Joey Bada$$ gave fans an appetizer with his three-song bundle The Light Pack over the summer, but it looks like his long-awaited album is just around the corner. On Tuesday (September 29), the Brooklyn rapper provided an update on his upcoming project via Twitter.
“My album fire,” he wrote. “85% done w. See y’all soon. I finished this album like 3 times but I promise this the last time… hopefully.”
The Pro Era member doesn’t sound totally convinced, but either way, he’s making progress and feels like he’s almost done with it.
My album fire. 85% done w. See y’all soon.
— BADMON (@joeyBADASS) September 30, 2020
I finished this album like 3 times but I promise this the last time.,.. hopefully
— BADMON (@joeyBADASS) September 30, 2020
The Light Pack was released in July with contributions from Pusha T, Swizz Beatz, Statik Selektah and Sean C & LV. Joey’s last full-length album ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ came out in 2017 with features from J. Cole, ScHoolboy Q, Styles P and more. His last LP before that, B4.Da.$$, dropped in 2015.
On March 9, Joey said his new album would be out in the next six months, but that date has already passed. In the interview with Complex, he talked about taking time to experience life in order to put the stories into his music.
“It’s not fast food,” he said. “It’s not something that keeps coming, even though I’d like it to be like that, and my fans would like it to be like that. But I just need time. I’m talking about my life, talking about my experiences. That doesn’t always happen in six months. Sometimes, not much happens in six months that’s super significant to express through art. Or sometimes you need another six months to even process what you just went through.”
He continued, “It will speak towards the growth as both an artist and as a man. I’m just trying to find new ways to open up and to tell my story—more parts of it that haven’t been told,” he says. “Also, I’m having fun this time around. I’m trying to have more fun than I’ve ever had, because it’s a very fun time for me right now. A lot of exciting things are happening.”
Joey also revealed the album will be more condensed after expressing how much he dislikes long projects.
“I hate when motherfuckers put out an album longer than 14 songs,” Joey said. “Nobody wants to fucking listen to that. Nobody’s getting through that in a day. Granted kids are a big part of this shit, but bro, keep that shit. I don’t care if it was Michael Jackson, I am not listening to 25 songs. Less is more in my opinion.”