Skepta Finally Announces New Album, Lead Single Coming In January

BYGabriel Bras Nevares1.8K Views
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F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain - Previews
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JULY 06: Skepta looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 06, 2023 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
"Knife And Fork" is coming in 2024, and the UK spitter will kick off the end of his full-length drought with "Gas Me Up (Diligent)" this month.

Just about a month ago, Skepta teamed up with 19-year-old producer Ryder for the 48 Hours EP, a solid offering. However, its quality still didn't dissuade his fan from lamenting the lack of a full-length solo album since 2020's Insomnia, although a new house-based project with Jammer under the name Más Tiempo is apparently in the works. Regardless, die-hards are still waiting for a follow-up, but fortunately, 2024 brings us very good news. It hasn't even been a full 24 hours into the year as of writing this article, and we're already sure that many listeners found their most anticipated project of the year.

"It’s been years since I dropped my last album," Skepta shared in a message to his various social media accounts on Monday (January 1). "I want to thank you for all the love during my hiatus. I’ve seen the messages, tweets and Tik Toks, I’m truly grateful that my music is still resonating with the world, even in my absence. I’m happy to announce my next studio album #KnifeAndFork is loading this year, the first single #GasMeUp (Diligent) will be out January 26th. Can’t wait to see you all @bigsmokefestival happy 2024."

Skepta Unveils New Album, Knife And Fork

Furthermore, it looks like the legendary grime MC is finally coming through with some LP heat in this new year. Hopefully no release hiccups or delays occur, but at least we already have solid indication that "Gas Me Up (Diligent)" is going to be a banger. A snippet of the Skepta single released on social media recently, and many fans are singing its praises. The "Can't Play Myself" artist flows with easy skill and the same confidence as ever over a perc-heavy and blissfully woozy trap instrumental.

Listen To The "Gas Me Up (Diligent)" Snippet

Meanwhile, as his A$AP Rocky collab "Praise Da Lord (Da Shine)" hit 1 billion Spotify streams, Big Smoke has a lot to celebrate from 2023. Fortunately, it seems like he's focusing those successes and that time off to really hone in on something special for his fanbase. Are you looking forward to Knife And Fork, and where do you think the 41-year-old will take us with this vision? Drop your predictions in the comments and stay logged into HNHH for more news and updates on Skepta.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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