After a half-decade or so as an underground sensation and mixtape phenom, Logic felt the hype surrounding the arrival of his debut album, Under Pressure (Deluxe Edition). The expectations from fans, record-label execs, and those who doubted the merits of the rap sensation loomed large. This informs the basis of his major-label kickoff, which arrived in 2014. The deluxe edition, which features three additional tracks—“Driving Ms Daisy (feat. Childish Gambino),” “Now,” and “Alright” (feat. Big Sean)—showcases the only guest features on the album, with Logic going bar for bar with two giants in the game. It’s this competitive streak that animates Under Pressure (Deluxe Edition) and propels the narrative thrust of the album. From the opening moments of “Intro,” Logic spells out the stakes. Over meditative piano chords, the MC (born Sir Robert Bryson Hall II[) raps, “I'ma get up today/I don’t know how but I'ma find a way/Looking for the sun in a world of gray/Feeling like my dream is a world away.” By the track’s end, Logic is more confident, chanting repeatedly, “You can really do anything.” Hip-hop influences abound from the first track through its finale, and the outro to “Intro” features a tour guide named Thalia who appears between songs to share information about the album. She is an homage to a similar voice on A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders. The album was developed over many years but recorded quickly—in about two weeks—between Logic’s home studio, Executive Producer No ID’s studio, and in hotel rooms during tour stops. The cohesion was achieved, in part, by 6ix and No ID, who helped Logic dial in the sounds and thematic arcs of the album—concepts like insecurity and authenticity. On “Gang Related,” which features a sample of KRS-One’s “Mad Crew,” Logic raps, “Livin' life like this/Gotta paint a picture when I write like this/Tales from my hood, not a sight like this/Where they up to no good on a night like this.” With a majo...

Having stoked expectations via a string of underground mixtapes, rapper Logic is Under Pressure to deliver on his debut album—and that's exactly what he does. Relating his tale of a hardscrabble upbringing in Baltimore over soulful yet bleak beats (mostly by longtime producer 6ix), he spits rapid-fire rhymes from the POV of his drug-slinging brother on "Gang Related" and paints a picture of Section 8 housing on "Growing Pains": "automatics and gang signs/5-0 with their K9s." Eschewing celebrity guests or name producers, Logic relies on his considerable skills to carry the day. "Just my rhymes, my story/It's all mine, from the basement to the stadium."

If Under Pressure was the rapper’s autobiographical sketchbook, The Incredible True Story is his widescreen epic. Buoyed by a running narrative of two space travelers gunning through the galaxy, Logic slays bars with rugged hunger and versatility, expertly navigating his way across jazz, electronic, and boom-bap production styles. His ambition spreads to lyrical and thematic realms on “Like Woah” and “Stainless,” even cutting “Paradise” into mind-bending suites. “I Am the Greatest” and “City of Stars” reaffirms his master rhymer status, and tracks like “Never Been” and “Paradise” are stirring testimonials to overcoming struggle.

An impressive show of power, Bobby Tarantino is a moody yet muscular tape that finds the often introspective Maryland rapper surveying the successes of his 2015 breakthrough, The Incredible True Story—from social media ripples to sales totals. “I’m the only one doing it right,” he says on “Slave II.” Bravado suits him.

Maryland-born rap superstar Logic never shies away from a heady concept and knottily constructed thematic album but he ups the ante by his own lofty standards on his 2017 LP, Everybody (Deluxe Edition). Logic explained in the pre-album promotion that celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson stars as God, while San Francisco radio voice Big Von plays a protagonist named Atom. In the album’s narrative, Atom dies in a car accident and speaks with God upon getting to Heaven. God shares that his only way into Heaven is through reincarnation, and it’s eventually revealed that he has to live the life of every human being before ascending. The theme was inspired by Andy Weir’s short story “The Egg,” and much of this tale is told explicitly on the track “Waiting Room.” Logic spends the album working through these themes of redemption, eternal life, and the purpose we hold while on Earth, highlighted on album standouts like “Everybody” and “1-800-273-8255” (feat. Alessia Cara & Khalid). On the former, Logic outlines his own personal struggles with identity, which is reflected in Atom’s desire to find worth in each of the people he becomes. In Logic’s world, we’re given the form we’re given, and no one should be punished for being who they are. On “Everybody,” he raps, “White people told me as a child, as a little boy, playin' with his toys/I should be ashamed to be black/And some black people look ashamed when I rap/Like my great granddaddy didn’t take a whip to the back.” He’s a part of two worlds, and all too often, he feels alienated from both. On the Alessia Cara and Khalid-assisted “1-800-273-8255,” Logic uses the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number to remind his listeners that options are always available, no matter how hard the struggle seems. The thrust of this track, and the album as a whole, is that everybody deserves happiness and respect. “The Egg” ends with the protagonist learning that all people are incarnations of him—and that ...

Everybody lays out the road Logic’s traveled so far, marking the milestones and obstacles he’s encountered along the way. His humility and vulnerability is refreshing—speaking uncomfortable truths through acrobatic rhymes and piercing narratives. For the first time, Logic talks about his biracial background on “AfricAryaN” and “Everybody.” And if you listen to just one rap song this year, make it “1-800-273-8255,” a beautiful reflection on depression featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid. Other guests include Killer Mike, Black Thought, Chuck D, Juicy J—even Neil deGrasse Tyson, who serves as the voice of God.

The first Bobby Tarantino mixtape was something of curveball for fans of Logic's 2015 breakout, The Incredible True Story. This latest iteration furthers the original's gleeful nihilism while maintaining the rapper's dedication to technically proficient MCing. Songs like “Wassup” and the Marshmello collab ”Everyday” showcase his knack for different flows and melodies, while guests like Wiz Khalifa and 2 Chainz are loyal to the tape’s more turnt sensibility. Logic may be forthright about the luxuries that success has brought him, but the wisdom is never far: “If they tell you money make you better than others, somebody lied!”

Over three mixtapes, Logic's alter ego, Young Sinatra, allowed the Maryland MC to indulge in his deepest boom-bap fantasies, embracing the lyrical grace and raw beats of rap's vaunted late-'80s/early-'90s golden era. YSIV, his fourth under the Young Sinatra moniker, continues the theme, flowing over Incredible Bongo Band breaks on “100 Miles and Running” and giving Nas and AZ's “Life's a Bitch” chorus new life on “YSIV.” “ICONIC” and “The Return” find Logic hungrily attacking the tracks, showing off his rapid-fire dexterity. Old-school heads will salute him for assembling the entire Wu-Tang Clan (Jackpot Scotty Wotty fills in for the late ODB) on “Wu Tang Forever.” And, this being a Logic joint, there’s lots of philosophizing, too, especially about self-identity, dreams, and gratefulness (“One Day,” “The Glorious Five,” “Thank You,” “Legacy”). At various times during YSIV, Logic swears this is his last Young Sinatra album. It’d be easier to believe if he wasn’t having so much fun.

Maryland rapper Logic joins Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Colin Meloy, Louise Wener, and Gil Scott-Heron in a unique fraternity of musicians who’ve released novels. To accompany the arrival of his debut page-turner Supermarket, Logic dropped a soundtrack to go with it. His usual rap repertoire takes a back seat in favor of an alt-rock guitar/piano/drums framework (“Lemon Drop,” “By the Bridge”). His emotive delivery fits this new style well, especially on “I Love You Forever” and “Pretty Young Girl.” Logic being Logic, however, “Baby” and “Can I Kick It” interpolate hits by Biz Markie and A Tribe Called Quest, respectively. His appreciation of Mac DeMarco extends beyond tattoos—yes, Logic has DeMarco’s Salad Days album title inked on his arm—as they collaborate on “I’m Probably Gonna Rock Your World” and “Vacation from Myself,” which are dreamy and feverish.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Logic’s fifth studio album, came during a time of great creative productivity for the MC. Just two months before the album’s release, Logic unveiled Supermarket, which served as a soundtrack for a novel of the same name. That album was announced as an alt-rock detour for the artist, and the surprise release Confessions of a Dangerous Mind quelled any fears that his diehard fan base may have had about any long-term dabbling in the rock genre. The album features rap heavy hitters like Eminem, YBN Cordae, G-Eazy, Wiz Khalifa, Will Smith, and Gucci Mane, in addition to vocals from Logic’s dad, Smokey Hall, who is credited on the album as “My Dad.” Though looser in structure than some of his headier concept albums, Logic spends the runtime of Confessions of a Dangerous Mind reckoning with the dangers of social media. He took its title from the 2002 George Clooney film of the same name, which deals with the fictional adventures of game show host Chuck Barris. Logic expands this story, examining how people can hide behind facades to build worlds around lies. On the Eminem-assisted “Homicide,” Logic jumps at the chance to go bar for bar with one of rap’s greatest. He mimics Em’s signature rapid-fire flow, spitting, “Yeah, there's a time and a place/But if you ain't comin' with the illest of raps/Callin' yourself the greatest alive/ Then you don't deserve to do that/ No, no, oh no, no, please do not do that.” The rap game has been infiltrated by crooks and frauds, hiding behind fake narratives on bogus social media pages, and Logic is calling the deceptive practice out. On the sharp and incisive “clickbait,” the rapper looks at the dangers of addiction, examining fictitious worlds and the way internet users can get hooked on keeping up with online personas. He raps, “All these comments got me lost in my mind/All these thoughts that I'm having are not mine/I always post that I'm having a good time/So my life ...

Sir Robert Bryson Hall II announced his retirement via Instagram like this: “It’s been a great decade. Now it’s time to be a great father.” While the birth of a child (“Little Bobby” was introduced to the world in a subsequent post) can inspire a new parent to work even harder than when childless, the artist professionally known as Logic has earned a break. No Pressure, his sixth studio album, arrives following a tear that began with 2014’s Under Pressure. This latest and alleged final effort is executive produced by NO I.D., the man responsible for the sound of Under Pressure and the person Logic credits with the bulk of his artistic development. If the two coming together one last time means anything for longtime Logic fans, it’s that they get the most polished and well-rounded version of their favorite MC, touching on how far he’s come as a rapper (“Celebration”), his faith (“Hit My Line”), and the handling of his successes (“man i is”) across the project’s 15 tracks. Clever bars come first here, as they always have—“I’m too alive like twins in a womb,” he raps on the title track—and he’s largely unsentimental about walking away. Around the same time he announced his retirement, Logic also revealed an exclusive deal with the livestreaming platform Twitch, so even if he isn’t focused on making music, it’s unlikely that we’ll ever really have to live without Logic.

“Wanna know why I retired?” Logic asks on “BLACKWHITEBOY.” “’Cause I was uninspired.” Fair enough. But if it was inspiration that brought the Gaithersburg MC back to the booth after a nearly year-long pause to record his seventh and self-proclaimed “final” studio album for Def Jam, it likely came from some outside help. Vinyl Days features guest verses from Action Bronson, Curren$y, Russ, Wiz Khalifa, Royce da 5’9, RZA, AZ, and The Game (among others), along with voice notes from Aaron Judge, JJ Abrams, Michael Rapaport, Tony Revolori, NEMS, Earl Sweatshirt, Rainn Wilson, and Lena Waithe. The bars are here—it is a Logic album, after all—along with heaps of gratitude (“Decades”), stories about his life pre-fame (“Bleed It”), a deep exploration of his relationship with music critic Anthony Fantano (“LaDonda”), showcases for lesser-known MCs (“Kickstyle,” “Introducing Nezi”), and even a heartfelt plea for Madlib to return to rapping (“Quasi”). But the biggest takeaway from Vinyl Days is that Logic is friends with a lot of talented people. And it was important to have them all by his side when he came back to rap.

By this point in Logic’s career, fans know better than to accept any more “final” album declarations. Still, they’d be justified in having mixed emotions over the auspicious arrival of Ultra 85, an epic project some seven years in the making, and one that he’d previously insinuated would be his last as a rapper. Either way, this veritable hip-hop space opera returns to the intergalactic interplay of 2015’s The Incredible True Story with skits and narrative segues pushing the entertaining story of Kai and Thomas along. While his devotees will exhaustively pore over the fresh lore, lyrical rap listeners don’t need to get bogged down in background to appreciate what the preternaturally gifted MC does on the mic for “Ghost in the Machine” and the Gucci Mane-nodding “Mission Control.” A continuation of his interior explorations, “Innerstellar” wrestles with concerns existential and emotional, with hope-filled encouragement and mindfulness over a jazzy beat by 6ix, his longtime production cohort. His earnestness remains core to his charm, proving as sincere and genuine as he is simply dope on “Peace Love & Positivity” and the West Coast-inflected “Teleport.”

On its face, a collaboration between Three 6 Mafia icon Juicy J and Logic might be a bit surprising. The former made his name as a Memphis repping, horrorcore-loving, shit-talking street observer while the latter rose up by treating the studio booth as his own diary. On Live and In Color, though, they effortlessly meld their two styles and end up with the result all collab albums should strive for: unexpected yet thrilling. On the swaggering, five-and-a-half-minute title track opener, Juicy kicks things off over punchy piano chords and steady handclaps. He sounds invigorated, trying on different flows and clearly looking to bring his best stuff while working with the hyper-verbose Logic. On the flip side, it would be easy for the Rockville, Maryland native to cede the spotlight to someone as decorated as Juicy J—especially as he handles production throughout the entire project. Never one to back down from a challenge, though, Logic brings some of his best beats to the project. Check out the playful, old-school, and swaggering “Big Bag Talk,” which features sirens—a nod to one of rap’s most celebrated producers, the late J Dilla.