Wiz Khalifa-Taylor Alderdice

Wiz Khalifa’s newest mixtape was marked as a “return to form” for him after his poppy major label debut last year, Rolling Papers. The beats are definitely a shift from the spaced out synth-pop that marked most of Rolling Papers to the breezier sound showcased on his earlier mixtapes. Khalifa remains rather mediocre as far as his lyrics go, but as with all of his work, Taylor Alderdice is less about skill and more about atmosphere, and will surely be the soundtrack of choice for many teens this summer.

Big K.R.I.T.- 4Eva N A Day

4Eva N A Da is Big K.R.I.T.’s third mixtape in the underground rap spotlight, and his follow up to Return of 4eva, a 2011 mixtape-of-the-year contender, as well as the project that propelled him into mainstream attention. K.R.I.T.’s production has gotten better with each tape, which is a blessing because he has seemed to regress since his last release. While 4Eva N A Day retains all of K.R.I.T.’s trademark Southern flavor on his beats, his lyrics have regressed to relying on the same Southern-rap cliché’s that plagued his first mixtape, K.R.I.T. Wuz Here. Nonetheless 4Eva N A Day is still a strong release, and will definitely wet some appetites for his upcoming studio album.

Odd Future-The Odd Future Tape Vol. 2

After their landmark 2011 year, the obnoxious L.A.-based rap collective is showing no signs of stopping on their first major release of 2012, as well as their second project to focus on the entire group. The OF Tape Vol. 2 is disjointed and bogged down by filler, but also showcases each member at the top of their game and provides a roadmap for where the group’s individual sounds are diverging with one another, and where they plan to visit.

Action Bronson-Blue Chips

Queens native Action Bronson has been making waves for his devotion to traditional hip-hop lyricism and straightforward flows, and on this collaboration with up-and-coming producer Party Supplies, he furthers his aesthetic in what might be his strongest full-length yet. Bronson, a chef-turned-rapper who is using hip-hop to fund his culinary studies abroad, possesses a unique wit that he uses to inject a sense of fun and lack of pretentiousness into his music. His sharp writing and jokes manifest themselves blatantly, but many of his lines expose their cleverness only after multitudes of listens. Blue Chips makes for a surprisingly in-depth album from a rapper I had originally written off as a gimmick.