Skepta has decided to come out of his early rap retirement, announcing the release of a brand new album — check out a preview of its first single below.
Taking to Instagram on New Year’s Day (January 1), the UK rapper announced his next studio LP will be titled Knife and Fork – and its first single, “Gas Me Up,” will arrive before the month is over.
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“It’s been years since I dropped my last album and I want to thank you for all the love during my hiatus,” he wrote in the post. “I’ve seen the messages, tweets and Tik Toks, I’m truly grateful that my music is still resonating with the world, even in my absence.”
He continued: “I’m happy to announce my next studio album #KnifeAndFork is loading this year, the first single #GasMeUp (Diligent) will be out January 26th. Can’t wait to see you all @bigsmokefestival happy 2024”
You can view his post and check out a snippet of “Gas me Up” in the carousel below:
Skepta announced his retirement from rapping in 2021, following five studio albums that culminated with 2019’s Ignorance Is Bliss.
Along with his retirement announcement, he dropped a five-song EP titled All In and promised it would be his last.
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“ALL IN is all the music I have to give,” he wrote on his Instagram Story. “I have no unreleased music, feels good to clear the outbox. Sure you all know, I’m a producer at heart and I have so many ideas that I want to work on with other artists. Upcoming and established, young and OG.
“Skepta on production. It’s that time. And I definitely want to make an all female album. So many fire female artists, rappers and singers. I gotta make a hard 13 track female only album FULL of classics.”
But while he was no longer rapping, he continued to DJ and make house records like the tribute he released to Amy Winehouse in the fall, “Can’t Play Myself.”
The haunting uptempo tune features a beautiful sample of 2006 Back To Black standout “Tears Dry on Their Own.”
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“He walks away, the sun goes down/ He takes the day, but I’m grown (I’m grown)/ And in your way, in this blue shade/ My tears dry on their own,” the late star sings on the chorus.
