The Crossroads (album)

The Crossroads
Studio album by Cordae
Released	November 15, 2024
Recorded	2024
Length	48:09
Label	Art@War Atlantic
Producer	Alex Goldblatt Angwang Jin Ashton Sellars Biako BongoByTheWay BoogzDaBeast Camper Cordae Darko Dem Jointz Dkjbeats Don Mills D. Phelps Elkan FnZ Hitmaka Illuid Haller Jaasu J. Cole Johan Lenox Linden Jay Ryan James Carr Smoko Ono Tarron Crayton Thelonious Martin Tommy Parker
Cordae chronology
From a Birds Eye View (2022) The Crossroads (2024)
Singles from The Crossroads
"Two Tens" Released: January 25, 2023 "Saturday Mornings" Released: July 24, 2024 "Summer Drop" Released: August 28, 2024 "Mad as Fuck" Released: October 11, 2024 "Syrup Sandwiches" Released: November 7, 2024

The Crossroads is the third studio album by the American rapper Cordae, released through Art@War and Atlantic Records on November 15, 2024. The album has guest appearances from Anderson .Paak, Joey Badass, Jordan Ward, Juicy J, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Ravyn Lenae, and Ty Dolla Sign. Several producers worked on the album, including FnZ, Hitmaka, J. Cole, Thelonious Martin, Cordae himself, and others. His previous studio album was From a Birds Eye View (2022). ^[1]

Background and recording

Before the release of the album, Cordae told Billboard that it was his strongest work yet. "I think it’s ready. I think I’m better than I’ve ever been as an artist". ^[2] He said he had spent the time since releasing his previous album to live, "access life", and grow as an artist. ^[2]

I wanted to get better, like, as a songwriter, as a rapper. I wanted my verses to be better. I wanted my storytelling to be better. I wanted my beat selection and taste in beat selection to get better, and that requires work and time, so I feel like this is my best foot forward thus far.

Asked about the album's title, Cordae said that he had reached a turning point where he felt as though he was at a crossroads in life: "It was like life or death. … If I go right, everything is gonna be perfect and yay, life is great, and if I go left, all life is horrible. I’ve kinda realized that one decision doesn’t hold that much weight. It’s a culmination of decisions". ^[2]

Release and promotion

On January 25, 2023, Cordae released the album's lead single, "Two Tens" featuring Anderson .Paak. ^{[3] [4]} The album's second single, "Saturday Mornings" featuring Lil Wayne was released on July 24, 2024. ^{[5] [6]} The album's third single, "Summer Drop" featuring Anderson .Paak was released on August 28, 2024. ^[7] The record's fourth single, "Mad as Fuck" was released on October 11, 2024. ^[8] The album's fifth single, "Syrup Sandwiches" featuring Joey Badass was released on November 7, 2024. ^[9]

Track listing

The Crossroads track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	Cordae Dunston Anthony Cowan Anthony Henderson Byron McCane Charles Scruggs Cristopher Jasper Ernest Isley Marvin Isley O'Kelly Isley Jr. Ronald Isley Rudolph Isley Steven Howse Tim Middleton	Biako D. Phelps Smoko Ono Tommy Parker	1:10
2.	"06 Dreamin"	Dunston Darian Garcia Isaac De Boni Michael Mulé Ashton Sellars Jennifer Duston	Dunston Smoko Ono FnZ Tommy Parker [b] Ashton Sellars [b]	2:34
3.	"Back on the Road" (featuring Lil Wayne)	Dunston Dwayne Carter Jr. Garcia Milos Angelov	Smoko Ono Don Mills	2:37
4.	"Summer Drop" (featuring Anderson .Paak)	Dunston Brandon Anderson Jermaine Cole Dwayne Abernathy, Jr. Alana Chenevert Kelsey Gonzalez Ayanna McNeil Chris Galland Nili Harary	J. Cole	2:49
5.	"Nothings Promised"	Dunston Uforo Ebong Eric Hudson Ye Adam Levine Gerald Goffin Michael Masser	BongoByTheWay Eric Hudson [b]	3:32
6.	"Mad as Fuck"	Dunston Garcia Julius Herold Paul Agyei	Smoke Ono Darko Elkan	3:42
7.	"All Alone"	Dunston Garcia Angwang Jin Illuid Haller Burt Bacharach Hal David Itai Shapira	Smoke Ono Angwang Jin Illuid Haller Biako [b]	1:53
8.	"Never See It" (featuring Juicy J)	Dunston Jordan Houston III Garcia Jaasu Mallory Barbara Mason	Smoko Ono Jaasu	3:28
9.	"Pray" (featuring Ty Dolla Sign)	Dunston Tyrone Griffin Jr. Garcia Darhyl Camper Jr. Charles Fox Christian Dotson Christian Ward Norman Gimbel	Camper Hitmaka	3:22
10.	"Don't Walk Away" (featuring Jordan Ward and Ravyn Lenae)	Dunston Jordan Ward Ravyn Lenae Garcia Alex Goldblatt Linden Berelowitz Carr Federico Vindver	Smoko Ono Alex Goldblatt Linden Jay Ryan James Carr	3:32
11.	"Saturday Mornings" (featuring Lil Wayne)	Dunston Carter Garcia Jahmal Gwin Nicholas Smith	Smoko Ono BoogzDaBeast	4:23
12.	"No Bad News" (featuring Kanye West)	Dunston Ye Garcia Gwin De Boni Mulé Malcolm Martin Dominic Salole Esau Joyner Jr. Joey Dosik Miguel Atwood-Ferguson	Smoko Ono BoogzDaBeast FnZ Thelonious Martin	2:32
13.	"Shai Afeni"	Dunston Garcia Mallory Shapira Thomas Lumpkins Bobby Eli Jeff Prusan	Smoko Ono Jaasu Biako [a] Tommy Parker [a]	2:56
14.	"What Really Matters"	Dunston Garcia Shapira Daniel Johnson Lumpkins Doug Edwards Thomas Richardson	Smoko Ono Biako Dkjbeats Tommy Parker [b]	2:03
15.	"Syrup Sandwiches" (featuring Joey Badass)	Dunston Jo-Vaughn Scott Garcia Martin Jabari Rayford Lydia Kitto	Smoko Ono Thelonious Martin	2:59
16.	"Now You Know"	Dunston Ebong Stephen Feigenbaum Tarron Crayton	BongoByTheWay Johan Lenox [b] Crayton [b]	2:11
17.	"Two Tens" (featuring Anderson .Paak)	Dunston Anderson Cole Abernathy Gerald Wilson	J. Cole Dem Jointz	2:32
Total length:				48:09

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer
• ^{^[b]} signifies an additional producer

Sample credits

• "Intro" contains a sample of "Tha Crossroads (D.J. U-Neek’s Mo Thug Remix)", written by Steven Howse, Anthony Henderson, Byron McCane, Charles Scruggs, Tim Middleton, Ernest Isley, Marvin Isley, O'Kelly Isley Jr., Ronald Isley|Rudolph Isley, and Cristopher Jasper, as performed by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
• "Nothings Promised" contains a sample of "Someone That I Used to Love", written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin, as performed by Natalie Cole; and interpolations from "Heard 'Em Say", written by Masser, Goffin, Ye, and Adam Levine, as performed by Kanye West and Adam Levine.
• "All Alone" contains a sample of "A House Is Not a Home", written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, as performed by Luther Vandross.
• "Never See It" contains a sample of "Who'd Ever Think", written by Ronnie Baker, as performed by Barbara Mason.
• "Pray" contains a sample of "Killing Me Softly with His Song", written by Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel, and Lori Lieberman, as performed by Fugees.
• "Saturday Mornings" contains a sample of "I Really, Really Love You", written by Nick Smith, as performed by Father's Children.
• "No Bad News" contains a sample of "Inside Voice (Reprise)", written and performed by Joey Dosik.
• "Shai Afeni" contains a sample of "Keep It Comin'", written by Bobby Eli and Jeff Prusan, as performed by Atlantic Starr.
• "What Really Matters" contains a sample of "Wild Flower", written by Doug Edwards and David Richardson, as performed by New Birth.

Personnel

Musicians

• Cordae – vocals
• Tommy Parker – background vocals (tracks 1, 2, 13, 14)
• Brandy Haze – background vocals (tracks 2, 5, 15)
• Dem Jointz – background vocals (track 4)
• The Last Artful, Dodgr – background vocals (track 4)
• Alex Vaughn – background vocals (tracks 5, 9)
• Lekan – background vocals (tracks 5, 16)
• Darius Coleman – background vocals (track 13)
• Jabari Rayford – background vocals (track 15)
• Lydia Kitto – background vocals (track 15)
• Caleb McLaughlin – background vocals (track 16)
• Ashton Sellars – guitar (track 2)
• Kelsey Gonzales – bass (track 4)
• Linden Jay – bass (track 10)
• Ryan James Carr – drums (track 10)
• Alex Goldblatt – guitar (track 10)
• Dominique Sanders – live bass (track 12)
• Johan Lenox – strings (track 16)

Technical

• Zach Pereyra – mastering (tracks 1–16), mixing assistance (tracks 2–4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14)
• Emerson Mancini – mastering (17)
• Manny Marroquin – mixing (tracks 2–4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14)
• Elton "L10" Chueng – mixing (tracks 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 16)
• Chris Galland – mixing (track 5)
• Jeremie Inhaber – mixing (track 17)
• Anthony Vilchis – mixing assistance (tracks 2–4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14)
• Trey Station – mixing assistance (tracks 2–4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14)
• Daniel Vargas – mixing assistance (tracks 5, 7, 12, 15, 16)
• Robert Mendioro – mixing assistance (tracks 5, 7, 12, 15, 16)
• Luca Zadra – engineering (tracks 1, 2, 5, 7, 14)
• Mesa D – engineering (tracks 1–3, 5, 7, 8–10, 12–16)
• Shaan Singh – engineering (tracks 1–3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 17)
• Bryan Schwaller – engineering (track 10)
• Jhair Lazo – engineering (track 17)

Charts

Chart performance for The Crossroads

Chart (2024-2025)	Peak position
Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ) [10]	28
US Billboard 200 [11]	143

References

1. Horvath, Zachary (November 15, 2024). "Cordae Claims The Crossroads Is The One". HotNewHipHop . Retrieved November 19, 2024.
2. Atkinson, Katie (November 12, 2024). "Cordae on The Crossroads, His Evolution & Why Kendrick/Drake Feud Was "Great for Hip-Hop"". Billboard . Retrieved November 19, 2024.
3. Paul, Larisha (January 25, 2023). "Cordae and Anderson .Paak Reunite on J. Cole-Produced Song 'Two Tens'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 19, 2024.
4. Bowenbank, Starr (January 25, 2023). "Cordae & Anderson .Paak Hit the Club, Ponder Relationships in 'Two Tens' Video: Watch". Billboard . Retrieved November 19, 2024.
5. Schube, Will (July 24, 2024). "Lil Wayne Asserts 'G.O.A.T.' Status On New Cordae Collab 'Saturday Mornings'". HipHopDX . Retrieved November 19, 2024.
6. Bernstein, Elaina (July 24, 2024). "Cordae x Lil Wayne Reflect on "Saturday Mornings"". Hypebeast . Retrieved November 19, 2024.
7. Murray, Robin (August 29, 2024). "Cordae, Anderson .Paak Combine On 'Summer Drop'". Clash . Retrieved November 19, 2024.
8. Kearns, Sarah (November 19, 2024). "Cordae Drops New Song and Music Video "Mad as F***"". Hypebeast . Retrieved October 12, 2024.
9. Bernstein, Elaina (November 19, 2024). "Joey Bada$$ Hops on Cordae's New Single "Syrup Sandwiches"". Hypebeast . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
10. "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2025. 10. hét". MAHASZ . Retrieved March 13, 2025.
11. @billboardcharts (November 25, 2024). "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200..." (Tweet). Retrieved November 26, 2024– via Twitter.