This is Slick Rick’s first album since the 1990s and, from the sound of it, not much has changed. He still raps like Slick Rick and these lo-fi beats could have easily come from that era. That’s a good thing. The songs are indolently short and the set is short on singing; his most charming musical attribute; but it’s otherwise a proper follow-up to The Art Of Storytelling. Royal highlights include Landlord and Spirit To Fly.
my rating : 3 of 5
2025
1992
1993
2025
2025
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2025
He’s certainly not “the greatest of all time”, but Lil Wayne is a good rapper. Somebody apparently told him he’s also a good singer; he actually covers Weezer’s Island In The Sun; but they lied. The Bono feature; how many rappers have the clout to start a sentence with those words; is decent, but the best song is Cotton Candy with 2 Chainz.
my rating : 3 of 5
2025
2025
This is Michael Jackson at his most grandiose, appropriately enough considering it’s the title song to the most grandiose album in History. The concept, which pays homage to innovators and icons like Thomas Edison and Muhammad Ali, is both an anthem “for mankind” and a time capsule of sorts. Among all the samples and bits, of course, there’s a song and it’s another good one, which only adds to the legacy of Jackson himself.
my rating : 4 of 5
1995
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npr.org
2025