2024 will go down as one of the most defining years in Hip Hop history.
Kendrick Lamar went to war with Drake (and briefly J. Cole). Kanye West, The Weeknd, Future, Metro Boomin, Rick Ross and A$AP Rocky also chose violence against the 6 God. And 50 Cent continued to be the internet’s biggest menace (just ask Diddy).
Beef disrupted Hip Hop in a way not seen since Nas declared the genre “dead” in 2006 or Kendrick’s “Control” verse shook up the game in 2013. The fallout led to a chart-topping diss track featuring accusations of pedophilia, a polarizing apology live on stage, and even more unprecedented legal filings that have the potential to topple the music industry as we know it.
Oh, and there was some good music released too.
Some of Hip Hop’s biggest names dropped albums in 2024 — from Eminem, Kendrick, Future (three times) and Kanye West (twice) to Tyler, The Creator, 21 Savage, J. Cole and Megan Thee Stallion. GloRilla, ScHoolboy Q, Doechii, Vince Staples, Common, Rapsody, LL Cool J and more also blessed listeners with solid projects.
But such is the nature of the beast, eyes are already on what’s next. As an especially eventful year winds down, HipHopDX looks ahead to see which albums fans can look forward to and how Hip Hop might shape up in 2025. New stars will be crowned, legends will return and the storylines that dominated 2024 will no doubt continue to unfold.
Here are the 10 most anticipated rap albums of 2025.
J. Cole — The Fall Off
J. Cole has previously hinted that The Fall Off would be his final album and speculation has only been fueled by the news that next year’s Dreamville Festival will be its last dance. However, it’s hard to see an MC as pure as Cole, who has frequently spoken about his love of writing rhymes, hanging up the microphone for good — even though he is about to graduate to elder statesman status when he turns 40 next summer. A reconciliation with Kendrick Lamar would be welcomed.
Cardi B — TBA
When she hasn’t been publicly rowing with her estranged husband Offset or trading subliminal jabs with her female rap rivals, Cardi B has been steadily putting together the long-awaited follow-up to her record-breaking debut album, Invasion of Privacy. The last 18 months have produced a handful of potential singles (“Bongos,” “Enough,” “Like What”) and Cardi has frequently mentioned that she is hard at work on the project, though her third pregnancy this past September may have delayed its release. The Bronx bombshell has promised that 2025 will finally be the year her fans get a new album from her, but there’s an equally good chance that she’ll appear on this same list in 12 months’ time.
A$AP Rocky — Don’t Be Dumb
A$AP Rocky knows how to keep his fans waiting. First announced in 2023 and teased throughout 2024, Don’t Be Dumb was scheduled to arrive in August before it was delayed at the last minute, with Pretty Flacko blaming leaks (though it’s possible that the tepid reception to its early singles is also part of the reason). While the album — his first in seven years — has since been pushed back to early 2025, its fate may rest on the outcome of Rocky’s felony assault trial which is due to begin in January.
Kanye West — Bully
While his 2024 has been defined by more outlandish and offensive comments, as well as his two Vultures projects with Ty Dolla $ign, Kanye West appears to have been moving in a different direction as the year has wound down. He’s reportedly been working solo in Japan on material more reminiscent of what fans affectionately term the “old Kanye,” raising hope that his next solo album — presently titled Bully — will be the one to restore the pioneering musician to his former glory.
Young Thug — TBA
Many probably already expected Young Thug to have dropped new music by now considering he has been out of jail for over a month, but the usually prolific rapper has been quiet since he pleaded his way out his long-running YSL RICO case. Do not expect that trend to continue into 2025, though, with a Thugger album high on every Hip Hop fan’s wishlist going into the new year. What the Slime Season stylist will rap about is an intriguing prospect as his lengthy probation strictly prohibits him from making any references to the street lifestyle in his music.
Clipse — Let God Sort Em Out
15 years in the making, a Clipse reunion is something many never thought would come after Malice found God. Fans have been treated to mini-reunions on Kanye West’s Jesus is King, BAPE founder Nigo’s I Know Nigo! and Pusha T‘s own It’s Almost Dry, but 2025 will see the release of the first album from the brothers Thornton since 2009. Described by the duo as “the true evolution of the Clipse,” Let God Sort Em Out is produced entirely by Pharrell (who else?) and expected to feature appearances from the likes of Nas and John Legend.
Lil Wayne — Tha Carter VI
Lil Wayne is not the behemoth that he once was, but a recent string of justifiably acclaimed guest verses has proved that the New Orleans legend is something of a dormant volcano. Back in September, Weezy gave an update on the long-awaited sixth installment in his flagship Tha Carter series and revealed that he was still working on it. But with Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show bringing renewed attention to his legacy and a potential Hot Boys tour (and possibly even an album) on the horizon, what better time for Tunechi to finally unleash Tha Carter VI?
Baby Keem — Child With Wolves
Kendrick Lamar’s pgLang protégé began 2024 by teasing the release of Child With Wolves, the follow-up to his 2021 breakthrough album The Melodic Blue. Since then, Baby Keem has largely gone quiet, though Drake did accuse him of ghostwriting for his big cousin on “Family Matters.” The 24-year-old is one of the few new rappers to have legitimate superstar potential so it will be interesting to see if he can replicate and build upon the success of the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning “Family Ties.”
Mac Miller — Balloonerism
Posthumous albums in Hip Hop rarely add much to an artist’s legacy, but Mac Miller‘s Circles is the project that bucked that trend. Five years later and Balloonerism will be the late rapper’s second posthumous release following his tragic death in 2018. Originally recorded by Mac around 2013/2014, the album was set aside for other projects but his family have now decided to give it an official release on January 17 — two days before what would’ve been Malcolm McCormick’s 33rd birthday.
Nas & DJ Premier — TBA
Rap heads got a welcome surprise earlier this year when Nas dropped “Define My Name” in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Illmatic. The single was accompanied by the announcement that Esco and DJ Premier would be joining forces for a collaborative album, an almost mythical project that was first teased almost 20 years ago. While the Queensbridge MC has formed a potent partnership with Hit-Boy in recent years, there’s hope that the duo who gave us classics such as “N.Y. State of Mind,” “Nas Is Like” and “2nd Childhood” can produce more magic in 2025.
Albums we’re also looking forward to in 2025…
• Travis Scott — TBA
• Drake — TBA
• Nicki Minaj — TBA
• Lil Baby — WHAM (Who Hard As Me) + Dominique
• Lil Durk — Deep Thoughts
• Isaiah Rashad — TBA
• Freddie Gibbs & Madlib — Montana
• JID & Metro Boomin — TBA
• Chance The Rapper — Star Line
• The Roots — End Game
• The Game — The Documentary 3
• Griselda — WWCD 2
• Central Cee — Can’t Rush Greatness
• Jay Rock — TBA
• Big Sean & The Alchemist — TBA
• T.I. — Kill the King / Kiss the King
• Busta Rhymes — Dragon Season
• Saba & No ID — From the Private Collection of Saba & No ID
