Although 2023 just got here, music enthusiasts are already plotting who will be the biggest artists of the year. Last year, in hip-hop and r&b, many big named artists put out successful projects including, Beyoncé’s Renaissance, Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, SZA’s SOS, Future’s I NEVER LIKED YOU, Drake and 21 Savage’s joint project Her Loss and so many more. Below we compiled a list of artists who we think could drop an album this year and potentially take over 2023. Check out the list below:
Cardi B
ShareCardi B has been teasing her sophomore album for quite a while now. After having a fiery verse on GloRilla's "Tomorrow 2" Bardi Gang is hungry for more. Last year, she opened up to explain why there was a delay in her next project. "I’m just a mom and I do have anxiety," she said. "I’ve been having a lot of anxiety, because I know right after I drop my album, I have to go out on tour and I have bad separation anxiety from my kids." She added, "Sometimes you just don’t want to do something that gives you that much anxiety, so I just be like freezing myself. But I have to let that go, I have to release more music. I have to just go out there." The Bronx rapper recently sparked some album excitement as a mysterious Instagram account with the handle @albumc2 appeared only follows Cardi. The account also started reposting photos of the Bronx native in the studio which only added fuel to the rumor mill.
Frank Ocean
ShareFrank was named as a headliner for Coachella 2023 and while that necessarily doesn't mean new music from the 'Blonde' singer, we surely hope there is a possibility. He is giving fans some hope when a cryptic message began floating on social media of him promoting a "Blonded Merch Sale." In the cryptic message per Complex, he refers to himself as "the recording artist" and that he is looking into ditching the strategy of only producing singles in the future. "The Recording Artist has since changed his mind about the singles model, and is again interested in more durational bodies of work," the statement read. Hopefully, this means that Frank will be releasing this body of work this year.
Rihanna
Share2022 was Rihanna's official return to music with singles "Lift Me Up" and "Born Again" which were both featured on the 'Black Panther' sequel 'Wakanda Forever' soundtrack. Now, in 2023, RiRi will be the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show headliner, and what better way to announce an official album than on the world's biggest stage. After her Super Bowl announcement, she spoke to The Associated Press where she noted that she "needs to get to work" on 'R9.' Hopefully, that is sometime this year.
A$AP Rocky
ShareA$AP Rocky dropped two lead singles last year "D.M.B." and "S---tin On Me." He also made a guest appearance on Metro Boomin's "Feel The Fiyaaaah" with Takeoff from his 'Heroes & Villains' album. Now in 2023, A$AP might finally be dropping a full-length project. The Harlem native's LP is reportedly titled 'Don’t Be Dumb' and will feature Miguel, Tyler, The Creator, Lil Yachty, and Thundercat according to a recent interview per HipHopDX. "It’s finished and we just putting the finishing touches on it. It’s coming for sure," he promised. No word on an official date but hopefully it will end in "2023."
Summer Walker
ShareAward season for a Summer Walker fan is quite unbearable. Although the singer is nominated for a Grammy for her work on Kendrick Lamar's 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers,' she rarely gets the recognition she has very much so earned. With that being said, Walker has decided that she is forgetting about receiving accolades and is going back to her roots; soul music. "Now that I know these award shows gone play me [regardless] ima go back to making the soul music I love," the 'Still Over It' singer wrote to her Instagram Story back in November, per HotNewHipHop. Regardless of what kind of music Summer decides to put out, we're positive that it'll be worth the listen.
J. Cole
Share2023 might be a Cole World. The North Carolina-bred rapper stirred up some excitement in fans when he cleared his Instagram account. Deleting or archiving all Instagram photos is often a tactic deployed by artists when they are dropping new music. It's possible that we will see Cole's 'It's A Boy' album which he previously teased before dropping his 2021 release of 'The Off-Season.' In the photo previously uploaded to social media, the rapper wrote down in descending order what is expected to drop in his "Fall Off Era." The sheet of paper read "Features," and 'ROTD3' in reference to his compilation album project 'Revenge of the Dreamers III' with his Dreamville signees. 'ROTD3' was followed by 'The Off-Season' on the sheet then "It's A Boy' and lastly 'The Fall Off' which seemingly could be the title of the rapper's last project. It remains unclear whether the project will be Cole's seventh studio album or a mixtape. There have been no tracklist or possible release dates announced but Cole's birthday arrives on January 28 and would be a fitting title for this potential project.
Nicki Minaj
ShareThe Barbz have been waiting on Nicki's fifth studio album for quite some time now. The rapper announced back in November 2022 that the follow-up to her 2018 'Queen' LP is on the way. "The fifth album," she told i-D mag when they asked what is in the works for the near future. "I'm not gonna say when it’s gonna come out, but the album will be out soon." Hopefully, "soon" means 2023, because Nicki we are ready.
Gunna
ShareFollowing his No. 1 album 'ds4ever' and his newfound freedom after he pleaded guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge, Gunna is ready to drop new music. The Georgia native teased a comeback on Instagram sharing a photo with him next to a microphone seven months after being released from Fulton County Jail. Although no official word on whether it be an album, EP, or just a song, we are looking forward to what's next for the rapper and are positive he has a lot to say.
Doja Cat
ShareDoja Cat had a pretty quiet 2022 after the success of her 2021 Grammy-winning album 'Planet Her.' We don't mind Doja staying lowkey if that means that she will be gearing up for her next project which she already spilled is in the near future. "We just have so many ideas and making those ideas consistent is the challenge right now," she told CR Fashion Book back in September 2022. "I can’t really tell much. I just know there’s a lot going on."
Travis Scott
ShareAfter the horrific tragedy of Astroworld back in 2o21, Travis Scott has been slowly making his way back to music. He released several songs since the tragedy but fans of Cactus Jack are still awaiting his official return with a new project. Back in August, he teased that his fourth studio album 'Utopia' was underway. “I’ll be back when it’s album time,” the rapper tweeted after a London appearance. Back in April, billboards all over Los Angles appeared promoting the album reading, "Looking for UTOPIA?," "PSST…..," "WRONG WAY" and another with the logo for Scott’s Cactus Jack brand. Hopefully, in 2023 we will finally be able to hear 'Utopia.'
Beyoncé
ShareAlthough we are still awaiting the visuals for the first act of 'Renaissance,' the Beyhive would gladly accept the second -- and the third act-- for being oh-so patient. Before 'Renaissance' was released, Beyoncé posted a statement on her official site that 'Renaissance' was a trilogy. "This three-act project was recorded over three years during the pandemic. A time to be still, but also a time I found to be the most creative," Beyoncé wrote at the time. "Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world." Back in November, New York Times‘ pop culture reporter Kyle Buchanan tweeted some possible entail of the final two acts of 'Renaissance.' "Before Twitter goes down, instead of making you follow me somewhere else, I’ll just tell you what I’ve heard about the other 2 acts of Beyonce’s 3-part ‘Renaissance’ project," the reporter wrote. "(2nd act is an acoustic album, 3rd act is a collaboration with Jay-Z)." If this third act comes to fruition, it would be the second time Beyoncé and Jay-Z have created a joint album together. Their album Everything Is Love debuted in 2018.