Top 5 Upcoming Hip Hop Albums of Fall 2009

The hip hop industry has a lot left in store for the Fall of 2009. Some of the greatest hip hop artists have huge album releases upcoming this season. The genre is constantly evolving and new styles to the music emerge when you least expect it. Here are the top 5 upcoming hip hop album release dates for 2009.
Release dates are subject to change.

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers - Release Date: December, 2009

Lupe Fiasco has garnered much attention with his emphasis on the lyrical side of rap, a definite deviation from much of the mainstream rap today. He has been called a "breath of fresh air" by rapper Jay-Z, one of the many artists who praise his style, which is very reminiscent of the lyricism-focused rap of the 1990s.

Lupe Fiasco now plans to release his third (and formerly his final) album, Lasers, which is actually a triple-album considering that it will consist of three discs. The single "Shining Down" has already been released on July 7^th, 2009. Lasers will feature Matthew Santos as a collaboration and will be released in December, 2009.

Snoop Dogg - Malice in Wonderland - Release Date: November, 2009

Snoop Dogg emerged out of the 90s as one of the greatest hip hop artists alive and has heavily impacted pop culture in more ways than just his simple catchphrase "-izzle."

Snoop's most recent album, Ego Trippin', debuted on the US Billboard 200 Chart and has sold over half a million copies worldwide. Malice in Wonderland will be Snoop Dogg's tenth and latest studio album. It will feature guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Pharrel, and others, and will be under Doggystyle Records and MTV.

Ludacris - Cineplex - Release Date: TBA 2009

Ludacris is the highest selling Southern hip hop artist of all time, with a record of 24 million records sold globally. He has won numerous awards, has starred in several television shows, and also acted in feature-length movies, such as Crash.

Ludacris now plans to release his new album, Cineplex, which has been stated to be the sequel to his last album, The Theater of the Mind. It will feature guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Katt Williams, Nelly, Ne-Yo, Kanye West, and many others.

50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct - Release Date: September 29th^th, 2009

Quite simply, 50 Cent is one of the world's highest paid rappers. His two albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' and The Massacare have both received multi-platinum positions. To date, 50 Cent has starred in several movies and has been featured in two video games, 50 Cent: Bulletproof and 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand.

Now the rapper is about to release his fourth studio album and his final solo release under Interscope Records, Before I Self Destruct. He has stated to MTV that it will be "darker" and more "aggressive" than his last album. He has also said that he intends it to be of a different musical concept and that his future music will follow a similar theme. Before I Self Destruct is slated to hit the stores on Septermber 29^th, 2009.

The Game - The R.E.D. Album - Release Date: Nov-Dec 2009

The Game has propelled gangsta rap to new heights and has been considered a significant factor in bringing the West Coast hip hop style back into the mainstream. His albums have achieved wide success and have earned him two Grammy nominations.

Although The Game planned to retire after LAX, which debuted in 2008, he set his sights on his latest album, The R.E.D. Album. Producers include Timbaland, Kanye West, Just Blaze, The Neptunes, Pete Rock, and many others. The Game has stated that the name of the album isn't a play of words on his past as a member of the Bloods, and that it also wasn't a reference to Jay Z's Black Album. Instead, he explained the concept of the R.E.D. Album: "Nah, the Compton native's CD is all about him restarting his engine."