Ahead of the release of his new album next month, YG has announced the title.
During an interview with Billboard, the Compton rapper revealed that his fourth full-length album, 4REAL 4REAL, will arrive May 3.
He had planned a surprise release ahead of his Coachella set on April 12, just eight months after dropping his album Stay Dangerous. “From my first album to my second album, and from my second album to my third album, it took me two years to put out each project,” he said. “That wasn’t my choice. Life was changing: I got shot, I had a daughter. It was crazy–it took a little longer.”
But on March 31, his close friend and collaborator Nipsey Hussle was gunned down outside his Marathon Clothing store. In light of Nipsey’s passing, he decided to delay the project. “I was dropping a Surprise album April 12th,” tweeted YG. “But man Now that we gotta deal with Big bro goin to heaven I will not drop the album this month.”
According to Billboard, 4REAL 4REAL is “perhaps his most confident storytelling to date.” Instead of freestyling like he usually does, he decided to switch up his recording process and wrote some of the tracks, including the opener “The Face,” on his laptop.
During his Coachella set last weekend, YG announced the album’s May 3 release date and debuted a new song called “Stop Snitchin,” inspired by 6ix9ine, who copped a plea deal in his federal racketeering case.
He also brought out special guests including Big Sean, 2 Chainz, and Tyga, and dedicated his set to Nipsey. “We just lost one of our greats, we just lost one of our homies, our big brothers, a motherfu**in’ legend, black motherfu**in’ Jesus,” said YG, who served as a pallbearer at Hussle’s memorial. “So I’ma dedicate this whole motherfu**in’ show to my ni**a Nipsey Hussle.”