of the artists on the label.

He’s perfected his lane, but he hasn’t pushed anything forward or changed anything significantly.

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.

Like Soul Food, Age Against The Machine tries to succeed in being different and innovative. At times, the results are disastrous, but the album always remains interesting.

The problem with Ferg’s swag raps, though, is that like any party (or after-party) that goes on for too long, it ends up just feeling overwrought and repetitive.

He treats this debut album like a retail mixtape, and the result is a project that picks off from where The Luca Brasi Story left off. Unfortunately, these high points aren’t enough for him here to progress further.

The album never reaches jaw-dropping levels because the envelope’s never pushed, but that’s not the point. Albert Einstein is about two artists doing what they do best, and for one of them, it’s a return to form.

If you’re willing adjust to a less joyful Guwop, there are actually some great things happening on Trap House III.

Ace is still aiming for the club on certain tracks. His enthusiasm and rapid-fire flow sound at home over the menacing summer jam “Bugatti” with the warbling hook of Future or on the triumphant “We Outchea”. But on other tracks, like the flimsy Chris Brown-assisted “Rider,” he comes off clumsy and out of place.

It is simply an album that lacks a clear perspective on the many heavy topics it tackles. A first time listener may walk away feeling very familiar with Freddie Gibbs’ sound, but still unsure of who exactly he is.

While BS may not exhibit the growth sonically or conceptually that fans may have anticipated after hearing Cole’s early work, he remains too gifted lyrically, too keen of a storyteller, and too emotionally open for his sophomore LP to be anything less than impressive, but not overly so.

ll in all, the project is a welcome addition to the D-Block rapper’s catalogue, though it’s narrow vision holds the album back from reaching any great heights.

Excuse My French is a good album, possibly the best one the Coke Boy could make.

Despite using a familiar formula, Havoc’s beats never sound too dated here; new techniques in his repertoire, such as using more melodic synths and complicated drum arrangements, keep things sounding fresh. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for his lyrics.

It truly sounds like a vintage New York hip-hop album, and it’ll appeal to those still looking for that. On the flip side, the production is so outdated you can’t help but think that these songs have literally just been sitting around this whole time.

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.

It takes fewer risks than Careless World and as a result there are less payoffs.

Pac Div was hoping to achieve a harder sound with GMB, and when it comes to the tongue-in-cheek "Bank," "Sneakerboxes," which features Chip Gnarly & Big Silk, and "Debo," they certainly get there. But it is when they take a more casual approach to their sound, as on "Slow," which sounds like a club anthem lost at a children's party, or the aimlessly catchy "Can't Help It," that they reach heights only attained by Superman.

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."

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

While God of the Serengeti doesn't blaze any new ground, it is a release that will hold up to the Paz's legacy on the underground scene and will surely satisfy long-time fans.

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

While the tides of hip-hop may be in flux, and the release might not break any new ground, the collaborative LP is a genuine and welcomed addition to the modern hip-hop landscape.

What you'll find in Power & Passion isn't anything outside of his unorthodox style and New York bubble. Rather, it's a fine appetizer before he gears up for an album debut.

Simply put, this is a step forward for the Rhymesayers veteran.

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

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

The industry veterans offer a release that's thoughtful and well-crafted.

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

It works just fine and follows the blueprint of most major label projects today. The thing is that, in doing so, Curren$y loses some of the magic that makes him a true original.

Pluto may be far from the sun, but Future shines brightest when he aligns with the stars.

He puts out so much that there's no filter, and even bright flashes are clouded by curious moments.

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.