Hope is the fifth studio album by American rapper NF, released on April 7, 2023 through Capitol Music, NF Real Music, and Virgin Music.[1] It was preceded by two singles: "Hope" and "Motto", with the third single "Happy" being released the same day as the album. It features guest appearances from Cordae and Julia Michaels. NF later announced a 47-stop world tour on March 30, 2023, in support of the album, with the former as a special guest.[2] It is his first album in four years since 2019's The Search, and his first project in two years since 2021's Clouds (The Mixtape).

Hope
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 7, 2023
Genre
Length49:31
Label
Producer
NF chronology
Clouds (The Mixtape)
(2021)
Hope
(2023)
Singles from Hope
  1. "Hope"
    Released: February 16, 2023
  2. "Motto"
    Released: March 9, 2023
  3. "Happy"
    Released: April 7, 2023

Promotion edit

The album was announced on February 16, 2023, along with the title track and second single, and released along with the music video of the track "Happy" on April 7, 2023.[3][4]

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [5]
Clash7/10[6]

Critic Robin Murray of Clash wrote, "This is perhaps [NF's] most personal document yet, one that dares to deal with self-doubt and worthlessness in the public gaze. While some tracks hit harder than others, ... it's a worthy attempt to look beyond the darkness, and embrace the light."[6]

Khushboo Rathore from The Diamondback wrote, "As a whole, the album feels a little disorganized, but it's a positive turn on NF's usual content. It feels good to see him growing and becoming happy, and it gives me hope for my own future."[7]

An anonymous writer of Allmusic gave the album a 3.5 star rating, describing the album as "building upon the emotional struggles that informed 2016's Therapy Session and 2019's The Search with a sense that there is often a light at the end of a dark tunnel."[5]

Commercial performance edit

Hope debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, selling 123,000 album-equivalent units, of which 80,500 were pure album sales. The album, which was blocked from the number one spot by country singer Morgan Wallen's One Thing at a Time, became NF's third top-ten album (and fourth top-ten project overall).[8]

Track listing edit

Hope track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Hope"
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Jeff Sojka[a]
4:24
2."Motto"
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
3:37
3."Careful" (featuring Cordae)
  • Feuerstein
  • Garcia
3:29
4."Mama"
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Cole Walowac
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Saint X
3:28
5."Happy"
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Sojka[a]
4:02
6."Pandemonium"
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Sojka[a]
3:17
7."Suffice"
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Walowac
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Saint X
4:25
8."Gone" (featuring Julia Michaels)
  • Feuerstein
  • Julia Michaels
  • Profitt
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
4:06
9."Bullet"
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Walowac
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Saint X
  • Sojka[a]
3:42
10."Turn My Back"
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Walowac
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Saint X
3:36
11."Mistake"
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
3:35
12."Let 'Em Pray"
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Walowac
  • Feuerstein
  • Profitt
  • Saint X
  • Sojka[a]
3:33
13."Running"
  • Feuerstein
  • Garcia
  • Feuerstein
  • Garcia
4:13
Total length:49:31

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer.
  • All tracks are stylized in all caps, such as "Hope" being stylized as "HOPE".

Personnel edit

Charts edit

References edit

  1. ^ Williams, Kyann-Sian (March 15, 2023). "NF announces new album 'Hope' with defiant new single 'Motto'". NME. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  2. ^ Lamarre, Carl (March 30, 2023). "NF Announces the Hope Tour With Special Guest Cordae". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "NF's New Single 'HAPPY' Takes Listeners On A Relatable Emotional Journey". Kiss 108. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  4. ^ Musa, Hanen (March 14, 2023). "NF's Upcoming 'HOPE' Album". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Hope - NF | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Murray, Robin (April 7, 2023). "NF – Hope | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  7. ^ "Review: NF takes listeners on a vulnerable, soul-baring journey with 'HOPE'". The Diamondback. April 11, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  8. ^ Caulfield, Keith (April 16, 2023). "Morgan Wallen's 'One Thing at a Time' Tops Billboard 200 for Sixth Straight Week". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  9. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  10. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. April 17, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  11. ^ "Austriancharts.at – NF – Hope" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  12. ^ "Ultratop.be – NF – Hope" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  13. ^ "Ultratop.be – NF – Hope" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  14. ^ "NF Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  15. ^ "Album Top-40 Uge 15, 2023". Hitlisten. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  16. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – NF – Hope" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  17. ^ "NF: Hope" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  18. ^ "Top Albums (Week 15, 2023)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  19. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – NF – Hope" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  20. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2023. 15. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  21. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  22. ^ "2023 15-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  23. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  24. ^ "Album 2023 uke 15". VG-lista. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  25. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży: Albumy" (Select week 07.04.2023–13.04.2023.) (in Polish). ZPAV. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  26. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  27. ^ "Top 100 Albums Weekly". PROMUSICAE. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  28. ^ "Veckolista Album, vecka 15". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  29. ^ "Swisscharts.com – NF – Hope". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  30. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  31. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  32. ^ "NF Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  33. ^ "NF Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  34. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2023" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  35. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  36. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2023.