Tank - Elevation

I listened to Tank's #newalbum - Elevation. It's a good full album listen. It's a an uptempo R&B album, it's the type of R&B that's sexually suggestive and explicit, but the production is upbeat and more for the club than the bedroom. It's the type of music you'd play on the way to the bedroom or in the car. There are a few slow songs but not many. The songs I liked are "champion" (it has a club feel), "I Don't Think  You’re Ready",  "Dirty( my favorite song), Somebody Else, "Do You"- (potential radio single), "Just Listen" and  "I Promise". I'd give it a B-, it's not his best work, but it's about average for him. 

Casanova - Behind These Scars

I listened to Casanova's - #debutalbum - Behind These Scars. It was better than expected. He showed significant improvement and growth from a musical and subject matter standpoint.  I appreciated that his subject matter has expanded beyond just getting out of jail and talking about jail. It's still street music but he has some other vibes on it as well. Some of it is for the club and a few of the songs have radio potential.  He still has some improvements to make but he's definitely maturing as an artist. I liked the songs: “Jail Call”,  “ So Brooklyn”, “So Drippy”, “Woah”, and  “Coming Home”. I'd give it a B

Dave East - Survival

I listened to Dave East #newalbum - Survival.  It's actually his #debutalbum and it's a very good debut. He's been at this for a while but he pretty much nailed it with this offering. It's a 20 song offering and they are full-length songs, so he had a lot of space and opportunity to mess up. He showed tremendous growth and development, development and maturity in crafting this piece of work. We all know that he can rap and he has a flow, but he made wise choices on his production, greatly improved the song making and the sound on this project is expanded and bigger. I don't think it'll get any radio play, none of the songs have a radio single appeal based on how radio is formatted these days. But it's a good whole album listen, he's creative, dropping jewels and he's crisp with the bars. It's repeatable and it'll grow on you, it's headphone music, it's the type of music you listen to on your commute. I liked “Me and Mine”, “Daddy Knows”, “What You Mad At”, “The Marathon Continues”; his career lacks a signature song but this is a very good album. Good traditional East Coast street music. I'd give it an A. 

Young Thug - So Much Fun

I listened to Young Thug's #newalbum - So Much Fun. Truth be told it was pretty horrible. The production is decent, it's pretty much all music you'd expect to hear in the club, but it's not music that'll make you dance. Lyrically it's rubbish, it's melodic mumble rap. It lack substance, clarity, artistry or creativity. With the exception of the songs " The London" ft. J.Cole and Travis Scott and " "Hot"ft Gunna; I don't really hear too many other songs worth listening to, or that could be radio hits. I'd give it a D

Snoop Dogg - I Wanna Thank Me

I listened to Snoop Dogg's #newalbum - I Wanna Thank Me. It was severely disappointing. I'm positive Snoop has access to better production, the production could have / should have been much much better. The writing was lazy and snoop didn't showcase any lyrical skills. Considering it's Snoop's 17th album I expected a more skillful and veteran approach to the music. The album doesn't jam at all. There aren't a bunch of good songs, the album is entirely too long, the album has a bunch features but not a lot of creative energy. There are a lot big named producers but it's none of their best work. It's a long way from vintage snoop, I mean he has the same flow, but nowhere near the same creativity or passion. He has some solid mature messages, but the album is not entertaining or repeatable at all. I didn't hear any singles or standout songs. I'd give it a D. 

Kanye West - Jesus is King

I listened to Kanye West's #newalbum - Jesus is King. Musically it was fire, I was thoroughly impressed, it contains excellent production, excellent arrangement, and melodies. It's sonically different than any rap or hip hop album you'll hear.  Lyrically it's lackluster, the normal help he would usually get was totally not available and it shows. The project was better than I expected, the songs I liked are "Follow God", "Closed on Sunday", "Every Hour" ft Sunday Service Choir, "Use This Gospel" ft. Clips and Kenny G, "Hands On" ft. Fred Hammond. It's better than a lot of gospel albums, definitely better than most gospel rap album, it's repeatable but not heavy rotation. It might get some radio play but I'm not sure what would be a lead single, but I wouldn't be shocked to hear a choir singing a few of the songs.  Definitely worth a listen. I'd give it a B. 

Sheek Louch - Gorillaween Vol. 2

I listened to Sheek Louch's #newmixtape - Gorillaween vol.2. Sheek delivers with the consistency we're accustomed to hearing from him. It's a combination of street bars, trash talk, bragging, and wisdom with a confident delivery. The beats aren't next level, killer or standout; but you can head nod to a few and they work with the lyrics. I liked “Slowdown Baby” , “ Bang Bang ft. The Lox” , “Gorillaween ft. Dyce Payne”, and “Walkin up ft. Snyp Life” . It's underground/street music, nothing I'd expect to hear in the club or on the radio. It's a relatively laid back listen, it's headphone music for sure. I'd give it a B

Blueface - Dirt Bag

I listened to Blueface's #NewEP - Dirt Bag.  It's west coast club music, with an emphasis on the production. The production was good but not groundbreaking. He showed improvement by rapping more on beat or as close to it as possible, he still needs to develop the skill to ride the beat. It still lacks substance or growth, or variety. He needs to work on his creativity also, there are a lot of simple phrases and simple metaphors; he can be more intricate. For the most part the songs were better than the anomaly that was “Thotiana”,  they just are not as catchy, i wouldn’t be shocked if any of these songs made radio. But I wouldn’t listen to them outside of a club or if they played on the radio. The project is not repeatable and i wouldn’t request any of these songs at a party, it's not must hear music. I didn't have a favorite song or standout song.  Id give it a C-

A$AP Ferg - Floor Seats

I listened to A$AP Ferg's #NewEP- Floor Seats. The songs “Ride” , “Dream, Fairytales, Fantasies” are possible radio singles.  The majority of it is stuff that could play in the club, but it's not standout, its the type of club music that plays in the background and you talk over it until the DJ plays something that catches your attention. The production is alright, lyrically and flow wise its ok, but it needs more variety and more creativity.  I'd give it a C-

Brother Ali - Secrets & Escapes

I listened to Brother Ali's #newalbum - Secrets & Escapes. Lyrically and substance wise it was top notch. I didn’t like the production, it was the wrong selection and variety of beats. The beats were kind of lazy, they didn’t have the nod factor, they didn’t make me zone or move or get interested in the songs. The beats were deeply underground but none stood out.  I didn’t appreciate the song making, sometimes he doesn’t need the best beat to make a dope song, he didn’t deliver that on those project. It's a slow-moving, downtempo album. It might be better received live in concert at a part when you really want to slow down and talk to the audience and you want them to really listen to the depth of whats you’re saying. It's a good listen, but not a very entertaining listen. It's full of album cuts and b sides with nothing that stands out or makes the pop, or jump. If you deeply listen to lyrics it’s repeatable but if you just casually listen it won't be. Id give it a C+

Gang Starr - One of the Best Yet

I listened to Gangstarr's #Newalbum - One of the Best Yet. It was good to hear Guru's( R.I.P.) vocals over Dj Premeir production one more time. But, you can tell that the album copy and paste. It didn't feel like he was rapping to those beats, the melding and synergy you get from being in the studio together were lost. It's not a huge reach, Premeir did an excellent job of matching the beats to his already recorded vocals, but little things that would have been changed are noticeable.   It's probably the best you could get out of it, but it was still a little disappointing. The production was top-notch as expected.  The guest verses were perfect fits.  I liked “ Bad Name”  “ Get Together” “ Bring It Back here”  “ Take Flight”. I honestly don't expect this to get much radio play, it'll be very much an underground album and something the cult-like following of Gang Starr will appreciate. I'd give it a B- 

DaBaby - Kirk

I listened to Da Baby's #newalbum Kirk.  It was short and concise. There were more collaborations and bigger collaborations. He essentially aligned himself with the right people for radio and commercial success. It’s good club music but it can be listened to just about anytime, but it doesn't have any standout material. I didn't have a favorite song, nor did I hear a single. He's still at the same level, he hasn't grown or showed improvement, this feels like a rushed project. because with all of the big name features ( Kevin Gates, Chance the Rapper, Gucci Mane, Nicki Minaj, Lil Baby, Money Bagg Yo, Migos, etc) it should have been a bigger project, with a bigger sound or at least one song that seemed like a go. It's not a momentum stopper, but it doesn't do much to add on to it either because the first album still has all of the momentum. I'd give it a C+

Sir - Chasing Summer

I listened to Sir's #newalbum - Chasing Summer.  It's soulful and bluesy. It’s mature, it's musical and doesn’t sound like anything anyone else is doing. It’s a very chill vibe. It's a brown liquor and cigar music, this is lounge music. I really like 

“Still Blue”, and “you can’t take me”. I don't think it'll be a big radio hit, but if it gets on radio it'll be played on adult contemporary / R&B formats or smooth jazz stations; it's too mature for mainstream radio. I'd give it a B 

Lil Kim - 9

I listened to Lil Kim's #newalbum -9.  I didn’t like it, it doesn’t sound like her. It lacks originality, she sounds so much like what everyone else is doing, that she ends up sounding like a featured artist on her album. Whatever producers and writers she was working with, she completely embodies their style to the point that the album is essentially glorified karaoke. It’s not aged appropriate, she sounds exactly like one of these new Lil or young rappers, she sounds like the people she influenced. She exhibits no skills or influences reminiscent of her era or signature style. The lyrics and delivery were so-so. The production is alright. The album is beneath her at this point in her career, it showed no growth, development, neither did it prove that shd has it. There's no straight to radio single, no big hit, nothing for the club, it's street and underground. I'd give it a C- 

Doap Nixon - Sour Disel 2

I listened to Doap Nixon's #newalbum - Dour Diesel II.  It's street, underground and it's mid-90's nostalgic. The beats are cinematic, lyrically it's not for the radio and it's unapologetically that. It’s older head hip-hop. The lyrical and song making skills are good but not great, the production is pretty good. It's a whole project listen, no particular singles, or standout tracks. You can listen to it from beginning to end but it’s not an addictive listen. I'd give it a  B-

Drag-On - Ignorance is the New Normal

I listened to Drag-On's #newmixtape - Ignorance is the New Normal. It's not bad, it's just not standout.  It's 5 songs, it's a  good listens, but nothing special. It could play in the club, could be played on the radio, but no guaranteed singles. It has good energy, it's slightly repeatable but the songs kind of all have the same energy.  I'd give it a C+

Saint JHN - Ghetto Lenny's Love Song

I listened to Saint Jhn's  #newalbum- Ghetto Lenny's Love Songs.  It’s not for me, he seems to be the type of artist that would have a cult-like following. It didn't grow on me, I had no desire to listen to it again. It's the type of music that pulls influences from everywhere but it's not clearly defined and it doesn’t quite fit in any particular box. It's kind of all over the place, it lacks focus direction or a common theme you can latch onto; you font know what to expect from song to song. It's a lot of elements that never quite gel together or even complement each other. It's very very different than anything playing on the radio or in the clubs, it's not street, I'm not sure where it fits in, it's just different. I didn't hear any singles, nothing that stood out or that made me wish to listen to it again. I'd give it a  C 

Skyzoo & Pete Rock - Retropolitan

I listened to Skyzoo and Pete Rock's #newalbum Retropolitan. It's a good listen but i would have expected better beats and better song making. And by that I mean I would have expected some beats and some songs that stood out immediately.  Sky is kind of at his best when he has early Jay-Z type, jazzy and cinematic beats, however he does do well over Jazzy beats also. This album grew on me, nothing really stood out after the first listen and it took a while for me to get back around to it, it's by no means and instant replay or on constant loop album, but it's definitely worth multiple listens, in fact you'll need multiple listen to even appreciate it. If you're the type of person that music is disposable for and you have to like it instantly or it's on to the next this is not the project for you; there's a lot of nuance in this project that does not stand out in the first listen. It's not a flashy listen, there are no big radio hits or huge features, it doesn't sound like anything else being made currently. It's a very throwback, very New York, very underground 90's sounding album, yet it still is up to date.  My favorites songs are " Truck Jewels", " It's All Good", and "Glorious"  - B