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Phife’s Upcoming Posthumous Album ‘Forever’ Gets A Release Date

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It has been a few months since we last received word on Phife Dawg’s posthumous album, Forever. The late member of A Tribe Called Quest had been working on the album at the time of his death and it was initially to have been released in the first quarter of 2017, but those plans were scrapped and the album had been in limbo ever since. However, in late 2020, Tribe released a statement promising the album’s release sometime in 2021 and the first single, “Nutshell Part 2,” was released in February, followed by an animated music video in March.

A live-action video followed a few weeks later, and in May, a second single, “French Kiss Deux,” dropped, but since then, there has been little information about the status of the album itself. Today, though, A Tribe Called Quest was finally able to announce an official release date for the long-awaited project: March 22, 2022, the sixth anniversary of Phife’s passing. Dion Liverpool, a frequent Phife collaborator, helped to finish the album and will also be releasing it through his Smokin’ Needles Records imprint, distributed by AWAL.

In a statement, Liverpool said, “We faced a lot of ups and downs trying to get the album completed, and only by God’s grace and patience were we able to. I would like to thank his fans for being patient and understanding that nothing that is good and timeless will happen overnight. I took on the responsibility to help the family complete Forever and honored that I was trusted to do so.” Phife’s widow, Deisha Taylor, added, “As we celebrate his life on this day, we are overwhelmed with excitement of completing Forever. This album is truly a masterpiece and will exceed all expectations. The world will absolutely love and cherish this amazing album.”

His mother, Cheryl Boyce-Taylor, was also quoted, saying, “Forever, soon come. His voice a steel pan cruising the sea salt edge of Trini waters. A balm, a salve, a son’s kiss on his mama’s cheek.”

Phife Dawg’s Latest Posthumous Single ‘French Kiss Deux’ Is A Slinky Track Featuring Illa J

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A Tribe Called Quest member Phife Dawg’s life was tragically cut short in 2016 when he passed away due to complications related to type one diabetes. Even just one year after he passed, memorials, tributes, and remembrances were still pouring out in celebration of the legendary figure. Of course, there was the Tribe farewell album released in 2016 that included a few appearances from the late MC, but then rumblings began to stir that a posthumous album from Phife himself would be making its way into listeners hands at some point.

In late 2020, those rumblings became official and now a few songs have been released to help promote the album. First, the album title was revealed to be Forever, a fitting label for a posthumous release, and then the debut single “Nutshell Pt. 2” featuring Redman and Busta Rhymes was released in early February. An animated lyric video for that track followed up, and today, a second single has debuted. “French Kiss Deux” features J. Dilla’s younger brother Illa J and is an homage to Montreal, Canada.

Produced by Potatohead People-produced, the song hews closely to its title and focuses on a potential romantic connection. Listen to the track below and look for the full album Forever coming out later this year.

Phife Rules The City In His Posthumous ‘Nutshell Pt 2’ Video With Busta Rhymes And Redman

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Although the video for Phife’s “Nutshell Pt. 2” was delayed for nearly four years, the fallen hip-hop legend actually does appear in the clip alongside his co-stars Busta Rhymes and Redman. Decked out in his customary New York Knicks orange and blue, Phife delivers his densely-worded verse at a diner with his fellow Big Apple denizens as they flex their way through their freestyle flows and celebrate the late, great Phife.

The video, directed by Tony Reames and produced by Dion “Rasta Root” Liverpool, also features cameos from A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip and frequent collaborator Consequence. Phife worked on the video and his upcoming album Forever prior to his death in 2016, with his family praising his efforts in a press release:

“He worked really hard to complete his album before he transitioned, and he was ready to share an album that was near and dear to his heart with his fans. His fans meant the world to him.”

“Nutshell Pt. 2” was rolled out impressively over the last several weeks after being announced in February. It was released the next day, with a lyrics video following shortly after. The video arrives on the fifth anniversary of Phife Dawg’s passing.

Watch Phife’s “Nutshell Pt. 2” video above.

Phife Dawg’s ‘Nutshell Part 2’ Gets An Animated Lyric Video With Busta Rhymes And Redman

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Just in case the densely-packed wordplay in Phife Dawg‘s posthumous “Nutshell Part 2” got away from you, the song now has an animated lyric video to help make it easier to follow Phife, Busta Rhymes, and Redman‘s elaborate rhyme schemes. The video, which you can watch above, is exclusively premiering here at Uproxx. Featuring illustrated versions of our rhyme heroes bursting forth from a literal nutshell and dynamic synchronized artwork, the Mike Gordon-created lyric video (with additional animation from Konee Rok) is the latest part of the rollout for Phife’s upcoming posthumous album Forever, which is due later this year on AWAL.

Forever will be Phife’s first solo album since 2000’s Ventilation: Da LP, and while there’s little information so far, “Nutshell Part 2” gives us enough to go on to assume that it’ll make good use of the Five Footer’s contact list. Word has it, there’s still plenty of posthumous J Dilla production work yet to be released, so it’s possible that more beats from the late, great Detroit legend will appear here, along with cameos from other Native Tongues affiliates showing their affection for the dearly departed Phife. A Tribe Called Quest initially announced the album in 2017 but given the extra time they spent on perfecting it in the years since, it’s sure to be a fitting tribute to Phife’s legacy.

Watch Phife’s animated “Nutshell Pt 2” lyric video above.