'With No Due Respect,' Foggieraw's Formal Introduction
Weaving together R&B subgenres, complex lyrical themes and carefully curated comedic interludes by way of his sleekest production and sharpest worldplay to date.
Foggieraw dropped off the lead single for his debut studio record almost two full years ago. “Stay Awhile,” which now falls as track eight on the ascendant Ghana-born, DMV-raised artist’s awaited solo debut album.
The soulful entry point into Foggieraw’s first-ever fully fleshed-out sonic ether swerves between R&B subgenres, married with hip-hop production tactics and jazz instrumentals – and even features a verse from fellow new era R&B innovator Ari Lennox – making for a perfectly suited threshold to the genre-traversing talent’s intentional formal introduction. Entitled With No Due Respect, Foggie’s 17-track major label endeavor follows up his previous long-form efforts, Fogtavius Vandross (2018) and Fogtavius Vandross 2 (2022), elevating the thematic components, musical motifs, and narrative arc to a highly cohesive, carefully curated, and cameo-riddled release.
Alongside Lennox, other contributing artists include KARRAHBOO on “Mo Money Than Ur Dad,” Larry June on “Disrespectfully Decline,” John Legend on “Grow Up,” and Dave James and Gwen Bunn on “Psalm and Islam.” Indicative by the track titles alone, Foggie finds his way across a vast expanse of subject matter on With No Due Respect, musing on a lover he’s pining after just as much as confronting conflicts with faith, family, and, now, a new level of fame as a front-facing persona.
Just as dexterously slides back and forth between different genres, Foggie is able to alternate between the low stakes and the dire straits with unwavering grace. The common denominator? His whip-sharp wordplay, which places post-coital clarity directly up against confrontations of his current relationship with religion.
Track 15, “Psalm 62,” materialized even earlier than “Stay Awhile.” Backed by a hypnotic Alicia Keys sample (“You Don’t Know My Name”), the cut first dropped on socials in 2023, prompting fans to beg for an official, on-streaming release. Foggie then dropped it as part of a two-pack later that year, before properly packaging it on With No Due Respect.
Another thing about Foggie, is that he’s going to be funny. And not in a corny, on-the-nose way. Rather, in a razor-sharp, triple-entendre type of way. The last song on the album, in fact, is entirely rooted around a scripted stand-up comedy set, dubbed “Bitchertation.”
1. Unisex
2. Faith Lies
3. Rookie of the Year
4. Mo Money Than Ur Dad – featuring KARRAHBOOO
5. Cadillac
6. Disrespectfully Decline – featuring Larry June
7. Love Don’t Cost A Thing
8. Stay Awhile – featuring Ari Lennox
9. Water2wine.mp3
10. Huey and Riley
11. Grow Up – featuring John Legend
12. Boyfriend In Yo Brain (Notice Me)
13. Thinking With My Heart
14. Psalm and Islam – featuring Dave James, Gwen Bunn
15. Psalm 62
16. Grandmas & Grandpas
17. Bitchertation
Stream With No Due Respect, out everywhere now.
