Herbert
A photo of a Black baby sat on the floor of a living room, wearing headphones which are plugged into a record player.
Studio album by
Ab-Soul
ReleasedDecember 16, 2022 (2022-12-16)
Recorded2022
Genre
Length66:23
LabelTop Dawg
Producer
Ab-Soul chronology
Do What Thou Wilt.
(2016)		 Herbert
(2022)
Singles from Herbert
  1. "Hollandaise"
    Released: April 22, 2022
  2. "Moonshooter"
    Released: September 16, 2022
  3. "Do Better"
    Released: October 21, 2022
  4. "Gang'Nem"
    Released: November 18, 2022
Herbert ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Needle Drop6/10[1]
Pitchfork6/10[2]
Spectrum Culture45%[3]
Under the Radar[4]

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]

Background and release

On 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

No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Message in a Bottle" (with Lance Skiiiwalker)
  • Behr
  • Jake Kosich
  • Johnny Kosich
  • Rodrian
  • Luca Starz
  • Super Miles
  • Beach Noise
  • Luca Starz
  • Juju the Fool
  • No_L
  • Rory Behr[a]
4:39
2."No Report Card"Stevens
2:50
3."Hollandaise"Stevens
  • Kalon Berry
  • Russel Scoot-Wood
  • Crooklin
  • Kal Banx
4:19
4."Moonshooter" (with Joey Badass)
Jamal SmithPoptartpete4:13
5."Fomf"Stevens
2:40
6."Goodman" (with Punch)
  • Andrew Boyd
  • Kevin Pennington
  • Python P
  • Andrew Boyd
3:28
7."Do Better" (with Zacari)
3:51
8."Gang'Nem" (with Fresh)
  • Stevens
  • Supreme Williams
  • Jake Kosich
  • Johnny Kosich
  • Markeith Nelson
  • Schaeffer
  • Spears
  • Sounwave
  • Beach Noise[c]
  • Ayoo Meco[a]
4:10
9."The Wild Side" (with Jhené Aiko)
  • Dylan Graham
  • Miles Franklin
  • Super Miles
  • Axlfolie
  • Dylan Graham
2:55
10."Art of Seduction" (with Ambré)
  • Stevens
  • Connan Hosford
  • Boi-1da
  • Sounwave
  • Jahaan Sweet
3:23
11."Bucket"
  • Jake Kosich
  • Johnny Kosich
  • Jacob Rochester
  • Jacob Rochester
  • Beach Noise
3:05
12."Go Off" (with Russ and Big Sean)
Amaire JohnsonJohnson4:27
13."Fallacy" (with Alameda)
  • Stevens
  • Rahema Alemeda
  • Caelon Nishay
  • Caelon Reed
Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr.Hit-Boy3:33
14."Herbert"
3:50
15."Church on the Move"Stevens
  • DJ Dahi
  • Curtis McKenzie
2:46
16."It Be Like That" (with Sir)
  • Jake Bowman
  • Jordan Brooks
  • Greg Cortez
  • Connor McElwain
  • Perkins
  • Tae Beast
  • Jake Bowman
  • Greg Cortez
  • Connor McElwain
4:19
17."Positive Vibes Only"
  • Natche
  • Ely Rise
DJ Dahi3:52
18."Gotta Rap"StevensChristopher Edward MartinDJ Premier4:03
Total length:66:23

Notes

  • ^[c] signifies a co-producer.
  • ^[a] signifies an assistant producer.

Personnel

Musicians

  • 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

  1. ↑ Fantano, Anthony (January 18, 2023). Ab-Soul - Herbert ALBUM REVIEW. The Needle Drop. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  2. ↑ Green, Dylan (December 16, 2022). "Ab-Soul: Herbert Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  3. ↑ Burke, Casey (January 10, 2023). "Ab-Soul: Herbert". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  4. ↑ Thiessen, Chris (December 21, 2022). "Ab-Soul: Herbert (Top Dawg Entertainment) - review". Under the Radar. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  5. ↑ "AB-SOUL ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM HERBERT, DROPS "GANG'NEM" VIDEO". HipHopDX. 18 November 2022.
  6. ↑ "Ab-Soul makes his return with new "Hollandaise" single". RevoltTV. 22 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "Ab-Soul Returns With New Single "Moonshooter"". Complex. 16 September 2022.
  8. ↑ "AB-SOUL ANNOUNCES "DO BETTER" SINGLE AHEAD OF NEW ALBUM". HipHopDX. 20 October 2022.
  9. ↑ "AB-SOUL DROPS NEW SINGLE "GANG'NEM" FEATURING FRESH". RocktheBells. 18 November 2022.
  10. ↑ "Ab-Soul unveils Herbert cover art and tracklist". Fader. 7 December 2022.
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