B4.DA.$$
JOEY BADA$$
JAN. 20
New York hip-hop may have found a messiah in this young MC from Brooklyn, and his debut album (pronounced “Before the Money”) will be his first testament. With a slew of producers, including Statik Selektah, DJ Premier, Hit Boy and J Dilla set to cook up beats for the Jan. 20 release — which also happens to be Joey’s 20th birthday — look for this project to be an early bar for which all other rappers have to set themselves by in 2015. — Esteban Bustillos
UNTITLED
KANYE WEST
TBD
Most Kanye fans were giving up hope of seeing a surprise album drop as 2014 came to a close, but in true fashion, he released “Only One” on the brink of the new year. The single — a collaboration with Paul McCartney — is a beautifully poignant ballad that sees the respected rapper trading in the aggressive sound of his last release for a softer, more stripped down sound. Having become a father and a husband since Yeezus hit the world in 2013, the big question is how will family life influence Kanye’s next endeavor? — Miguel Perez
UNTITLED
KENDRICK LAMAR
TBD
Critics and hip-hop heads alike fell in love with Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore LP, a concept album rife with rich narrative craftwork that harkened back to a bygone era of West Coast rap, and more than two years later, the public anxiously awaits the follow up to “good kid, m.A.A.d city.” The first single off of the yet-to-be-titled album, “i,” surprised listeners with its upbeat tone and positive message, and he performed a powerful untitled track with the help of Thundercat and Bilal on the Colbert Report in December. — Miguel Perez
UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF’S END
TBD
The fourth installment in a hugely successful adventure series, “Uncharted 4” takes place several years after the last game with protagonist Nathan Drake going on a journey to uncover a historical conspiracy. With the second game in the series being widely considered one of the greatest video games of all time, “Uncharted 4” has a lot to live up to, but I don’t think Naughty Dog will disappoint.
— Miguel Perez
FRESH OFF THE BOAT
FEB. 4
Based on chef Eddie Huang’s “Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir,” the new ABC sitcom follows 11-year-old Eddie, played by Hudson Yang, as he tackles his family’s move from D.C.’s Chinatown to Orlando in the ’90s. Margaret Cho was the last Asian American to front a network show in “All-American Girl” in 1994, and that program was criticized heavily for its flimsy portrayal of Asian-American families. Hopefully, “Fresh Off the Boat” will have more finesse tackling race in suburban America. — Miguel Perez
PARKS AND RECREATION
JAN. 13
Leslie Knope and the gang return for one last hoorah in the final season of “Parks and Recreation.” Since its second season in 2009, the show has been well received for its subtle, quirky approach to sitcom comedy and played a large part in catapulting Amy Poehler and Chris Pratt to “household name” status. The seventh season will presumably pick up with Leslie tackling triplets and her job running the Midwest sector of the National Parks Service. — Miguel Perez
American author Toni Morrison will release her 11th novel, “God Help the Child,” in the spring. The 83-year-old novelist, who is most well known for her magnum opus “Beloved,” is one of the most celebrated contemporary writer having won almost every literary award including the Nobel and the Pulitzer. No doubt the lit world will devour every word of this novel about how childhood trauma affects adulthood. — Miguel Perez
THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON
MAY 1
Marvel has taken comic book films where few thought they could go. They rack in hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office and consistently break sales records, but they’re all-around great films. “Age of Ultron” looks to be another step in that progression of acclaimed superhero fare. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson will reprise their roles, and James Spader stars as the titular Ultron. — Esteban Bustillos
INSIDE OUT
JUNE 19
After a period of wild success from 2007 to 2010 that saw Pixar set the bar for animated films with stories including “Ratatouille,” “WALL-E” and “Up,” the animation studio hit a rut with subpar fare like “Cars 2” in following years. Its newest release, “Inside Out,” is geared to put them back on track with a story about a young girl navigating a new home with help from the anthropomorphized emotions living in her head. — Miguel Perez
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
DEC. 18
Anybody who has blood running through their veins has already seen the trailer for the latest episode in this classic space opera. Not much more can be said about the anticipation that comes with this project. Director J.J. Abrams has the ability to either make or break the dreams of millions of fans around the world who have waited what seems to be a lifetime just to see a new tale of Jedis, lightsabers and starship battles on the silver screen once more. Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill will all reprise their iconic roles. — Esteban Bustillos
What’s coming up in 2015
B4.DA.$$
JOEY BADA$$
JAN. 20
New York hip-hop may have found a messiah in this young MC from Brooklyn, and his debut album (pronounced “Before the Money”) will be his first testament. With a slew of producers, including Statik Selektah, DJ Premier, Hit Boy and J Dilla set to cook up beats for the Jan. 20 release — which also happens to be Joey’s 20th birthday — look for this project to be an early bar for which all other rappers have to set themselves by in 2015. — Esteban Bustillos
UNTITLED
KANYE WEST
TBD
Most Kanye fans were giving up hope of seeing a surprise album drop as 2014 came to a close, but in true fashion, he released “Only One” on the brink of the new year. The single — a collaboration with Paul McCartney — is a beautifully poignant ballad that sees the respected rapper trading in the aggressive sound of his last release for a softer, more stripped down sound. Having become a father and a husband since Yeezus hit the world in 2013, the big question is how will family life influence Kanye’s next endeavor? — Miguel Perez
UNTITLED
KENDRICK LAMAR
TBD
Critics and hip-hop heads alike fell in love with Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore LP, a concept album rife with rich narrative craftwork that harkened back to a bygone era of West Coast rap, and more than two years later, the public anxiously awaits the follow up to “good kid, m.A.A.d city.” The first single off of the yet-to-be-titled album, “i,” surprised listeners with its upbeat tone and positive message, and he performed a powerful untitled track with the help of Thundercat and Bilal on the Colbert Report in December. — Miguel Perez
UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF’S END
TBD
The fourth installment in a hugely successful adventure series, “Uncharted 4” takes place several years after the last game with protagonist Nathan Drake going on a journey to uncover a historical conspiracy. With the second game in the series being widely considered one of the greatest video games of all time, “Uncharted 4” has a lot to live up to, but I don’t think Naughty Dog will disappoint.
— Miguel Perez
FRESH OFF THE BOAT
FEB. 4
Based on chef Eddie Huang’s “Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir,” the new ABC sitcom follows 11-year-old Eddie, played by Hudson Yang, as he tackles his family’s move from D.C.’s Chinatown to Orlando in the ’90s. Margaret Cho was the last Asian American to front a network show in “All-American Girl” in 1994, and that program was criticized heavily for its flimsy portrayal of Asian-American families. Hopefully, “Fresh Off the Boat” will have more finesse tackling race in suburban America. — Miguel Perez
PARKS AND RECREATION
JAN. 13
Leslie Knope and the gang return for one last hoorah in the final season of “Parks and Recreation.” Since its second season in 2009, the show has been well received for its subtle, quirky approach to sitcom comedy and played a large part in catapulting Amy Poehler and Chris Pratt to “household name” status. The seventh season will presumably pick up with Leslie tackling triplets and her job running the Midwest sector of the National Parks Service. — Miguel Perez
American author Toni Morrison will release her 11th novel, “God Help the Child,” in the spring. The 83-year-old novelist, who is most well known for her magnum opus “Beloved,” is one of the most celebrated contemporary writer having won almost every literary award including the Nobel and the Pulitzer. No doubt the lit world will devour every word of this novel about how childhood trauma affects adulthood. — Miguel Perez
THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON
MAY 1
Marvel has taken comic book films where few thought they could go. They rack in hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office and consistently break sales records, but they’re all-around great films. “Age of Ultron” looks to be another step in that progression of acclaimed superhero fare. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson will reprise their roles, and James Spader stars as the titular Ultron. — Esteban Bustillos
INSIDE OUT
JUNE 19
After a period of wild success from 2007 to 2010 that saw Pixar set the bar for animated films with stories including “Ratatouille,” “WALL-E” and “Up,” the animation studio hit a rut with subpar fare like “Cars 2” in following years. Its newest release, “Inside Out,” is geared to put them back on track with a story about a young girl navigating a new home with help from the anthropomorphized emotions living in her head. — Miguel Perez
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
DEC. 18
Anybody who has blood running through their veins has already seen the trailer for the latest episode in this classic space opera. Not much more can be said about the anticipation that comes with this project. Director J.J. Abrams has the ability to either make or break the dreams of millions of fans around the world who have waited what seems to be a lifetime just to see a new tale of Jedis, lightsabers and starship battles on the silver screen once more. Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill will all reprise their iconic roles. — Esteban Bustillos