It’s been a few years now since we first heard Konnichiwa, the last full-length project from Skepta. With the exception of 2017’s Vicious EP, the UK emcee has mainly stuck to singles over these past few years, but today, the wait is finally over as we receive Skepta’s brand new album, Ignorance Is Bliss.
Watching the various interviews that were released throughout the rollout for this project, it immediately became apparent to me just how focused Skepta has become over the past few years. Amongst worlds of success, a hit song in “Praise The Lord” with A$AP Rocky, and plenty of memorable wins in recent times, the Top Boy himself has reached a new level in his career, and the new album reflects this change in both circumstance and mindset.
13 tracks long, Ignorance Is Bliss is as to-the-point as it gets, allowing Skepta to paint vivid pictures of the life he lives and the mindset that he takes toward his career, devoid of any fluff along the way. He’s seen the bright lights and the fame, but he’s also seen the unwanted energies that come with this success and learned countless lessons along the way. Naturally, the project feels incredibly polished and refined, reflecting this knowledge gained without losing track of the rebellious, strong-hearted artist that we’ve come to know Skepta to be.
That said, I could go on about this album all day, but the truth is, Ignorance Is Bliss needs to be listened to all the way through without pause to fully understand. Equipped with features from Key!, Nafe Smallz, J Hus, WizKid, the Boy Better Know crew, Lancey Foux, and several others, this might just be the album of the year for me, but don’t just take my word for it. Stream Ignorance Is Bliss below and let us know what you think in the comments!