It’s been 2,198 days since Ab-Soul’s voice has graced the mic for the entirety of a full-length project.
Off the back of SZA’s new album, TDE’s in-house philosopher unveiled his late AOTY-contender, Herbert, on Friday (Dec. 16) which features appearances from Zacari, Joey Bada$$, Jhené Aiko, SiR and more.
Soulo’s final single, “Gang’Nem,” presented a reversed vocal sample that gives the instrumental an eerie swing as Ab-Soul and Fre$H exchange heartfelt verses recanting stories from their respective neighborhoods. In similarly soulful visuals, Soulo paints an honest image of his upbringing, showcasing his rough past with friends from his home in Los Angeles.
“Elbows of vegetable for the L-O (Gas)
Had the runny nose but I ain’t have a cold (Ha)
If you know, you know, really though
The homie hit me, told me, ‘Hide the blicky, bro’
This nigga always into some wild shit
One time he bought the KelTec, I had to tell him all we shootin’ is videos”
Ab-Soul — “Gang’Nem”
This marked Ab-Soul’s fourth single this year ahead of the album. Previously, Soul was joined by Zacari for an introspective song titled “Do Better,” something Ab-Soul continues to do with every release.
Fre$H (f.k.a. Short Dawg) may seem like an unexpected feature, but his accomplishments speak for itself. His 2018 album, frēsh•ism, garnered features from the likes of 50 Cent, 2 Chainz and Chris Brown — releasing consistently up until this point.
Although fans of Ab-Soul are no strangers to waiting, the wait is finally over with his first album in six years. Rejoice fans because TDE is back on top — and back to dropping music.
Check out ‘Herbert’ below!
