TWO OF 2012 Album Preview: This Year's Best Bets

Azealia Banks | TBA  Genre: hip-hop

After honing her skills at New York's La Guardia High School -- whose alumni include Nicki Minaj and Kelis -- 20-year-old Harlem rapper/singer Azealia Banks caught the attention of hip-hop blogs on her club-ready single "212," which hit iTunes in December. Formerly signed to XL Recordings, on Jan. 18 Banks announced she had signed to Universal Music. She is prepping her debut album for a 2012 release. In the meantime, she's issued more Internet-baiting tracks ("Liquorice," "L8R"), plotted a U.K. tour that kicks off Feb. 7 and confirmed spots at Coachella and Tokyo's Springroove Festival.