Over the summer, we told you about rapper, singer, and songwriter NF‘s new album Perception. Despite millions of streams on Spotify and millions of views for his videos on YouTube, the twenty-six-year-old Michigan native has largely remained unknown, but Perception– which is out now- just might be his big breakthrough. Released as the follow-up to his 2016 sophomore album Therapy Session, as of Friday evening Perception has reached the #1 spots on the iTunes Top Albums Chart and Amazon’s Rap Chart.
The release of Perception comes along with a brand new music video for “Outcast”, which can be seen above. In the video, NF is seen alternately in a prison cell (similar to the album artwork) and on top of a moving car. The despair he feels is evident, even as he’s joined by dozens upon dozens of fans. It’s a fitting metaphor for Perception as a whole and its place in NF’s discography: in the third verse, he reflects that Therapy Session “was therapy for me”, like 2015’s Mansions was for his fans. While he may be an “Outcast” to the industry, he’s chosen to embrace standing out, and pursue his own style.
Like all of NF’s music to date, Perception isn’t afraid to dive deep into his personal experiences, whether that’s his relationship with his father (“Let You Down”) or what it’s really like to gain recognition from art that’s largely inspired by pain (“Outro”). You can listen to the album below, though be prepared for it to hit you hard.
NF has not announced any touring plans for the fall, but we’ll be sure to let you know when he does. Make sure you’re following Substream on Twitter so you don’t miss any updates!