10 Rap Albums You Should Have On Your Radar For 2019
By: James Teague
Not only does the New Year bring fresh new clean slate in our lives but it also brings us new potential musical classics. 2018 was really a doozy with the music releases. It was to the point where some people were debating whether or not there was too much music being released. Though it has been the new year for some time, we’re still anticipating the new musical releases that are coming. Everybody is gearing up for artists that are releasing new music this year. Here’s a list of my top 10 anticipated artist whose projects that I’m looking forward to for the new year.
1. Schoolboy Q - TBD
At the height of Top Dawg’s evolution, it never surprises me when they set the tone each year when it’s album time for the roster. Schoolboy Q is one of the top anticipated releases within the squad that i’m looking forward to. We last heard from Groovy Q back in 2016 on his Sophomore album, Blankface LP. He’s been spotted killing features here & there. It’s been reported that Q was close to finishing his album but he pushed the album release back due to the sudden death of his good friend/comrade Mac Miller. According to Q, when he spoke about this at a concert, he said he wasn’t ready to release it because of having to do interviews and being asked to speak on Mac’s Death. It appears that Q got his mind right and is ready to go with the new release. Im so excited to hear what’s to come this time around from Groovy Q.
2. Isaiah Rashad - TBD
Outside of Q, another member of the Top Dawg family, Isaiah Rashad, is gearing up for their new album release as well. Isaiah has actually been real quiet since the release of his sophomore album The Sun’s Tirade. While we already know how Kendrick, Jay Rock, & SZA can roll on album releases, i’m real interested to see and hear which direction is Zay going with his music releases.
3. Dreamville - Revenge of the Dreamers 3
Following the Revenge of the Dreamers 3 sessions all throughout 2019 so far has been one of the best moments in hip-hop even in the early stages of the new year. Watching the sessions from the outside in via social media is like being a kid walking into a candy store. It also felt like it was an exclusive invite only fan club as each and everyday, rappers, artists, Musicians, & certain media members were invited to the sessions. Everything on IG from the Invites to the pictures/ video snippets, Seeing theses sessions unfold right before our eyes through Dreamville in an organic way will be amazing. Nothing’s for certain on whats going to come from these sessions but all of the music released, whether it makes the compilation album, someone else’s album, or serves as a single loosie, seeing that the ROTD 3 session playing a role into bringing this moment for life and I believed this topic was here for years.
4. J. Cole - The Fall Off
There was already an announcement of Cole’s next album “The Fall Off” during this KOD run. The last thing that we’ve heard on the status of the album was that he was “Working on it” according to a Tweet made. If you have been under a rock lately, it appears that Cole was re-inspired and has been in the studio more often working with his peers and exploring different producers. Seeing Cole expand himself to different artists and producers is cool and i’m anxious to see if this is going to play a part in creating his next album.
5. Future - Future Hndrxx Presents: The WIZRD
Even though initially Future dropped 4 projects last year ( curated Superbly Soundtrack, DJ Esco Presents Kolor Blind, Beast Mode 2 & Wrld on Drgs tape with Juice Wrld), it still really felt slick light year musically. It felt as though we didnt necessarily see or feel his presence like that (unless you were glued to his IG) At the top of the new year that, he announced his next album The WZRD is scheduled for release on 1/18 and it’s included a documentary accompanied by the album which was released on 1/11. The tracklist dropped today and what i’ve gathered was that this album be a mix of FUTURE & HNDRXX, his last two major albums released in 2017.
6. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana
One of the better underrated rappers in the game, Freddie Gibbs has blessed the listeners with two projects this past year; Freddie and his collaboration with Curren$y called Fetti from his collaborating has been still riding the wave of his project released last year with Kenny Beatz titled, Freddie. It’s been announced already about the release of Bandana with Madlib. Freddie has been dropping heat all 2018 and so I expect it to be the same coming from him this year.
7. 21 Savage & Young Nudy - 4L Gang The Album
Both 21 Savage & Young Nudy were making their rounds this past year when they respectively dropped their solo projects, (Slime Ball 3 from Nudy & I Was > I Am from 21) for the streets to hear. Both projects ended up being amazing and helps continue to solidify both of their positions in the Atlanta rap world. It was announced at the end of the year that 21 & Nudy were planning to a collaborative project and have dropped a single out titled “Since When.” At the Beginning of the new year, a poll was made on twitter asking to help 21 decide which projects to start on between Savage Mode 2, Without Warning 2, a New Album, or the 4L Gang album. Safe to say it was officially decided the 21/Nudy album was going to be priority for the new year.
8. Rick Ross - Port of Miami 2
Rozay has been teasing us about Port of Miami 2 through his tweets, from telling Just Blaze happy birthday and thanking the Justice League. Rather You Than Me was one of the top albums to be released in 2017, one of my personal favorite recent Rozay albums. I’m interested to see where the sound is going this time with Port of Miami 2.
9. Chance The Rapper - TBD (Chance’s Solo, Chance/Kanye Good Ass Job & Chance/Childish Gambino)
Aside from the features and some loosies given to us, that time we received a full blown project from Chicago’s friendly neighborhood rapper Chance the Rapper was back in 2016 with Coloring Book. It’s already expected that he has a few projects that are on the way; including his own Solo album and two collaborative albums; one with him & Childish Gambino and the other with Kanye for GOOD Ass Job. He’s been real tight-lipped about the new album but stay tuned.
10. Pusha-T - TBD
I don’t have a lot of details on this album but through the grapevine, i’ve heard that Pusha T would be releasing an album this year. There’s not a lot of information regarding this but at this point, anything is possible with The President of GOOD Music.
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