I Never Felt Nun is the debut studio album by American rapper EST Gee. It was released through Interscope Records, Collective Music Group, and Warlike on September 16, 2022. The album features guest appearances from Future, Jack Harlow, Bryson Tiller, Machine Gun Kelly, and Jeezy.
| I Never Felt Nun | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 16, 2022 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop[1] | |||
| Length | 55:12 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer |
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| EST Gee chronology | ||||
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| Singles from I Never Felt Nun | ||||
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Background
editThe day the album was released, EST Gee spoke about it in an interview with Apple Music DJ Zane Lowe:
I don't want to put my beliefs, my feelings off on other people, but just, you got to stay motivated. 'Cause a lot of time it don't seem like it get better. You know what I'm saying? But you got to make it better. So that feeling of not feeling nothing... You know what I'm saying? That shit's basically just keep going through it, don't let it affect you. Before I knew to tell myself, that's how I really was. You know what I'm saying? So that's just what that album's about.[2]
Release and promotion
editOn September 6, 2022, EST Gee announced the album along with its title and release date. The next day, he revealed the tracklist, which had all the featured artists unannounced. The day after that, the features were announced in a new format of the tracklist that he posted in collaboration with Spotify hip hop playlist RapCaviar.[3]
Singles
editThe lead single of the album, "Blood", was released on July 29, 2022.[4] It was followed up with the second single, "Love Is Blind", which was released on August 12, 2022.[5] The third single, "Hell", was released on September 1, 2022.[6] The fourth single, "Shoot It Myself", which features fellow American rapper Future, was released on September 9, 2022.[7] The fifth and final single, "Backstage Passes", which features fellow American rapper Jack Harlow, was sent to US rhythmic contemporary radio on October 11, 2022.
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [8] |
| Pitchfork | 7.3/10[9] |
| RapReviews | 7/10[10] |
| Slant Magazine | [11] |
I Never Felt Nun received generally positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic wrote, "Louisville rapper EST Gee brings his imposing presence, trauma-fixated lyricism, and deft ability to navigate a hard beat to his debut studio album."[8] Nadine Smith of Pitchfork wrote, "Though rap has reached vast new emotional depths in the last decade, Gee's confessionals are still startling in how bluntly they address the demons head-on. EST Gee's lyricism doesn't bring the catharsis of a therapy session or the removed vantage point of hindsight; I Never Felt Nun comes straight from the heart, hardened like armor."[9] Paul Attard of Slant was slightly more mixed, writing, "The title of Gee's first studio album indicates his continuing disassociation from his emotions."[11]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Have Mercy" |
|
| 2:38 |
| 2. | "Shoot It Myself" (featuring Future) |
|
| 3:08 |
| 3. | "Hell" |
|
| 2:19 |
| 4. | "Come Home" |
|
| 2:47 |
| 5. | "I Can't Feel a Thing" |
|
| 3:02 |
| 6. | "Backstage Passes" (featuring Jack Harlow) |
|
| 2:38 |
| 7. | "Both Arms" |
|
| 3:02 |
| 8. | "Bow and Say Grace" |
|
| 2:30 |
| 9. | "Blood" |
|
| 2:35 |
| 10. | "Is Heaven for a Gangsta" |
|
| 2:36 |
| 11. | "Love Is Blind" |
|
| 2:37 |
| 12. | "X" |
|
| 2:57 |
| 13. | "Get Em' Geeski" |
|
| 2:59 |
| 14. | "Sabotage" (featuring Bryson Tiller) |
| Syk Sense | 2:48 |
| 15. | "Double Back" |
|
| 2:31 |
| 16. | "I Won't Let Em' Kill Me" |
|
| 2:15 |
| 17. | "Death Around the Corner" (featuring Machine Gun Kelly) |
|
| 2:43 |
| 18. | "Get It Going" |
|
| 1:28 |
| 19. | "Voices in My Head" |
|
| 2:22 |
| 20. | "Foreva" |
|
| 2:10 |
| 21. | "The Realest" (featuring Jeezy) |
|
| 3:15 |
| Total length: | 55:12 | |||
Charts
edit| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[12] | 8 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[13] | 3 |
References
edit- ^ Buford, Jayson (September 21, 2022). "The Cold Precision and Burly Intensity of EST Gee". Stereogum. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
- ^ Callas, Brad (September 16, 2022). "EST Gee Shares New Album 'I Never Felt Nun' f/ Future, Jack Harlow, and More". Complex. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Saponara, Michael (September 7, 2022). "EST Gee Announces New Album 'I Never Felt Nun' After Moneybagg Yo 'Strong' Video". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
- ^ Aron A. (July 29, 2022). "EST Gee Is Out For "Blood" On New Single". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
- ^ Cho, Regina (August 12, 2022). "EST Gee says "Love Is Blind" in latest single". Revolt. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
- ^ Aron A. (September 1, 2022). "EST Gee Delivers New Single "Hell"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
- ^ Powell, Jon (September 9, 2022). "EST Gee recruits Future for "Shoot It Myself"". Revolt. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
- ^ a b "EST Gee - I Never Felt Nun Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ a b Smith, Nadine (September 30, 2022). "EST Gee: I Never Felt Nun Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
- ^ Juon, Steve (September 27, 2022). "EST Gee :: I Never Felt Nun". RapReviews. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ a b Attard, Paul (September 21, 2022). "EST Gee I Never Felt Nun Review: A Workmanlike but Redundant Rap Album". Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
- ^ "The Billboard 200: Week of October 1, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Week of October 1, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2022.