NF’s “HOPE”(ful) Step Forward

By Adri Pray

In 2012, Michigan rapper NF released his debut EP I’m Free as a prototype of the image he later cultivated. It was experimental — not in genre but in creative expression — and paved the path he set himself on.

Last Friday, he dropped his fifth studio album HOPE after more than a year of near radio silence. It was clear from the beginning of the promotion that this album was different from his past sounds: he was ready to move on, let go, and be free of the issues that have plagued him his entire life; this album is a total rebrand from the NF I became a fan of.

Reminiscent of his pandemic-era release, CLOUDS, the title track “HOPE” starts slow before launching into a grand orchestral entrance — an artistic choice that feels overdone to me. CLOUDS featured similar build ups in many of its tracks, which was new for him in 2021, but as “HOPE” is supposed to signify the end of his “darkness” theme, it feels counterproductive to have a lead single damn near the same as his previous album.

HOPE, though, differs because it is a direct challenge to his discography. It’s prevalent that after the birth of his son a few years ago, he’s done being mopey and sad and ready to live for his child and be the father NF himself never had. I went into the album expecting similar themes to CLOUDS, as I predicted the concepts would be near similar. I was wrong.

If there’s anything NF is, it’s vulnerable. “MAMA,” the fourth track on the album, seems to be a final, accepting acknowledgement of his mother’s passing. In albums past, he’s relied heavily on themes of loss, addiction, abandonment, and abuse to explain his relationship with his parents. His mother lost her life to addiction years back and it’s a common theme in NF’s music to explore his feelings surrounding his loss. 

Several songs of his seem to blame her for his lack of parental support growing up, but in “MAMA,” he comes to terms with the loss and wishes her well. NF’s Christian faith comes out in this song more so than any other song in his discography, which is a pointed move since he’s explicitly stated that though he’s a Christian, he isn’t a Christian rapper because “you aren’t going to reach everyone with a single point of view.” Several lyrics reference the pair’s separate relationships to God as he wishes her well and hopes she’s resting in peace. This song marks a turning point in NF’s journey to heal from this trauma.

Halfway through the album, you’ll reach “GONE” featuring Julia Michaels, one of two collaborations on this album. When NF released the tracklist last month, I dreaded the Julia Michaels feature. I can tolerate Julia Michaels, but I didn’t think her voice and NF’s were complementary. Once again, I was wrong. This is one of my favorite collaborations NF’s done to date. The orchestral theme returns to this song but relies more on the driving piano melody alongside choral ad libs.

What was already a heart wrenching album turns somehow even more bittersweet, reminiscent of a “goodbye,” as Michaels and NF duet the chorus: “I pray that someday you find yourself / Somehow, some way, with someone else / Don’t wait, it’s too late / To keep holding on.” A sad song, sure, but impactful and necessary in keeping the HOPE alive.

“RUNNING” ends the album with a somber acoustic reflection of who NF is as a person, father, and artist. Purposefully stripped down to its core sonic elements highlights how vulnerable he’s positioned himself with this song and now his career. I imagine he’s addressing “Nate” — the persona he often battles in his songs that constantly prompts him to make bad decisions, act selfishly, and sabotage his relationships. He ends the song with “I wish you well but I / Can no longer stand this, I / Can’t watch you sabotage the two of us / I love you to death but I / Can’t spend the rest of my / Life in this darkness,” alluding to his unwillingness to be held captive any longer by “Nate.”

Almost the light at the end of the tunnel, NF’s attempted escape beyond the confines of his mental illness will only be proven successful in time. Wherever he goes from here, his fanbase will be listening — he’s captured the attention of millions internationally who await his next move as a “free” man.