Take a deep breathe of that cool, fresh air. Summer came, and it was awesome, but it's time for fall and all the wonderful things that come with it. Sure, hoodie season and Halloween come to mind, but to keep it real, we're more stoked on new music and huge tours from some of our favorite artists.
It's been a great year for hip-hop releases, with quality projects consistently dropping. It's crazy to think that Dr. Dre actually dropped an album in 2015, but there's more excitement to come. With releases from Mac Miller, Jay Rock, and The Game supposedly releasing this month alone, it's safe to say that we have a lot to look forward to in these last few months of the year.
Here's our fall preview, showcasing some music and tours that we're looking forward to before 2015 is up.
Mac Miller's "GO:OD A.M." Album + Tour
After a couple mixtape releases, Mac Miller is about to release his third studio album GO:OD A.M. The LP is slated for a September 18 release, and will be Mac's first on Warner Bros. We've already heard "100 Grandkids" and "Break The Law," and so far it's sounding great. We can't wait for the rest of the record to come out, but for now, we have those two tracks on repeat.
We'll also throw Mac's "GO:OD AM" tour in here for good measure-- he'll be kicking it off on September 18th, and he'll be touring well into December.
Jay Rock's "90059" Album
Top Dawg Entertainment has been at the top of the rap game for the past few years. After quality LPs from Ab-Soul, ScHoolboy Q, and Kendrick Lamar, it's Jay Rock's turn to prove why he's a prominent member of Black Hippy and arguably the dopest label of this decade.
The tracks that have dropped leading up to this album have been great, and with an unreleased Black Hippy posse cut and a feature from Busta Rhymes, we're super-hyped on this 11-track LP. After numerous false alarms, the album finally appears to have set a date of September 11th.
Ty Dolla $ign's "Free TC" Album
Pre-orders for Ty Dolla $ign's debut full-length will launch on Friday, with an unknown release date sometime in the near future. Free TC was originally expected to drop in June, and has since been pushed back, but the drop of pre-orders is great news to us. Be sure to look out for that on iTunes this Friday, and don't be afraid to make the purchase if you want to hear the full thing sooner than later.
Fetty Wap's Debut Full-Length
The hip hop world hasn't been quite the same since "Trap Queen" dropped, and Fetty Wap has slowly become one of the more buzzing artists of the year. His self-titled LP is expected to drop on September 25th and will apparently feature tracks like the Drake-assisted "My Way," "679" with his Remy Boyz crew, and the #1 single "Trap Queen." We can't wait to hear some new tracks from the New Jersey native, and find out if there are more "Trap Queen"-like bangers in store.
The Game's "Documentary 2" Album
It's been over ten years since The Game dropped his phenomenal debut studio album The Documentary. The then-G-Unit member would skyrocket to prominence thanks to tracks like "Hate It Or Love It" and the Kanye West-produced "Dreams."
He's always kept himself busy since becoming a certified rap star, dropping mad albums and mixtapes, along with popping up with features on recent projects like Compton and LOS.FM 2. Will The Documentary 2 match up to the original? We'll find out on September 25th, assuming there are no pushbacks.
Kirk Knight's "Late Knight Special" Album
If you've been following Joey Bada$$ and the Pro Era movement, then you already know about Kirk Knight. If you're not familiar with the NYC MC, it may be time to get acquainted.
Kirk's debut album Late Knight Special will be released October 30th on Pro Era/Cinematic Music. As one of hip-hop's rising stars, we definitely recommend you check out the release when it comes time.
Young Jeezy's Album
On November 13th, Young Jeezy will drop his eighth studio album. Over the past fifteen years, the Atlanta-based rapper has become one of the biggest names in hip hop, and his new track "God" proof that he still has some creative juices left in the tank. Hopefully the rest of the album will match up to its lead single.
The Underachievers' "Evermore" Album
On September 25th, The Underachievers will drop their sophomore full-length album on Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder label. The release will boast fifteen new tracks from the lyrical Brooklyn duo, including recent drops like "Allusions." It'll also be accompanied by a tour.
TBA Albums
It's already been a late-summer with albums from The Weeknd and Travi$ Scott, and September appears to be very promising with the aforementioned albums from Mac Miller, Ty Dolla Sign, Fetty Wap, and The Game. But there are still a handful of releases we can expect (or at least hope) to see released before 2015 comes to a close.
Drake (Views From The Six), Kanye West (SWISH), Rihanna (R8), and GZA are just a handful of artists who may drop a project in the next few months. Hopefully we see the majority of these in-the-works and rumored projects come to fruition!
A$AP Rocky, Tyler The Creator, Danny Brown, and Vince Staples are hitting the road.
As far as fall tours go, this is the blockbuster of them all. The Cali-New-York connection is strong with A$AP Rocky and Tyler The Creator heading out on the Rocky and Tyler Tour, and as if that wasn't big enough, Danny Brown and Vince Staples are coming along for the ride. Hopefully we see a ton of collaborations come out of this, both on wax and live in concert. Full list of dates here.
The Weeknd and Travi$ Scott's Upcoming Tour
R&B superstar Abel Tesfaye is taking over the airwaives and the blogosphere, and he has his eyes set on the rest of America. With twenty dates alongside Travi$ Scott, and some dates with Banks and Halsey, The Madness Fall Tour should be a wild time. The tour starts on November 3rd in Toronto before hitting numerous spots in the NYC area and making its way down south to Miami for a grand finale. Go tell your friends about it.
Joey Bada$$' World Domination: Phase 3 Tour
That isn't just cheeky journalism; the tour is actually called World Domination. Joey Bada$$ basically has dates booked from now until early December, hitting multiple countries and states in the US to promote his brand of 90s revival rap. Denzel Curry and Bishop Nehru will support for the Phase 3: Beastcoast Takeover, which touches down in Mexico, Canada and Australia before heading back to the States. Then Joey B. will skip the pond again to perform in England, France, Netherlands, and much more. Full list of dates here.
Big K.R.I.T.'s Kritically Acclaimed Tour
If you've never seen K.R.I.T. live, you shouldn't sleep on his fall tour. The 38-city trek is hitting most major markets in the US, and the producer/rapper will definitely impress you in the concert setting as he continues to ride high off 2014's Cadillactica. We can't lie though, we're also hoping a new full-length album might be on deck. Check out the tour dates here.
Powerhouse 2015 in Brooklyn, NY
If you're in the tri-state area, you might not want to miss this one. Kendrick Lamar will headline the Powerhouse 105.1 annual event with Meek Mill, Fetty Wap, Future, Big Sean, and many more. It all takes place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. For tickets and more information, head over to the Barclays Center's official site.
A3C Festival & Conference
Atlanta, Georgia has been a hotbed of hip-hop for a couple decades now, but recently we've seen a great surge of artists come out of the city. The A3C Festival and Conference takes place in downtown Atlanta, and the four-day event promises, "keynote speakers, panels, workshops, demos, interviews, screenings, mixers and exhibits featuring over 150 Hip-Hop industry experts, academics and influencers."
Season 2 of "Empire"
While we focus almost exclusively on music, we love ourselves some TV too. "Empire" had a strong first season, and as much of a soap opera as it might be, we admittedly cannot wait to see what happens with Lucious Lyon and family in season two, come September 23rd. The second season lined up some strong guest appearances too, including (reportedly) from Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Common and Oprah. We're sure there will be plenty of surprises along the way too.