HONORABLE MENTION
Casey Veggies
TBA
Last Project: Life Changes, 2013
Vested In Culture/Epic
Casey Veggies has been photographed listening to Watch The Throne with Jay Z (before it came out), in talks with Roc Nation for a management deal (that was eventually finalized), seen gallivanting around New York City with the Sylvia Rhone (shortly after inking a solo deal with her Epic imprint), and been making some of the better rap music around (see: Life Changes). His crash course to the realm of the new school frontrunners wasn’t actually a crash course at all, it was a carefully and meticulously planned operation, and with the backing of just about everybody in the industry (including Drake, who’s featured on Veggies upcoming single, “The Boy”), it appears 2014 will not only be successful for Veggies and the album he has in store for us, but defining.
Fabolous
TBA
Last Project: The Soul Tape 3, 2013
Def Jam
Fabolous has been disappointing as of late, and whether you’d prefer to point to his superfluous use of social media or his vacillating Loso’s Way 2 release dates as the reason for his seemingly disinterested attitude concerning putting out a consistent stream of music, its a problem, especially considering a decade ago it appeared that he would be in position to become rap’s next big thing. Yet and still, there’s a market for John Jackson’s music, which has him sitting just outside the ranked realm of this list. The first single from Loso’s Way 2, “Ready”, appeared to have Fab in a position to launch a successful campaign, but no such campaign was launched, which found him releasing The Soul Tape 3 this past Christmas. The raps aren’t as impressive as they once were, and it appears a bit of the hunger has dissipated since the release of Loso’s Way in 2009, but this summer will literally make half-a-decade since Fabolous has been in stores. If New York rap could ever use a rejuvenation, we’re pretty sure no one would object to it coming from one of its perceived golden children. Here’s to a revamped Fabolous in 2014.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVN1UW38uTI
Jadakiss
Top 5, Dead Or Alive
Last Project: Consignment, 2012
Def Jam
Ironically enough, after we get done talking about the last Fabolous LP, we get to talking about Jadakiss‘ drought, that has also lasted since 2009? It’s a shame that the three of this gentlemen are all from New York, but that’s a different story for a different day. Jadakiss took the game by surprise in ’09 with his The Last Kiss album, that spawned moderately successful commercial singles, but sold over 130,000 copies in its first week on shelves, making a case that he was far from finished. Since then, ‘Kiss has released free music to the public, and even taken a stab at his Top 5, Dead Or Alive campaign with his “Big Boy Dialogue” single, featuring hit-maker The-Dream, but due to that never taking off, it appears Top 5 has once again taken a back seat. Still, we have faith that Def Jam will put this album out towards the end of this year, and it has the potential to be better than the majority of this list.
Mike Will Made It
Est. In 1989, Pt. 3
Last Project: #MikeWillBeenTrill, 2013
Interscope
In the last two years Mike Will Made It has been the man behind some of the biggest radio hits for Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Future and others. In 2014 he’s looking to be the man with all the radio hits on one album, that album his
EarDrummas and Interscope studio debut, Est. in 1989 Pt. 3 (The Album). Already counting with a major single in “23,” the album is a follow-up to his mixtape series that started three years ago.
We are sure Mike Will Made It will count with the support of all the big names he has collaborated with and even more. No set date on when the project will drop, but stay tuned with us For further details.