On Apr. 8 Fivio Foreign released his highly anticipated debut album titled “B.I.B.L.E.” Executively produced by Kanye West, Fivio included a plethora of features to accompany him throughout the album. Quavo, Lil Tjay, A$AP Rocky, Polo G and many more made appearances, appealing to fans’ request for Fivio to expand his network.
The Brooklyn native’s rise to prominence was a fairly slow one. Although Fivio started rapping in 2011, he did not fully devote himself to his craft until his mother died in 2018. A year later, he released his breakout single, “Big Drip,” which propelled him into becoming a household name. His unique, powerful voice — coupled with his incessant use of catchy ad libs — quickly caught the attention from rappers across the country. Since then, he has collaborated with some of the powerhouses in the rap game, such as Drake, Lil Baby and Polo G. His song with Kanye West and Playboi Carti, “Off the Grid,” was in contention for song of the year.
Since its release, I have yet to stop listening to “B.I.B.L.E.” Fivio’s maturation as an artist and mastery of his craft are put on full display throughout the entirety of the album. While he continues to flaunt his lifestyle of drugs, money and women, he takes his music one step further.
The foundation for his album — which is apparent in its title — is the importance of God in Fivio’s life. He emphasizes just how instrumental religion has been in keeping him committed and consistent in not only his work, but his relationships as well. Fivio is no stranger to tragedy. In 2020, his friend, fellow New Yorker and rap star, Pop Smoke, was tragically shot and killed in a home invasion. More recently, Fivio’s best friend, Tahjay Dobson, was fatally shot in Brooklyn just a few months ago. Rather than becoming discouraged, Fivio remained grounded in his work ethic due to his faith in the Man above.
Hinging on this concept of religion, Fivio combines many of his drill beats with a background of choir-esque church music in the album. At face value, this seems like an absurd mixture. However, this juxtaposition elicits a feeling of sublimity in the listener. A prime example of this can be seen in the song “Through the Fire.” (It is not to be confused with Kanye West's “Through the Wire.”) I would strongly recommend that you give it a listen. It is unlikely that my petition to incorporate this song in the next school-wide mass will come to fruition due to its explicit language and aggressive nature. However, this will not reduce my unwavering admiration for the song and the album in general.
Although Fivio Foreign and I are both from New York, I must admit that my lifestyle is not nearly as glamorous. I doubt that my upbringing in an affluent, predominantly white neighborhood gives me the ability to speak on similar experiences as Fivio’s. Nor do I believe that my summer job as a party rental company worker under the sweltering sun has been as lucrative and thrilling as Fivio’s rap career. Nevertheless, Fivio Foreign’s debut album just might inspire me to pursue a career in rapping. Hopefully, rapping about my adversity and lack of success with economics problem sets can be as captivating and meaningful as Fivio’s music in “B.I.B.L.E.”
Artist: Fivio Foreign
Album: “B.I.B.L.E.”
Label: RichFish/Columbia
Favorite tracks: “Through the Fire”
If you like: “Jesus is King“ by Kanye West, Pop Smoke, Drake
Shamrocks: 5 out of 5
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