Stormzy finally dropped his new album "This Is What I Mean," and everyone is loving it, which must be a big sigh of relief on the rapper's part because it means so much to him.
In an interview, the British rapper revealed that the album liberated him from his "extremely heavy" career, which had its own set of expectations and demands.
"I think this album, for me, I found my freedom," he reportedly told a room of fans and his team.
"I've always said this album, god willing, allows me to spread my wings and just fly. That was a big thing for me, achieving my freedom."
His first two albums "Gang Signs & Prayer," released in 2017, and "Heavy is the Head," released in 2019 have both performed well on charts and earned platinum certifications from BPI.
These recognitions, as well as the fans' support, have spurred the rapper to become a better artist, he said.
"I think I just embraced the fact that I'm still growing as a man, as an artist. I think this whole process, I feel like everything in my life led up to getting here."
'This Is What I Mean'
According to Hypebeast, Stormzy's new album delivered a new side to him that fans have yet to see. They described it as raw.
"This Is What I Mean" received four out of five stars from both NME and The Guardian, meaning it really is an album that music fans should look out for.
Both reviews pointed out the 29-year-old's mastery of writing lyrics, like when he delved into topics such as politics.
The highly anticipated album boasts 12 songs, and showed off Stormzy's expertise in exploring different genres and sounds.
To emphasize just how important and personal his new project is to him, Stormzy celebrated the release of the album through a hand-written note that he posted on Instagram.
"I'm never tryna do what is unexpected of me or what is expected of me," he wrote.
"I rap for seven minutes it's because in my spirit if I sing my heart out then it's because my soul just absolutely had to. I love music. I love love, love music.
"I will rap for the rest of my life, I will sing for the rest of my life, I will make art for the rest of my life, and at no point, I will ever do any of those things for any other reason."
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