ILoveMakonnen, an artist whose influence on the current musical landscape isn’t celebrated anywhere near enough, is back.
Overnight, Makonnen surprise-released his new albumMy Parade, which he noted is the first project he’s released as a fully independent act.
The 13-track album includes features from Lil B and Payday, on “More Bitches Than the Mayor” and “Whoopsy,” respectively.
“Thank you to the legend Makonnen for having me on this track and his debut album,” Payday said of the collaboration in an emailed statement to Complex. “I heard the line ‘I lost your hoe and now you know’ and it spoke to my soul.”
“The My Parade project is my first album being back in control over my art and creativity,” Makonnen said. “It’s about celebration of self and having your own parade even if the world is raining down on it. My Parade album is a collection of genre bending styles that I like to experiment in and showcase my versatility as an artist putting no limits on my musical expression. It’s for my fans who appreciate and enjoy all of the different eras of ILoveMakonnen’s music so far and for new ones joining in now on my artistic journey.. This is releasing music in its purest form. The artist creates and then releases it to the world. No major label, no distributor.”
Experience My Parade on Apple Music below via Timeless Magic and COR TAN Records. The album is also available on Spotify, Tidal, SoundCloud, YouTube, etc.
Back in 2019, Makonnen released his M3 EP, presumably his last project through Warner Records. That same year, he linked up with Fall Out Boy for the posthumous Lil Peep single “I’ve Been Waiting,” which has since been certified gold by the RIAA.
In a Pigeons & Planes interview, also in 2019, Makonnen reflected on turning 30 and what he’s learned since first rising to prominence in his 20s.
“I’ve learned to just do what makes me happy because nobody really cares about my happiness as much as I do,” Makonnen said at the time. “I’ve learned that I have my own free will, as does everybody else. A lot of times in my life, I had to go on missions to please others and make other people feel comfortable in themselves. Now that I feel that my job is done there, I can go feel comfortable with myself.”
Welcome back, Makonnen.
