This kicks off with some hard as nails hardcore hip hop. 'M-1' still bangs 12 years later and the following 'Welcome 2 Detroit' isn't far behind. Much of the rest of the album is also a no-holds-barred assault, but it never matches the beginning of the album. It changes up a bit and gets slightly more conscious in the middle of the album with 'Leave Your Past' and 'Lady (Let You Go)', with the latter being one of the strongest tunes. The following 'Let's Roll' also offers some variety with funky production. If you don't mind a bit of bravado, this is a decent album. Best Tracks: M-1, Welcome 2 Detroit, My Name Is Trick Trick, Lady (Let You Go), Let's Roll

One or two beats present on True Game lack a little, but for the most part, this album features some great G-Funk beats-which CJ co-produced with MAD (hence the name)-with conscious lyrics surrounded by gangsta rap. From track 3-7 is one of the better five-track runs I've heard on an album. A hidden gem that caught my attention on the first spin and quickly went into my favourite rap albums list. A reason why '90s west coast hip hop is so great. Beats: ★★★★☆ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★★☆ Best Tracks: Come and Take a Ride, Realism, Powda Puff, Losin' My Mind, Trust No

This is a change of pace from Miilkbone's debut. From a lyrical and production point of view, there is less feel-good music. He seems more pissed off, with the beats being a lot less funky/jazzy compared to his debut and there being more gangsta rap themes lyrically. Perhaps it's because of the Eminem beef that he addresses on 'Dear Slim'? His most well-known song, 'Keep It Real', begins with, "I ain't about to sit back and talk about gats and glocks/And busting caps on blocks, cracking on practice cops", but he seems to have abandoned that here. Purely as a rapper, be it vocally or stylistically, Miilk doesn't have anything to set him apart from the crowd either. While I had no trouble playing through this a few times, there isn't a song anywhere near as strong as the aforementioned song or my personal favourite, 'Where'z Da' Party At?', and it lacks much to anything I'll be going back to for a higher rating. Best Tracks: Sex Money Drugs Cars, Why U Hate, Enemy of State, Outro

I have the unpopular opinion that this is better than his debut. While the standouts of The Sun Rises may not be present, overall the beats aren't as abstract from DJ Premier and I enjoy them on the whole more so for the whole disc. The most outstanding portion of this album is the middle - One Day to Scientifical Madness, that is brilliant. Original and consistent. Best Tracks: Tha Frustrated Nigga, Revenge of the Prophet (Part 5), Scientifical Madness, Me or the Papes

Large P, while perhaps following a similar formula that he has for years, can still make some great beats that don't sound out of place in the current era. This album flows between bangin' beats and raps, to instrumental hip hop, most of which are really damn good. Before listening to this album I hadn't thought of Large P when thinking of the best producers/rappers, but after listening to this album he has to be mentioned amongst the likes of Paris, Erick Sermon, Kanye and so on. Upon listening to this it quickly gave off a similar feeling to another album that won't be too far from my best of 2012 list-The Next Logical Progression-with its funky beats and great vocals. The album perhaps loses a touch of steam towards the middle with the 'Barber Shop Chop' and 'Live Again', but it's only a minor trough. Overall I love most of the beats, the rapping is top-unlike other producer albums which are ruined by producers thinking they can spit-and it rarely lets up. As mentioned, while Large P hasn't created something overly original with this, he has created one of the most enjoyable hip hop albums front to back in a while. ♪Kick Da Habit♪ Best Tracks: Key to the City, UNOWHTMSAYN, Focused Up, Light Years, Mack Don Illz, Sun, Star & Crescents, M.A.R.S.