Logic’s Next Album Is Coming & The 1st Single Reminds Everybody He’s An Elite MC (Video)

In the last year two and a half years, Logic has released two gold-certified, Top 5 albums on the charts. The Gaithersburg, Maryland MC is now ready to follow 2014’s Under Pressure and 2015’s The Incredible Story with his third album. Today (March 29), Visionary Music Group and Def Jam Records revealed that Everybody will release May 5.

In a video trailer for the LP from “Young Sinatra,” the Sam Spratt-created artwork (“The Plaza”) for the LP is revealed, with homages to  The Wedding at Cana by Paolo Veronese. The short trailer features no raps, but a background beat. As the camera rolls back to reveal the artwork is installed in a museum, a teacher tells inquisitive young students that it belongs to Logic’s third album. “That is how people looked back then, yes. Back in the day there were different creeds, nationalities, colors. But it’s all different now.” At the center of the people in the mural is a robot.

Logic & Pusha T Take Out Their Enemies With A Flicka Da Wrist (Audio)

Since the release of the artwork, Freddie Gibbs has sent shots at Logic, for what Gibbs believes is Logic’s hijacking of Gibbs’ own artwork concept. Gibbs wrote on an Instagram post “Dear @logic301 I hope you purchase my album on Friday due to the fact that you just blatantly jocked my shit. Blessings. #ESGN #YOL2 3/31.”

freddie-gibbs-you-only-live-2wice-artwork

While Gibbs’ artwork for You Only Live 2wice, which is out today (March 31), bears the same Renaissance-era style as Logic’s artwork, and each is depicted as a Christ-like figure, the subject matter of each composition otherwise bears no relation. Gibbs’ artwork depicts an ascension scene, whereas Logic places himself in the midst of the massive wedding banquet where Jesus was said to have converted water into wine.

Spratt has since gone on record confirming that Logic drew the inspiration for his album cover last year, long before Gibbs’ reveal of his artwork. “Last summer I got a call from Bob (Logic). I answer the phone: ‘Dude. Everything ok? It’s 3 in the morning’. He replies. ‘Bro. I’m in Paris. I’m at the Louvre. I know what the next album cover is gonna be…The Wedding at Cana by Paolo Veronese.” In February, Logic also posted a photo of himself at The Louvre Museum in Paris, France, in front of the painting.

Now, Logic has released the title single from his album and its a sharp reminder of what has made him an elite MC in the minds of many. From the outset, he comes in at a blistering pace, but the song is about much more than verbal gymnastics. In verse 1, he attacks what he sees as a number of falsehoods in Hip-Hop, with lines like “Everybody know you ain’t about it/Everything you talk about I know I can live without it/Red light, stop. Green light, go!/Everything ain’t what it seem like, Mothaf*cka I know!

In verse 2, he tackles a theme that has been prevalent in his music over the years: his biracial identity. In these times of racial discord, he outlines just how complex the issue of race is. He raps “In my blood is the slave and the master/It’s like the devil playin’ Spades with the pastor/But he was born with the White privilege!/Man what the f*ck is that?/White people told me as a child/As a little boy, playin with his toys/I should be ashamed to be Black/And some Black people look ashamed when I rap/Like my great granddaddy didn’t take a whip to the back.”

Pitchfork points out that the MC had previously stated he would name his third LP, Africaryan. “Everybody” is a fierce re-entry into a crowded field that has seen releases from J. Cole, Big Sean, Drake, Joey Bada$$ and Kendrick Lamar over the last 3 months. But, Logic is out to remind everybody that he stands among the best. In the last year, Logic has worked with Pusha T, Tech N9ne, and Ty Dolla $ign, among others. He did release mixtape, Bobby Tarantino last year.

Kendrick Lamar’s upcoming album is due April 7, as is Joey Bada$$’s All AmeriKKKan Bada$$.