September 27th Will Be A Momentous Day for Hip Hop

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On September 29, 1998, both Outkast and Jay-Z dropped Aquemini and Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life, respectively.  Both albums did extremely well commercially and contain tracks that are recognized as some of hip hop's classics.
September 27, 2011 is shaping out to be a similar occasion, and will undoubtedly be a HUGE day for Hip Hop.  Some of today's brightest emcees who represent the future of the rap game are dropping albums and EPs left and right.  The competition will be on, so hit the jump to learn more about the releases from J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Pusha T, Phonte, 9th Wonder, Blu, Evidence & The Knux which will all hit the net and/or stores on September 27th.

J. Cole

Cole World: The Sideline Story

The pressure's been on J. Cole ever since the news that Jay-Z had signed him as RocNation's first artist.  He's been busy touring nonstop, dropping mixtapes, and has come a long road since his introduction known as The Come Up.  The anticipation for his album has been crazy, and the delays in the album's release have led some to question whether J. Cole's got what it takes to be a successful mainstream hip hop artist.  I definitely believe that he does, and despite the unauthorized leaks and other bumps along the road, the album has the potential to be a "classic" debut from J. Cole. Preorder on Amazon now.

Listen below to hear "Lights, Please," the song that got J. Cole his Roc Nation deal.  It also made the cut for the album.

Pusha T: Fear of God 2: Let Us Pray EP

Pusha T's Fear of God  mixtape has proven to be one of the best mixtapes of 2011, and has helped set the bar for his career with G.O.O.D. Music.  The Fear of God 2: Let Us Pray EP will contain some of the unforgettable tracks from the mixtape including "My God" and "Feeling Myself," and will also contain some new heat like his track "Amen" with Young Jeezy & Kanye West.   Listen to "Amen" below.

Phonte: Charity Starts At Home

Phonte is always hard at work, whether he's working with Nicolay as The Foreign Exchange, dropping guest verses or reuniting with his former Little Brother group members.  Finally, on September 27th, we will experience Phonte as a a solo artist.  He's already released the dope single "Not Here Anymore" featuring Elzhi, which you can listen to below:

9th Wonder: The Wonder Years

Like Phonte, 9th Wonder has put out tons of albums with other people, 18 as a matter of fact.  This time, 9th is going for his 4th solo LP and he's recruiting some of the hottest names in music to show us what The Wonder Years are really about.  With features from Phonte, Kendrick Lamar, Terrace Martin, Marsha Ambrosius and more, can he really go wrong? I doubt that. Pre-order the album here.

Check out "Band Practice" f/ Phonte & DJ Flash which will be on the album:

Blu: Open

                                    

The details surrounding this album are really mysterious, much like Blu has been as of late.  He's been releasing mixed and mastered versions of his previous works and I believe that Open is no exception.  This is an instrumental LP featuring other MCs rapping over his beats.  Hopefully, it'll hold you over until his major label debut, NoYork, drops later this year.

Listen to the track "PartTimeSuckas" f/ Chop & Fresh Daily, which will be on the Open album:

Evidence: Cats & Dogs

Evidence has been a favorite of mine since I fell in love with The Weatherman LP in 2007.  Sticking with the weather theme, Evidence's new album set for Sept. 27th release is called Cats & Dogs.  This Dilated Peoples member has proven himself as a solo artist and has proven to drop consistently great music for hip hop heads everywhere.  His 3rd solo LP includes features from Raekwon, Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Alchemist, Roc Marciano, and more. 

Listen to the brand new single "You," with production from the legendary DJ Premier, below and pre-order the album here:

The Knux: Eraser

New Orleans bred duo The Knux provide an alternative addition to the list of September 27th releases. Their style blends Hip Hop with electronic and rock influences for a fresh sound.  Their creative versatility is evident in their single "Run" featuring Kid Cudi and on STS's "Cliche," which The Knux produced.  Pre-order Eraser on iTunes now and check out "Run" below:

Which album(s) will you be copping? Let me know!