In 2014, Buckeye State rapper Stalley dropped his first and only LP, through Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group, Ohio. With mixtapes dating back nearly a decade, the Massillon native has earned the respect of Hip-Hop fans through his sheer talent, though collaborations with the likes of Big K.R.I.T., Scarface, Skyzoo and others haven’t hurt any. Fans last received a full project from him in January of 2016, when he dropped Saving Yusuf, a jaunt into the more soulful side of the self-proclaimed “Intelligent Trunk Music” he’s been making throughout his career. Things remained quiet on the album front, however, but he has re-emerged today with news of not only a new LP, but also a new home.

Apollo Brown, Skyzoo & Stalley Are On the Grind For An Overdue Payout (Video)

On July 28, Stalley will release New Wave, which is being described as a continuation of his Intelligent Trunk Music theme while also displaying his growth as and artist. It will be released in conjunction with Real Talk Entertainment, an imprint Heads may know from work with Dead Prez, Devin The Dude, Bizzy Bone, and others. Based on the tracklisting (below), it appears Stalley will be holding down the 14-track affair on his own, without any features, perhaps a sign he is in as independent a mindstate as ever.

Tracklisting for Stalley’s New Wave:

1.)  “Straight To You”
2.)  “Absence”
3.)  “New Wave”
4.)  “Madden 96”
5.)  “Kevin Hart”
6.)  “My Purpose”
7.)  “Let’s talk About
8.)  “Soul Searching”
9.)  “Old School Game”
10.)  “Sativa Break”
11.)  “Stock Tip”
12.)  “Feed The Streets”
13.)  “What I Like”
14.)  “The Journey”

Today (June 30), Stalley is not here to play any games. He’s released the lead single for New Wave, “Madden 96,” and from the lyrics, it seems he’s warmed up and ready to take the field. “Hard-headed with car fetish/We’d toss a n**** for raw lettuce/Tryna see a thousand islands/Passport, crazy mileage,” he spits with a tinge of nostalgia. With references to mid-90s music, cars, and kicks, the song isn’t a lamentation about the good days being over, but rather a celebration of the influence that has allowed him to run game for so long. And the hook says it all: “Life’s golden and I be rollin’ up expensive shi*t/Everybody always talkin’ what they finna get/Sh*t, I’m gettin’ rich with n****s I been m sinnin’ with/Same n****s I was with playin Genesis,” he raps. But it’s the song’s second verse that really is the MVP of the song. In it, Stalley drops gems about the prison-industrial complex, financial slavery, and much more.

Available now for pre-order, Heads who purchase New Wave now will receive “Madden 96” as an instant-gratification bonus.