the bottom line is this is the most cocksure & in command of his mic presence he's been for an extended stretch post-retirement.

Maybe even longer than that, a lot of the spitting on here has more conviction in the cadence then he's had on most joints since introducing that Young Chris whisper-flow from BP2/Black Album.

That alone makes even some of the weaker cuts worth riding with upon first couple listens.

Nothing immediately a mandatory skip (when's the last Hov album that didn't have one of those?).

Even the obligatory-shitty-B-assisted-cut isn't anywhere near the embarrassment of Me & My Girlfriend, Anything or Lift Off because it actually sounds like an authentic tribute to their relationship, plus B sounds sexy, the drums are hard & Jigga's channelling Juvie's 'Back Dat Ass Up' flow at times on the verses.

Rick Rubin was tossing some light shade when saying this is a 'more traditional hip-hop album' compared to Yeezus but the truth is for an artist of Hov's stature, a traditional hip-hop album or something resembling one is the most daring thing he can do in this climate.