This Is What I Mean
2022 studio album by Stormzy
This Is What I Mean is the third studio album by British rapper Stormzy, released on 25 November 2022, by #Merky and 0207 Def Jam. The album serves as Stormzy's first release under 0207 Def Jam. It features guest appearances from Amaarae, Ayra Starr, Black Sherif, Debbie, India Arie, Jacob Collier, Ms Banks, Nao, Sampha, and Tendai, alongside production from Grades, Juls, P2J, Scribz Riley, and several other producers. The album serves as a follow-up to Stormzy's second album, Heavy Is the Head (2019).
Upon release, This Is What I Mean was met with widespread critical acclaim, with music critics praising Stormzy's "hard-hitting lyricism". The album debuted atop the UK Albums Chart, moving 27,800 album-equivalent units in its first week, marking the rapper's third consecutive chart-topping album, and was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2023 Brit Awards. The album was supported by two singles: "Hide & Seek" and "Firebabe", both of which peaked in the top ten of the UK Singles Chart.
Background and recording
Following the album's announcement, through a press release, Stormzy revealed that the album was recorded on Osea Island in England during a series of music camps with a team of "world-class musicians and the best producers, writers and artists in the world" in a "free atmosphere", where Stormzy "prayed every morning" during its creation.When you hear about music camps, they always sound intense and somber. People saying, “We need to make an album.” “We need to make some hit records.” But this felt beautifully free. We’re all musicians, but we weren’t always doing music.
“This Is What I Mean” enters the record as 2022 studio album by Stormzy. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what What, Mean and studio can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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