For his first fully independent project in a while Action Bronson plays things surprisingly safe and outside of a few instances, he doesn't really deliver any 'wow' moments like we're used to.
'Beloved' is solid core NY hip-hop and while it is yet another non-essential collab, more Styles P is always a welcome thing.
Tory Lanez is an undeniable talent and he continues to put out extremely solid music but, it's still not all that compelling or particularly original.
At one point a solo Quavo project was something that we all thought we wanted, but now it's painfully apparent that it's something that we definitely don't need.
Sheck Wes has great charisma and personality for an artist but he's severely lacking on the musicianship side of things and a full project isn't something we needed from him.
Lil Baby & Gunna's latest is yet another collab project that does very little, if anything, to push either one of their careers forward. It's largely an unremarkable cash grab.
I was a bit disappointed with KAMI's new sound as I really liked what he was doing before but the new direction will likely get him more mainstream ears and I still found myself bopping along on more than a few occasions.
'ZOO' is Russ' best project yet and he continues to show why he's a real threat in hip-hop despite the hate saying otherwise.
This was no holds barred Eminem and from the opening track alone he shows everyone just how lethal he is on a mic and the sharp, concise, and focused nature of the album makes this one of his most realized albums yet.
The Divine Feminine was the album that really made me a fan of his and on Swimming Mac Miller takes those silky smooth soundscapes and themes to a whole new level.
I'll give Trippie Redd credit for crafting some genuinely compelling stuff on 'LIFE'S A TRIP' that shows there's more to him than meets the eye. That soundcloud sound still isn't my forte but LIFE'S A TRIP is one of the better offering out of this wave.
Travis Scott finally put together all of the pieces of his immense talent and crafted his most realized project yet. 'ASTROWORLD' is a complete experience from front to back that transports you to a world all of Scott's own making, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon.
T.I. has finally figured out how to bridge the gap between the old 'trap king' we loved and grew up with and the more socially charged side we've been getting in recent years. 'Dime Trap' is his best project in years and should not be slept on.
Takeoff's solo is substantially better than what we got from Quavo, but he still largely falls short of the immense hype surrounding him.
After first breaking onto the scene with his unique style some years back, MadeinTYO's long gestating debut is passable but about 2 or 3 years too late.
If you're already a fan of Mozzy then you'll fall right in with 'Gangland Landlord' and if you're not, then now's as good a time as any to check in.
While not as musically impressive as 'Tha Carter' or 'Tha Carter II', or as impactful as 'Tha Carter III', Lil Wayne's 'Tha Carter V' was still impressive, especially considering it's countless delays.
Reason's 'There You Have It' is yet another solid project from TDE, but he still needs to develop his own unique musical identity to really stand out as an artist.
If you've had a hard time keeping up with the endless stream of music Curren$y puts out and skip one or two projects here and there, make sure you don't miss this one.
He seems content only playing to his core audience (and I'm one of them), but for a project that was widely touted as going to be his 'coming out party', things were played a bit too safe for my liking. It's another solid Bas project that won't do much to change people's opinions one way or another.
Young Thug's formula hasn't changed much and with younger, hungrier acts on the rise that seem to be doing his style to a higher degree, we're going to need to hear something more impactful if he's to remain relevant in music.
Nicki Minaj's latest wasn't all hits but it far exceeded expectations and there's more than enough present to remind everyone why she blew up to such extraordinary heights in the first place. It's a shame though that she won't just let the music speak for itself.
Iggy Azalea's latest is a bit better than all the other generic, run of the mill, hyper-sexualized rap that floods the airwaves, but it's nothing that will really leave a lasting impact.
'Stay Dangerous' doesn't really elevate his career to any new heights but it doesn't negatively impact it either. It's a YG album full of everything you'd expect from a YG record and it does enough to keep things coasting along.