Wait over?

(Im)Patiently Waiting
written by JusHH

After a year with somewhere around 35,454 featured verses and mixtape songs, Lil’ Wayne is finally set to drop his highly anticipated album, Tha Carter 3 (June 10th). Having been pushed back twice already, fans of the N.O. rapper would probably give their left nu-, err, hand to get a taste of this album. Whether or not you’re a fan, all eyes will be on Weezy F. Baby. This got me thinking… what were the most anticipated albums in Hip-Hop history over the last 15 years? I managed to get it down to five. Enjoy.

5. Kanye West – Graduation, 2007; 50 Cent – Curtis, 2007

During a time when leaks and downloading have made release dates a mere suggestion, it has been hard for artists to generate any kind of anticipation. However when two of biggest stars in rap decided to release their albums on the same day (September 11th of all dates), it was on. Fans drew their lines in the sand as they chose sides. Arguments were had in magazines, blogs and barbershops across the country over who would sell the most records during the first week. For the first time in years, people were actually excited about going to the store and buying an album. This “battle” got them the cover of Rolling Stone and an entire episode of 106 & Park. And the numbers didn’t lie – Kanye West and 50 Cent albums were number 1 and 2 respectively on the billboard charts and their combined first week sales nearly reached two million.

4. Jay-Z – The Black Album, 2003

Say it ain’t so Hov? Not since Michael Jordan in ’93 did someone’s retirement hit us so hard. After nearly a decade of classic hits, the greatest rapper alive was calling it quits and providing us with his swan song, The Black Album. People were in complete disbelief at first because never before did a rapper retire, you either died or fell off. But not Jay, the trendsetters’ trendsetter decided that he wanted to leave on top and leave his fans wanting more. With a farewell tour and movie to match, this album instantly became a collector’s item. You had to have the final installment; an mp3 file just wouldn’t cut it. This album was so impactful that when Jay released the a cappella version, DJ’s around the world made their own remix album. DJ Danger Mouse actually officially release “The Grey Album” when he meshed Hov’s lyrics with the tunes off the Beatles “White Album”. Eventhough, Jay-Z’s retirement lasted only three years, we all remember the feeling when we thought that we’ve heard the last from our favorite rhyme spitter.

3. 50 Cent – Get Rich or Die Trying, 2003

For those with a bad memory, Lil’ Wanye didn’t invent the mixtape album, 50 did and in 2003 he owned Hip-Hop. His mixtapes took the streets by storm. 50 showed his great songwriting skills as many people felt that his version of other people’s hits were better than the original. His uber-gangster persona captured the masses and add that to a highly publicized beef with Ja Rule and 50’s buzz reached an all-time high. When Dr. Dre and Eminem signed him you felt it was the final piece of the puzzle and we were in for something special. The moment was so huge that XXL put the three of them on its cover and the sales of that issue catapulted them over The Source to become the #1 Hip-Hop magazine. His lead single “In The Club” became the #1 one song on the planet and anticipation for his debut album reached a frenzy. MTV did an entire special leading up to the release of Get Rich or Die Tryin’. You knew it was going to do well but no one expected the response that the album got. It spent eight weeks on top of the Billboard charts and sold over 12 million albums worldwide. 50 literally had the world saying, G-G-G-G-UNIT!!!!

2. The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death, 1997

For close to three years, Hip-Hop’s residence had a “9” in its zip code. The music was dominated by palm trees, six-fours and cut-off khakis. Then in 1994, The Notorious B.I.G. was Ready To Die and ready to remind the world that New York was still alive and kicking. He tore up the industry with his gritty, unabashed Brooklyn raps. People were ready to give him the crown and G.O.A.T discussions began getting thrown around.

When 2Pac was murdered at the height of the infamous “East Coast/ West Coast Beef”, it was B.I.G. who was left standing when the smoke cleared and all eyes were on him. His first single “Hypnotize” was a hit and everyone couldn’t wait to get their hands on the double disc. Then on March 9th, we all learned that we lost another one. On a promotional tour in California, Biggie was killed outside his album release party. Hip-Hop cried together that day because we all knew what kind of talent we all lost. Life After Death became more than just a collection of music, it became a monument of sorts. It was a final opportunity for us to hear Biggie in his own words. The album was released on Tuesday March 25, 1997 and we all flocked to the stores to get a piece of history. Life After Death sold over 10 million albums worldwide and is held as one of the greatest Hip-Hop albums of all time.

1. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggystyle, 1993

Before his eruption was sensual, before he dropped it like it was hot, even before he kicked down the buildings, Snoop was a tall skinny kid from Long Beach looking for a deal. Dr. Dre immediately falls in love with Snoop’s swagger and silky smooth delivery and immediately signs him to Death Row. We were introduced to Snoop on “Deep Cover” back in 1991 and we all realized what Dre saw in him. The following year, Dr. Dre loaded up on West Coast talent for his debut solo album and Hip-Hop classic, The Chronic. If Dre was a basketball coach, then Snoop was undoubtedly his Michael Jordan. With timeless performances on “Dre Day” and “Nuttin’ But a G Thang”, he was the biggest and brightest star in Hip-Hop. The announcement of Snoop’s solo album might as well been on the front page of the New York Times and with a title like Doggystyle, the buzz was reaching a fever pitch. When Doggystyle was finally released in November of 1993 it set all kinds of records. The 800,000+ first week sales made the album the fastest selling rap album at the time and the highest for any US artist’s debut. It was the first debut album in history to enter the Billboard charts at #1. For the time surrounding the release of this album, it was like nothing else existed. From coast-to-coast Hip-Hop held its breath in anticipation of this album and Snoop had us all toasting with our Styrofoam cups filled with that Gin & Juice.