Jay Electronica: “An Album Is A False Concept”

In a new interview, the rapper discussed releasing music on his own terms.

February 23, 2017

just a lil nigga from out that nolia yaheardme? #DorothyFlowersRaisedMe #UptownForLife

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Jay Electronica isn't moved by pressure to release his debut album, not even from his label boss Jay Z, the reclusive rapper revealed in a new interview with Billboard.

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Electronica posted (and subsequently deleted) a series of tweets announcing the album's completion in 2011, but that was obviously premature. "When it’s ready, when it’s ready," he said. "It don’t matter if Donald Trump say, "Put the album out." Maybe if Minister [Louis] Farrakhan said put the album out then maybe I might go home tonight and throw something together and put it out."

The rapper insisted that the project would be released, before questioning the album as a format. "Then again, an album is a false concept anyway. An album is something that was created by corporations as a product to make money. People have been making music, doing plays and telling stories around fires for trillions of years. I like albums but I’m not too really handcuffed to the concept of that."

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Jay Electronica recently appeared on with Chance The Rapper on "How Great," and had a verse on "Garden" by Emeli Sandé.
Representatives for Jay Electronica were not immediately available for comment.

Jay Electronica: “An Album Is A False Concept”