On Friday, Stormzy finally came through with his long-awaited album, This Is What I Mean. The rapper's latest opus was a turn in a different direction for him. On the project, he explored more serene soundscapes, rather than the grime-infused bangers that he became known for. However, that energy isn't entirely absent on the album.
The title track on the album, which comes as track #2, is a huge posse cut that finds Stormzy connecting with Jacob Collier, Ms Banks, Amaarae and Black Sherif. Its anthemic feel and massive production made it an immediate highlight off of the project. Now, he's served a new music video for the record. The visuals for "This Is What I Mean" mixes shots of Stormz in front of a black backdrop and intimate performance shots.
Stormzy's latest project comes nearly three years after he released his sophomore album, Heavy Is The Head. He kicked off the campaign this fall when he dropped off the 7-minute barrage of bars, "Mel Made Me Do It." Fans immediately gravitated to the record upon its release. However, it became clear that it wasn't a representation of his latest project.
In an interview with GQ, he described his new project as a step toward freedom.
"More than anything, I know that this album gives me freedom, which is all I want," he said. "Whether you hate me or love me, at least we can all have a joint consensus that this guy is going to do what he wants.”
Check out Stormzy's new video for "This Is What I Mean" below. Make sure you listen to his new album as well and let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
