While Drake will likely please us with Views From The 6, it’s the veteran, Mr. West, who’s album will prevail this year.

Waves has a lot riding on it, no doubt. So the need for Kanye to deliver is imperative. In the “Swish/Waves” era, we’ve heard three key songs — “Facts,” “Real Friends” and “No More Parties In L.A.” Showing us three different sides of Ye, all of these recent releases were home runs.

Whether you agree with him or not, “Facts” Kanye West is a necessary one. At least he’s speaking on the realities of his life, unlike most rappers these days. “Real Friends” is a reminder that Ye is a hitmaker, and that his ability to deliver a message is impeccable. And of course, “No More Parties” — the additional reminder that Ye is a rapper’s rapper, and his lyrical ability hasn’t dwindled a bit.

The recent beef with Wiz might be a distraction in some regards, but it’ll only fuel the fire Ye needs to make Waves the unforgettable album he intends to. I’m trusting the veteran, who gave us College Dropout, Late Registration, Graduation and the rest of his untouchable discography.

No doubt VFT6 will be a great album, so long as Drake delivers, but something tells me we’ll be talking about Waves for years to come. And not for the controversy, but for the music.

What do you think?