In 2019, 22-year-old rapper Mavi released his debut album Let The Sun Talk to thunderous applause and widespread critical acclaim, and now, fresh off a tour with Jack Harlow and Babyface Ray, he has announced his sophomore albumLaughing So Hard It Hurts, out 10/14, and shared a new video single “Baking Soda”. His forthcoming album, Laughing So Hard It Hurts is a collection of eloquent soliloquies that bounce around the curious consciousness of Mavi––whether through the introspective analysis of his own self-worth, the indispensable appreciation and tenderness he has for his loved ones, or the anxious duality of striving to be a successful artist and also maintain his core political values––Mavi tackles it all. “Baking Soda”, produced by the famed Chicago multi-instrumentalist Monte Booker and recorded at Rick Rubin’s Burbank studio, is an earnest retelling of the obstacles and opportunities that line the walls of Mavi’s life––with his high-brow, acrobatic lyricism superbly fitting over an 8-bit sample chop and a warm, inviting pair of synths and strings. The Brick-directed visual for the track opens with Mavi’s infectious smile as he performs his pondering verse, followed by a montage of clips featuring his crew and his hometown of Charlotte. The influences that are wrapped up in Laughing So Hard It Hurts track the day-to-day apparatus of Mavi’s life––from studying the hard-hitting raps of Babyface Ray to admiring the soundtrack of the animated cult-classic show Adventure Time, the 16-track album offers the most holistic view of his life to date. With topics surrounding the lightest and darkest moments of his life, the love and support of his tight-knit community, and the prospect of possibly being a family man in the future, Laughing So Hard It Hurts (Out 10/14) are the rhythmic contemplations of an MC wise beyond his years, trying to make sense of the complex path laid before him. In words of Mavi:
“It was a really loving experience to put together this album––I feel relieved that this is coming out and I’m still slightly in disbelief. This isn’t the first album I made since the last album I dropped [Let The Sun Talk]––I made 2 albums since the last one was released, so this album coming out still feels a little imaginary…I don’t know when it’s gonna feel real quite yet, but I’m happy.“
