Coming Soon - The Future of Hip Hop 2007

XXL recently posted a list of the "Top 10 Most Anticipated Albums of 2007" with a blog review explaining why the future of hip hop is bleak. Sometimes its tough to be optimistic, but looking at their list, you can see why they wouldn't be. Here's my own revised list of top 10 albums to anticipate this year, for hip hop/rap: 10 - Saigon - I won't front or lie on this one. I don't know what to expect but have heard word from others that this guy's gonna blow up the scene with his album. But we know in the hip hop game its always hit or miss, depending on production..you can be the craziest lyricist out there and get lousy beats that just dont work, making your 1st effort a failure..Nonetheless he's anticipated off great microphone skill to bring us a dope album.. 9 - Papoose - More of the same as #10, both guys are two of the hottest new emcees in the rap game. Papoose gets the edge lyrically, after dropping solid mixtapes and a hot to death verse on "Where It All Started" off Hi-Teknology 2 by Hi-Tek. Papoose offers much anticipated wordplay and rap skills.. 8 - TI - King is considered another top album from 2006, and TI gave several tracks to ride to or bump to on it. Expect more of the same from the King of the south.. 7 - Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II - Raekwon's original album is a hip hop classic, still bumped all across the US and elsewhere. If Rae's hookup with super-producer Dr. Dre and the original man behind Wu, RZA work out right, this is definitely a top release of 2007..Raekwon failed on his last try to follow up his amazing debut, but Wu's got the formula for success, not to mention about 10-20 guests at their disposal who can bring skills on any track.. 6- Lupe Fiasco - I'd put him much higher on the list, except for the fact we almost know we can expect hotness and the other albums are more anticipated such as Wu or 50, who haven't blessed the rap game in a while..Lupe brought out probably the top album of 2006 in Mainstream Hip Hop and has a promising future ahead, in terms of his rap career, production, skateboarding teams and collecting cool robot memorabilia..Expect another top notch release here.. 5 - 50 Cent - Been a while since the original G-Unit gangsta has dropped something of his own on the game (pun intended) This time its personal, 50 has to answer to the album The Game released which was a near classic and definitely one of the top albums of 2006. 50 will be staking the G-Unit rep on this one, so that makes it anticipated.. 4 - Lil Wayne - Have heard alot of hype and good things about this one. Claims that the production is on the level of the Game's last cd which was solid overall. Also the claims from Lil Wayne himself that he's better than Jay-Z. Thats a tough comparison to make, if Wayne backs it up, this one's worth having in your collection. 3- Wu Tang Clan - The 8th Sign - You gotta bank on the creativity of Wu Tang to churn out a pretty solid album. RZA says it was tough to get everyone together to even talk about this and due to money situations its not always easy to pay for everyone. But they claim they will revitalize Hip Hop this summer with another Wu Banga.. 2 - Kanye West - Graudation - Kanye just keeps elevating his game. The production he's had on recent albums such as Game, Nas and Lupe Fiasco is on a futuristic level, showing Kanye has even more in his bag of tricks..His rhyme skills keep improving as well, and he's got the pull to get those hot guest verses..Kanye should be graduating to a whole nother level with this one, so stay tun 1 - Common - Finding Forever - He and Kanye are interchangeable up here. Since Common's the more skilled rapper & has Kanye producing him plus had a smash classic album in "Be" last year, it only makes sense this should be up here. Common has always been one of the best emcees in the game, just underrated and at times un-noticed. But with last year's success, his recent movie roles and Gap commercials, he's only become more known to mainstream hip hop heads as well..