Y4K
| Y4K | ||||
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| Studio album by Kenya | ||||
| Released | February 26, 2021 | |||
| Genre | R&B · hip-hop · pop | |||
| Label | Blacklight Records | |||
| Producer | Kenya (exec.) · Avedon · Blaq Tuxedo · Bootleg · Buddah Bless · D.A. Got That Dope · Dallas Austin · Erik Lindström · IllDaProducer · James Moss · MJ Cole · Ricky Remedy · Robert Glasper · Scott Storch · Shell Ruin | |||
| Kenya chronology | ||||
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Y4K is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Kenya, released on February 26, 2021 by Blacklight Records. Kenya enlisted writers and producers such as Bootleg, Erik Lindström, James Moss, and Shell Ruin, among others, in order to create a "nostalgic" R&B and pop record inspired by the music that Kenya enjoyed during her childhood. The album pays tribute to early 2000s musical trends, including hip-hop, pop-punk, teen pop, and UK garage. This theme is reflected in the album's packaging, as well as its promotional campaign.
Following the minimal production of her previous studio album, Living (2015), Kenya struggled to write and record material for a fourth solo album for years. Working with Shell Ruin on the 2020 album The Fourth Wall helped Kenya to overcome her writer's block. Y4K was ultimately written and recorded in six weeks. The album features collaborations with breakthrough artists Charisma Kane, Jupiter, Riker Allen, and Zowie, as well as Ruin.
Upon its release, Y4K received universal acclaim from music critics, many of whom praised the production and its blending of genres. Commercially, it became Kenya's fourth solo album to top the official albums chart, shifting a career-best 150,000 copies in its first week. It has since been certified diamond. Its singles "Oooops!!...I'm Still That Bitch", "Catch Me on My Flip", "Go Deeper", and "Next Level", as well as the promotional single "Mrs. Jackson", all charted within the top five. The album received critical acclaim, appearing on several year-end lists.
Background and production[edit | edit source]
Music and lyrics[edit | edit source]
Critical reception[edit | edit source]
Commercial performance[edit | edit source]
Singles and promotion[edit | edit source]
Track listing[edit | edit source]
| Standard edition | ||||||||||
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| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length | ||||||
| 1. | "Kenya.com (Intro)" | Bootleg | 2:45 | |||||||
| 2. | "Oooops!!...I'm Still That Bitch" | Kenya Harlem | IllDaProducer · Scott Storch | 2:38 | ||||||
| 3. | "Mrs. Jackson" | Harlem · Putanovska Ratsvetaeva | Buddah Bless · Ricky Remedy | 3:08 | ||||||
| 4. | "Catch Me on My Flip" (feat. Charisma Kane) | Harlem | MJ Cole | 3:40 | ||||||
| 5. | "Labyrinth" (feat. Jupiter) | Harlem · Juniper Leigh | James Moss | 3:56 | ||||||
| 6. | "Glass Candy" | Harlem | Blaq Tuxedo | 3:47 | ||||||
| 7. | "Hot Pink" | Harlem | Avedon · Storch | 3:18 | ||||||
| 8. | "Red Xone" (feat. Riker Allen) | Harlem · Shell Ruin · Riker Allen | Dallas Austin | 3:27 | ||||||
| 9. | "Next Level" | Harlem | D.A. Got That Dope | 2:47 | ||||||
| 10. | "Mars" (feat. Zowie) | Harlem · Zowie Zephyr | Erik Lindström | 3:00 | ||||||
| 11. | "Afro Blue" | Mongo Santamaría | Robert Glasper | 5:08 | ||||||
| 12. | "Go Deeper" (feat. Shell Ruin) | Harlem · Ruin | Ruin · Bootleg | 3:58 | ||||||
| 13. | "Cyberspace" | Harlem · Ruin | Bootleg | 2:59 | ||||||
| 14. | "Skins" | Harlem · Ruin | Bootleg | 4:38 | ||||||
Total length: |
53:56 | |||||||||
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