This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip-hop for the year 2010.
Events
January Producer Shawty Redd was arrested on a murder charge.Producer Shawty Redd Arrested On Murder Charge, Accused Of Fatal Shooting SOHH
February Game signs a new record contract and returns to Aftermath Entertainment. Nujabes died on February 26, aged 36, in a traffic accident.
March Lil Wayne begins his one-year prison term. He shot over 30 music videos before his term. Ludacris becomes the first rapper in 2010 to be featured on 3 top 10 Billboard Hot 100 charted songs. (Justin Bieber's "Baby", Taio Cruz's "Break Your Heart", and "How Low") T.I. is officially released from prison and begins work on his seventh album. Lloyd Banks 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. Ludacris' 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.'s album Tylko dla dorosłych becomes the first hip hop album of 2010 to reach No. 1 on the OLiS.
April Dr. Dre announces the first single off his much anticipated Detox album. The track features Jay-Z. Lil Wayne's album Rebirth reaches gold, with 505,000 copies sold after two months of release. Eminem's album Relapse 2 is renamed to Recovery and confirmed to be released June 22, 2010. Guru dies on April 19, aged 48, from multiple myeloma. 50 Cent announces The Invitation Tour to promote Black Magic and Before I Self Destruct. B.o.B's track "Nothin' on You" 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 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 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. Eminem's single "Not Afraid" 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's group album We Are Young Money is certified Gold.RIAA – Gold & Platinum Searchable Database – December 29, 2012
June Ludacris' single "My Chick Bad" is RIAA certified Platinum.Ludacris & Nicki Minaj's "My Chick Bad" Reaches Platinum | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHop DX DJ Khaled's single "All I Do Is Win" is RIAA 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 Lil Boosie 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 OLiS. Fat Joe and his entourage are questioned for sexual assault in Wisconsin. Drake's debut album Thank Me Later sold about 449,000 copies in its first week giving it a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200. Eminem's new album Recovery debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold more copies than any album in one week during 2010. Hip-hop pioneer Rammellzee dies on June 29. Lil Wayne's single "Drop the World" is certified Platinum. Kid Cudi is arrested in Manhattan, New York and charged with felony criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance. He is subsequently released in time to headline the Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
July The rumored track list for Kanye West'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 OLiS. It is 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: Jay-Z, Eminem, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Bun B and Fabolous. The music videos for Kanye West's hit single Power and Eminem's hit single Love the Way You Lie debut the same day on MTV. DJ Khaled's single "All I Do Is Win" is RIAA certified Platinum.DJ Khaled's "All I Do Is Win" Strikes Platinum | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHop DX Kanye West's and Nicki Minaj's upcoming studio albums are titles are revealed to be Dark Twisted Fantasy and Pink Friday respectively. Hip-Hop's Cash Kings 2010 list comes out August 17, 2010. Jay-Z ($63 million), Diddy ($30 million), & Akon ($21 million) come on as the Hip-Hop Cash Kings in 2010. The rest follow as Lil Wayne ($20 million), Dr. Dre ($17 million), Ludacris ($16 million), Snoop Dogg ($15 million), Timbaland ($14 million), Pharrell Williams ($13 million), Drake ($10 million), T.I. ($9 million), Swizz Beatz ($9 million), Eminem ($8 million), 50 Cent ($8 million). DJ Khaled signs a record contract with Cash Money Records.DJ Khaled Joins Cash Money Records, Bizzy Bone Praises Label Already | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHop DX Eminem's album Recovery reaches 2,000,000 sales in two months.
October On October 13, Harlem World member Huddy 6 is killed in a car accident at the George Washington Bridge in New York, aged 34.Harlem World's Huddy 6 Killed In Car Accident | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHop DX T.I.'s pending drug charges are dropped, but due to a violation of his parole, he is sentenced to 11 months in FCC Forrest City, a prison facility where he had previously served time for weapons-possession charges. It is speculated that these events caused him to change his upcoming album's title from King Uncaged to No Mercy.Foreign and World News | Peace FM Online
November Lil Wayne is released from prison. Dr. Dre releases the first official single off Detox, titled "Kush", which features Snoop Dogg and Akon. The song peaks within the top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. After 58 weeks on the charts, Kid Cudi's debut album, Man on the Moon: The End of Day, is certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).Man on the Moon: The End of Day Certified Gold Atlanta rapper Waka Flocka Flame receives his first gold plaque for the single "No Hands" produced by Memphis, Tennessee's Drumma Boy, off his debut album Flockaveli.Waka Flocka Flame's "No Hands" Confirmed A Gold Single HipHopDX. Nicki Minaj releases her debut album, Pink Friday. It sells 375,000 copies the first week. Kanye West released My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
December Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania rapper Sam Willis's single "Peso" is certified Gold.Wiz Khalifa Celebrates ‘Black & Yellow’ Going Gold With Hometown Concert Following an arrest for a probation violation, DMX is sentenced to a year in prison in Arizona.Waka Flocka Flame's Home Raided; DMX Sentenced | Music News | Rolling Stone Lil Wayne releases "6 Foot 7 Foot", the first single off Tha Carter IV and his first single since being released from jail. Former Bad Boy artist G. Dep 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 artist Magnolia Shorty is shot and killed on December 20.
Released albums Release date Artist Album NotesJanuary 5Kanye WestVH1 Storytellers: Kanye West Live albumJanuary 19RJD2The ColossusDessaA Badly Broken CodeJanuary 26Strong Arm SteadyIn Search of Stoney JacksonDMXThe Best of DMXJanuary 29MainoUnstoppable – The EPFebruary 2Lil WayneRebirth Debuted at No. 2 on Billboard 200 Singles: "Prom Queen", "On Fire", "Drop the World" Certified GoldStyles P & DJ Green LanternThe Green Ghost ProjectStatik Selektah100 Proof: The HangoverFebruary 8SwinDoeSwinDoe Debuted at No. 123 on Billboard 200February 9CanibusMelatonin MagikDJ Kay SlayMore Than Just a DJ Debuted at No. 133 on Billboard 200February 16Freeway & Jake OneThe Stimulus Package Debuted at No. 63 on Billboard 200Pastor TroyG.I. Troy – Strictly 4 My SoldiersFebruary 19BushidoZeiten ändern dich Debuted at No. 2 on Media-Control-Charts, No. 1 on the Austrian Charts, No. 3 on the Swiss ChartsFebruary 24MellowHypeYelloWhite Debuted at No. 3 on OLiSFebruary 26O.S.T.R.Tylko dla dorosłych Debuted at No. 3 on OLiSMarch 2DJ KhaledVictory Debuted at No. 14 on Billboard 200 Singles: "Fed Up", "All I Do Is Win"March 4Sam AdamsBoston's BoyMarch 9LudacrisBattle of the Sexes Debuted at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Singles: "How Low", "My Chick Bad", "Sex Room" Certified GoldKidz in the HallLand of Make BelieveFreeway & Beanie SigelThe Roc Boys Charted on Billboards Top R&B album charts at number 53March 13Gucci ManeBurrrprint (2) HD Debuted at No. 19 on Billboard 200 Retail MixtapeMarch 23Brotha Lynch HungDinner and a MovieDebuted at No. 69 on Billboard 200Snoop DoggMore MaliceDebuted at No. 29 on Billboard 200 Re-Release of Malice in WonderlandOutlawzThe Lost Songs Vol. 1, The Lost Songs Vol. 2, The Lost Songs Vol. 3Young NobleNoble Justice: The Lost SongsEDIDONThe Stash SpotInspectah DeckManifestoJ-KwonJ-KwonMarco Polo & Ruste JuxxThe eXXecutionDonwillDon Cusack In High Fidelity March 26 Spider Loc Be About Your Money At All Costs (B.A.Y.M.A.A.C.)March 30Army of the PharaohsThe Unholy TerrorE-40Revenue Retrievin': Day Shift Debuted at No. 47 on the Billboard 200 Spawned one successful single: "Bitch"Revenue Retrievin': Night Shift Debuted at No. 49 on the Billboard 200Tech N9neThe Lost Scripts of K.O.D. Debuted at No. 117 on the Billboard 200Meth, Ghost & RaeWu-Massacre Debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200Sho BarakaLions and Liars Debuted at No. 149 on the Billboard 200ManafestThe ChaseMasta KillaMasta Killa LiveMarch 31Earl SweatshirtEARL (Mixtape)April 4Cuete YeskaLove Stories, Part 2 -The NotebookApril 6Too ShortStill Blowin' Debuted at No. 70 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard chart Internet only releaseInsane Clown PosseBang! Pow! Boom! (Nuclear Version)DiabolicLiar & a ThiefApril 13Murs & 9th WonderFornever Debuted at No. 87 on the Billboard 200April 14Wiz Khalifa Kush and Orange Juice (Mixtape)April 16Chakuza Monster in mir Debuted at No. 8 on Media-Control-ChartsApril 20Little BrotherLeftback LP Debuted at No. 128 on the Billboard 200Cypress HillRise Up Debuted at No. 19 on the Billboard 200Devin The DudeSuite 420 Debuted at No. 85 on the Billboard 200Andre NickatinaKhan! The Me GenerationCognitoAutomaticKuruptStreetlights Debuted at No. 183 on the Billboard 200Kottonmouth KingsLong Live The Kings Debuted at No. 26 on the Billboard 200April 27B.o.BB.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray Debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200