27-year-old, California-based rapper Earl Sweatshirt released a new single “2010” with an accompanying music video a few days ago on November 19. This is the first commercial release from the Odd Future heavy weight since his 2019 album FEET OF CLAY and 2020 single with Maxo WHOLE WORLD, which was also seen on FEET OF CLAY (Deluxe).
Sweatshirt, born Thebe Kgositsile, has had a tumultuous career thus far. His earlier works, like the notorious Earl mixtape, received praise and hate alike. His 2013 and 2015 projects, Doris and I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside respectively, would garner more wide spread acceptance and success while at the same time seemingly pushing him to become a more recluse-like figure.
After his 2015 effort I Don’t Like Shit, Sweatshirt seemed to take a hiatus from the public eye, although I’m sure he didn’t take a break from working on new music. On Some Rap Songs from 2018 and FEET OF CLAY from 2019, Earl seemed to be taking a step back from what he was doing with his earlier music. Taking a more eclectic and experimental approach to his production style and production choices, his two most recent albums have been much more off-the-wall than any of his other stuff to date.
With the release of his newest single 2010, we seem to be getting another new style all together. His voice and demeanor seem to be the same Sweatshirt that has always been, but his energy and approach is much more awake, alive, and clear than at times in the past. I truly believe that Sweatshirt needed to take some time to learn and master a new style of music that brings together his incredibly unique style of rapping and the most innovative production possible. Some Rap Songs and FEET OF CLAY, while great projects in and of themselves, were stepping stones that Earl used to get to where he is right now.
I believe that Sweatshirt is about to release the music that he has always wanted to make. He is finally at a point in his life where he seems ready and able to utilize all the strengths in his arsenal. While still bringing something new to the table and pushing the envelope on the production, his new album will be the best and most commercially successful album that he has released.