12 Most Anticipated Albums of 2012
Don't miss Kendrick's new joint tonight on 106 & Park!
1 / 11
Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, Mad City - Dr. Dre, Game and Snoop Dogg "passed the torch" to Compton upstart Kendrick Lamar at a show in August, and with his stunningly beautiful Section.80, one of the best albums of 2011, it's easy to see why. With their co-sign and the West Coast behind him, Kendrick looks poised to go big on his next release. Don't miss Kendrick's new joint "The Recipe" featuring Dr. Dre. (Photo: Solomon Scott / BET)
2 / 11
Nas, Life Is Good - If Nas' 10th studio album, Life Is Good, sounds anything like the ice-grilling throwback lead single, "Nasty," fans of grimy, golden-age East Coast hip hop are in for a real treat. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
3 / 11
Big K.R.I.T., Live From the Underground - This Mississippi MC-producer's two mixtapes, K.R.I.T. Wuz Here and Return of 4Eva, were better crafted and more thoughtful than most recent rap albums. As long as K.R.I.T. doesn't stray too far from his soulful, Dungeon Family 2.0 sound, we expect his major label debut to be even better.Don't miss Big K.R.I.T.'s new joint, "I Got This" tonight at 6P/5C only on 106 & Park!(Photo: Def Jam)
4 / 11
Rick Ross, God Forgives, I Don't - Don't look now: Rawse has not-so-quietly become hip hop's most consistently dope artist and entrepreneur in the past few years. Even with the health scare that postponed this album, which was originally slated to drop last month, we don't expect that to change with God Forgives, I Don't. (Photo: John Ricard / BET)
Photo By Photo: John Ricard/BET
5 / 11
G.O.O.D. Music, Cruel Summer - With John Legend, Common, Big Sean, Kid Cudi, Pusha T and more on board, and Kanye West in the captain's seat, this compilation album from one of rap's most power-packed labels is too big to fail. (Photo: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for VEVO)
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