Cordae’s forthcoming album The Crossroads is due out this Friday, November 15. Before it hits streaming platforms, the “Syrup Sandwiches” rapper wanted to get something off of his chest.
Over on X (formerly Twitter), Cordae let data collecting critics know that he isn’t interested in The Crossroads‘ first week metrics. “Want to say this now I don’t give 1 f*ck about a first week sales,” he wrote. “It’s a very inaccurate way to calculate impact, especially with the current streaming metrics. I seen somebody do 11K first week and then do a ARENA TOUR off the same album. That’s the end of my Ted talk *2nd one.”
This year, there has been a growing trend of artists been shamed for album sales, streaming metrics, and chart placement especially in rap music.
Cordae went on to slam shamers, writing: “N****s said my last project first week numbers wasn’t good, and I ended up doing a sold out headline world tour.”
He then continued by taking a trip down memory lane reflecting on sales and consumer trends over the years. “In the 90/2000s music was consumed by people actually going to the stores and buying albums,” he wrote. “When you did 100K first week that meant 100 thousand people went and bought the CD. Now, you can have 300,000 people Listening to your album on streaming, and the units. Equivalent is 200.”
The Crossroads is due out 11/15 via Atlantic Records. You can find more information here.
Cordae is not messing around. The rapper has a solid resume thanks to albums like The Lost Boy and From a Bird’s Eye View, but he seems poised for a breakthrough. He’s been dropping some of his best music to date in 2024 in preparation for his upcoming album, Crossroads. The rapper has been hard at work on the album since 2022, which is set to be a direct sequel to From a Bird’s Eye View. It’s been a long wait, but Cordae has finally dropped the tracklist and guest features for Crossroads. And one look proves this thing will be worth the wait.
Crossroads boasts 16 tracks, which will make it his longest album to date. The rapper has hinted at a nostalgic theme running through the album, based on buzz singles like “Summer Drop” and “Saturday Mornings.” Both of these songs are present on the tracklist, and boast stunner guest appearances from Anderson .Paak and Lil Wayne. The latter has heaped praise upon Cordae in the past, and been cited as one of Cordae’s biggest influences. As a result, Weezy will also be featured on the song “Back on the Road.”
Cordae tapped some of his generational peers for Crossroads. Jordan Ward and Ravyn Lenae both appear on the song “Don’t Walk Away,” which is poised to be an R&B stunner given the talent on hand. Joey Badass will also drop by for inevitable bar-fest that will be “Syrup Sandwiches.” The rest of the album, however, will feature rappers that Cordae grew up listening to. In addition to two Weezy guest spots, Crossroads will boast appearances from Juicy J and Kanye West. Juicy J will drop by for “Neva Seen It,” while West is set to rap on “No Bad News.”
Cordae has never worked with Kanye West before. He has, however, praised West several times in the past. Cordae rapped over West’s 2005 classic “Gone” during a viral concert clip in 2021. He also cited the Chicago rapper as his “biggest musical influence” during a 2022 interview with All the Smoke. He’s worked with Juicy J, however, appearing on the veteran emcee’s 2024 album Ravenite Social Club. We can’t wait to hear what Cordae has in mind for these collabs.
Cordae, who has been rolling out his third studio album, The Crossroads, over the past few months, revealed the tracklist and album cover today. The tracklist confirmed that previously released tracks like “Summer Drop” with Anderson .Paak, “Saturday Mornings” with Lil Wayne, and “Syrup Sandwiches” with Joey Badass will all appear on the album, in addition to new songs with features from Jordan Ward and Ravyn Lenae, Juicy J, Kanye West, and Ty Dolla Sign.
The past Uproxx cover star is two years removed from his most recent album, From A Birds Eye View. Since then, he and tennis star Naomi Osaka welcomed their first child in 2023, but appeared to have broken up at some point in the past year. However, they seem to be on good terms, co-parenting baby Shai as Osaka returned to competition and Cordae began the rollout for The Crossroads earlier this year.
The Crossroads is due this Friday, November 15 via Atlantic Records. You can find more information here. See the cover and tracklist below.
Cordae
Cordae The Crossroads Tracklist
01. “Intro”
02. “06 Dreamin”
03. “Back On The Road” Feat. Lil Wayne
04. “Summer Drop” Feat. Anderson .Paak
05. “Nothings Promised”
06. “Mad As F*ck”
07. “All Alone”
08. “Neva See It” Feat. Juicy J
09. “Pray” Feat. Ty Dolla Sign
10. “Don’t Walk Away” Feat. Jordan Ward & Ravyn Lenae
11. “Saturday Mornings” Feat. Lil Wayne
12. “No Bad News” Feat. Ye
13. “Shai Afeni”
14. “What Really Matters”
15. “Syrup Sandwiches” Feat. Joey Badass
16. “Now You Know”
Today, acclaimed rapper Cordae released his latest single, “Syrup Sandwiches,” featuring Joey Bada$$. The track, which highlights themes of resilience and success, is produced by Smoko Ono and Thelonius Martin and will appear on Cordae’s highly anticipated third album, The Crossroads, set to drop November 15.
Accompanying the release, Cordae premiered a video directed by Wax Bondo, adding visual depth to the song’s reflective message on the dedication required to achieve success. Known for his multi-platinum hits, three Grammy nominations, and an Emmy win, Cordae continues to share his journey through his music. With The Crossroads on the horizon, fans are eager to hear more of the raw storytelling and lyricism that Cordae is celebrated for.
Cordae and Joey Badass are two names you might have thought would be more closely associated over the past several years. After all, both are members of students of ’90s-style boom-bap rap, setting them apart from many of their peers. However, they hadn’t previously collaborated until today. Their tag-team track, “Syrup Sandwiches,” is exactly what you’d expect of them: lyrically focused, packed to the gills with double entendre, and evocative of a bygone era in rap when beats pulled heavier focus from jazz and funk than drum machine 808s, thanks to production from Smoko Ono and Thelonius Martin. Its video, directed by Wax Bondo, is a similarly low-key affair, following the two rappers as they perform their verses at a deli in Joey’s native Brooklyn.
“Syrup Sandwiches” is the latest single from Cordae’s upcoming third album, Crossroads, following “Saturday Mornings” featuring Lil Wayne, “Mad As F*ck,” and potentially, his Anderson .Paak collaboration, “Summer Drop.” There are also some indications that Cordae’s previous Anderson .Paak collab, “Two Tens,” could also appear on the project, which is due on November 15 through Atlantic Records.
You can watch Cordae’s video for “Syrup Sandwiches” featuring Joey Badass above.
Crossroads is due on 11/15 via Atlantic. You can find more info here.
In just one week, Cordae will be dropping off his third solo project The Crossroads. It will consist of 17 tracks with the currently known features being Anderson .Paak (x2), Lil Wayne, and Joey Bada$$. Speaking of the latter, he’s potentially on the final teaser track for Cordae’s tape called “Syrup Sandwiches.” For those who are unaware, syrup sandwiches are exactly what they sound like. However, they represent something much more than a sweet treat. They are brought up in rap music quite a bit, with Kendrick Lamar probably being the biggest MC to do so. He referenced the snack on his chart-topper “HUMBLE.”
“Ayy, I remember syrup sandwiches and crime allowances.” These are very popular amongst those growing up in poverty-stricken areas and are a cheap meal that many grow up on. They also symbolize how far MCs have come from those trying times during their childhoods, which is essentially what this song is all about. Cordae and Joey instead focus on all of things they have accomplished rather than recounting their pasts. Both rappers drop some terrific one liners and do so over a fellow laid-back, almost drum-less instrumental. Spin the new record below and let us know how hype you are for The Crossroads.
You’re butlers to me, them young n****s uppin’ the heat They stuck to the streets, like concrete, the hustle’s in me They say you gotta beat the block up ’til your knuckles’ll bleed That mean a n**** gotta rap until the pen out of ink Your team weak, like Justin Timberlake, y’all been out of sync A n**** skatin’ on the beat, s***, I could rent out the rink
Cordae has a lot of fans saying that he has an album of the year incoming with The Crossroads. So far, we have to sort of agree with the majority. Throughout the rollout for this project, the North Carolina bred MC has thoroughly impressed us with his lyrical displays and tremendous command of flow. With the exception of the more pop centric “Make Up Your Mind,”“Saturday Mornings” and “Summer Drop” feature some of his strongest performances of his career. So, with Cordae returning with another single, “Mad As F*ck,” after two standouts, how does he fare this week?
Overall, it’s a solid offering the now Maryland product. He does bring some nice flow switch-ups mid verses. The lyrics are pretty standard, both nothing that’s leaning towards offensively drab. It just doesn’t have that same punch as the Cole-produced “Summer Drop” nor the same presence as the Lil Wayne-assisted “Saturday Mornings.” Also keeping “Mad As F*ck” behind the eight ball (in our opinion) is the beat. Its predecessors were extremely jazzy and soulful, and they just had incredible aura. “Mad As F*ck” keeps it more traditional and trap focused. But again, it’s nothing bad, it just doesn’t have the same memorability factor. We are still thoroughly excited for The Crossroads, though, which is supposedly due November 15.
Yeah, I keep the count, count, count, you think I’m Dracula That thirty quick to flip a n**** a patty, like a spatula (Ha) Bougie shawty, said she love my Maryland vernacular My n**** keep the Uzi like JT, it get to actin’ up (Pop) Bought my mom a Beamer, yeah, shе used to whip that Acura truck (Skrrt) Had to get a new crib, ‘causе my old crib was inadequate (For real)
Today, multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated rapper Cordae released his fiery new single, “Mad as F*ck.” Produced by Smoko Ono with co-production from Elkan and Darko, the track delivers Cordae’s signature blend of sharp lyricism and raw emotion. Accompanying the release is an official music video, directed by Wax Bando and Aplus Filmz, which visually captures the song’s intensity.
In addition to the new single, Cordae announced that his highly anticipated third studio album, The Crossroads, will drop on November 15. This album follows his previous critically acclaimed projects and is expected to solidify his standing as one of hip-hop’s brightest stars.
Fans eagerly await what Cordae has in store, as “Mad as F*ck” sets the tone for what’s to come.
Being famous always seemed like more trouble than it’s worth. Sure, there are upsides, but as many a rap act will point out, they rarely outweigh all the extras that come along with them. Just ask Cordae, whose new single “Mad As F*ck” certainly spends some time counting up the curses alongside the blessings. While he brags about his new Ferrari, new chick, and “black diamonds, straight from Africa,” he also worries about “bills on bills coming in” and dudes he doesn’t mess with trying to dap him up. So, you win some, you lose some, I guess.
It hasn’t all been bad for the DMV area native, though. This summer, he announced his “crossroads era,” following up with the video for “Saturday Mornings” with Lil Wayne, then another video with Anderson .Paak, “Summer Drop.” It certainly seems as though he’s close to releasing his long-awaited follow-up to From A Birds Eye View.
Earlier this year, he also made a cameo in Lyrical Lemonade’s “Doomsday 2” video featuring Eminem, which riffed on his and Juice WRLD’s 2023 track “Doomsday.” If Crossroads is indeed the title for Cordae’s third album, he’s teed up the release nicely.
You can watch the video for “Mad As F*ck” by Cordae above.
Chicago-based visionary Cole Bennett started out shooting for up-and-coming teens and twenty-something blog favorites, but in the past five years, he has become one of rap’s foremost music video directors, working with top names like Eminem, J. Cole, Lil Durk, and more. He’s even shot for actor Jack Black, delivering a colorful video for Black’s Super Mario Bros. Movie crowd-pleaser, “Peaches.”
“I was a very visual person, but I never knew that I loved music videos,” Bennett said in a 2021 XXL interview. “I always had this idea since I was super young of what it would look like if I made a music video.” For nearly a decade, Bennett has been bringing these ideas to life to the praise of the artists he works with and his growing fan base.
With that being said, we decided to scour Bennett’s Lyrical Lemonade page for his best work. Here are the 10 best Cole Bennett-directed music videos.
Honorable Mention: JID & J. Cole — “Off Deez”
Okay, it’s a pretty basic concept with workmanlike execution, but it might be the best song Bennett’s ever done a video for. JID and J. Cole are left turns for Cole Bennett, if you take in the entirety of his filmography, so it was pretty meaningful that the Dreamville cohorts teamed up with him on this standout from JID’s DiCaprio 2. It’d be nice to see them do it again.
10. Ski Mask The Slump God — “Catch Me Outside”
An early standout from both Bennett and Ski Mask The Slump God, “Catch Me Outside” perfectly illustrates the possibilities of a limited budget when you’ve got unlimited imagination. Awash with eye-popping visual effects, “Catch Me Outside” offers a prime example of Cole’s early style; it’s raw, but flashes of his future brilliance shine throughout. Many of the techniques Bennett used here eventually became hallmarks of his style, and with polish, set off the concepts of his future videos with Cordae and Eminem.
9. Central Cee — “Doja”
As “Doja” is one of Bennett’s more recent videos, its simplicity might seem out of place in a list featuring so many brain-bending, colorful visuals. But it also marks Bennett’s transition from colorful collaborator to kingmaker; Central Cee is a star stateside after working with Bennett, making the most of essentially an indie budget to secure the coveted director’s services and show he belongs on the biggest stage.
8. Jack Harlow — “What’s Poppin”
While the visuals are pretty tame for a Cole Bennett production, Harlow’s “What’s Poppin” video is still representative of the elements that have made Bennett’s videos so eye-catching and amusing. Even the low-key imagery mirrors Jack’s tongue-in-cheek humor, highlighting and elevating it with some juxtaposed elements as bottle service and satin sheets at a late-night diner and a woman “smoking” a french fry like a cigarette. It’s also impossible to discount what the video did for Harlow’s career, taking him from an indie unknown to a potential chart-topper with 170 million views.
7. Drake — “Another Late Night” Feat. Lil Yachty
Say what you want about Drake, but “Another Late Night,” at least visually, has been the height of his last couple of rough years. Drake and Yachty have great chemistry, and despite the relatively straightforward treatment, the video manages to be eye-catching and stand out from the rest of Drake’s admittedly wonky catalog.
6. Lil Durk — “Kanye Krazy”
Bennett’s referential style comes to a head in Durk’s “Kanye Krazy” video. Pulling from infamous clips from the titular auteur’s oeuvre and public outbursts, Durk reimagines the videos for “Runaway,” “Bound 2,” and “I Love It” — specifically, the moments in which Kanye’s mental illness seems to have gotten the better of him, for better or worse. This was just after Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” had put Durk back on the national map, so to speak, so the cheeky visuals helped aid in lending mainstream audiences a better sense of Durk’s personality outside his harrowing drill stories.
5. BabyTron — “100 Bars”
BabyTron, like Central Cee’s “Doja,” is a more recent addition to Bennett’s filmography, albeit one with a much higher concept. It’s executed deliriously well, with a new BabyTron outfit/persona for each of the titular “100 Bars” and seamless transitions between each. It’s a format that Bennett would return to with Eminem’s “Tobey,” but it’s impressive that the Detroit and Chicago natives were able to make this work without the benefit of a huge star (and the accompanying budget). BabyTron, for all the lethargy of his flow on the song, also appears to be having a ball, as does comedian Andy Milonakis in his cameo role.
4. Eminem — “Godzilla”
“Godzilla” is the moment Cole Bennett “made it,” in the sense that he began working with established megastars like Eminem in addition to the SoundCloud standouts in his own DIY cohort. Fittingly, the increased budget came along with some stunning visual effects to spice up the flow of the video’s narrative while enhancing Bennett’s trademark surrealism. Em gets punched in the face by Mike Tyson, breathes fire, vomits Legos, and performs surgery alongside longtime collaborator Dr. Dre. And speaking of collaborators, “Godzilla” is a hallmark moment for Marshall too; it’s the first time he really embraced the SoundCloud rappers he’d formerly spent huge segments of his albums belittling.
3. Polo G — “My All”
Of all Cole Bennett’s most frequent collaborators, he most frequently turns in his best work with hometown artists like Juice WRLD and Polo G. In the video for “My All,” the Chi-Town natives tone down the usual comedic elements of Cole’s catalog in favor of something more emotionally resonant. It looks simple, but it’s not; a seated Polo performs the lyrics as a montage of memories both celebratory and traumatic, scroll behind him. The fourth wall break at the end is a fun surprise.
2. Cordae & Juice WRLD — “Doomsday”
My personal favorite out of the videos presented here, “Doomsday” takes a simple concept and adds stupendous visual flair with the aid of facial overlay technology. This is how you pay homage to departed artists; Cordae puts on a clinic as both himself and his late friend Juice WRLD, while Cole puts deepfake algos to an actual artistic use that doesn’t require stealing the work of real artists.
1. Juice WRLD — “Lucid Dreams”
The video that put Bennett on my personal radar, “Lucid Dreams” is far from his most stunning. But it’s hard to argue with a billion views; “Lucid Dreams” is the song that made Juice a star, it’s still his biggest song to date, and the video displays Cole’s gift for dreamlike visuals, which also fits the theme of the song.
