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Earl Sweatshirt performs at The Thing Festival in Washington
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Key Takeaways:
- Earl Sweatshirt revealed his ‘Live Laugh Love’ release date with an Instagram post full of memes.
- Aida Osman’s maternity photos and the couple’s new baby appear to tie into the album’s theme.
- A zine, cocktails, and a fake Earl at the album’s listening party added to the eccentric campaign.
Earl Sweatshirt is readying a big return with his sixth studio album, which is confirmed to be titled Live Laugh Love. The West Coast talent hopped on social media to reveal that said body of work will arrive on Aug. 22.
In an Instagram post, the artist born Thebe Kgositsile provided his followers with a slew of random and hilarious images and memes. A separate clip saw him conversing with an inquisitive friend about a party they were enjoying. “Can I be transparent? What is this event?” the friend asked upon noticing cameras nearby.
Earl’s partner, comedian and actress Aida Osman, appeared to add to the project’s push on social media by sharing candid maternity photos shot at their residence. “Right before I got induced, Thebe suggested we do a self-timer in the backyard,” she captioned. “It’s always perfect because it’s ours! Live, laugh, love, everyone.” According to Billboard, the couple has since welcomed their first child together, a baby girl.
Before the official announcement, fans got an early taste of Live Laugh Love at a Los Angeles listening party. According to attendee Eric Skelton, Earl (who did not attend) sent an obvious imposter onstage to perform some of his tracks while the real album played through speakers. The crowd sipped themed cocktails and bought merch with the tracklist printed on the back. They also received a zine stuffed with contributions from a wide range of collaborators and friends, including Dave Chappelle, Donald Glover, and Earl’s mother, scholar Cheryl Harris.
Live Laugh Love will follow Earl’s 2023 collaboration with The Alchemist, VOIR DIRE, a critically acclaimed effort that boasted assists from MIKE and Vince Staples. That project was first released through a special website that contained puzzles for fans to decipher. A slightly altered version eventually made landfall on streaming platforms. Outside of his own work, Earl contributed to recent drops like NxWorries’ “WalkOnBy,” Pink Siifu’s “BOTH FEET,” and MAVI’s “Landgrab.”
