CyHi The Prynce, Royal Flush 2

Along with features from the likes of Pusha T, Trey Songz and B.o.B, original production from Kanye West, Shawty Redd and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, among others, CyHi The Prynce employs top-notch lyricism and story-telling to make sure his Royal Flush 2 mixtape doesn't get lost in the mix of all the G.O.O.D. Music releases coming out lately.

The A-town spitter separates himself when he trades boasts for reflection on tracks like “Made Me Who I Am”: “Sitting in jail, in the slam, made me everything I am,” he spits. “Take You Back,” too, finds him artfully recounting tales of his youth while the horn-laden “Woopty Doo,” featuring G.O.O.D. Music brethren Big Sean is an airy standout. CyHi gets smug on the piano-heavy “Emotional,” poking fun at sensitive men, rapping, “Boy you just a reject, quit crying about that bitch and go get yourself a Kleenex," before mellowing out on the party-themed “Fightin’ in the Club.”

The Prynce's crowning achievement on Royal Flush 2 is the swaggering, Yelawolf-assisted “Bulletproof.” “You could talk about me all you want, that shit won’t matter/'Cause my self-esteem is bullet-proof, my shit won’t shatter,” CyHi slickly spews atop the chopped up, La Roux sample, as Yela eggs on, “Somebody shoulda told me I was gonna be a motherfucking problem…I didn’t get the memo.”

For anyone who wasn't yet up on 2011 XXL Freshman Cyhi The Prynce, consider this yet another memo. And don't ignore this one. —Mariel Concepcion