I can’t say I ever saw Degrassi, but when Drake blew up last year, I knew he was here to stay. I’ve been listening to this debut album, and it hasn’t disappointed! Aside from the album debuting at No. 1 and tracks with Jeezy and Weezy, there’s something about his style that’s sets him apart from other rappers. He has an interesting voice, and confronts some real issues. I like the single “Over,” where he struggles with the highs of success and the lows of being a celebrity. I respect his range, sampling a little more singing, for “Find Your Love,” and I love “Up All Night” featuring Nicki Minaj. Definitely slows it down at times, like “Shut it Down,” something that I can relax to after a game, but not to get me hyped up. Overall, a very good album, just wish it had a few more hits like “Forever” that made him big.

Christina, still doing her thing, and still looking good doing it. Best song by far—“Lift Me Up,” she shows her great range as a singer. “Lift Me Up” is a classic Christina song that she performed at a Hope for Haiti benefit concert. This is definitely a song I’ll have on the inspirational soundtrack. I’m a little disappointed with how mainstream most of the album sounds, but she’s got a lot of catchy fast paced poppy songs that I can listen to once and a while. With the single “Woohoo” featuring Nicki Minaj, Christina has moved to the newer style of music that artists like Lady Gaga have made popular. Not exactly my type of music, but I still enjoyed listening to it (probably only this one time though.

When Eminem dropped his seventh album, he let critics know that he is still one of the best in the game. The album has the classic Eminem feel to it even though his lyrics and sounds are different from his older stuff. He is a lot more serious, but still has a lot of raw emotion. I really enjoyed “Space Bound,” where he shows his range. The hit single “Not Afraid” will be a solid addition to my pregame soundtrack. It has a very inspirational quality. I also really like “So Bad,” surprisingly the only track on the album produced by Dr. Dre, and “No Love” featuring Lil Wayne. Recovery is sure to be another controversial album, but Eminem proves he is still a great rapper.

Drake had a great deal of success off his So Far Gone mixtape last year. I was excited to check out his first official album. Hate it or love it, this dude is one of the hottest artists in music right now. He has a different approach than most artists right now and has aligned himself with some heavy hitters in hip hop. Drake already has a certified hit on this album with “Over”. I am really feeling the album. It has a real smooth, laid-back feel. The first track “Fireworks” with Alicia Keys is nice. I like “Fancy” and “Unforgettable” a lot. Jay-Z killed the “Light Up” track. “Miss Me” with Bun B and Lil Wayne is my favorite track on the album right now. All in all, I think Drake did a solid job with this album. He does an excellent job painting a picture with his lyrics and coming up with fresh ideas. I suggest you grab a copy if you’re a hip hop or Drake fan.

I have never listened to a whole Christina Aguilera album. I have definitely heard her music before, however, this was the first time I took the time to listen to her entire album. She definitely has an outstanding voice. Most of the tracks had a big “party” or “club” sound. You are definitely not going to sit still listening to her tracks. I feel the majority of the album is way too “techno” sounding for me. I really enjoy her voice, however, I am not a big fan of this type of music. I think she has a few songs that will get a decent amount of play, but nothing as strong as the “Stronger” track she had a while back. The “I hate Boys,” “Vanity” and “My Girls” tracks stick out as possible winners. I also thought it was interesting that there were three intros on the CD. Three intros, really? I felt she could have done more slow tracks to show off her skill as a vocalist instead of the heavy party- driven tracks she selected.

This album is much better than Relapse we reviewed a short time back. It seems to be a more complete Eminem. I guess the “recovery” is going much better. Seriously, I heard some very strong tracks on this album. He definitely has some strong hits on this one. I liked the first track, “Cold Wind Blows” he really sets the tempo of the album. I heard the “Not Afraid” track on the radio and really like the hook and everything he put together on it. That’s got to be the biggest winner on the album to me. “No Love” with Lil Wayne was another hit. I’m sure we will hear that track a lot this summer. The “So Bad” Dr. Dre track was old, classic Eminem; he ripped it. The Rihanna joint “Love the Way You Lie” was solid as well, but not the banger I thought it would be. I think this album will do well for Em—this was a very strong album. Production was tight and he put a lot of emotion in it. Eminem fans should jump on this one.