1 Listen Album Reviews

“Rod Wave is like if the song ‘Soul Survivor’ by Akon and Young Jeezy came to life and joined a choir.”

“During a period of uncomfortable change, Thundercat’s ‘It Is What It Is’ is right on time.”

“Well, that was indeed a PARTYNEXTDOOR album.”

“Suffice it to say, I’m disoriented.”

The Weeknd delivered more shiny, danceable pop music with his signature moody edge.

Rap’s newest Martian has returned to Earth in spectacular fashion.

‘The Allegory’ is, for a lack of a better word, woke.

‘Funeral’ is Lil Wayne, the mixtape rapper, puncturing original beats with consistent one-liners in a stream-of-conscious style that occasionally burns out.

“If only Eminem cared more about making the best music and not being the best rapper.”

Mick Jenkins is a chess player, not a lion tamer. On ‘The Circus,’ the Chicago emcee reinforces his brand of thoughtful lyricism.

‘Heavy Is the Head’ will only serve to solidify Stormzy’s status as a domestic superstar and increase his already aggrandizing global profile.

KAYTRANADA’s sophomore album is preoccupied with mid-tempo grooves that settle in the bones and coax wall-huggers to the dance floor.

Although Roddy Ricch‘s rap-singing style is of-the-moment, there’s an identity to his sound on ‘Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial.’

The Buffalo trio’s major-label debut is meat-and-potatoes rap served with a side of grit on a Balenciaga placemat.

‘Netflix & Deal’ is as indulgent as a bucket of movie theater popcorn with just a little too much butter.

Earl Sweatshirt’s ‘FEET OF CLAY’ picks up where ‘Some Rap Songs’ left off.

‘Jesus Is King’ is like elevator music for Christians.

Gucci Mane hasn’t lost his ability to be a great rapper, but he has gained a crisis of identity.

Every sound and voice on ‘Wow... That’s Crazy’ complements the world Wale is creating; a world that is sonically lush and lyrically transparent.

The brash, Detroit emcee doesn’t sound reinvented, but reborn.

On ‘KIRK,’ DaBaby sounds like a human torch.

With an electrifying sophomore album, Kevin Gates solidifies his return to hip-hop.

Young M.A’s long-awaited debut is a tale told two years too late.

JPEGMAFIA remains one of rap’s most confrontational, adventurous artists.