I've been thinkin' about what albums I'm dying to get my hands on in 2010 and I think I'm finally ready to break it down for y'all. After listening to complete BULLSHIT thus far in 2010 (i.e. Lil Wayne's ridiculous crossover "Rebirth" album, fully equipped with auto-tune laced verses and choruses), I'm really hoping for the albums in my Top 5 to be classics. I never get my hopes too high because I've been burnt way too many times in the last decade on albums that should've been classic but turned out to be garbage. Is it too much to ask for Eminem (a great lyricist) to do a track over a DJ Premier beat??? I'm just using him as one example, but there's many more like that. There's so many dope emcees who would make classic albums if they fucked with the right producers and stopped fuckin' with auto-tune and beats from Timbaland's fat ass (don't get it twisted, I think Timbaland's made some sick shit but he also made a disproportionate amount of doodoo).
So, without any further ado, the following is a list of my Top 5 Most Anticipated Hip Hop Albums of 2010:
J. Cole is the first MC to be signed to Jay-Z's new label "RocNation." He's been on tour with Jay-Z recently and is currently working on his first official studio album, due out some time this year. I'm very excited about J. Cole and his album. He's released two mixtapes, which basically run as if they're real albums. The first mixtape titled "The Come Up" (FREE DOWNLOAD "THE COME UP") was released back in 2007 and Jay-Z swiftly signed him upon hearing some of his tracks. The second mixtape is titled "The Warm Up" (FREE DOWNLOAD "THE WARM UP") and was released in the summer of 2009. If you haven't heard this kid flow yet, be sure to use the links and download both of these mixtapes. J. Cole is truly skilled at his craft. He graduated from St. John's University Magna Cum Laude a couple years ago and it shows in his rhymes. His content is intelligent and street at the same time (similar to Nas from the '90s) and his flow is water (of the Fiji caliber). My only concern with J. Cole's debut album is if Jay-Z or the label has an influence on the content. If they commercialize the fuck outta the album, then we have a major problem. If they let J. Cole continue to ride in the lane he's been holdin' down for the past few years, then I have no doubt his album will be amazing. We'll have see what happens. If you don't believe me about J. Cole's skills, then peep this video below:
I'm actually extremely excited for this album right here. Capone-N-Noreaga released their undeniably classic album "The War Report" back in 1997. That album boasted features from Tragedy Khadafi, Mobb Deep, and Imam Thug. The production was stacked with legends like Carlos "6 July" Broady, EZ Elpee, Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Marley Marl, Clark Kent and Tragedy Khadafi. It was a certified, underground, street classic that broke the mold and garnered commercial success despite it's hardcore, gritty sound. Capone-N-Noreaga have signed a deal as a group with Raekwon's Ice Water label and are reportedly 80% complete with recording the sequel. What gets me excited about this project is that CNN understands that their albums that came out after "The War Report" were not very good. Noreaga has stated that he's not going clubbing or listening to the radio while they record part 2. He vowed to drink Hennessy again even though he hates it. Noreaga wants to get back in the same mind set he was in while recording their debut.
In a recent interview with XXL Magazine Noreaga discussed the elements that made the first album so good: "When you listen to The Reunion we didn't have those elements... When you listen to Channel 10 that was way far off so this is really going back to the basics you know what I'm sayin'? It's going back to the basics just like The War Report and that's just makin' fuckin' music. Who cares if a chorus goes there or not, that's just not what it is... Hip Hop is rhyme, nigga, we'll figure it out later."
Well, if N.O.R.E comes through on this, "The War Report 2" could be the hardest album Hip Hop has heard in quite some time. No auto-tune singing in the chorus of so-called "thugged out gangsta" tracks. CNN's current mind frame being coupled with Raekwon's "older brother" type guidance on the project could be a recipe for street classic success. I can't fuckin' wait. Peep the video below of Noreaga buildin' with Imam Thug as they prepare to make "The War Report 2."
I've been a big fan of Pharoahe Monch since he was killin' it with Prince Po in Organized Konfusion. In the fourth quarter last year, Monch announced that he left SRC Records to form his own independent label, W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). He also announced the release of a brand new solo album under the same title as the record label. Pharoahe Monch has been hard at work over the past few months recording the album and touring in Australia. He confirmed guest appearances from Jean Grae, Talib Kweli, Black Milk, Styles P, Cee-Lo, Prince Po, and a yet to be announced "favorite" member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Monch told XXL Magazine late last year that the Prince Po Organized Konfusion track was "insane." In addition to guest appearances, Pharoahe Monch stated via his Twitter account that "W.A.R. is produced by Exile, M-Phases, Fatin, Marco Polo, Nottz, and Samiyam... THESE DUDES BEATS PUSHED MY LYRICS BEYOND COMPREHENSION." Well, I can't wait for the album my brother. I love the fact that Pharoahe Monch has gone completely independent as well. He's still getting big name producers and features simply on his own reputation and I feel like this album will probably be as good as "Internal Affairs" was. Once again, we'll have to just wait and see. Check the Pharoahe Monch interview with Rebel TV 333 below:
I don't think I'm gonna elaborate too much on this choice here. Hot off of Raekwon's classic release "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II," Raekwon has linked up with Method Man and Ghostface Killah and the three of them are in the process of recording an official studio album together titled "Three, The Hard Way." Raekwon has been on a mission to continue his success from last year and he gathered arguably the two best members of the Wu to form a mini group. This shit is gonna be BANANAS. Information on this album has been kept fairly quiet as of yet. The only real info I've heard is when RZA spoke to MTV at the end of 2009. He stated that he's on board with the project and will be producing some joints on the album. All I have to say is if RZA is producing any part of the album, it's gonna be ridiculous. Scram Jones also told me on Twitter that he produced some shit for Rae recently that is on some next level shit. I have good faith that Raekwon, Meth and Ghostface will produce an extremely high caliber record here. Let's just keep our fingers crossed.
Peep the first leak from the album "Meth vs. Chef Part 2" produced by Allah Mathematics below:
Jay Electronica, from the Magnolia Projects in New Orleans, now residing in Brooklyn, is possibly the most hyped MC ever to only have released two official singles to date. This guy; however, could be the true "savior" of Hip Hop as we used to know it. If you live under a rock and haven't heard his Just Blaze produced joints "Exhibit A (Transformations)" and "Exhibit C," then you need to go BODY YOURSELF. What he accomplished lyrically on these two tracks is pure magic (and I don't mean the kind that nerdy white suburban teenagers play with cards at school). He's been performing in New York and L.A. lately with the likes of Mos Def, Talib Kweli, A Tribe Called Quest, and The Roots. Even P. Diddy has been sweating his shit lately on stage and on Twitter. I put Jay at the number 1 spot because I think he's special. I think what he did on Exhibit's A & C is classic material and I think that he just doesn't know how to write a wack verse. I think he is what I WANT Mos Def to be. He is what I WANT Nas to be. He is an intelligent emcee who rhymes about important issues, but doesn't come off "preachy." He has the ability to spit verses that evoke emotion and intellectual thinking that sound doper than the "poetry" Nas put inside his crack pipe and blew back in 1996. Finally, we have an emcee who can make us all think and simultaneously sound hard as fuck flowing seamlessly over East Coast thumpin' production. And this mutha fucka's from New Orleans!!! I rooted for the Saints in the Super Bowl because of Jay Electronica. (Just kidding, I'm from Boston so FUCK Peyton Manning and FUCK the Colts.) Regardless, I am personally anticipating Jay Electronica's debut album more than anything in the world right now. Whatever this man whips together in the studio is going to be quite rare and extra unique. I just can't wait to listen to it in my headphones with a big ass Model Bubbles (www.Twitter.com/ModelBubbles) smile on my face!!!
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