While 2014 may have ended with a fair share of quality hip-hop albums, a large portion of fans voiced their complaints about the lack of exciting commercial releases throughout the year. We are of the opinion that every week of every month of every year is filled with fantastic music (you just have to look for it); however, there is no question that the major players in the world of hip-hop spent last year in the studio crafting their upcoming albums. This creates a substantial amount of potential for 2015 as the Mount Rushmore of artists are gearing up to release highly anticipated albums, and every single project is filled with various subplots which should keep Twitter fueling rumors on a daily basis.
Now that we are more than a month into 2015, we have a better idea of what to expect from some of these LPs and we are thrilled with the endless possibilities that this year offers. With that, take a look at our 11 most anticipated hip-hop albums of 2015 below and feel free to debate the list in the comment section.
11. 50 Cent – Street King Immortal
While 50 Cent’s Street King Immortal project has been years in the making, it appears that the teasing is nearing an end and the album will finally be released this year. Between 50’s business ventures as well as his major role in the reuniting of G-Unit, Street King Immortal took a backseat under his list of priorities (throughout his career, he’s put his crew before himself). However, all signs are now pointing to the LP being at the forefront of 50’s focus, and it only helps that the Queen emcee has sounded rejuvenated in his recent releases. The line-up is sure to feature a premier grouping of collaborators and producers, so be on the lookout for 50 to appease his following with this solo effort.
10. Wale – The Album About Nothing
Despite Wale’s numerous musical achievements; the D.C. rapper has struggled to cement his position amongst hip-hop’s elite. A longstanding target of slander on social media, Wale has continuously worked through the negativity and while he has had a few ‘blow-up’ moments, the quality of his catalog speaks for itself. Many fans may not agree with Wale’s choice to align himself with MMG, but the DMV representative has released a string of quality releases and he claims that his upcoming The Album About Nothing is his best work yet. The LP will be the third installment in Wale’s ‘About Nothing’ concept and it is confirmed that legendary Jerry Seinfeld will be making his beloved narration appearances. With Wale going on record saying “I made all of these songs for my core fans”, we are betting that Wale will earn the respect he deserves upon the release of The Album About Nothing.
9. Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money
Meek Mill burst onto the scene a few years back with his widely acclaimed Dreamchasers mixtapes, and the Philadelphia spitter is officially ready to follow up his Dreams and Nightmares debut with his upcoming effort Dreams Worth More Than Money. The album was originally set to drop last year, but it was delayed due to legal troubles aka Meek’s five-month stint in prison. Since Meek’s release from jail, the MMG rapper has been on fire with fans salivating over his “Ice Cream” freestyle as well as the music video for the Big Sean/A$AP Ferg-assisted track “B-Boy” (one of the best songs to drop in 2015 thus far in our opinion). The latter offering is set to appear on Dreams Worth More Than Money, and that is an extremely good sign of things to come. As long as Meek keeps the yelling to a minimum, this should be one of the better mainstream releases of 2015.
8. A$AP Rocky – Untitled
It’s been two years since A$AP Rocky delivered his debut album Long.Live.A$AP and while the LP didn’t quite live up to the allure of Live.Love.A$AP for some, hip-hop is ready for new music from the A$AP Mob star. Rocky ended 2014 on a high note by dropping standout singles “Multiply” and “Pretty Flacko II”, two records which are positively strong indicators of what we can expect on his upcoming album. The A$AP Mob suffered a tragic loss with the passing of A$AP Yams last month. But with Rocky revealing that Yams (along with Juicy J and Dangermouse) is an executive producer on the project, we know that the LP will be graced with a high level of hip-hop intellect. Don’t be surprised if fans fall in love with A$AP all over again once this album drops. RIP Yams.
7. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter V
The drama surrounding Lil Wayne and the release of his highly anticipated album Tha Carter V increases on a daily basis. It is no secret that many people in the hip-hop community feel that Weezy ‘fell off’ and the mid-2000’s Wayne is merely a distant pleasant memory. However, it appeared that Wayne was primed for a comeback of sorts until the multiple delays of Carter V unveiled the controversy between him and Cash Money mogul Birdman. With Birdman essentially holding Tha Carter V under hostage and legal battles fully underway, the fate of the album is certainly up in the air. However, it only makes sense that the series of events will motivate Wayne and when one keeps all of the rumored collaborations in mind, Tha Carter V will be a must-listen if it sees the light of day in 2015.
6. Action Bronson – Mr. Wonderful
In what many could classify as the ‘underground’ selection on this list, it is hard to believe that Mr. Wonderful will be Action Bronson’s first official release. The Queens native has become a fan-favorite in recent years with every Bronson mixtape/EP being filled with outrageously clever wordplay and laugh-till-your-stomach-hurts punchlines. But most importantly, Action is an extremely talented emcee and he surrounds himself with producers who understand how to sonically cater to his strengths. For all of these reasons, Mr. Wonderful is destined to be a unique body of work and the singles released thus far (“Easy Rider” and “Actin Crazy”) have only increased our eagerness for the LP.
5. Big Sean – Dark Sky Paradise
Two years later, it is safe to say that Big Sean’s 2013 effort Hall Of Fame was a bit of a let down. However, the Detroit emcee made a number of notable guest appearances last year and he reignited his buzz by releasing a four-track EP, which included the now smash hit “IDFWU”. Sean is riding the wave of that success and recently revealed details regarding his upcoming album Dark Sky Paradise. The project is set to feature a star-studded line-up of guest appearances, with Drake and Kanye West being the first proof of that on Sean’s still fresh off the press single “Blessings”. Everything is falling into place quite nicely for Big Sean, and Dark Sky Paradise is destined to be one of the bigger albums released in Q1 of 2015.
4. Travi$ Scott – Rodeo
It might surprise some folks that G.O.O.D. music member Travi$ Scott is so high on this list. But if 2014 revealed anything, it showcased La Flame as a breakout artist who is ready to take things to the next level. The well-received Days Before Rodeo project was only a preview of what we can expect from the innovative rapper/producer, and many felt it was one of the better ‘albums’ to drop in 2014. While we don’t know many of the official details surrounding Rodeo, it is a guarantee that Travi$ will be bringing an influx of thrilling energy and the album very well may be the most electrifying listen of 2015.
3. Kanye West – Untitled
Kanye West shook up the world of hip-hop in 2013 when he released Yeezus, his most polarizing body of work to date. The album was both applauded for its boldness and hated for its lack of ‘College Dropout’ soul. While Yeezus divided its audience, fans around the world are in unison with their questions about what the hell is Kanye going to do next. With his marriage to Kim Kardashian and the birth of their daughter North, it is safe to say that Yeezy is in a ‘happy place’. The release of the Paul McCartney-assisted “Only One” could certainly be a sign of things to come, but truthfully speaking there are no surefire predictions which reveal what Kanye’s next album is going to sound like. But if we have learned anything about Ye over the years, it’s that doubting him is never a wise choice. Whatever Kanye has up in his sleeve, it will be something you need to hear.
2. Drake – Views From The Six
While there can be a healthy debate of who reigns supreme as the best ‘emcee’ in hip-hop, there is no question that Drake is the hottest rapper in the game. The Toronto superstar’s 2013 effort Nothing Was The Same saw great success, and Drake effortlessly stayed relevant last year from both a musical and pop-culture perspective. Artists now blow up from a Drake co-sign and Drizzy can release SoundCloud freebies that materialize into Grammy nominations (“0 to 100”). With Drake already scheduled to headline a number of big-time music festivals this year, we have some assurance that Views From The 6 will be dropping sooner than later. And judging by the title, the city of Toronto is sure to be a key theme on the album, an influence which has resulted in some of Drake’s best work in the past. A legacy-cementing body of work could definitely be on the horizon from the ‘6 God’.
1. Kendrick Lamar – Untitled
How does one follow-up perhaps the most celebrated hip-hop album within the past decade? That task is assigned to Kendrick Lamar and the Compton emcee has been in the lab crafting his next potential masterpiece for quite some time now. Although his 2014 single “i” was received with mixed reviews, the track is powered by a positive message that is impossible to deny (plus one can only wonder how the song will fit into the concept of the album). However, K Dot’s most recent offering “The Blacker The Berry” has a drastically more aggressive tone, and the racially empowered concept behind the track certainly commanded our attention. Between these two songs, his magnificent performance of an untitled track on The Colbert Report, and reported collaborations with the likes of Flying Lotus and Thundercat, the TDE representative appears to be a man on a mission with the best yet to come. The test of time has proved that GKMC can be classified as a ‘classic’, and Kendrick has both the influence/talent to create another genre-defining album. Whatever musical direction K Dot decides to pursue on this next project, we are confident that it will be worth the wait.
– By Eric Bernsen & Navjosh