''Sick!'' (stylized in

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) is the fourth studio album by American rapper

Earl Sweatshirt Thebe Neruda Kgositsile (born February 24, 1994), also known by his stage name Earl Sweatshirt, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Kgositsile was originally known by the moniker Sly Tendencies when he began rapping in 2008, ...

. It was released on January 14, 2022, through Tan Cressida and

Warner Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...

. The album features collaborations with

Armand Hammer Armand Hammer (May 21, 1898 – December 10, 1990) was an American business manager and owner, most closely associated with Occidental Petroleum, a company he ran from 1957 until his death. Called "Lenin's chosen capitalist" by the press, ...

and Zelooperz, along with additional vocals by Na-Kel Smith. Production was handled by

the Alchemist An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist or Alchemyst may also refer to: Books and stories * ''The Alchemist'' (novel), the translated title of a 1988 allegorical novel by Paulo Coelho * ''The Alchemist'' (play), a play by Be ...

, Black Noi$e,

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(under the alias Ancestors), Samiyam,

Alexander Spit Alexander Albert Manzano (born 1987), better known as his stage name Alexander Spit, is an American rapper and record producer from Los Angeles, California. He released his commercial debut full-length on January 29, 2013 on Decon Records. Bi ...

, Theravada, Rob Chambers, and some co-production by Earl himself. It was preceded by the singles "2010", "Tabula Rasa" featuring Armand Hammer, and "Titanic".

Background

Earl Sweatshirt called the album his "humble offering of 10 songs recorded in the wake of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns", as he "leaned into the chaos" of the world's growing "anger and restlessness". The album was announced on December 10, 2021.

Cover art

The album cover depicts a framed mold of Earl Sweatshirt wearing a mask surrounded by two pills, African photos, a clove of garlic, and some sage.

Critical reception

''Sick'' was met with widespread critical acclaim from critics upon its release. At

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, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an

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score of 86, based on 16 reviews. Aggregator

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gave it 7.9 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus. Tom Breihan of ''

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'' named ''Sick!'' "Album of the Week", stating, "''SICK!'' is the first Earl Sweatshirt album that doesn't sound more freaked-out and withdrawn than the one that came before. It's a dense, rich, contemplative piece of work... t'sa strange and insular rap record, but it's a rap record nonetheless, and it's a great one". Concluding the review for

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, Fred Thomas felt that while " Sick! is brief, with just ten songs clocking in at around 24 minutes, but every move is placed with intention and forethought. Sharp, direct, and fluid in a way that's almost supernatural, Sick! perfectly conveys the duality of frustration and drive to persevere that arises from living through exceptionally difficult times." Reviewing the album for ''

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'', Dylan Green compared the album to its predecessor; "Sick! doesn’t recontextualize the genre in the same way '' Some Rap Songs'' did, but it’s an act of self-revolution. It magnifies a newly assured Earl Sweatshirt, skin shed and free to ascend."

Track listing

Notes * signifies a recording engineer. * "Titanic" features additional vocals by Na-Kel Smith.

Charts

References

{{Earl Sweatshirt 2022 albums Albums produced by the Alchemist (musician) Earl Sweatshirt albums Warner Records albums