It's not altogether surprising to find Kevin Abstract in a relative state of despondency, given the confessional nature of his music. That being said, the smart money was on ARIZONA BABY offering Abstract the type of catharsis where one re-enacts their deep-seated trauma in the public eye. There's a reason to believe he did make some headway in that regard in his return trip to Corpus Christic for a series of livestream events.
Lauryn Hill Moment"">Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
In a strange turn of events, only Kevin could have predicted himself: one of his problems found a functional home, only to make space for another: the rudderless dynamic with his parent label RCA Records. In a voice recording, he momentarily held up on his personal website, where he states that he no longer feels comfortable crafting music under the current conditions of his RCA contract.
"I'm currently writing music, and songs and albums from hell," Abstract lamented in the video memo. "Saturation 1, 2 and 3, was my moment of catching magic…I have to release music not from joy but from obligation, which will cause messy, unfinished work."
In the latter part of the memo, Kevin draws a parallel to Michael Jackson, and the deep sadness that he incurred after becoming entrapped by his career obligations. He then compares his plight to another Iconic performer who famously suffered a similar fate due to externalized pressure.
"I’m currently living my Lauryn Hill moment. She made one of the greatest pieces of music and it seems so unattainable from other people. It’s like she caught magic…Whatever happened to Lauryn Hill after Miseducation put her in a place where she no longer wanted to make music…it kind of sent her to hell in a way."