The Los Angeles based rapper released the deluxe version of his 2019 EP Feet Of Clay over the weekend, and with the release of the expanded project comes a fresh song from Earl featuring fellow rapper/producer Navy Blue titled “Ghost.”
2020 has seen a flurry of deluxe album releases, likely in order to help artists make up for lost revenue from the lack of touring due to the coronavirus pandemic. Like Earl, Atlanta based rapper Gunna dropped the deluxe edition of his recent album WUNNA over the weekend, and Lil Uzi Vert and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie both released the deluxe versions of their albums, Eternal Atake and Artist 2.0 respectively, just months after their albums’ initial releases. Other rap artists like G Herbo and Lil Baby have followed suite, and even the posthumous release of Mac Miller received the deluxe treatment.
While the majority of the deluxe album releases were nearly full length albums themselves (some deluxe releases included as many as thirteen songs), Earl’s deluxe release contains just one previously unheard song. Earl’s decision to include just one new song rather than a full album’s worth reflects the philosophy of quality over quantity that has driven his musical career. Many rap artists and fans alike have falsely attributed huge streaming numbers and mainstream popularity with achieving greatness, but Earl reminds us time and time again that great music can, and often does get severely overlooked by the masses.
“Ghost” contains a classic choppy soulful beat which has become a staple sound of Earl’s music, while Navy Blue takes the heavy lyrical load on his verse. Earl’s short but potent verse along with the provoking hook of the song make for a quick track, but a track filled with depth nonetheless. Despite the fact that Earl doesn’t dominate the track with his profound lyrical ability, the track feels right at home within the framework of Feet Of Clay, and serves as a pleasant cherry on top to what is already a very complex EP.
While “Ghost” was produced by Black Noi$e, Earl is responsible for the majority of the production on Feet of Clay, with additional production from Alchemist and Ovrkast. The EP, which was released on November 1, was the rapper’s follow-up to his 2018 work Some Rap Songs.
Listen to Earl Sweatshirt’s “Ghost” below:
