New York, NY (Top40 Charts) After moving the culture to the beat of his own drum, generating hundreds of millions of streams, and earning widespread critical acclaim, St. Louis artist, rapper, songwriter, producer, and disruptor Smino presents Luv 4 Rent, his third album and debut project with Motown Records, in partnership with his independent label Zero Fatigue.
Produced primarily by The Yute (Monte Booker, Groove, Phoelix, Smino) as well as Kal Banx and Childish Major, and narrated by 'The Luv Lord,' Luv 4 Rent serves as an audio representation of the
Black experience for millennials. Smino shares, "Luv 4 Rent is based on the different types of love. Bad love, petty love, obsessive love, real good love, family love. It's about the different ways I leant out my heart to the point where I didn't have enough left for myself."
The first official single off the album, "90 Proof" [with J. Cole], welcomed critical acclaim. In addition to plugs from Pitchfork, FADER, and more, Rolling Stone declared, "Both Smino and Cole have a penchant for unearthing the intertwined roots of hip-hop and blues with tender melodies and concerns...it's why they make an excellent duo when they reconnect on '90 Proof.'" Furthermore, Hypebeast touted the track's "exquisite production work," and Vibe described it as "smooth like a cognac."
Among many other highlights on Luv 4 Rent, "
Matinee" [with Kal Banx] showcases Smino's wild high-register wails as he admits, "I don't stress her; I just stretch her," as a jazz-y groove simmers. V Magazine declared, "['Matinee'] does so much more with shifting genre and blurring into different ideas of what a rap hit could be. It's inventive in the best way."
Then there's "Pro Freak" [with
Doechii & Fatman Scoop], which struts through an old school sample, claps, and gospel-style harmonies. Smino locks into an undeniable and unpredictable fast-paced flow between Doechii's instantly irresistible hook only to double back to one final funky breakdown offset by fire courtesy of Fatman Scoop.
Lil Uzi Vert lights up "Pudgy," while the rollercoaster concludes on the otherworldly soul of "Lee & Lovie" [with Reggie], presenting the perfect comedown awash in vocal bliss.
Bringing the album to life on the road, Smino and JID will co-headline the Luv Is 4Ever Tour in 2023. The 32-city tour kicks off on January 22nd at Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA making stops across North
America in Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Toronto, and more before wrapping up in Nashville, TN at Marathon
Music Works on March 29th. Full dates are listed below, and tickets are on sale at LuvIs4Ever.com.
Smino has nothing but Luv to give in 2022!
Christened "one of hip-hop's most refreshing voices" by Pitchfork, Smino is one of the game's most dynamic musical disruptors. Raised in a family of musicians, the rapper, writer, and producer began playing drums in his native St. Louis at an early age. As an adult, he moved to
Chicago and connected with Classick Studios to release his first two EPs, S!ck S!ck S!ck and blkjuptr.
In 2017, Smino dropped his debut album blkswn-hailed by Rolling Stone as one of the '40 Best Rap Albums of the Year'-and followed that with the 2018 release of NØIR, which landed on year-end lists from Complex, The Atlantic, REVOLT, and more. Between those critically acclaimed projects, he has generated over half-a-billion streams and counting in addition to selling out US headline tours in 2017 and 2019.
Furthermore, Smino is a thread in the contemporary artist community with standout feature verses with Doja Cat, J. Cole, EARTHGANG, and Chance the Rapper, among others. He's also appeared in campaigns for DKNY, Billionaire Boys Club, and Topicals Skincare.
In 2021, Smino inked a deal with Motown Records (in partnership with his independent label Zero Fatigue) and unveiled his deepest vision yet with his latest album offering, Luv 4 Rent, which boasts singles "90 Proof" [with J. Cole], "Pro Freak [with
Doechii & Fatman Scoop], and "
Matinee" [with Kal Banx]. Smino is also set to co-headline his Luv Is 4Ever Tour alongside JID, kicking off January 2023.
