1 / 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. Nas will let everyone know why life is so good tonight when he hits up 106 & Park tonight at 6P/5C! (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

2 / 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

3 / 11

G.O.O.D. Music, TBA - 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)

4 / 11

Frank Ocean, TBA - Frank Ocean's amazing mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, had Italian mag L'uomo Vogue crowning him the "best R&B lyricist since Prince," influenced established mega-stars like Beyoncé and Brandy and helped him land several guest spots on the album of the year, Jay-Z and Kanye's Watch the Throne. As a result, his 2012 album, by all reports in the finishing stages, will no doubt be one of the most anticipated R&B debuts in recent memory. (Photo: Island Def Jam)

5 / 11

Dr. Dre, Detox - Could it be? Is Detox really dropping in 2012? With the huge success of its single "I Need a Doctor," it appears all systems are go. Whether this is another Dre classic or rap's biggest disappointment ever won't matter — we can't wait to love it, hate it and above all, actually just listen to it. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

6 / 11

T.I., Trouble Man - T.I. promises his new album, slated for a February release, will be a return to the grimy trap music that first helped him break through. Sounds damn promising. And with his 10-month prison sentence, it's not like he won't have plenty of material to fuel the fire. (Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for AXE)

7 / 11

Kendrick Lamar, TBA - 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. (Photo: Solomon Scott / BET)

8 / 11

Tyler, the Creator, Wolf - Odd Future front man Tyler, the Creator's out-the-blue success was one of music's biggest stories last year. As one of the most unpredictable and overall weird rappers to emerge in some time, he's sure to shock and awe yet again when this album drops in May 2012. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup)

9 / 11

Janelle Monae, TBA - R&B up-and-comer Janelle Monae has vowed to release not just one, but two, albums in 2012. Her last release, The ArchAndroid, was one of the most expansive, other-wordly R&B albums in years; we can't wait to see what universes she'll take us to this time around. (Photo: Vince Bucci/PictureGroup)

10 / 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. (Photo: Def Jam)

11 / 11

50 Cent, TBA - Fif's upcoming album has been delayed for months amid accusations from the rapper that his label isn't pushing it correctly. That's an ominous sign, but his latest mixtape, The Big 10, contained some of 50's  best music in years, and definitely has us looking forward to whatever the G Unit general does next. (Photo: John Ricard / BET)