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The beginning of the last decade saw Slim Shady become Marshall Mathers, M.O.P told us to Ante Up and the sad death of Big Pun. We can't predict what's going to happen in the next ten, but we do know what albums we're looking forward to and 2010 looks to be a year where some long-awaited long players are finally delivered.

10. The Game - The R.E.D Album
The Game reunites with Dre, the man who discovered him, following his falling out with G-Unit; the good doctor and Pharell combining to executive produce The R.E.D Album. Timbaland has also lent his unmistakeable sound to the album, meaning if The Game can get back to his 300 Bars lyrical best he may finally meet his potential or at least give Fiddy another tongue lashing.

Release date: March 23rd

9. Papoose - Nacirema Dream
A few years ago DJ Kay Slay's prodigy and Brooklyn freestyle king Papoose was signed to Jive records for a mighty $1.5m and was the hottest property in hip hop. The hype has since faded, but Papoose has been busy working the underground, releasing over 20 mixtapes in the last five years winning mixtape of the year in 05 and is slated to drop his debut long player in 2010. For those who don't watch Countdown 'Nacirema' is 'American' backwards, deep!

8. Reflection Eternal - Revolutions Per Minute
Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek team up for their first album together since Rawkus records folded some 10 years ago. Hip hop has changed a lot since their debut Train of Thought but they are both out to prove they are still as relevant as ever.

Release date: March

7. Nas & Damian Marley - Distant Relatives
When two heavyweights from different fields team up you never know what to expect but you have to be excited. Throw in the fact that it's a charity album to help build schools in Africa and has been recorded with a live band and you have something truly unique. What this all sounds like nobody knows but I'm sitting with my fingers crossed wishing for 'Welcome to NasRock.'

Release date: March 16th

6. Joell Ortiz - Free Agent
Joell Ortiz is another rapper who fell through the cracks of the major label set up, being dropped from Dr Dre's Aftermath imprint. Since then he has steadily cemented his name as one of the best guest MCs around, and is back with his first solo album since 2007.

Release date: March 23rd

5. Saigon - Greatest Story Never Told
This album was originally scheduled for release back in 2005, and five years on it is living up to its name. Signed to Just Blaze's Fort Knox label Saigon should finally gain some of the acclaim he richly deserves when this album drops, which is said to be sometime this year we hope, cos we can't wait another five years!

4. Kanye West – G.o.o.d Ass Job
According to interviews with 'Yeezy' this album will be Autotune free and will signal a return to the pure hip hop ethos of his debut The College Dropout. Recording and writing started during the studio sessions for Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 album and label insiders are claiming the album is almost complete. However with Kanye's perfectionism and the bad press from the Taylor Swift Incident to account for, the album does not have a release date as of yet.

3. Method Man, Ghostface & Raekwon - The Wu Massacre
After dropping verses on Raekwon's excellent Cuban Linx 2 together, the three Wu Tangers immediately set to work on a collaboration album. The project is being heralded as an appetizer for Wu fans hoping for a new Wu Tang Clan group album which doesn't seem forthcoming. The trio are signed to Def Jam but are yet to find a name for the mini group and have invited fans to suggest names, the best I can do is "Chef, Meth, Starks" or maybe "Ragu-Tical".

Release date: February 9th

2. Big Boi - Sir Luscious Leftfoot: Son of Chico Dusty
This was originally recorded in 2007, and incredibly seven of the 16 tracks have already been leaked online, all to great critical acclaim. But still the album sits on the Jive shelves gathering dust and sadly holding up the next Outkast album in the process. With plenty of pressure from Big Boi the album is finally on its way this spring, perhaps if he changed the crazy name the album might drop sooner.

Release date: April

1. Dr Dre - Detox
The most anticipated hip hop album of all time has been in the pipeline for some six years now. So shrouded in mystery is this album that its contents have risen to near mythical status with Nas, Snoop, Eminem, 50 Cent, Busta and the RZA all rumoured to feature. Every year a few tracks get leaked and many a release date has passed without an actual album dropping. Last year Dre told the world that Detox would be released after Eminem and 50 Cent's albums, which have now been and gone, paving the way for the doctor to finally drop what may yet prove to be another west coast classic.

With more albums to come from The Roots, Eminem, Pharoahe Monch, Lil Wayne, Redman and Immortal Technique, 2010 looks like a perfect start to the fifth decade of hip hop. What hip hop albums are you looking forward to? Comment below or go to the forum...

Words: Mark Rahaman

Check Kmag's Hip Hop Don't Stop blog here.

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