I Lay Down My Life for You (stylized in all caps) is the fifth studio album by American rapper and record producer JPEGMafia. It was released on August 1,2024,through AWAL. It features guest appearances from Vince Staples,Denzel Curry,and Buzzy Lee,with additional contributions from frequent collaborator FreakyMafiaCult. The deluxe version,subtitled as The Director's Cut,was released on February 3,2025,adding 14 new tracks. The album was released to positive critical reception.
"Don't Rely on Other Men","Sin Miedo",and "Protect the Cross" were released as singles in promotion of the album. JPEGMafia has additionally embarked on the Lay Down My Life tour through August and September 2024,and will be supporting Linkin Park on their From Zero World Tour from June to September 2025.
Following the release of his collaborative album, Scaring the Hoes, with Danny Brown, in March 2023, JPEGMafia began teasing his next solo studio album. On April 4, 2024, he posted on Twitter that his next solo studio album would be coming "very soon".[2][3] On June 12, he announced the tour, called "Lay Down My Life", which is scheduled to begin on August 7, in Pomona, California, and ending on September 21, in Chicago, Illinois.[2]
On June 17, he released the first single from the album, titled "Don't Rely on Other Men", featuring previous collaborator Freaky, marking as his first release since Scaring the Hoes and his contributions to Vultures 1 by ¥$; as well as his first solo release since the album, LP! (2021).[4][5][6] On July 15, he released the album's second single, titled "Sin Miedo".[7][8][9]
On July 29, JPEGMafia announced the album's title—I Lay Down My Life for You—and released an album trailer. He initially stated it would be released "next week", later clarifying the release date as August 1.[10][11] On January 20, 2025, he released the single, "Protect the Cross", as a single for a deluxe version of the album, titled I Lay Down My Life for You: Director's Cut.[12][13][14]
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, I Lay Down My Life for You received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 from 8 critic scores.[15] The album received an 8/10 from Clash, which said: "[c]ome for the headlines, but stay for the below-the-bar thrills. I Lay Down My Life For You is in turns earnest and surreal, confusing and pristine. Closing "i recovered from this" enthuses in its own rapture, the woozy sample pleading: "Funny how time flies when you’re having fun / Please stay…"".[17]
Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Paul Simpson claimed that the album shared, "a lot of the sonic hallmarks common to Peggy's work, from abrasive, disjointed production to troll-ish lyrics and song titles. He leans a lot more into rock influences on this album, with metal guitars blaring on several tracks, usually popping up in well-timed bursts and providing a welcome release." and concluded that, "JPEGMAFIA's confrontational personality can be overbearing at times, especially to listeners who don't consider themselves to be chronically online, but his production is always stellar, and his sheer creativity is unparalleled."[16] The album was later selected by AllMusic's editors for inclusion in their 'Best of 2024' music releases list.[20] Concluding the review for Kerrang, Mischa Pearlman summarized that "those who are only after heavy guitars in their music won't be completely satisfied, especially in the mellow closing strains of "Don't Put Anything on the Bible" and the '60s psychedelia of ender "i recovered from this". But that's on them. After all, you can't always get what you want. But this stunning, expansive collection of songs delivers exactly what this torrid world needs: a simultaneous celebration and indictment that will stand the test of time for decades to come."[18]
In a more mixed review from Pitchfork, Matthew Ritchie stated that, "At times his extremely online subject matter takes the bloom off his writing. But his innate ability to shift between breakneck flows amid chaotic production buoys the album."[19]
Track listing
All tracks are written, produced and mixed by JPEGMafia, except where noted. Credits adapted from Bandcamp.[21]
I Lay Down My Life for You track listing
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
Length
1.
"I Scream This in the Mirror Before I Interact with Anyone"
"Don't Rely on Other Men" features additional vocals from FreakyMafiaCult.
"I Scream This in the Mirror Before I Interact with Anyone", "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot", "Don't Rely on Other Men", "Vulgar Display of Power", "Either On or Off the Drugs", "Loop It and Leave It", "I Recovered from This", and "I Lay Down My Life For You" are stylized in all lowercase.
"Sin Miedo", "Jihad Joe", "JPEGUltra!", "Protect the Cross", "Cult Status", "Coke or Dope?", "Allah", "Hate", and "Take An" are stylized in all caps.
"What the Hip Hop Hell is This?" is stylised as "What the hip hop hell is this?"
The Premium Edition additionally features instrumentals of all tracks on sides C and D, with minor differences:
Track C6 is an extended version of the outro to "New Black History" (which would later be used for "Cult Status").
Tracks C9 and C10 are both instrumentals of "Exmilitary".
Instrumentals for "I Scream This in the Mirror Before I Interact with Anyone", "JPEGUltra!", "Loop It and Leave It", and "Don't Put Anything on the Bible" are extended.
All Director's Cut tracks push the standard tracks one spot down, except for "Jihad Joe", which is track 7 on side B.
The versions of "I Scream This in the Mirror Before I Interact with Anyone" and "Jordan Rules" present on the Bandcamp version of the Director's Cut feature extended instrumentals, extending their length to 2:37 and 3:30, respectively.
The version of "Cult Status" present on the Bandcamp version features an additional verse, extending its length to 3:35.
Samples
"Sin Miedo" contains samples of "Hoochie Mama", as written and performed by 2 Live Crew.[22]
"It's Dark and Hell Is Hot" contains a sample of "Upa Upa Pocoto x 170Bpm", produced by DJ RaMeMes (O Destruidor do Funk).[23]
"Exmilitary" contains a sample of "After Laughter (Comes Tears)" as performed by Wendy Rene.[23]
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