The Forever Story Explained

The Forever Story
Type:studio
Artist:JID
Cover:JID - The Forever Story.png
Released:August 26, 2022
Recorded:2020–2022
Length:66:32
Label:
Prev Title:Spilligion
Prev Year:2020
Next Title:Forever & A Day
Next Year:TBA

The Forever Story is the third studio album by American rapper JID. It was released on August 26, 2022, through Dreamville and Interscope Records. Recorded over a two-year period, the album features introspective lyricism showcasing JID's upbringing. The album incorporates R&B, alternative hip hop, and trap. The album features guest appearances from Kenny Mason, EarthGang, 21 Savage, Baby Tate, Lil Durk, Ari Lennox, Yasiin Bey, Lil Wayne, Johntá Austin, Ravyn Lenae, and Eryn Allen Kane. Production was handled by a variety of record producers, including Monte Booker, Childish Major, Christo, Cardiak, Kaytranada, DJ Scheme, Khrysis, and James Blake, among others. The album serves as the follow-up to JID's second studio album, DiCaprio 2 (2018) as well as Spilligion (2020), his collaboration album with Spillage Village and EarthGang.

The Forever Story was met with critical acclaim upon its release, in which critics praised the album for its ambition, lyrical content and introspective writing. It debuted at number twelve on Billboard 200 chart. The album was supported by two singles: "Surround Sound" and "Dance Now", as well as the promotional single "2007".

Background

The Forever Story was a highly anticipated project, as it marks JID's first solo output in almost four years, since the critically acclaimed DiCaprio 2 was released in 2018.[1] Our Generation Music wrote: "With a forthcoming album that's been in the works for nearly a half decade, fans could ironically call the wait for JID's next project The Forever Story.'"[2]

Conceptually, The Forever Story is a sequel to JID's debut album, The Never Story, released in 2017. The title is a direct reference to the 2017 album's title, and the artwork alludes to the 2017 album's artwork. The artwork depicts the rapper "standing in the middle of a crowd containing people from all walks of life",[3] capturing "the different realities Black people face in America."[4]

Recording and production

In March 2020, JID began working on the album at the Spillage Village studio house in Atlanta with members of the group expected make appearances. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they decided to record collectively for the album Spilligion.[5] In an interview with, he told Billboard, "This next album [The Forever Story] is the best shit I've ever done in my life. Every step I've taken was worth it, and our blocks are building."[6]

The album was executive produced by Barry "Hefner" Johnson, JID, and Christo. The production was mainly handled by Christo, Monte Booker, Kaytranada, James Blake, Thundercat, DJ Khalil, Childish Major, Groove, Tommy Brown and Cardiak, among others.[7]

Promotion and release

JID began teasing his third studio album in 2019 through use of social media, but promotion did not begin until January 2022, when the lead single, "Surround Sound", was released. During his performance at Coachella in April 2022, he told the crowd he would announce the album release date during another performance the next week; however, he never ended up doing it.[8] On August 9, 2022, he unveiled the album artwork and revealed that it would be released on August 26. A second single from the album, "Dance Now", was also released the same day.[9] On August 19, JID released "2007"—a song which was originally meant to serve as the album's outro, but could not be included in the end due to problems with sample clearance—exclusively through YouTube.[10] On August 22, he revealed the album tracklist, consisting of fifteen tracks.[11] Two days before the release, JID hosted a promotional scavenger hunt event in three different US cities; he instructed fans that those who are able to locate a Pontiac G6 (a car JID used to own) will get to hear the album early.[12] The album was officially released on August 26, 2022.[13]

On November 2, 2022, JID announced that intended album outro "2007" would be released the following day,[14] and on November 3, 2022, an extended version including the song was released to streaming services.

Music and lyrical themes

Prior to the release, JID commented on the album's themes and creation process: "Initially I wanted to create an album that serves as an origin story and speaks to who I am and what I came from. [...] This has been the heaviest project for me to make and I take pride in my vulnerability that came in the midst of creation."[15] In an interview with Complex, JID spoke on why he wanted to include personal family stories in the album saying:

The original outro for the album, "2007", is a narrative-driven song that tells the story of JID's upbringing and college experience from an aspiring football player to a rapper. JID highlighted release dates of several albums as checkpoints to depict critical moments in his life, such as J. Cole's The Come Up, The Warm Up, and , Kendrick Lamar's Section.80, and his debut The Never Story. The song also includes skits from his father talking about when he found out JID was kicked out of college and decided to pursue rapping, and J. Cole telling the story about how they met and when he decided to sign him to Dreamville.[16]

Critical reception

The Forever Story was met with critical acclaim upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 83, based on 6 reviews.

Ben Broyd of Clash praised the album, saying "JID's latest release is a wonderful insight into the rapper's formative years, and ultimately through the introspective manner allows for an enthralling listen. Through 'The Forever Story' JID has claimed his seat at the prestigious table of Atlantan greats". Writing for Pitchfork, Dylan Green called it "a sprawling and sometimes frustrating bridge between JID's upbringing and his place within hip-hop canon and Black history at large". In an anonymously written assessment for AllMusic, the reviewer claimed that it was "an album every bit as ambitious and monumental as the two solo studio outings that preceded it" and felt it demonstrated that JID was, "growing in terms of technical talent while also opening up more lyrically."

Track listing

Notes

Sample credits

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Chart (2022–2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[17] 42
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[18] 46
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[19] 16

Notes and References

  1. Web site: January 16, 2022 . J.I.D. × Surround Sound . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220116185928/https://www.the360mag.com/j-i-d-x-surround-sound/ . January 16, 2022 . August 15, 2022 . 360 Magazine.
  2. Web site: Galindo . Thomas . August 8, 2022 . JID drops 'Dance Now' with Kenny Mason ahead of 'The Forever Story' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220815163004/https://ourgenerationmusic.com/news/jid-the-forever-story-2/ . August 15, 2022 . August 15, 2022 . Our Generation Music.
  3. Web site: Gonzalez . Alex . August 9, 2022 . JID Finally Shares A Release Date For 'The Forever Story' And It's Coming Sooner Than You Think . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220816014450/https://uproxx.com/music/jid-release-date-the-forever-story/ . August 16, 2022 . August 21, 2022 . Uproxx.
  4. Web site: Saponara . Michael . August 9, 2022 . JID Shares New Single 'Dance Now' & 'The Forever Story' Album Cover Art . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220813003259/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.72412/title.jid-dance-now-the-forever-story-release-date-cover-art . August 13, 2022 . August 16, 2022 . HipHopDX.
  5. Ridner . Grant . How Spillage Village Hunkered Down in Atlanta and Captured the Chaos of 2020 . Rolling Stone . September 24, 2020 .
  6. J.I.D Says His Career Is at a 'Boiling Point' After Top Five Hot 100 Success of 'Enemy' . Billboard.
  7. Web site: JID reveals 'The Forever Story' official tracklist . Revolt.
  8. Web site: Williams . Ian . June 21, 2022 . Everything we know about JID's 'The Forever Story' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220702152202/https://ourgenerationmusic.com/editorials/jid-the-forever-story/ . July 2, 2022 . August 15, 2022 . Our Generation Music.
  9. Web site: Kress . Bryan . August 9, 2022 . JID Announces New Album The Forever Story, Shares "Dance Now" with Kenny Mason and Fousheé: Stream . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220814045829/https://consequence.net/2022/08/jid-the-forever-story-dance-now-stream/ . August 14, 2022 . August 16, 2022 . Consequence.
  10. Web site: DeVille . Chris . August 19, 2022 . JID Tells His Story With Help From His Dad, J. Cole, & More On "2007" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220820205255/https://www.stereogum.com/2196912/jid-tells-his-story-with-help-from-his-dad-j-cole-more-on-2007/music/ . August 20, 2022 . August 20, 2022 . Stereogum.
  11. 1561757851999035393. JIDsv. JID.lnk.to/TheForeverStory [...]. Destin Route. August 22, 2022. August 22, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220822173131/https://twitter.com/JIDsv/status/1561757851999035393. 2022-08-22. live. yes.
  12. Web site: Cummings-Grady . Mackenzie . August 24, 2022 . JID Holds Scavenger Hunt So Fans Can Hear His New Album Early . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220824201043/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.72843/title.jid-scavenger-hunt-the-forever-story . August 24, 2022 . August 26, 2022 . HipHopDX.
  13. Web site: Callas . Brad . August 26, 2022 . JID Drops New Album 'The Forever Story' f/ Lil Durk, 21 Savage, Lil Wayne, and More . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220826075543/https://www.complex.com/music/jid-the-forever-story . August 26, 2022 . August 26, 2022 . Complex.
  14. JIDsv . 1587910869085999104 . 2007 is free and coming home tonight Midnight/9Pm PST!!!!!.
  15. Web site: Powell . Jon . August 19, 2022 . JID unveils autobiographical new single "2007" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220820221614/https://www.revolt.tv/article/2022-08-19/187399/jid-2007-single/ . August 20, 2022 . August 21, 2022 . Revolt.
  16. News: Feldstein . Josh . Atlanta rapper JID showcases storytelling expertise on 'The Forever Story' . 30 November 2022 . . 6 September 2022.
  17. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. September 5, 2022. September 2, 2022.
  18. Web site: 2022 35-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). AGATA. lt. September 2, 2022. September 2, 2022.
  19. Web site: NZ Top 40 Albums Chart. Recorded Music NZ. September 5, 2022. September 3, 2022.

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