''I Know Nigo!'' (stylized as ''I Know NIGO!'') is the second studio album by Japanese fashion designer and record producer

Nigo is a Japanese fashion designer, disc jockey (DJ), record producer and entrepreneur. He is best known as the creator of the urban clothing line A Bathing Ape (Bape) and currently serves as creative director for Kenzo. Additionally he is a membe ...

. It was released through

Republic Records Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...

and

Victor Victor Worldwide Steven William Victor (born September 6, 1980) is a Haitian-American record executive, artist manager, music publisher, and A&R representative. He is the founder & CEO of Victor Victor Worldwide and SVP of A&R at Universal Music Group. He forme ...

on March 25, 2022. The album contains guest appearances from

ASAP Rocky Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper, music producer and record executive. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a membe ...

Tyler, the Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the founding members of the music collective Odd Future. Okonma self-released his debut mixtape ' ...

Pusha T Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 20 ...

Clipse Clipse, also known as The Clipse, is an American hip hop duo, chiefly active from 1994 to 2010. It consists of brothers Gene "No Malice" and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during the group's early years, while No Mal ...

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom h ...

, Gunna,

Kid Cudi Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Y ...

, Teriyaki Boyz,

ASAP Ferg Darold Durard Brown Ferguson Jr. (born October 20, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Ferg (stylized as A$AP Ferg), is an American rapper from New York City's Harlem neighborhood. Aside from his solo career, he is a member of the hip hop collec ...

, the late Pop Smoke, and

Lil Uzi Vert Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous fashion, ima ...

. Production was handled by Nigo himself, ASAP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, Pharrell Williams (solo and as part of

the Neptunes The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos ...

with

Chad Hugo Charles Edward Hugo (born February 24, 1974) is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. With close friend Pharrell Williams, he formed the production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he has prod ...

), Hector Delgado,

Carter Lang Carter Lang is an American producer, songwriter, and musician, best known for his work on SZA's acclaimed 2017 album ''Ctrl'', as well as his contributions to Chicago's burgeoning R&B/Hip-Hop scene. Lang has received several Grammy nominations ...

, Westen Weiss,

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

, BoogzDaBeast, Luca, Starz, ThaMyind, Hozay Beats, Reddoe Beats, Cubeatz, Brandon Finessin, and Axl. A hip hop album, ''I Know Nigo!'' serves as Nigo's first studio release in more than twenty-one years.

Singles

The lead single of the album, "Arya", a collaboration with American rapper

, was released on January 28, 2022. The second single, "Want It Bad", a collaboration with American rapper

, was released on February 18, 2022. The third single, "Hear Me Clearly", a collaboration with American rapper

, was released on March 4, 2022. The fourth single, "Morë Tonight", a collaboration with Japanese hip hop group Teriyaki Boyz (which Nigo is the DJ of), was released on March 14, 2022. The fifth and final single, "Heavy", a collaboration with American rapper

, was released on March 18, 2022.

Critical reception

Writing for ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'', Mehan Jayasuriya felt that "the beats are as sturdy and tuneful as you'd expect but not as adventurous as you might hope", adding that "''I Know NIGO!'' is a fun project and its marquee names largely deliver but it serves to further fortify Nigo's legacy rather than pay it forward". ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...

'' writer Jeff Ihaza called the album "a collaborative testament to the genuine admiration Nigo has earned for himself in the world of hip-hop", describing it as "one of the most fun rap albums of the year".

Track listing

Notes * The CD version of the album is 7 tracks long compared to the streaming version, which is 11 tracks long. The CD version excludes the tracks "Lost and Found Freestyle 2019", "Functional Addict", "Paper Plates", and "Come On, Let's Go" on the album. * "Punch Bowl", "Morë Tonight", and "Come On, Let's Go" features additional vocals by

* "Morë Tonight" features additional vocals by Shurland Ayers Sample credits * "Lost and Found Freestyle 2019" contains samples from "

3 Kings The biblical Magi from Middle Persian ''moɣ''(''mard'') from Old Persian ''magu-'' 'Zoroastrian clergyman' ( or ; singular: ), also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men or (Three) Kings, also the Three Magi were distinguished foreigners in the G ...

", written by Stayve Thomas, Clifford Harris, Jr., Bernard Freeman, Leroy Williams, Clarence Reid,

Clinton Mansell Clinton Darryl Mansell (; born 7 January 1963) is an English musician, singer, and composer, born in Coventry. He served as the lead singer and multi-instrumentalist of alt-rock band Pop Will Eat Itself before embarking on a career as a film s ...

, Micah Troy, Donnell Price, Sammie Norris, and Willie Clarke, as performed by

Slim Thug Stayve Jerome Thomas (born September 8, 1980), better known by his stage name Slim Thug, is an American rapper. He initially gained mainstream attention for his contribution to the hit single by rapper Mike Jones, " Still Tippin'". In July 2005, ...

, which itself samples "Secretary", written by Reid and Clarke, as performed by

Betty Wright Bessie Regina Norris (December 21, 1953 – May 10, 2020), better known by her stage name Betty Wright, was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter and background vocalist. Beginning her professional career in the late 1960s as a teena ...

; and samples from "Like a Boss", written by Thomas,

, and

, also performed by Slim Thug. * "Hear Me Clearly" contains interpolations from "Free Mason", written by William Roberts II, Shawn Carter, Leigh Elliott, John Stephens, Johnny Mollings, Leonardo Mollings, and Rennard East, as performed by

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Diddy's Bad ...

. * "Remember" contains samples from "Sound of a Woman", written by Kiesa Ellestad and Rami Samir Afuni, as performed by

Kiesza Kiesa Rae Ellestad (born January 16, 1989), known professionally as Kiesza ( ), is a Canadian singer and multi-instrumentalist from Calgary. In 2017, she was involved in a car accident in Toronto, suffering severe injuries that required her to ...

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2022 albums Albums produced by Tyler, the Creator Albums produced by the Neptunes Albums produced by Cubeatz Albums produced by Kanye West Republic Records albums Hip hop albums by Japanese artists Albums produced by Pharrell Williams