B.I.B.L.E. Explained

B.I.B.L.E.
Type:studio
Artist:Fivio Foreign
Cover:Fivio Foreign - B.I.B.L.E..png
Genre:Drill
Length:53:36
Label:
Producer:
  • 808K_Antares
  • A Lau
  • Axl
  • AyoAA
  • Angelgoat
  • Beat Menace
  • Ben Thomas
  • Bordeaux
  • Hbeatsmusic
  • Dem Jointz
  • Dizzy Banko
  • Dom Sarfo
  • DVLP
  • Franklin
  • Hemz
  • J. Perry
  • Johan Lenox
  • Julian Akogu
  • KayCyy
  • Mav
  • Mike Dean
  • Mikewavvs
  • Niko the Great
  • Non Native
  • Ojivolta
  • Omari Clarke
  • Producer Jamz
  • RicoRunDat
  • Saint Cardona
  • SethInTheKitchen
  • Syk Sense
  • The Chainsmokers
  • Tweek Tune
  • Txrgett
  • Wxrrior
  • Yoshi
Prev Title:800 B.C.
Prev Year:2020

B.I.B.L.E. (a backronym for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) is the debut studio album by American rapper Fivio Foreign. It was released on April 8, 2022, through Columbia Records and RichFish. The production on the album was handled by multiple producers including Kanye West, Mike Dean, the Chainsmokers and Dem Jointz among others. It also features guest appearances from KayCyy, Quavo, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Queen Naija, Coi Leray, Chlöe, A$AP Rocky, Lil Yachty, Lil Tjay, Yung Bleu, DJ Khaled, Vory, Polo G, Blueface, Ne-Yo, and The Kid LAROI (who was added after the album was released).[1]

The album was preceded by two singles: "City of Gods" (with West and Keys) and "Magic City", the former of which peaking at number 46 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics and moderate commercial success. The album debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 29,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. "What's My Name" was later released as the third single. A fourth single, "Paris to Tokyo" (with The Kid LAROI), was released after the album was, but was soon added to the tracklist afterwards.

Critical reception

B.I.B.L.E. was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream music critics, the album received an average score of 68, based on 4 reviews, which indicates "generally favourable reviews". Writing for Clash, Ath'e Zihle felt that "although I would not say that this album breaks boundaries or sparks deep emotional response, it is Fivio's formal introduction to the world with a heavy-hitting drill project which will lead the way for future drill projects globally". Kyann-Sian Williams of NME compared B.I.B.L.E. to Kanye West's tenth studio album, Donda (2021), opining that "Fivio Foreign's delivery remains pin-sharp throughout the album, proving that with a few inspired beats, he can produce utter greatness", "with its drill influences and eclecticism, this is perhaps the record 'Donda' could have been, proving that Fivio has plenty of scope to transcend drill culture". Joe Coscarelli of The New York Times wrote that on the album, Fivio "hopes to smooth a path for the city's [New York's] ascendant hip hop scene, even as it draws criticism amid a rise in gun violence" and "tries to maneuver an unconventional sound onto a more conventional path: smoothing down drill's street edge into something safely marketable".[2] David Crone from Allmusic stated that "The majority of B.I.B.L.E. roots itself in cross-over appeal, offering up radio-primed drill anchored in familiar samples and big-hit collaborators, but instead of looking to fight for drill's new boundaries, Fivio makes a quick, and disappointing, grab for stardom. It's hard to fault him for getting the bag, but as long as Fivio keeps his ambitions on the brand, he will step further from excellence. This is a disappointing backpedal from America's drill ambassador."[3]

Commercial performance

B.I.B.L.E. debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 29,000 album-equivalent units (including 1,000 copies in pure album sales) in its first week, according to MRC Data.[4] This became Fivio's first US top-ten debut on the chart.[4] The album also accumulated a total of 37.75 million on-demand official streams of the album's songs.[4]

Track listing

Notes

Sample credits

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[5] 8
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[6] 40
US Billboard 200[7] 9
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[8] 5

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Price . Joe . April 8, 2022 . Fivio Foreign Shares Debut Album B.I.B.L.E f/ Kanye West, Quavo, ASAP Rocky, and More . April 8, 2022 . Complex.
  2. Web site: Coscarelli . Joe . April 7, 2022 . Fivio Foreign Had an Epiphany. Can He Change Drill Rap? . April 7, 2022 . The New York Times.
  3. Web site: B.I.B.L.E. Review by David Crone. April 8, 2022. allmusic.com. April 8, 2022.
  4. Lil Durk's '7220' Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Billboard. Caulfield. Keith. April 17, 2022. April 10, 2022.
  5. Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of April 23, 2022. Billboard. April 19, 2022.
  6. Web site: NZ Top 40 Albums Chart. Recorded Music NZ. April 18, 2022. April 16, 2022.
  7. Lil Durk's '7220' Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Billboard. Caulfield. Keith. April 17, 2022. April 18, 2022.
  8. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Week of April 23, 2022. Billboard. April 19, 2022.