Top 10 Most Anticipated Hip-Hop Releases of 2021

The hip-hop release clock never stops. New music is constantly being pushed up, pushed back, re-released, and updated. However, at the end of the year it is always fun to look at what we were supposed to get in the year prior and speculate, based on industry rumors, what we will be getting in the following year. We are still two days away from this God awful year ending, yet we have about fifty projects rumored to be releasing next year. In an age where promotion seemingly only lasts about two weeks, it’s kind of crazy to see how many people are already putting it out there that an album is down the pipe. 

I have to try and limit myself a little on this article or I will literally be here for the next eight hours theorizing about albums that will never come out, let alone in the next twelve months. This list will be limited to ten unranked entries. I am stoked for all of these projects to be released and with any luck we will get all of them, though if I have a hit rate of 75% I will be more than pleased with myself. So without further ado, let's talk about some rumors that may or may not be well substantiated. 

Kendrick Lamar

I swear, this man is determined to just make all of his fans faint with anticipation. DAMN. was a bit of a let down for many fans. It was a lovely album but nothing was ever going to be able to follow what he did on To Pimp A Butterfly. That being said, Kendrick is easily one of the most lyrically gifted artists of the generation and has an argument for top ten hip-hop artists of all time. Because of this, fans will always be craving a new album. Typically Kendrick’s album cycle goes between two-and-a-half and three years, so we are officially overdue for a new project. What makes this whole thing worse is that Top Dawg refuses to let us not be hype 24/7 for this thing by talking about how the release is coming “soon.” None of us actually believe Anthony Tiffith, and yet we all want to.

J. Cole

How long ago did “1985 (Intro to The Fall Off)” come out? That’s how long we have been waiting for this freaking album. Obviously there was a delay with the making of Revenge of the Dreamers 3 and he does basically run a whole record label, but considering he teased this album back in 2018, I feel like it's reasonable for us to expect an album.

Drake

How will Drake follow up his past couple of projects? Scorpion came out amidst Drake taking an ass-whooping from Pusha T in a beef, not to mention the mixed reviews it received, while Dark Lane Demo Tapes should honestly just not count. It was released because any Drake music will get streams and frankly it was a bit beneath him. It felt like a bunch of demo tracks. That all being said, Drake releasing music is always an event and he is a supremely talented artist who makes some genuinely entertaining music. The name Certified Lover Boy does not instill confidence, but personally I am pulling for Drake to release his first really solid project since Views. 

Pusha T

Well, it feels like it probably won’t happen, but the rumor has it that King Push is finally being released in March. I have zero faith that’s what the album will actually end up being called, but new Pusha T music will always be a welcome joy in my life. We haven’t heard from Push musically since Daytona. Hopefully we get a longer project this time around and that Push will continue to be on top of his game. 

Kid Cudi

Kid Cudi just released an album not too long ago, however, fans are still waiting for the release of Entergalactic. We know Cudi was working on the album prior to the pivot towards making a new Man on the Moon, however we also have no idea how far along Scott got with the song based off the track from his first Man on the Moon album. This all being said it could be a very busy year for the space traveler because…

THE SCOTTS

THE SCOTTS (if you don’t already know) is the rap group duo comprised of Kid Cudi and Travis Scott. The two released one song this past year and blew up. The combination is natural, and we have heard the two collaborate on songs prior in their careers. The album is rumored to be releasing later into the year but with the slow work rate of Travis and the busy schedule of Cudi, the odds of this album actually coming out this year don’t feel super high. We can hope though right?

Travis Scott

We come full circle. Travis Scott teased his fourth studio album on Twitter and Instagram dating as far back as August of this year. The album is supposedly called Utopia, though the only info we have on release is the message Travis sent out saying “See you in 2021.” I see this album coming out in 2021 as significantly more likely than THE SCOTTS coming out however, so that's exciting. New Travis Scott music is sure to be somewhat of an event if we actually do get the album this coming year. 

6lack

We got a taste of some new 6lack on the posse album Spilligion and it left a lot of fans wanting more. In theory 6lack has been working on new music since his last releases, East Atlanta Love Letter and 6pc Hot, so hopefully a new album is on the way. No one makes better chill hip-hop/R&B crossover music than 6lack and a new project would be the perfect salve to what this year was. 

Cardi B

Cardi B barely released any music this year and still managed to maintain headlines throughout the year with “WAP.” The only full length release we have from her is her debut album which came out way back in 2018. Invasion of Privacy was a critically acclaimed album and it should be about time for Cardi to be back on the release train. 

Kanye West

No anticipated album list would be complete without a Kanye West entry. The rumor has been that the album is called Donda: With Child. We know so very little about this album other than that it was supposed to come out back in July, that “Nah Nah Nah” may or may not be on the album, it will probably be a clean album, and that Consequence said it was “fire”. I have no idea what any of this means. Kanye West is a fortune cookie that once you crack open a volcano of enigmas come rushing out at you like locusts from hell. I do hope we get a non-gospel album out of Kanye. I unapologetically love the man’s music and was so disappointed by the last project, I just want more great music. That being said this album will probably be scrapped in June with a completely different album being released in September on four days notice. 

There is so much great music rumored to be coming out in the next year and while these are the highlights for me personally, there are five to ten other projects I can't wait for that supposedly will be coming out. The cycle never really stops and there is nothing in this world that makes me happier. When all else fails, we have new hip-hop music.