Herbert (album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Herbert
| type = Studio album
| artist = Ab-Soul
| cover = Herbert_Ab-Soul.jpg
| alt = A photo of a Black baby sat on the floor of a living room, wearing headphones which are plugged into a record player.
| released = {{Start date|2022|12|16}}
| recorded = 2022
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Hip hop|West Coast hip hop}}
| length = 66:23
| label = TDE
| producer = {{hlist|Axlfolie|Beach Noise|James Blake|Boi-1da|Jake Bowman|Andrew Boyd|Greg Cortez|Crooklin|DJ Dahi|DJ Premier|Connor McElwain|Dylan Graham|Nick Hakim|Hit-Boy|Amaire Johnson|Juju the Fool|Kal Banx|Kurtis McKenzie|No_L|Pilgrim|Poptartpete|Python P|Rascal|Jacob Rochester|Sounwave|Luca Starz|Super Miles|Jahaan Sweet|Tae Beast}}
| prev_title = Do What Thou Wilt.
| prev_year = 2016
| next_title = Soul Burger
| next_year = 2024
| misc = {{Singles
| type = studio
| single1 = Hollandaise
| single1date = April 22, 2022
| single2 = Moonshooter
| single2date = September 16, 2022
| single3 = Do Better
| single3date = October 21, 2022
| single4 = Gang'Nem
| single4date = November 18, 2022
}}}}
{{Music ratings
| title =Herbert ratings
| rev1 =The Needle Drop
| rev1score =6/10{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8dRQca4hE4 |title=Ab-Soul - Herbert ALBUM REVIEW |date=January 18, 2023 |last=Fantano |first=Anthony |access-date=January 3, 2024 |work=The Needle Drop}}
| rev2 =Pitchfork
| rev2score =6/10{{Cite news |last=Green |first=Dylan |date=December 16, 2022 |title=Ab-Soul: Herbert Album Review |work=Pitchfork |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/ab-soul-herbert/ |access-date=January 3, 2024}}
| rev3 =Spectrum Culture
| rev4 =Under the Radar
| rev4score ={{rating|6|10}}{{Cite news |last=Thiessen |first=Chris |date=December 21, 2022 |title=Ab-Soul: Herbert (Top Dawg Entertainment) - review |work=Under the Radar |url=https://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/herbert-ab-soul |access-date=January 3, 2024}}
| noprose = yes
}}
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.{{cite web|title=AB-SOUL ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM HERBERT, DROPS "GANG'NEM" VIDEO|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/ab-soul-announces-new-album-herbert-drops-gangnem-video|website=HipHopDX|date=18 November 2022}}
Background and release
On April 22, 2022, Ab-Soul released "Hollandaise", the lead single from his then-upcoming yet-to-be-titled album.{{cite web|title=Ab-Soul makes his return with new "Hollandaise" single|url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2022-04-22/164535/ab-soul-hollandaise-song/?amp|website=RevoltTV|date=22 April 2022}}
On September 16, 2022, he released the second single from the album titled "Moonshooter", which he co-wrote with his TDE label-mate Zacari.{{cite web|title=Ab-Soul Returns With New Single "Moonshooter"|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/brad-callas/ab-soul-moonshooter-song|website=Complex|date=16 September 2022}} 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.{{cite web|title=AB-SOUL ANNOUNCES "DO BETTER" SINGLE AHEAD OF NEW ALBUM|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.74292/title.ab-soul-do-better-new-album|website=HipHopDX|date=20 October 2022}}
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.{{cite web|title=AB-SOUL DROPS NEW SINGLE "GANG'NEM" FEATURING FRESH|url=https://rockthebells.com/articles/ab-soul-gang-em/|website=RocktheBells|date=18 November 2022}}
On December 7, 2022, he officially unveiled the cover art and the tracklist for the album.{{cite web|title=Ab-Soul unveils Herbert cover art and tracklist|url=https://www.thefader.com/2022/12/07/ab-soul-unveils-herbert-cover-art-and-tracklist|website=Fader|date=7 December 2022}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| total_length = 66:23
| title1 = Message in a Bottle
| note1 = with Lance Skiiiwalker
| lyrics1 = {{hlist|Herbert Anthony Stevens IV|Gregory Behr|Miles Franklin|Jake Kosich|Johnny Kosich|Lance Howard|Phillip Rodrian|Matthew Schaeffer|Luca Starz}}
| music1 = {{hlist|Behr|Jake Kosich|Johnny Kosich|Rodrian|Luca Starz}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|Super Miles|Beach Noise|Luca Starz|Juju the Fool|No_L|Rory Behr{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length1 = 4:39
| title2 = No Report Card
| lyrics2 = Stevens
| music2 = {{hlist|Tobias Breuer|Donte Perkins}}
| extra2 = {{hlist|Tae Beast|Pilgrim|Rascal|Rory Behr{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length2 = 2:50
| title3 = Hollandaise
| lyrics3 = Stevens
| music3 = {{hlist|Kalon Berry|Russel Scoot-Wood}}
| extra3 = {{hlist|Crooklin|Kal Banx}}
| length3 = 4:19
| title4 = Moonshooter
| note4 = with Joey Badass
| lyrics4 = {{hlist|Stevens|Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott}}
| music4 = Jamal Smith
| extra4 = Poptartpete
| length4 = 4:13
| title5 = Fomf
| lyrics5 = Stevens
| music5 = {{hlist|Matthew Jehu Samuels|Mark Anthony Spears}}
| extra5 = {{hlist|Boi-1da|Sounwave}}
| length5 = 2:40
| title6 = Goodman
| note6 = with Punch
| lyrics6 = {{hlist|Stevens|Willie Clarke|Terrence Louis Henderson, Jr.|Clarence Reid}}
| music6 = {{hlist|Andrew Boyd|Kevin Pennington}}
| extra6 = {{hlist|Python P|Andrew Boyd}}
| length6 = 3:28
| title7 = Do Better
| note7 = with Zacari
| lyrics7 = {{hlist|Stevens|Zacari Moses Pacaldo I}}
| music7 = {{hlist|Stevens|Nicolas Hakim|Kurtis McKenzie|Dacourey Dahi Natche|Pacaldo}}
| extra7 = {{hlist|DJ Dahi|Kurtis McKenzie|Nick Hakim}}
| length7 = 3:51
| title8 = Gang'Nem
| note8 = with Fresh
| lyrics8 = {{hlist|Stevens|Supreme Williams}}
| music8 = {{hlist|Jake Kosich|Johnny Kosich|Markeith Nelson|Schaeffer|Spears}}
| extra8 = {{hlist|Sounwave|Beach Noise{{ref|c|[c]}}|Ayoo Meco{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length8 = 4:10
| title9 = The Wild Side
| note9 = with Jhené Aiko
| lyrics9 = {{hlist|Stevens|Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo|Axel Morgan}}
| music9 = {{hlist|Dylan Graham|Miles Franklin}}
| extra9 = {{hlist|Super Miles|Axlfolie|Dylan Graham}}
| length9 = 2:55
| title10 = Art of Seduction
| note10 = with Ambré
| lyrics10 = {{hlist|Stevens|Connan Hosford}}
| music10 = {{hlist|Jahaan Sweet|Samuels|Spears}}
| extra10 = {{hlist|Boi-1da|Sounwave|Jahaan Sweet}}
| length10 = 3:23
| title11 = Bucket
| lyrics11 = {{hlist|Stevens|Gerloni Cotton|Johnny McKinzie Jr.}}
| music11 = {{hlist|Jake Kosich|Johnny Kosich|Jacob Rochester}}
| extra11 = {{hlist|Jacob Rochester|Beach Noise}}
| length11 = 3:05
| title12 = Go Off
| note12 = with Russ and Big Sean
| lyrics12 = {{hlist|Stevens|Sean Michael Leonard Anderson|Russell James Vitale}}
| music12 = Amaire Johnson
| extra12 = Johnson
| length12 = 4:27
| title13 = Fallacy
| note13 = with Alemeda
| lyrics13 = {{hlist|Stevens|Rahema Alameda|Caelon Nishay|Caelon Reed}}
| music13 = Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr.
| extra13 = Hit-Boy
| length13 = 3:33
| title14 = Herbert
| lyrics14 = {{hlist|Stevens|Kendrick Lamar Duckworth}}
| music14 = {{hlist|Jake Kosich|Johnny Kosich|James Blake Litherland|Schaeffer}}
| extra14 = {{hlist|James Blake|Beach Noise}}
| length14 = 3:50
| title15 = Church on the Move
| lyrics15 = Stevens
| music15 = {{hlist|Thomas Barrett|McKenzie|Natche}}
| extra15 = {{hlist|DJ Dahi|Curtis McKenzie}}
| length15 = 2:46
| title16 = It Be Like That
| note16 = with Sir
| lyrics16 = {{hlist|Stevens|Sir Darryl Farris}}
| music16 = {{hlist|Jake Bowman|Jordan Brooks|Greg Cortez|Connor McElwain|Perkins}}
| extra16 = {{hlist|Tae Beast|Jake Bowman|Greg Cortez|Connor McElwain}}
| length16 = 4:19
| title17 = Positive Vibes Only
| lyrics17 = {{hlist|Stevens|Pacaldo|Tierra Wilson}}
| music17 = {{hlist|Natche|Ely Rise}}
| extra17 = DJ Dahi
| length17 = 3:52
| title18 = Gotta Rap
| lyrics18 = Stevens
| music18 = Christopher Edward Martin
| extra18 = DJ Premier
| length18 = 4:03
}}
Notes
- {{sup|{{note|c|[c]}}}} signifies a co-producer.
- {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} signifies an assistant producer.
Personnel
Musicians
{{div col}}
- 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)
- Jay Rock – background vocals (11)
- 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)
{{div col end}}
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)