Sick! (stylized in all caps) is the fourth studio album by American rapper Earl Sweatshirt. It was released on January 14, 2022, through Tan Cressida and Warner Records.[1] The album features collaborations with Armand Hammer and Zelooperz, along with additional vocals by Na-Kel Smith. Production was handled by the Alchemist, Black Noi$e, Navy Blue (under the alias Ancestors), Samiyam, Alexander Spit, Theravada, Rob Chambers, and some co-production by Earl himself.[2] It was preceded by the singles "2010", "Tabula Rasa" featuring Armand Hammer, and "Titanic".[3]
Earl Sweatshirt called the album his "humble offering of 10 songs recorded in the wake of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns",[4] as he "leaned into the chaos" of the world's growing "anger and restlessness".[5] The album was announced on December 10, 2021.[1]
Cover art
The album cover depicts a framed mold of Earl Sweatshirt wearing a mask surrounded by two pills, African photos, a clove of garlic, and some sage.[5]
Sick was met with widespread critical acclaim from critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 85, based on 17 reviews.[7] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.9 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[6]
Tom Breihan of Stereogum named Sick! "Album of the Week", stating, "SICK! is the first Earl Sweatshirt album that doesn't sound more freaked-out and withdrawn than the one that came before. It's a dense, rich, contemplative piece of work... [it's] a strange and insular rap record, but it's a rap record nonetheless, and it's a great one".[18] Concluding the review for AllMusic, Fred Thomas felt that while " Sick! is brief, with just ten songs clocking in at around 24 minutes, but every move is placed with intention and forethought. Sharp, direct, and fluid in a way that's almost supernatural, Sick! perfectly conveys the duality of frustration and drive to persevere that arises from living through exceptionally difficult times."[8] Reviewing the album for Pitchfork, Dylan Green compared the album to its predecessor; "Sick! doesn't recontextualize the genre in the same way Some Rap Songs did, but it's an act of self-revolution. It magnifies a newly assured Earl Sweatshirt, skin shed and free to ascend."[15]
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