Nearly a year after Dave East signed his first major record deal, we’re still waiting for his debut studio album. We don’t know what it will be called, when it’s expected to drop, or what direction the Harlem rapper will take, which has made fans increasingly anxious. Thankfully for them, however, Dave has made the wait somewhat more bearable by dropping Paranoia: A True Story.
The 29-year-old recently referred to the project as an "appetizer" for his forthcoming studio album. Dave told Billboard he wanted to tell more stories with his music, but didn’t feel like it was the right time to do so.
"There were a lot of stories that I didn't really touch on, like super-detailed and specific moments that I haven't really spoke about on records. That's more than anything that and I still want to run around a little more," he explained. "[…] There's a lot of things that I still want to do before I say, 'Alright. Here's my album.' I want [Paranoia] to be everywhere. I feel like right now I'm moving at a good pace, but they need Paranoia first. It's not album time. Mentally, I'm there. Musically, I'm there, but just as far as where I'm right now, I don't think it's album time yet. A lot of people tell me it is, but I rather give them this, see what this do and come right back."
Paranoia marks Dave’s first full-length release under Def Jam Records. The 14-track project includes features by Nas ("They Hated"), Wiz Khalifa ("Phone Jumping"), French Montana ("Maneuver"), and Jeezy ("Paranoia"). You can listen to Paranoia now on Apple Music or download it on iTunes. You can also stream it below via Spotify.
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