Following her mainstream breakthrough in 2014, Australian rapper Iggy Azalea experienced a meteoric rise that fizzled almost as quickly as it started.

With the follow-up to her debut continually delayed and fraught with behind-the-scenes label confusion, she tried to release a project titled Digital Distortion, which was eventually canceled.

Stopgap EP Survive the Summer landed in 2018, showcasing a dark, trap-heavy sound that lacked the spirit and attitude of Hot 100 hits "Fancy," "Problem," and "Black Widow." That sound carried forth onto her official sophomore release, In My Defense, a stubborn and unapologetic collection of braggadocio and vulgarity that finds Azalea backed into a defensive corner with little artistic growth.

Album opener "Thanks I Get" conveys her distorted point-of-view and wastes little time taking credit for breaking ground that was already broken by her predecessors.

Issues of cultural appropriation aside, she continues on the obstinate "Clap Back" by spitting, among other things, "Cause I talk like this and my ass fat/They be saying Iggy tryna act black." Indeed, if an attempt was made to process, explain, or even acknowledge her privilege, Azalea might be able to garner some understanding and sympathy.

Instead, she just continues for another ten tracks, bragging, boasting, and fronting without any depth.

Guests Lil Yachty, Kash Doll, and Juicy J make appearances to boost Azalea's credibility, but their verses only serve to break the monotony of these dozen same-sounding retreads.

After a half-decade of life lessons, Azalea could have gone in a certain cathartic and mature direction.

However, on In My Defense, she opted for a less gracious and, ultimately, exhausted route.