Perception (NF album)

"Outro" was released on August 2, 2017, as the first single from a then unnamed upcoming album.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thechristianbeat.org/index.php/news-2/3750-nf-releases-new-single-outro|title=NF Releases New Single "Outro"|last=Longs|first=Herb|website=thechristianbeat.org|access-date=October 23, 2018}} Fans speculated that the album's title would be Perception based on information found in the “Green Lights” music video.{{Citation|last=NFVEVO|title=NF - Green Lights|date=August 17, 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocnuOcwHNaM|access-date=October 23, 2018}} Three days before the album's release, NF released the single "Let You Down", which would become his first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In an interview with Rap.de, NF explained the album was about his perception, though it could be "from anyone in the world".{{Cite news|url=https://rap.de/c37-interview/113040-interview-mit-nf-ueber-sein-neues-album-perception/|title=Interview mit NF über "Perception", Eminem-Vergleiche und die Kirche - rap.de|date=November 16, 2017|work=rap.de|access-date=October 23, 2018|language=de-DE}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |first=Neil |last=Z. Yeung |title=NF – 'Perception' album review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/perception-mw0003103491 |website=AllMusic |access-date=October 28, 2017 |date=October 14, 2017}}

| rev2 = CCM Magazine

| rev2Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |first=Matt |last=Conner |title=NF – 'Perception' album review |url=https://www.ccmmagazine.com/reviews/nf-perception-album-review/ |journal=CCM Magazine |access-date=October 14, 2017 |date=October 14, 2017}}

| rev3 = Jesus Freak Hideout

| rev3Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite journal |first=David |last=Craft |title=NF – 'Perception' album review |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/Perception.asp |journal=Jesus Freak Hideout |access-date=October 28, 2017 |date=October 14, 2017}}
{{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |first=Kevin |last=Hoskins |title=NF, "Perception" Review: Second Staff Opinion |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/Perception.asp |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout |access-date=October 28, 2017}}

}}

CCM Magazine{{'}}s Matt Conner gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying "The maturity and musical experimentation grows on Perception, yet the dynamism and authenticity remain firmly in place." David Craft of Jesus Freak Hideout gave the album a below-average review, awarding it two out of five stars due to a lack of originality and redundancy. He stated that "Perception essentially consists of NF spending an hour yelling at listeners about his thinly-veiled insecurities while simultaneously bragging about how great he is" and that there were a few "glimmers of quality", but that "NF exercises neither patience nor humility on Perception." Kevin Hoskins, also of Jesus Freak Hideout, gave a more positive "second opinion" review, giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars, saying the album's biggest flaw was that it is "very one-dimensional" but praised the album for its continuity of emotional lyrics and thematic production from NF's previous albums by saying "Perception does not offer fans anything exceptionally new, but current fans will truly appreciate the fire Nate spits on these highly emotional rap tunes. As always, the thematic production is easily noticed making this a complete NF album, even though it falls short of his previous discography."

Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic gave the album 3.5 out of 5, describing the album as a "heavy and serious listen" and described NF's lyrics as "continually engrossing".

Perception debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 with 55,000 album-equivalent units, including 38,000 pure album sales in its first week,{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7998826/nf-first-no-1-album-billboard-200-chart-perception|title=NF Scores First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Perception'|work=Billboard|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=October 16, 2017|access-date=October 17, 2017}} becoming both NF's first US top 10 and No. 1 album. In its second week, the album fell to No. 25 with 18,000 album-equivalent units of which 5,000 were in traditional album sales.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8015028/billboard-200-chart-moves-adele-25-100th-consecutive-week|title=Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Adele's '25' Hits 100th Consecutive Week on Chart|access-date=December 20, 2017}} On March 22, 2018, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States.{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=nf&ti=&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section|title=American album certifications – NF|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America|access-date=March 26, 2018}} On July 11, 2023, the album was certified two-times platinum by the RIAA for sales of over 2,000,000 units in the United States.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/nfrealmusic/status/1101577079634579456|title=NF Twitter Post about Album going Platinum|access-date=March 1, 2019}}

As of August 2019, the album has earned 1.1 million equivalent album units, with 160,000 coming from album sales.{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8526019/nf-scores-second-no-1-album-billboard-200|title=NF Scores Second No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'The Search'|website=Billboard}}

All songs produced by Tommee Profitt and David Garcia. Credits adapted from Tidal.{{cite web|title=Perception - NF|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/79270946|publisher=Tidal|access-date=May 4, 2018}}

{{Track listing

| headline =

| total_length = 61:38

| title1 = Intro III

| writer1 = {{hlist|Nathan Feuerstein|Tommee Profitt}}

| length1 = 4:28

| title2 = Outcast

| writer2 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Profitt}}

| length2 = 5:25

| title3 = 10 Feet Down

| note3 = featuring Ruelle

| writer3 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Profitt|Elley Duhé|Devin Guisande|Kyle Guisande}}

| length3 = 3:37

| title4 = Green Lights

| writer4 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Garcia|Profitt}}

| length4 = 3:01

| title5 = Dreams

| writer5 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Profitt}}

| length5 = 3:41

| title6 = Let You Down

| writer6 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Profitt}}

| length6 = 3:32

| title7 = Destiny

| writer7 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Profitt|Cameron Doyle}}

| length7 = 3:59

| title8 = My Life

| writer8 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Garcia}}

| length8 = 3:35

| title9 = You're Special

| writer9 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Profitt}}

| length9 = 5:12

| title10 = If You Want Love

| writer10 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Profitt}}

| length10 = 3:19

| title11 = Remember This

| writer11 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Profitt}}

| length11 = 4:00

| title12 = Know

| writer12 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Profitt}}

| length12 = 3:58

| title13 = Lie

| writer13 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Profitt|Mike Elizondo, Jr.}}

| length13 = 3:29

| title14 = 3 A.M.

| writer14 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Garcia}}

| length14 = 3:38

| title15 = One Hundred

| writer15 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Garcia|Brendon Coe}}

| length15 = 3:12

| title16 = Outro

| writer16 = {{hlist|Feuerstein|Garcia|Profitt}}

| length16 = 3:32

}}

Credits adapted from Tidal.

Musicians

{{div col}}

• NF – vocals, composer {{small|(all tracks)}}
• Brendon Coe – composer {{small|(track 15)}}
• Cameron Doyle – composer {{small|(track 7)}}
• Elley Duhé – composer {{small|(track 3)}}
• Mike Elizondo – composer {{small|(track 13)}}
• David Garcia – composer {{small|(tracks 4, 8, 14–16)}}
• Devin Guisande – composer {{small|(track 3)}}
• Kyle Guisande – composer {{small|(track 3)}}
• Tommee Profitt – composer {{small|(tracks 1–7, 9–13, 16)}}
• Ruelle – guest vocals {{small|(track 3)}}

{{div col end}}

{{col-start}}

{{col-2}}

Production

• Vinnie Alibrandi – post-producer
• Chris Athens – mastering {{small|(all tracks)}}
• Mike Bozzi – mastering {{small|(all tracks)}}
• David Garcia – producer {{small|(all tracks)}}
• Tommee Profitt – producer {{small|(all tracks)}}

{{col-2}}

Design

• NF – art direction
• Jon Taylor Sweet – photography
• Joshua Wurzelbacher – art direction, package design

{{col-end}}

{{col-start}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=album|artist=NF|title=Perception|award=Gold|certyear=2023|access-date=April 4, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=NF|title=Perception|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2017|certyear=2023|access-date=May 12, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=album|artist=NF|title=Perception|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2022|relyear=2017|id=11724|access-date=October 11, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=album|artist=NF|title=Perception|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2024|relyear=2017|source=radioscope|access-date=March 23, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=NF|title=Perception|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2017|certyear=2023|access-date=March 8, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|artist=NF|award=Platinum|number=2|type=album|relyear=2017|certyear=2023|source=artist|access-date=May 27, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|type=album|artist=NF|title=Perception|relyear=2018|certyear=2021|access-date=September 4, 2021|id=16047-4558-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=NF|title=Perception|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2023|relyear=2017|access-date=July 11, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

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Category:2017 albums

Category:NF (rapper) albums