Herbert is the fifth studio album by American rapper Ab-Soul. It was released on December 16, 2022, by Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). It features guest appearances by Ambré, Alemeda, Big Sean, Fre$h, Jhené Aiko, Joey Badass, Lance Skiiiwalker, Punch, Russ, SiR and Zacari. It includes notable productions by Boi-1da, DJ Dahi, DJ Premier, Hit-Boy, Jahaan Sweet, James Blake and Sounwave, among others. Titled after Ab-Soul's birth name, Herbert Anthony Stevens IV, the album marks his return to music after a six-year absence following Do What Thou Wilt. in December 2016.[5]
| Herbert | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 16, 2022 | |||
| Recorded | 2022 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 66:23 | |||
| Label | TDE | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Ab-Soul chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Herbert | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The Needle Drop | 6/10[1] |
| Pitchfork | 6/10[2] |
| Spectrum Culture | 45%[3] |
| Under the Radar |   [4] |
Background and release
editOn April 22, 2022, Ab-Soul released "Hollandaise", the lead single from his then-upcoming yet-to-be-titled album.[6]
On September 16, 2022, he released the second single from the album titled "Moonshooter", which he co-wrote with his TDE label-mate Zacari.[7] With the future release of the album, the song would eventually include a feature by fellow American rapper Joey Badass.
On October 21, 2022, he released the album's third single, "Do Better", which features a guest appearance by Zacari. A black-and-white music video directed by Omar Jones was released for the single the same day.[8]
On November 18, 2022, he announced via Twitter that his next album Herbert would be released on December 16, 2022. He also released the fourth single "Gang'Nem", which features Fresh, a frequent collaborator of Ab-Soul.[9]
On December 7, 2022, he officially unveiled the cover art and the tracklist for the album.[10]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Message in a Bottle" (with Lance Skiiiwalker) |
|
|
| 4:39 |
| 2. | "No Report Card" | Stevens |
| 2:50 | |
| 3. | "Hollandaise" | Stevens |
|
| 4:19 |
| 4. | "Moonshooter" (with Joey Badass) |
| Jamal Smith | Poptartpete | 4:13 |
| 5. | "Fomf" | Stevens | 2:40 | ||
| 6. | "Goodman" (with Punch) |
|
| 3:28 | |
| 7. | "Do Better" (with Zacari) |
|
|
| 3:51 |
| 8. | "Gang'Nem" (with Fresh) |
|
| 4:10 | |
| 9. | "The Wild Side" (with Jhené Aiko) |
|
|
| 2:55 |
| 10. | "Art of Seduction" (with Ambré) |
|
|
| 3:23 |
| 11. | "Bucket" |
|
|
| 3:05 |
| 12. | "Go Off" (with Russ and Big Sean) | Amaire Johnson | Johnson | 4:27 | |
| 13. | "Fallacy" (with Alemeda) |
| Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. | Hit-Boy | 3:33 |
| 14. | "Herbert" |
|
|
| 3:50 |
| 15. | "Church on the Move" | Stevens |
|
| 2:46 |
| 16. | "It Be Like That" (with Sir) |
|
|
| 4:19 |
| 17. | "Positive Vibes Only" |
|
| DJ Dahi | 3:52 |
| 18. | "Gotta Rap" | Stevens | Christopher Edward Martin | DJ Premier | 4:03 |
| Total length: | 66:23 | ||||
Notes
Personnel
editMusicians
- Ab-Soul – vocals
- Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith – background vocals (track 1)
- Helen Anderson – background vocals (1)
- Richard Gray – background vocals (2)
- Umi – background vocals (2, 17)
- Maurice David – background vocals (3)
- Ambré – background vocals (5, 10)
- Rich the Kid – background vocals (5)
- Schoolboy Q – background vocals (5)
- Henry Was – bass (6)
- Amaire Johnson – strings (7)
- David Young – trumpet (7)
- Gionardo Burg – background vocals (8)
- Markeith Nelson – background vocals (8)
- Russ – background vocals (9, 16)
- Danielle Rich – background vocals (10)
- Armani – background vocals (13)
- Noleac Yashin – background vocals (13, 15)
- Jasmine "Sistar Outspoken" Pitcher – background vocals (14)
- Kendrick Lamar – background vocals (14)
- Yaris Sanchez – background vocals (14)
- Kailey Galvin – background vocals (15)
- Kiera Gavin – background vocals (15)
- Jordan Brooks – bass (16)
- Phillip Whack – trumpet (16)
- Zacari – background vocals (17)
Technical
- Nicolas De Porcel – mastering
- Andrew Boyd – mixing, engineering
- Rory Behr – mixing, engineering
- James Hunt – mixing (3, 4, 7, 14, 15)
- Sedrick Moore II – engineering (1, 9, 11, 13)
- Bert Gervis – engineering (4, 7)
- Hari Bhatt – engineering (6)
- Keaton Smith – engineering (10, 11)
- Milan Beker – engineering (12)
- Tom Kahre – engineering (12)
- Arnulfo Reyes III – engineering (13)
- King of Chill – engineering (18)
- Parks & Nef – engineering (18)
- Sir Darryl Farris – engineering (16)
- Demitrius Lewis II – mastering assistance
- Ashod Oshagan – additional engineering (3)
- Devin Ragsdale – engineering assistance (8)
References
edit- ^ Fantano, Anthony (January 18, 2023). Ab-Soul - Herbert ALBUM REVIEW. The Needle Drop. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ Green, Dylan (December 16, 2022). "Ab-Soul: Herbert Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ Burke, Casey (January 10, 2023). "Ab-Soul: Herbert". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ Thiessen, Chris (December 21, 2022). "Ab-Soul: Herbert (Top Dawg Entertainment) - review". Under the Radar. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ "AB-SOUL ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM HERBERT, DROPS "GANG'NEM" VIDEO". HipHopDX. 18 November 2022.
- ^ "Ab-Soul makes his return with new "Hollandaise" single". RevoltTV. 22 April 2022.
- ^ "Ab-Soul Returns With New Single "Moonshooter"". Complex. 16 September 2022.
- ^ "AB-SOUL ANNOUNCES "DO BETTER" SINGLE AHEAD OF NEW ALBUM". HipHopDX. 20 October 2022.
- ^ "AB-SOUL DROPS NEW SINGLE "GANG'NEM" FEATURING FRESH". RocktheBells. 18 November 2022.
- ^ "Ab-Soul unveils Herbert cover art and tracklist". Fader. 7 December 2022.