2018 was a more-than-stellar year for music in general, but we’re itching to know what 2019 has in store for us on that front.

From Rihanna to Childish Gambino, these are the R&B and hip-hop albums we’re most looking forward to in 2019.

Cardi B

We think it’s safe to say Cardi B had an eventful 2018. With a jaw-dropping SNL and Coachella performance under her belt, she’s basically been running the joint since “Bodak Yellow.” Her announcement that 2019 will bring us some fresh tunes is one that couldn’t be more welcome. Both a deluxe version of Invasion of Privacy and a brand new record are scheduled to drop, and we’re dying to know what kind of other powerful anthems will featured.

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A post shared by CARDIVENOM (@iamcardib) on Jan 4, 2019 at 10:35am PST

Childish Gambino

Donald Glover is easily one of the busiest people in the business. While writing and starring in the critically acclaimed Atlanta, he somehow still finds time to make incredible music under the moniker of Childish Gambino. He released the iconic “This is America” last year, along with a few other singles and EP’s, but we’re looking forward to diving into what’s rumored to be his final full album in 2019. We’re positive it’s coming soon due to the fact that he’s headlining Coachella this year.

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A post shared by L E G A C Y (@legacy__official) on Jan 14, 2019 at 7:41am PST

Missy Elliott

Arguably one of the greatest female rappers of all time, Missy Elliott will not be sitting quiet this upcoming year. Late last season, the legendary artist let the world know she’s been in the studio with longtime collaborator Timbaland, so there’s no other explanation than that she’ll be dropping some incredible new material here pretty soon. We always enjoy classics like “Get Ur Freak On,” but it’ll be nice to hear some fresh tunes.

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A post shared by Missy Elliott (@missymisdemeanorelliott) on Jan 12, 2019 at 8:48am PST

Cautious Clay

This R&B singer completely blew us away when we heard his smooth banger “Cold War.” To say he’s on the rise is a total understatement. We’re not totally sure if this year will bring more new music, but we’re extremely hopeful. If it turns out to be anything like his innovative 2018 release Blood Type, we can die happy. John Mayer is also a huge fan—another obvious reason to love and keep up with him.

Rihanna

What kind of monsters would we be if we didn’t include Rihanna on this list? After what feels like an eternity, the queen herself has been dropping some not-so-low-key hints that her new album will arrive very soon. We can honestly say she manages to top herself every time, and we expect nothing less on what fans have deemed R9. We only have one simple request: more Drake collabs, please????????.

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A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on Nov 9, 2017 at 10:36am PST

Solange

Solange Knowles has proved time and time again that she’s not just Bey’s little sis anymore. Her beautiful record A Seat at the Table was touching, relevant and comforting to women of color everywhere. We’ve heard rumblings of a new album in 2019 and we couldn’t be more stoked. The bar is set high for the next work of this fabulous R&B songstress.

Hip-hop is the best music to listen to when getting over an ex (in our humble opinion), but when you need to feel empowered, listen to THESE tunes.

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