We’ve got our Air Jordan 11 Concords stomping all over 2012. We’re enjoying it right now, though it has been a distinctively quiet start to the new year in Hip Hop. Right now we’ve still got The Roots ‘Undun’, Common ‘The Dreamer The Believer’ and a little Drake ‘Take Care’ on rotation from the beginning of December. Aside from that, we’re feeling pretty nostalgic, and we hate staying static. So through the power of positivity, blogging, wishful thinking and social sharing - these are the things we’d like to see drop in 2012 hip-hop, soul and R’n'B.
What We’d Love To See Drop in 2012…
A Jay-Z Solo Album
Watch The Throne was a solid ride. We love Jay Z and Kanye hooking up as it’s like the TRUE ‘Best Of Both Worlds’ (sorry Kells). The Niggas In Paris video is incredible and would have only featured half the strobes if it was a solo Jay Z video. Nobody can deny that Kanye brings out a certain rawness out in Jay-Z that we all relate to. We don’t want that to stop.
Having said that, we’re loving the journey that Jay-Z is on. His profile has risen even more dramatically in the last 5 years and right now he is a great representation of what anyone involved in hip-hop can accomplish. Some say he went soft on Blueprint 3, we disagree. Having a child with Beyonce, another hit album with Kanye West and venturing even further into business and politics on a daily basis means that his next chapter is sure to be an interesting one. Plus, we hear he’s working with Q-Tip.
Maxwell – BLACKsummers Night 2
When we heard Pretty Wings back in ’09 it was like Maxwell had returned to redefine what it meant to be a male R&B singer. The album was nominated for a bunch of Grammys and BLACKsummer’s Night felt like a natural addition and progression in Maxwell’s catalogue of music, despite the fact he had been gone 8 years. We’ve played it a WHOLE LOT since.
The follow up to this album was originally rumoured to be released in 2011, but with that year having now passed without even a hint of that tooth achingly sweet falsetto, we’ve now been waiting nearly three years. We’re sure that when he does reappear, just like last time, it’ll have been worth the wait.
D’Angelo – James’ River
Man, at least we know he is ALIVE and seemingly pretty damn well. For those who don’t know what we mean by that, check our D’Angelo Brixton Academy Gig Review. Yup, from nowhere he announced a handful of European tour dates in 2012, got back on stage with a slightly new frame and hair cut and more importantly, showcased a couple of new tracks. The Charade in particular sounded like an instant classic live and we predict will probably feature on the new album which we’re led to believe will be called James’ River.
From what we’ve heard live, we expect the album to be a continuation of Voodoo, with a huge dose of Prince’s influence thrown into the fold.
Dr Dre – Detox
You all know the story to this one. Even those who aren’t necessarily Hip Hop fans are waiting for this one. 12-near13 years we’ve been waiting since 2001. The biggest indication yet that it MIGHT drop soon is after last years ‘I Need A Doctor‘ single/video release with Eminem. There’s no doubt that Dre is in great shape physically, mentally and financially with the hugely popular Beats By Dr Dre range of audio technology. We just want to hear those HARD Dre piano drops again.
Eminem (Recovery Follow Up)
2009′s Relapse was like a warm up for his REAL return and featured some obscene rhymes and flows which were so refreshing to hear once again. Recovery in 2010 dropped and I think we can all pretty much agree that it was a solid album and put to rest any doubt that he was no longer one of the best lyricists in the world. He’s made similar lifestyle changes as Dre and Jay-Z and is now a drug free 7-mile a day runner who turns 40 later this year. It’s safe to say his perspective on the world is probably somewhat different to what it might have been 5 years ago. We’re glad to have him back and pretty much every time Eminem drops a new album, rappers are reminded just the level they need to be reaching for.
Black Star
They performed together and Rock The Bells 2011 and are in a good place individually. Whenever they line up together for a live performance you can just feel how their styles and outlooks on the industry combine to form such a powerful movement. The fans would love a new album. Their peers would love a new album. But, these things can’t be forced, we just gotta hope that Mos Def and Talib Kweli fall into the right studio at the same time. A Hi-Tek, 88 Keys and NO I.D produced Black Star album is what Hip-Hop is crying out for.
J Dilla – Rebirth Of Detroit
It’s no secret how much we love J Dilla here. We can’t write about him in an unbiased manner. We love how different all of J Dilla’s projects sound but how they all retain that feel and sound you can only describe as ‘Dilla’. Jay Stay Paid was another great chapter in Dilla’s legacy back in 09 and we know that since getting Dilla’s estate organised, Ma Dukes and the Yancey Media Group have been working hard on the project ‘Rebirth Of Detroit‘. It looks like the project will be released this year and we’ll be the first to report and be supporting this project upon it’s release. So stay locked to our Twitter feed!
The Roots
We referenced The Roots in our opening statement and it’s simply inspiring just HOW GOOD The Roots are. Not only do they add a great dimension to Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, but they consistently find the time to put together great album after great album. We can’t speak highly enough of them, and the biggest compliment we can make is that we feel embarssed writing about how good they are because it feels awkward. They are quite simply one of the best bands in the world. Undun flows so well that it’s one of those real old school albums where every track fits so well you find yourself putting it on repeat because it feels that it’s over all too quickly. Do we want more?! Uh huh.
Freeway – Diamond In The Ruff
We’re not quite sure EXACTLY what Freeway is up to right now. We know he’s working hard though, #teamearly baby. What we can tell you is that, 2010′s The Stimulus Package was one of our favourite albums in the last five years and was just an all round great Hip-Hop album which may have fallen under the radar for some Hip Hop fans. So we’d take this moment to urge you all to go cop it, and don’t just get the download, get the full on CD Stimulus Package because it’s one of the best CD packages ever. Freeway released The Statik Free EP on iTunes last January but what we’re all really waiting for is his next studio album, ‘Diamond In The Ruff‘. It really feels like Freeway has come into his own in the last few years and he offers a really interesting, raspy style which is in no way forced. As real as they come.
Outkast/Andre3000/Big Boi
Andre3000 has been kicking around on some notable cameos for Lloyd and Drake recently and Big Boi put out the completely enjoyable Sir Lucious Left Foot back in 2010, but it’s now been nearly 12 years since a joint Outkast album (kind of excluding the classic Speakerboxxx/The Love Below). We miss them together, being a little insane. We need that abstract, care-free, tongue in cheek yet entirely soulful and respectable Outkast back. Rumours are that their seventh studio album is being worked on as we write this and will be released in 2012. We need abducting by ATLiens.
Lauryn Hill
Sometimes we think that Lauryn, Dre and D’Angelo all made some kind of twisted pact in committing to album obscurity just to make us realise just how good they were. There have been teases of returns from Lauryn Hill for the last 7 years or so with a few ‘leaks’ of new tracks and some notable good, bad and downright confusing live performances, but when it comes down to it, we haven’t had anything new and official on wax, CD or download for nearly 14 years. Can you imagine how good it would feel to put on a new Lauryn Hill album, and hear that class bell ring one more time?
THAT’S IT. We’re done on what we’d like to see DROP this year. Next up we’ll take a look at what we’d love to see ROCK again before the year is through. This will feature a desire to see more Hip Hop groups, the next installment of R.Kelly’s Trapped In The Closet series and Hip Hop beef…so be sure to check back.
