Post by Colton S., Jan 23, 2012 at 9:29 am
Hip hop seems to be at a bit of a crossroads. Over the past few years, critics as well as several respected artists have argued that the genre has lost itself. To be honest, sometimes it felt like they were right. But, 2011 gave us hope with one of the strongest list of albums and mix tapes in recent memory. things are finally looking up in the hip hop world.
With young promising artists like Kendrick Lamar and Big K.R.I.T. set to release albums, along with legendary acts like Black Star and Nas, 2012 is looking even stronger than last year. With that said, here are the most anticipated hip hop albums of the New Year:
1) Big K.R.I.T – Live from the underground – K.R.I.T. dropped what many critics and fans considered one of the best (if not the best) mix tapes of 2011 with the Return of 4ever. it might have been a free release, but easily could have passed as his first album.
That’s why Big K.R.I.T.’s actual debut, Live from the Underground, is taking the spot as our most anticipated album of 2012. his modern take on Southern hip hop mixes absolute bangers of beats with intelligent, yet accessible lyricism. With the polished feel of his mix tape work, the sky’s the limit for both this album, and the Mississippi native himself.
2) Black Star – Black Star Aretha (working title) – It’s been almost 14 years since the first Black Star album dropped, and nearly every die-hard hip hop fan has been waiting about that long for its follow up.
For the uninitiated, Black Star, the duo of Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def), is considered to be one of the headliner acts of the “Backpacker” movement. Their extremely intelligent and soulful brand of hip hop makes for powerful music, with an even more powerful message. this one might not get the mainstream attention it deserves, but could very well be in the running for many critics’ “album of the year”.
Black Star fans should also be paying close attention to Kweli’s upcoming solo project, Prisoner of Conscience.
3) Drake and Rick Ross – YOLO – Hate it or love it, but YMCMB and MMG know how to move units and get radio spins, especially when they’re working together.
Rick Ross has proven that his camp has an ear for smooth beats, and Drake’s rapper/singer act has undoubtedly made him the industry’s favorite “hook” man. Put those two things together (plus Ricky’s questionable but aggressive flow), and you’ve got a recipe for an inescapable album. You’ll be hearing singles off this one about damn near everywhere you go. like it or not, you’ll be paying attention to this one.
4) Untitled Slaughterhouse album –Slaughterhouse has been on the radar of hip hop heads since they officially got together in 2009. After their self-titled debut was met with rave critical reviews, but underwhelming sales, they left their label E1 for Shady Records.
After a series of legal battles regarding their label transition, they’re finally preparing to drop their first album with Em’s imprint. as a group of four MC’s that can all hold their own (Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, Crooked I, and Royce da 5’ 9”), adding in some serious promotion and press should help their cause. Set to drop in April, this one promises some clever yet gritty wordplay, coupled with undeniable technical mic skills.
5) Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid in a Bad City – 24 year old Kendrick Lamar is one of hip hop’s most important young stars. his ear for moody, ominous beats along with his raspy flow makes for an impressive sound. Even so, his greatest asset his ability to give his music real meaning, without coming off as “preachy”.
Lamar’s 2011 debut Section.80 was critically one of the most successful albums of last year. However, its sales numbers were, for lack of a better word…lacking. Outside of the die-hard hip hop community, few are even aware of this kids existence. Hopefully, Kendrick will be able change that with this one.
6) the G.O.O.D. Music Album – While label wide collaboration projects don’t always come together well (see we Are Young Money), we’ve got plenty of reasons to think this one will be different.
Kanye’s G.O.O.D. music might be the most diverse imprint in hip hop, and that could easily be this one’s strength. With verses coming from a roster that can go from Pusha T’s rough flow, to Common’s conscious lyricism, all the way back to Big Sean’s Swag rap, this one is going to be all over the place…and that’s not even accounting for Mr. West himself.
Toss in John Legend’s talents, along with what’s guaranteed to be classic production, and you’ve got all the necessary elements for a quality and diverse listening experience.
7) Jay –Z’s rumored solo project – The Blueprint 3 might have been a giant commercial success, but it alienated a huge part of his old fan base. It’s poppy radio-friendly vibe was distinctly different from what we’ve seen in the past. whether it was for the better or worse, is up for you as a fan to decide.
The reason this project is so intriguing are the recent events in Jay’s personal life. the birth of his first daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, is quite obviously a life-changing event for the mogul. while it’s entirely speculation at this point, a new album from Hov could mean yet another transformation in his style. it probably won’t push him back to his Reasonable Doubt days, but it wouldn’t be crazy to say we might see a more thoughtful Jay. it could be a good look.
8 ) Nas – Life is Good – We haven’t seen much from Nas from a solo sense in a few years. his 2010 collaboration with Damian Marley, Distant Relatives, was interesting but forgettable, and his features have been largely hit or miss. 2008’s Untitled, was considered by many to be a great album, but it failed to live up to the legend’s previous catalog.
With a career as up and down as Nas’s has been, any album he puts out has the potential to be either a disappointment or huge success. However, he has been much more active in the media recently, and it seems that he’s hungrier than he has been in a while. his music has also always thrived off of political controversy, and it seems like he’ll have plenty fuel for that fire for Life is Good. Also, look out for the Nas/Common collab, titled Nas.com.
9) the Heavily Rumored Outkast “Reunion” album – Some would argue that it’s been over ten years since we’ve seen a true Outkast album. 04’s two disc release Speakerboxxx/The Love Below felt more like two solo projects packaged together, and ‘06’s Idlewild was a direct movie tie-in.
It goes without saying that Outkast is one of hip hop’s most important and widely embraced acts of all time. while Andre and Big Boi’s reunion is still largely a rumor at this point, no other release has the potential to redefine the genre’s current landscape. if this album ends up dropping, it could easily be both a critical and commercial juggernaut.
10) Frank Ocean’s Untitled Studio debut – It might be more R&B than hip hop, but Frank Ocean has the potential to take charge of the genre with this album. his relatively dark style, and tight production make for songs that stray far from the largely superficial poppy feel of most modern R&B. his mix tapes have been nothing but quality, and if this album follows suit, he might be one of 2012’s breakout stars.
Other notables: B.O.B. – Strange Clouds, Untitled D12 project, Ross – God Forgives, I Don’t, Brother Ali album, Watch the Throne 2, Kanye West’s untitled solo project, Tyler the Creator – Wolf, J. Cole’s sophomore album, Dre – Detox (We’ll believe it when we see it though).
The 10 Most Anticipated Hip Hop Albums Of 2012
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