I've been going through the top 100 hip hop charts, and listening to what I haven't got around to yet. After going through 10-15 of them, many have been underwhelming, and expect for Fugees' 'The Score', nothing has been added to my best of the best list. Finally though, another one gives me some thorough enjoyment. I'd checked out 'Daily Operation' before this and found it solid, but I'm not sure if it is just because I'm more used to it, but I find Guru sounding more awake on this, the beats are more jazzy and enjoyable, and there are more attention-grabbing tracks. It could have possibly used a feature or two, but nevertheless, it is a very consistent 50 minutes of early '90s hip hop. Best Tracks: Step in the Arena, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, Take a Rest, As I Read My S-A

It's a shame that some average rappers get hooked up with acclaimed producers. Just look at 'Madvillainy'. The vapid Doom ruined any chance I would have had in enjoying that album. While Guru is not on that level of lethargy, he reminds me of PMD in that he definitely sounds like he could've used some caffeine before hitting the mic. It isn't to the level of not enjoying the album because of the MC, but I can't help but feel that with someone with some more enthusiasm and not such a monotone delivery that the album could be better. On to the beats and they're fairly raw and ol' school, sound a bit dated these days, and are not DJ Premier's best work, that would arguably come over the following few years in my opinion. In saying that, I enjoy the more jazz-influenced beats on the previous 'Step In the Arena' more so, so make of that what you will. Plenty of these are solid and the album has taken a few listens to enjoy it, but listening to this for the first time in 2011, it doesn't put me in a state of euphoria like the best of the best. Best Tracks: Flip the Script, Soliloquy of Chaos, 2 Deep, No Shame in My Game

I'm a fan of Apollo Brown, so I was surprised that this release slipped past me upon its release. However, having heard and enjoyed a lot of his material, I don't think by not checking this out that I have missed a lot. A few of the beats sound really similar to some stuff from other releases, and not much pops out at all. 'Clouds' is fairly distinctive, but if you've heard a lot of his other projects, you could feel too much familiarity in the beats from Apollo. For example, 'Higher' is really good, but I really feel as if I've heard it before... Maybe it's a reused beat. The rapper, Hassaan, also spits similar lyrics to what was on The Left's 'Gas Mask', that Apollo produced, and he doesn't have that x-factor to make the 15 tracks reach the next level as a whole. 2.5-3 / 5. Best Tracks: Something, Tell Me, Megaphone, Higher, Like a Diamond

This is just one of those really consistent albums that artists rarely create anymore. However, I haven't found a classic here, and after quite a few listens, I'm still struggling to see enough differentiation from song to song. About halfway through it possibly begins being a bit more jazzy, and more my thing, but it would have been better off being a few songs shorter. Nevertheless, nothing comes close to being filler, with 15 solid-great boom-bap cuts being present. Best Tracks: Bucktown, Shinin...... Next Shit, Cession at da Doghillee, Hellucination, Let's Git It On, P.N.C.

To me this sounds similar to some Scarface albums from around the time of release. The energy from every rapper present isn't lacking, the production, handled by the usual collaborators is enjoyable, and there are some good hooks, I particularly like the one on 'Livin' 4 the Moment'. There is a line on one of the songs about everyone now sounding like Tupac, yet on 'Thugg Niggaz', Doracell, I think it is, sounds like he is impersonating him, which is odd. Lyrically there is little new. It's the usual gangsta rap including songs about not snitchin' and racism. While lacking a great song, it's a consistent listen though. I've given this a number of spins and I couldn't give it any lower than a 3 /5. Best Tracks: Livin' 4 the Moment, Eye 4 an Eye, Like Some Ho's, Do Yo Time, Free, They Bitches, Big Faces