No Pressure (Logic album)
No Pressure is the sixth studio album by American rapper Logic. It was released through Def Jam Recordings and Visionary Music Group on July 24, 2020. The production on the album was handled by Logic himself, No I.D., 6ix, FnZ, among others. "No Pressure" contains samples from different classic radio shows, with the final track on the album being solely an excerpt from "Orson Welles Commentaries". The album was marketed as Logic’s final commercial release, however this statement was retracted upon the release of Logic’s following mixtape "Bobby Tarantino III". It was supported by  the single "Perfect", which was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio on August 11, 2020. "No Pressure" received generally positive reviews from critics, many of whom commended Logic for returning to his roots. The album debuted at number two on the US "Billboard" 200, earning 221,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. It debuted behind Taylor Swift's eighth studio album, "Folklore". Shortly after his retirement, Logic embarked on a streaming career on Twitch. On June 16, 2021, Logic announced his comeback from retirement. Background and release. On July 16, 2020, Logic announced the album and also announced that the  album would be his last as he would be retiring. In the tweet, he stated that it had been a "great decade", and it was time to "be a great father." The next day, he debuted photos of his son, "Little Bobby". His son is also credited as a songwriter on the twelfth track, "A2Z". However, returned to rapping on June 16, 2021. To celebrate the release, Logic had a "release party extravaganza", where he thanked other rappers such as Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake for how their contributions as his contemporaries inspire him and support him, whether they  know it or not. Music videos for the tracks "DadBod" and "Aquarius III" were released in the week following the album's release. Composition and recording. Opening track "No Pressure" features a sample from Orson Welles's "The Hitch-Hiker", with Logic cutting in the script with words and phrases. The track also features David Hayter, reprising his role as Solid Snake. The ending track, "Obediently Yours", uses a sample from the July 28, 1946 episode of Welles's "Orson Welles Commentaries". Many listeners praised the usage of samples from Welles, including his commentary on the Isaac Woodard case. Beatrice  Welles, his youngest daughter, commented that she "was pleased with the final product and thrilled that her father's message on racism from 76 years ago has struck a chord with a younger audience". Critical reception. "No Pressure" received generally positive reviews from critics, with some calling it a return to form for the Maryland MC. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received a weighted average score of 78, based on six reviews, indicating "Generally favorable reviews". It is the highest score in Logic's discography. Album of the  Year gave the album a score of 73 based on six critic reviews. Will Lavin of "NME" gave the album four out of five stars, saying that the album "continues the trend even as he bids farewell to the art form that raised him and gave him a platform to speak his truth." A.D. Amorosi of "Variety" said that the album is a "solid, soulful finale" for his career, and that Logic was in his best, "kid-like Q-Tip mode." Tim Hoffman of "RIFF" magazine gave the album an 8/10, calling it a "masterful final release" for Logic. In  the review for AllMusic, Fred Thomas called it one of Logic's "best and most enjoyable albums, wrapping up an electrified run with his most clearheaded and honest material yet." Donna-Claire Chesman and Yoh Phillips of DJBooth both praised the rapper for having the album be "driven by love" of life, self, music, and "all the feel-good emotions", as well as finally "finding balance" with himself. Judah Charles Lotter of "Meaww" called the album a "powerful and infectiously catchy swansong album." Commercial performance. "No Pressure" debuted at number two on the US "Billboard" 200 chart, earning 221,000 album -equivalent units (including 172,000 copies as pure album sales) in its first week. This became Logic's seventh US top-ten debut. The album also accumulated a total of 65.16 million on-demand streams of the set's tracks in the week ending August 8. Track listing. Credits adapted from Tidal. Notes Sample credits