He broke his long silence with Relapse and Refill in 2009, but Eminem has more in store for 2010, as he's promised to drop the second half of his recent fruitful spurt of creativity, Relapse 2. While we're not holding our breath for the epically delayed finale from Em's mentor, Dr. Dre, there's a possibility that Detox will also finally hit shelves this year.
One album we know is coming out is Lil Wayne's rock-tinged Rebirth. After moving around more than a half-dozen times in 2009, the disc is now due February 1, just a week before Wayne is slated to go to prison for a year on gun charges. Of course, due to that amazon signup, 500 lucky fans already have the disc, which quickly became readily available online, so it's possible the official release will change the track list up a bit.
It's also possible T.I. could drop his next album very soon after being released to a halfway house following his 366-day sentence on federal weapons charges, and imprisoned rapper Gucci Mane recently said he already has his next album, The State vs. Radric Davis: The Appeal, ready to roll.
Another CD everyone is holding their breath for is Drake's debut, Thank Me Later, which is expected to deliver on the hype created by his mixtapes and EP. After a few delays, Usher's Raymond vs. Raymond is now slated for a March release, with hype already built thanks to the hit single "Papers."
Nas' former wife, Kelis, is promising a "futuristic disco" sound on her upcoming disc, Flesh Tone. N.E.R.D. will have a new, "very 3-D" sound, thanks to the recent addition of female vocalist Rhea, and Erykah Badu will finally drop New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) in February, promising a less politically driven effort this time around.
We could finally get a listen to Missy Elliott's first album in five years, Block Party, as well as solo discs from Big Boi — his long-delayed Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty — and Andre 3000, as well as a possible new Outkast collabo.
Though he's been laying low since his VMA stage rush on Taylor Swift, it's possible Kanye West will have some new music for us this year. We know Diddy is on tap to unleash his concept dance album Last Train to Paris, and Travis McCoy is prepping his solo debut as well as a new album from Gym Class Heroes.
After promising a swan-song, three-disc set called LupE.N.D. last year, and then having second thoughts, Lupe Fiasco has reportedly been working on a CD called Lasers that could see light in 2010. Also bumped to the new year is the ninth studio album from hip-hop iron men and Jimmy Fallon house band the Roots, with How I Got Over, as well as Ludacris' Battle of the Sexes, a reported duet album with DTP home girl Shawnna.