Ab-Soul

When it comes to hip-hop music from the 2010s, <a href="/profile/AbSoul" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Ab-Soul</a> is one of that era&#8217;s household names. His second studio album, 2012&#8217;s <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/5522-review-ab-soul-s-control-system-news" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Control System</a>, was one of the most popular projects that year, thanks to tracks like <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/536233-ab-soul-illuminate-feat-kendrick-lamar-prod-by-skhye-hutch-new-song" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Illuminate&#8221;</a> and <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/535544-ab-soul-terrorist-threats-feat-danny-brown-jhene-aiko-prod-by-dave-free-new-song" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Terrorist Threats.&#8221;</a> 



After years of absence, he returned late last year to drop his latest album, <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/610974-ab-soul-lights-up-herbert-ft-big-sean-jhene-aiko-sir-punch-more" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HERBERT</a>. It serves as his first project in six years, since 2016&#8217;s <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/58509-ab-souls-do-what-thou-wilt-review-news" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Do What Thou Wilt.</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="4635" height="3085" src="https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-478827126.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-619536" srcset="https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-478827126.jpg 4635w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-478827126.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-478827126.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-478827126.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-478827126.jpg?resize=1536,1022 1536w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-478827126.jpg?resize=2048,1363 2048w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GettyImages-478827126.jpg?resize=1500,998 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 4635px) 100vw, 4635px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hip-hop artist Ab-Soul performs onstage during the <a href="/profile/IceCube" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Ice Cube</a>, <a href="/profile/KendrickLamar" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Kendrick Lamar</a>, <a href="/profile/SnoopDogg" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Snoop Dogg</a>, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, <a href="/profile/jay-rock" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Jay Rock</a> concert at Staples Center on June 27, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Earl Gibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)</figcaption></figure>



On Tuesday (January 10), <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/421869-2022-xxl-freshman-class-includes-nardo-wick-doechii-saucy-santana-and-more-news" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">XXL</a> published their new interview with the <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/442688-ab-soul-gets-personal-on-do-better-ft-zacari" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;DO BETTER&#8221;</a> rapper. The 35-year-old talks about a range of topics including his new album and his struggles with mental health.



HERBERT is arguably the <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/435879-doechii-discusses-being-the-1st-female-rapper-on-tde" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TDE</a> rapper&#8217;s most intimate and expressive album of his career thus far. &#8220;The album Herbert is about getting back to self. I just kinda feel like I was becoming Ab-Soul more than Herbert. So, this album, to say the least, is dedicated to the people that refuse to call me Ab-Soul. That still call me Herbert or Herbie or Herb. It’s about getting back to the roots. Getting back to the foundation, to the source. Getting back to self,&#8221; says the L.A. native when asked about the meaning of the project&#8217;s title.



&#8220;This album, I really removed my ego and asked for help. Nobody’s bigger than the program. I asked for help. I didn’t just go pick beats or records,&#8221; he tells XXL. Elsewhere in the interview, he addresses substance abuse and mental health in society. 



Ab-Soul is evidently not holding back when it comes to the rollout of his fifth studio album. In a prior recent interview with <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/431404-charlamagne-tha-god-lists-most-influential-rappers-kanye-jay-pac-and-wayne-news" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Charlamagne Tha God</a>, the L.A. native even opens up about a suicide attempt. 



“My jaw is f*cked up. I got a lotta work to do still. I’m about 85% on my foot. My foot is completely reconstructed, all the way to my pelvis, my femur, everything, was affected except my knee. If my knee would’ve been affected, I might not be walking,” he shares to Charlamagne.



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Ab-Soul speaks on attempting to take his own life while he was working on his new album ‘Herbert’ Glad he’s doing better 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/15vCm4ZgF3">pic.twitter.com/15vCm4ZgF3</a>&mdash; Rap Favorites (@RapFavorites) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapFavorites/status/1603825301510709249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2022</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Furthermore, on December 30, he took to his Twitter account to proudly declare HERBERT as a <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/616173-ab-soul-calls-his-latest-album-herbert-top-5-of-the-year" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">top-five album of 2022</a>. &#8220;ALSO. My album IS top 5 of da year. F*cc all dat humble sh*t. Dead homies,&#8221; writes the 35-year-old in his tweet.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">ALSO. My album IS top 5 of da year. Fucc all dat humble sh*t. Dead homies. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TDE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TDE</a>&mdash; Ab-Soul (@abdashsoul) <a href="https://twitter.com/abdashsoul/status/1608705668562956289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Regardless, it&#8217;s certainly great to see and hear <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/608420-ab-soul-freestyles-over-die-hard-calls-kendrick-lamars-tde-departure-an-evolution" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Soulo</a> opening up so candidly.



What are your thoughts on HERBERT and Ab-Soul&#8217;s new interview? Comment down below. Finally, make sure to stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest updates and releases.



<a href="https://www.xxlmag.com/ab-soul-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">[via]</a>