Hip-Hop Jumps Into June

The temperature is quickly rising and so is the number of hip-hop albums. After a quiet May, with the exception of Distant Relatives, hip-hop seems to be ready to make an explosion with a month filled with releases. Here's a look at the upcoming releases this month that you should be on the watch for:

Thank Me Later
Artist: Drake
Label: Young Money
Release Date: June 15th

- Drake will kick off the summer months with his debut album, Thank Me Later. Drake became incredibly successful after his mixtape, So Far Gone, produced the hit "Best I Ever Had" last year. Although Drake achieved a great deal of notoriety with So Far Gone, many have began to question how he can be taken as an MC seriously because of his love for R&B. To me, this makes Drake's debut even more interesting to check out. Which side of Drake will we see? The one that can be extremely strong lyrically when focused, or the one that wants to appease to the female crowd and produce pop hits? With this being his debut album as well, Drake will need to be inspired to sway critics. Still, it should be an album that many will have playing in their stereos for weeks on end.

Recovery
Artist: Eminem
Label: Interscope
Release Date: June 22nd

- So now that Eminem has gone into Relapse, he needs a Recovery. This will be Eminem's sixth studio album, and there's no doubt it will sell incredibly well. It's strange that Eminem is releasing the album on June 18th in Europe and waiting to release until June 22nd in the U.S., and it's a decision that could hurt him. It won't be a surprise if this one is leaked because of the early release date in other countries. "Not Afraid" was release back in April as the first single of the album and it may excite, or worry you. It might be refreshing to see a change in Eminem to where he doesn't hate his life as much, but that's also what made him so good. Will a well-behaved Slim Shady work? Everybody will be listening in just a few weeks.

How I Got Over
Artist: The Roots
Label: Def Jam
Release Date: June 22nd

- After a two-year hiatus and becoming the late night band for Jimmy Falon, The Roots are back. Just as Eminem's latest may not be as dark as previous albums, so is The Roots'. Game Theory (2006) and Rising Down (2008) were both critically acclaimed, praised for each of the album's deeper meanings and political messages. Roots' fans shouldn't be worried though, because they've been very consistent through their career. The first single "How I Got Over" was released last year and it sounds just as fresh today. There should be much to look forward to in The Roots' new release and it may just be your cure for how to get over the mainstream airwaves.

Success & Failure
Artist: Chingy
Label: Real Talk Entertainment
Release Date: June 22nd

- If you aren't too concerned with what an MC raps about, than Chingy's latest may just be a success. The man who made "Balla Baby", "Right Thurr" and "Pullin' Me Back" returns with his latest this month. This is his first release in three years and Chingy has fallen off a little bit. Success & Failure could be his chance to try and re-create the noise he made early in his career. I've checked out the first single "Iced Out" and it's a great tune to bump to; I just won't be hailing it as a work of art anytime soon. You may want to listen to this album through before considering a purchase.

Other albums dropping this month:

Lil Jon - Crunk Rock (June 8th)
Plies - Goon Affiliated (June 8th)
Crooked I - Hood Star (June 15th)
Juelz Santana - Born to Lose, Built to Win (June 15th)
Curren$y - Pilot Talk (June 15th)
Grits - Quarantine (June 22nd)
Chamillionaire - Venom (June 22nd; there is still a lot of unconfirmed information so a possible delay is likely)
Paul Wall - Heart of a Champion (June 29th; most of the production done by Travis Barker, should be pretty creative)