Frank Ocean

Hype aside, the year’s two buzziest hip-hop albums—Jay-Z and Kanye’s self-toasting paean to superfame, Watch the Throne, and Tyler, the Creator’s goofy/chilling id-vomit breakthrough, Goblin—share a single factor: Christopher Francis Ocean, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter who guest-croons on each. But even more impressive is Nostalgia, Ultra, Ocean's own 2011 LP. Expect to hear most of the record tonight, at Ocean’s NYC headlining debut. And though it seems likely that the singer will turn up at this week’s Watch the Throne shows to reprise his cameos, you’ll want to see how he handles a much-deserved turn in the spotlight.