Atlanta-based singer and songwriter Chase Shakur presents his anxiously awaited new it’s not you, it’s me EP—out now via Def Jam Recordings.
Listen HERE.
The ten-track body of work immerses audiences in his world. It picks up where he left off on his 2022 fan favorite EP, It’ll Be Fine, which chronicled the ups and downs of a tumultuous romance. As the sequel, it’s not you, it’s me explores the breakup. Over the course of the project, the relationship reaches its denouement against a soundtrack of shadowy R&B punctuated by otherworldly sonic flourishes and stunning vocal conjurations from Chase, tracing the trip from “no more cryin’” through “i know you’ve been lonely.”
He preceded the EP with “x’s n o’s” last month. It has already amassed over 562K Spotify streams as well as 166k YouTube views on the music video. Right out of the gate, Rap-Up proclaimed, “After the success of Childish Gambino, Summer Walker, and more, it’s safe to say Atlanta has another R&B star on the way.”
Plus, the project boasts the buzzing “sink or swim.” The latter has already amassed north of 1.5 million Spotify streams and counting in addition to attracting critical acclaim. Billboard touted it among “R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week” and proclaimed, “With its staccato hi-hats and bassline, the song sounds right out of the ’90s.” Rated R&B noted, “‘sink or swim’ ponders the future of a relationship that seems to be going through some hiccups.” Lyrical Lemonade attested, “Additionally, his rhythmic ability to emphasize certain sounds, notes, and words makes every track feel mixed and mastered to perfection.” Meanwhile, KAZI. put it best, “Chase Shakur is projected to be a household name in the near future.”
Next up, Chase will embark on the recently announced the “it’s not you, it’s me” Tour for the month of June. He takes the stage Baby’s All Right in New York, NY on June 13 followed by a hometown gig in Atlanta, GA on June 15 at Aisle 5 and finally a stop in Los Angeles, CA at Peppermint Club on June 20. Purchase tickets HERE.
it’s not you, it’s me is a mesmerizing meditation on life after a complicated relationship, in which vulnerability mingles with toughened scars, resulting in a work that situates Shakur as steely and willing to learn from his own failures.
Stay tuned for a whole lot more from Chase Shakur.
TRACKLISTING
no more cryin’
cascade road
ysl
143
x’s n o’s
slide
no savin’
i’ll always be there for you
i know you’ve been lonely
sink or swim (bonus)
“it’s not you, it’s me” TOUR DATES:
6/13 New York, NY Baby’s All Right
6/15 Atlanta, GA Aisle 5
6/20 Los Angeles, CA Peppermint Club
Chase Shakur’s vision is both simple and unendingly ambitious. To put it plainly, the Atlanta-born artist wants to change the sound of R&B. On his new project, it’s not you, it’s me, on Def Jam Recordings, the talented singer-songwriter transcends genre signifiers to conjure up a unique world. Armed with a deep grasp of the South’s musical history—hip-hop, funk, soul, pop, and R&B—Shakur synthesizes these various elements into a forward-thinking sound deeply rooted in Black culture. The new project is an expansion of his 2022 release, It’ll Be Fine, and a mesmerizing meditation on life after a toxic relationship. On it’s not you, it’s me, vulnerability mingles with toughened scars, creating a work that situates Shakur as steely and willing to learn from his own failures. After deciding to pursue music full-time and drop out of school, Shakur was barred from living in his childhood home. He couch-surfed and spent days in various studios, resting between songwriting sessions. This era helped him forge collaborative bonds with other producers and songwriters, some of whom went on to figure in his Forever N September collective, a group of musicians who helped craft the sound of it’s not you, it’s me. The resulting project feels diaristic and transcendent. it’s not you, it’s me is a reflection of Chase Shakur’s career thus far, particularly his mental toughness and ability to keep pushing forward all in pursuit of that one goal: To change the shape of music.
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