Five LI acts to get excited about

As noted Dix Hills philosopher Ryan Star has said, "This could be the year," and 2012 certainly has no shortage of new, Long Island-based projects that could rev up the scene once again. Here's a few to get excited about (in alphabetical order):

ASHANTI The Princess of Hip-Hop and R&B is now the queen of her own castle, launching her own label, Written Entertainment, with a new album this year. The Glen Cove singer-songwriter has started strong with her new single "The Woman You Love," featuring Busta Rhymes.

BRAND NEW Will this be the year the long-awaited follow-up to "Daisy" comes out? Maybe! The band has been unveiling new songs at its shows, though many don't have titles yet.

MATTHEW KOMA The Seaford singer-songwriter is close to wrapping up his debut album for Interscope Records, and judging from "Novocaine Lips" from the soundtrack to "Abduction" and his appearance on Lil Playy's "Birthday Dress," Koma is certainly ready for plenty of pop radio play.

BUSTA RHYMES Bussa Buss has teamed up with a couple of powerhouses for his forthcoming album, "E.L.E. 2: End of the World." The Uniondale native has signed up with the Cash Money crew, and label head Birdman says to expect collaborations with Drake and Nicki Minaj and more work with Lil Wayne.

RYAN STAR After a string of hits from his major-label solo debut, "11:59," Star is set to hole up in the studio to record his next album, following a quick tour with his pal Andy Grammer. The shows give him a chance to test out new material, much like the powerful "Stay Awhile," which he unveiled at the Paramount in November.

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