Ever since Earl Sweatshirt returned home, fans have been eager to hear the Odd Future representative thrive on a track like he did on the cult-classic album, Earl. Sure, since his comeback we’ve already heard material in the form of a solo track and a couple of guest-appearances, but none were close enough to satisfy the listeners’ near-impossible expectations.
Suddenly, a lot of people started doubting the young emcee’s ability to regain his footing and deliver the product they wanted to hear. Well, yesterday Earl released “Chum” –the first single off his upcoming project–and proved to the naysayers that he still got that “it” factor that forced the media into a frenzy back when OFWGKTA first hopped onto the scene. The record is a very personal one in which he airs out his thoughts on his parents, friends, experiences and self-esteem, all in just under three minutes. We also get to hear Sweatshirt’s unique flow, storytelling dexterity and similes like “Feeling as hard as Vince Carter’s knee cartilage is” and “Was mobbin deep as 96 Havoc and Prodigy did” adding up to make “Chum” an instant favorite and re-enforce the anticipation for his forthcoming album.