This article summarizes the events, album releases and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2010.

Events

January

*Producer

Shawty Redd Demetrius Lee Stewart (born June 21, 1981), better known by his stage name Shawty Redd, is an American record producer and rapper. He is cited as one of the pioneers of the production style which would become synonymous with the trap subgenre. ...

was arrested on a murder charge.

February

Game A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...

signs a new record contract and returns to

Aftermath Entertainment Aftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre himself, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, An ...

. *

Nujabes , better known by his stage name , was a Japanese record producer, audio engineer, DJ, composer and arranger best known for his atmospheric instrumental mixes sampling from hip hop, soul, and jazz, as well as incorporating elements of trip hop, b ...

died on February 26, aged 36, in a traffic accident.

March

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...

begins his one-year prison term. He shot over 30 music videos before his term. *

Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...

becomes the first rapper in 2010 to be featured on 3 top 10 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 charted songs. (

Justin Bieber Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...

's "Baby",

Taio Cruz Jacob Taio Cruz (; born Adetayo Ayowale Onile-Ere, 23 April 1980), better known professionally as Taio Cruz (stylized TΛIO CRUZ), is an English singer, songwriter and record producer from London, England, currently based in Los Angeles. In 200 ...

's "

Break Your Heart "Break Your Heart" is a song by British singer and songwriter Taio Cruz. The song serves as the lead single from his second studio album, ''Rokstarr'' (2009). It was written by Cruz and Fraser T Smith and produced by Smith. It was first release ...

", and "

How Low "How Low" is a hip hop song by American rapper Ludacris. It is the lead single from his seventh studio album, '' Battle of the Sexes''. The song premiered at the BET Hip Hop Awards in Atlanta, which took place on October 10, 2009. However, the cere ...

") * T.I. is officially released from prison and begins work on his seventh album. *

Lloyd Banks Christopher Charles Lloyd (born April 30, 1982), better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper. He began his career as a member of East Coast hip hop group G-Unit, alongside childhood friends 50 Cent and Tony Yayo. After the ...

releases info via his Twitter that his new album will be called 'Hunger For More 2' and will attempt to take him back to his best work. However, the G-Unit label responded later that day stating that the title is tentative and not set in concrete. *

' seventh studio album '' Battle of the Sexes'' becomes the first hip hop album of 2010 to debut at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200. *

O.S.T.R. Adam Andrzej Ostrowski (, born 15 May 1980 in Łódź, Poland), better known as O.S.T.R., is a Polish rapper, musician, audio engineer and record producer, famous for his freestyle rap skills, ambitious lyrics and unique beats. He graduated from ...

's album Tylko dla dorosłych becomes the first hip hop album of 2010 to reach No. 1 on the

OLiS OLiS (Oficjalna Lista Sprzedaży; en, Official Sales Chart) is the official chart of the highest selling music albums in Poland. The chart exists since 23 October 2000 and is provided by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry, ZPAV. This is ...

April

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

announces the first single off his much anticipated

Detox Detoxification or detoxication (detox for short) is the physiological or medicinal removal of toxic substances from a living organism, including the human body, which is mainly carried out by the liver. Additionally, it can refer to the period of ...

album. The track features

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

. *

's album ''

Rebirth Rebirth may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Film * ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film * ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film * ''Rebirth'', a documentary film produced by Project Rebirth * ''The Re ...

'' reaches gold, with 505,000 copies sold after two months of release. *

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...

's album '' Relapse 2'' is renamed to ''

Recovery Recovery or Recover may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books * ''Recovery'' (novel), a Star Wars e-book * Recovery Version, a translation of the Bible with footnotes published by Living Stream Ministry Film and television * ''Recovery'' (fil ...

'' and confirmed to be released June 22, 2010. *

Guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...

died on April 19, aged 48, from

multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as plasma cell myeloma and simply myeloma, is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that normally produces antibodies. Often, no symptoms are noticed initially. As it progresses, bone pain, an ...

. *

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...

announced

The Invitation Tour The Invitation Tour was a tour by rapper 50 Cent in support of his latest/upcoming studio albums, ''Before I Self Destruct'', ''Black Magic'' (which was subsequently shelved), and his fifth studio album. The tour also featured G-Unit artists Ton ...

to promote Black Magic and Before I Self Destruct. * B.o.B's track "

Nothin' on You "Nothin' on You" is the debut single of both American rapper B.o.B and featured American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. It is the lead single from the former's debut studio album, '' B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray'' (2010). It was ...

" becomes the first Hip Hop song of the year to hit number one on the Hot 100. The single was also certified platinum.

May

B.o.B Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. (born November 15, 1988), known professionally as B.o.B, is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Decatur, Georgia, Simmons was signed to Jim Jonsin's Rebel Rock Entertainment imprint in 2006. Two years late ...

becomes the second Hip Hop act to top the ''Billboard'' 200 in 2010 with his album B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray. It sold 85,000 copies in its first week. *

Gucci Mane Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeezy, ...

is released from prison after spending 6 months behind bars for violating his probation. He announced that he has made a new label called 1017 Brick Squad Records and pushed back release date of his third album, ''The State vs. Radric Davis: The Appeal'' to a later date. *

's single "

Not Afraid "Not Afraid" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his seventh studio album '' Recovery'' (2010). It was released as the album's lead single on April 27, 2010, by Interscope Records. "Not Afraid" was first revealed as a single b ...

" debuts at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 becoming the first hip hop track to do so in 2010 and second hip hop song in history to debut at #1. *

Young Money Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republ ...

's group album

We Are Young Money ''We Are Young Money'' is the first compilation album by American hip hop record label Young Money Entertainment, and released on December 21, 2009 by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown Records. The album garnered ...

was certified Gold.

June

' single "

My Chick Bad "My Chick Bad" is a song by American rapper Ludacris. The song features Trinidadian recording artist Nicki Minaj, who co-wrote the song with Ludacris, Samuel Lindley, and Derrelle Davidson. The track was produced by The Legendary Traxster. "My Ch ...

" is

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

certified Platinum. *

DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...

's single

All I Do Is Win "All I Do Is Win" is a song from DJ Khaled's fourth studio album ''Victory'' (2010). It was the third single from the album. The track features American rappers T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross. It was released on February 8, 2010, a ...

certified Gold. * Ludacris' album ''Battle of the Sexes'' becomes the second hip hop album released in 2010 to be certified Gold.Ludacris' "Battle of The Sexes" Is Officially Gold , Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales , HipHop DX
/ref> *

Lil Boosie Torence Ivy Hatch (born November 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Boosie BadAzz or simply Boosie (formerly Lil Boosie), is an American rapper. Hatch began rapping in the 1990s as a member of the hip hop collective Concentration Camp, ev ...

is indicted on murder charges. * DonGuralesko's album ''Totem Leśnych Ludzi'' becomes the second hip hop album of 2010 to reach No. 1 on the

. *

Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper from New York City. He began his music career as a member of hip hop group Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.), then forged a sol ...

and his entourage are questioned for sexual assault in Wisconsin. *

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...

's debut album ''

Thank Me Later ''Thank Me Later'' is the debut studio album by Canadian rapper and singer Drake. It was released on June 15, 2010, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Universal Motown Records. Production for the album took place at various re ...

'' sold about 449,000 copies in its first week giving it a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200. *

's new album ''

'' debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold more copies than any album in one week during 2010. * Hip Hop Pioneer

Rammellzee Rammellzee (stylized RAMM:ΣLL:ZΣΣ, pronounced "Ram: Ell: Zee"; December 15, 1960 – June 28, 2010) was a visual artist, gothic futurist "graffiti writer", painter, performance artist, art theoretician, sculptor and a hip hop musician from Ne ...

died on June 29. * Lil Wayne's single "

Drop the World "Drop the World" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne, featuring fellow American rapper Eminem. It was the third single released from Lil Wayne's seventh studio album, ''Rebirth'' (2010). The song was released on iTunes on December 28, 2009. Lil ...

" is certified Platinum. * Kid Cudi was arrested in Manhattan, New York and charged with felony criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance. Despite his arrest, he was released and made it to Manchester, Tennessee in time to headline the

Bonnaroo The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an American annual four-day music festival developed and founded by Superfly Presents and AC Entertainment. Since its first year in 2002, it has been held at what is now Great Stage Park on a farm in M ...

fest.

July

* The rumored track list for

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

's "Good Ass Job" leaks. * Eminem's album ''Recovery'' passes 1,000,000 copies sold in its second week. * Eldo's album ''Zapiski z 1001 Nocy'' becomes the third hip hop album of 2010 to reach No. 1 on the

. * It was officially announced that pending good behavior, rapper Lil Wayne will be released from prison on November 4, 2010 * Eminem's single Love the Way You Lie tops the Billboard Hot 100, making it Eminem's fourth overall No. 1 single.

August

* Drake hosted the first annual Ovo (October's Very Own) Festival which included the VIP list of rap stars including:

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...

Young Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...

Bun B Bernard James Freeman (born March 19, 1973), known professionally as Bun B, is an American rapper. He is best known as one half of the southern rap duo UGK (UnderGround Kingz), a group he formed in 1987 alongside Pimp C. Aside from his work with ...

and

Fabolous John David Jackson (born November 18, 1977), better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper. Raised in Brooklyn, he first gained recognition while still a senior in high school, when he performed live on American music executive ...

. * The music videos for Kanye West's hit single

Power Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power Power may a ...

and Eminem's hit single Love the Way You Lie debut the same day on MTV. *

's single

certified Platinum. * Kanye West's and

Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...

's upcoming studio albums are titles are revealed to be " Dark Twisted Fantasy" and "

Pink Friday ''Pink Friday'' is the debut studio album by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on November 22, 2010, by Young Money, Cash Money and Universal Motown. After signing a recording contract with Young Money Entertainment in 2009, Minaj began plann ...

" respectively. * Hip-Hop's Cash Kings 2010 list comes out August 17, 2010.

($63 Million), Diddy ($30 Million), &

Akon Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...

($21 Million) come on as the Hip-Hop Cash Kings in 2010. The rest follow as

($20 Million),

($17 Million),

($16 Million),

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

($15 Million),

Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...

($14 Million),

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he ...

($13 Million),

($10 Million), T.I. ($9 Million),

Swizz Beatz Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...

($9 Million),

($8 Million),

($8 Million). *

signs a record contract with

Cash Money Records Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...

and

Bizzy Bone Bryon Anthony McCane II (born September 12, 1976),Whitburn, Joel (2008) ''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2006'', Record Research, , p. 97 better known by his stage name Bizzy Bone, is an American rapper, singer and the youngest member o ...

says he may sign also. * Eminem ''

'' sold 2,000,000 copies in two months.

October

* On October 13,

Harlem World ''Harlem World'' is the debut album by American hip hop recording artist Mase, released on October 28, 1997, by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. The album was nominated at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album. It went on to sell 4.8 ...

member Huddy 6 was killed in a car accident at the

George Washington Bridge The George Washington Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting Fort Lee, New Jersey, with Manhattan in New York City. The bridge is named after George Washington, the first president of the United St ...

in New York, aged 34. * T.I.'s pending drug charges were dropped, but due to a violation of his parole, he was sentenced to 11 months in FCC Forrest City, the prison facility where he previously served time for weapons-possession charges. These recent events likely caused him to change his upcoming album's title from " King Uncaged" to " No Mercy".

November

is released from prison * Dr. Dre releases the first official single off

titled "

Kush Kush or Cush may refer to: Bible * Cush (Bible), two people and one or more places in the Hebrew Bible Places * Kush (mountain), a mountain near Kalat, Pakistan Balochistan * Kush (satrapy), a satrapy of the Achaemenid Empire * Hindu Kush, a m ...

" which features

and

. The song has peaked within the top 50 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. * After 58 weeks on the charts, in November 2010,

Kid Cudi Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Yo ...

's debut album '' Man on the Moon: The End of Day'' was certified

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

for selling over 500,000 copies in the United States by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA), *

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

rapper

Waka Flocka Flame Juaquin James Malphurs (born May 31, 1986), known professionally as Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper. Signing to 1017 Brick Squad and Warner Bros. Records in 2009, he became a mainstream artist with the release of his singles "O Let's ...

received his first gold plaque for the single "

No Hands "No Hands" is a song recorded by American rapper Waka Flocka Flame featuring fellow American rappers Roscoe Dash and Wale from the former's debut studio album, ''Flockaveli'' (2010). It was written by the artists alongside producer Drumma Boy. I ...

" produced by

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

Drumma Boy Christopher James Gholson (born August 11, 1983), better known by his stage name Drumma Boy, is an American record producer. Early life Born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Cordova, Tennessee, he was exposed to music at a young age. His mot ...

, off his debut album ''

Flockaveli ''Flockaveli'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Waka Flocka Flame. The title of the album is a portmanteau of Waka Flocka Flame's name and that of the Italian political theorist Machiavelli, and was inspired by fellow American rapper ...

''.

December

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, Pennsylvania rapper Sam Willis's single "Peso" is certified Gold. *Following an arrest for a probation violation, DMX was sentenced to a year in prison in Arizona. *

released his first single since being released from jail called "

6 Foot 7 Foot "6 Foot 7 Foot" (also styled as "6'7") is a song by rapper Lil Wayne featuring label mate Cory Gunz. It is taken from Wayne's ninth album, ''Tha Carter IV'' (2011). It was officially released on iTunes on December 16, 2010. It was produced by "A ...

". The single will be the first single off ''

Tha Carter IV ''Tha Carter IV'' is the ninth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on August 29, 2011, through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Republic Records. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2008, short ...

''. *Former Bad Boy artist

G. Dep Trevell Gerald Coleman (born November 19, 1974), better known by his stage name G. Dep (which stands for "Ghetto Dependent"), is an American rapper from Harlem, New York City. He joined Bad Boy Records in 1998 and released his debut album '' Chil ...

confesses to police regarding a cold case murder he committed in 1993, reportedly due to a want of "making amends" with his past. *Former Cash Money Records hip hop artist

Magnolia Shorty Renetta Yemika Lowe-Bridgewater (September 30, 1982 – December 20, 2010), known by the stage name Magnolia Shorty, was an American rapper in the New Orleans-based bounce music scene.Cadogan, Garnette (August 2007). Bounce Back: Not even Katrina ...

shot and killed in a homicide murder on December 20.

Released albums

Highest-charting singles

Highest first week sales

As of December 31, 2010.Caulfield, Keith
Drake Debuts At No. 1 On Billboard 200
''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

''. Retrieved on June 23, 2010.Caulfield, Keith
Eminem's 'Recovery' Notches Three Weeks at No. 1 on Billboard 200
''

''. Retrieved on July 14, 2010.Wu Massacre and E-40 Chart with Albums
. Current.com. Retrieved on April 8, 2010.T.I.'s No Mercy Debuts At #4 On Billboard – Music, Celebrity, Artist News , MTV.com
/ref>

Highest critically reviewed albums (Metacritic)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2010 In Hip Hop Music 2010s in hip hop music Hip hop Hip hop music by year