The Crossroads (album)

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).

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". He said he had spent the time since releasing his previous album to live, "access life", and grow as an artist.

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".

Release and promotion

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

Track listing

Notes

• signifies a co-producer
• 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

References