I Know Nigo!

I Know Nigo! (stylized as I Know NIGO!) is the second studio album by Japanese fashion designer and record producer Nigo. It was released through Republic Records and Victor Victor Worldwide on March 25, 2022. The album contains guest appearances from ASAP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, Pusha T, Clipse, Pharrell Williams, Gunna, Kid Cudi, Teriyaki Boyz, ASAP Ferg, the late Pop Smoke, and Lil Uzi Vert. Production was handled by Nigo himself, ASAP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, Pharrell Williams (solo and as part of the Neptunes with Chad Hugo), Hector Delgado, Carter Lang, Westen Weiss, Kanye West, BoogzDaBeast, Luca, Starz, ThaMyind, Hozay Beats, Reddoe Beats, Cubeatz, Brandon Finessin, and Axl. A hip hop album, I Know Nigo! serves as Nigo's first studio release since his 2000 debut album, Ape Sound.^[1]

I Know Nigo!
Studio album by Nigo
Released	March 25, 2022
Length	32:49 (streaming version)
Label	Republic Victor Victor
Producer	Nigo ASAP Rocky Axl BoogzDaBeast Brandon Finessin Carter Lang Cubeatz Hector Delgado Hozay Beats Kanye West Luca Starz Pharrell Williams Reddoe Beats ThaMyind The Neptunes Tyler, the Creator Westen Weiss
Nigo chronology
Ape Sounds (2000) I Know Nigo! (2022)
Singles from I Know Nigo!
"Arya" Released: January 28, 2022 "Want It Bad" Released: February 18, 2022 "Hear Me Clearly" Released: March 4, 2022 "Morë Tonight" Released: March 14, 2022 "Heavy" Released: March 18, 2022

Singles

The lead single of the album, "Arya", a collaboration with American rapper ASAP Rocky, was released on January 28, 2022.^[2] The second single, "Want It Bad", a collaboration with American rapper Kid Cudi, was released on February 18, 2022.^[3] The third single, "Hear Me Clearly", a collaboration with American rapper Pusha T, was released on March 4, 2022.^[4] The fourth single, "Morë Tonight", a collaboration with Japanese hip hop group Teriyaki Boyz (which Nigo is the DJ of), was released on March 14, 2022.^[5] The fifth and final single, "Heavy", a collaboration with American rapper Lil Uzi Vert, was released on March 18, 2022.^[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
CommMedia	7/10[8]
Pitchfork	7.1/10[9]

Writing for Pitchfork, Mehan Jayasuriya felt that "the beats are as sturdy and tuneful as you'd expect but not as adventurous as you might hope", adding that "I Know NIGO! is a fun project and its marquee names largely deliver but it serves to further fortify Nigo's legacy rather than pay it forward".^[9] Rolling Stone writer Jeff Ihaza called the album "a collaborative testament to the genuine admiration Nigo has earned for himself in the world of hip-hop", describing it as "one of the most fun rap albums of the year".^[10]

Track listing

I Know Nigo! track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Lost and Found Freestyle 2019" (with ASAP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator)	Rakim Mayers Tyler Okonma Pharrell Williams Chad Hugo Stayve Thomas Clifford Harris, Jr. Bernard Freeman Leroy Williams Clarence Reid Clinton Mansell Micah Troy Donnell Price Sammie Norris Willie Clarke	Nigo The Neptunes	2:54
2.	"Arya" (with ASAP Rocky)	Mayers Hector Delgado Carter Lang Westen Weiss	Nigo ASAP Rocky Delgado Lang Weiss	2:42
3.	"Punch Bowl" (with Clipse)	Terrence Thornton Gene Thornton P. Williams	Nigo The Neptunes [11]	3:01
4.	"Functional Addict" (with Pharrell Williams and Gunna)	P. Williams Sergio Kitchens	Nigo P. Williams	3:25
5.	"Want It Bad" (with Kid Cudi)	Scott Mescudi P. Williams	Nigo P. Williams	3:18
6.	"Morë Tonight" (with Teriyaki Boyz)	Keisuke Ogihara Ryu Yeong-gi Seiji Kameyama Ryo-Z P. Williams	Nigo P. Williams	3:36
7.	"Paper Plates" (with Pharrell Williams and ASAP Ferg)	P. Williams Darold Ferguson	Nigo P. Williams	2:33
8.	"Hear Me Clearly" (with Pusha T)	T. Thornton Ye Jahmal Gwin Luca Starz Lawrence Berment William Roberts II Shawn Carter Leigh Elliott John Stephens Johnny Mollings Leonardo Mollings Rennard East	Nigo Kanye West BoogzDaBeast Starz ThaMyind	2:21
9.	"Remember" (with Pop Smoke)	Bashar Jackson Kiesa Ellestad Samir Jose Reynoso-Contreras Angel Orozco	Nigo Hozay Beats Reddoe Beats	2:15
10.	"Heavy" (with Lil Uzi Vert)	Symere Woods Tim Gomringer Kevin Gomringer Brandon Veal Manalla Abdul-Aziz	Nigo Cubeatz Brandon Finessin Axl	3:19
11.	"Come On, Let's Go" (with Tyler, the Creator)	Okonma P. Williams	Nigo Tyler, the Creator P. Williams	3:19
Total length:				32:49

Notes

• The CD version of the album is 7 tracks long compared to the streaming version, which is 11 tracks long. The CD version excludes the tracks "Lost and Found Freestyle 2019", "Functional Addict", "Paper Plates", and "Come On, Let's Go" on the album.^[12]
• "Punch Bowl", "Morë Tonight", and "Come On, Let's Go" features additional vocals by Pharrell Williams
• "Morë Tonight" features additional vocals by Shurland Ayers
• "Come On, Let's Go" features additional vocals by Reign Judge

Sample credits

• "Lost and Found Freestyle 2019" contains samples from "3 Kings", written by Stayve Thomas, Clifford Harris, Jr., Bernard Freeman, Leroy Williams, Clarence Reid, Clinton Mansell, Micah Troy, Donnell Price, Sammie Norris, and Willie Clarke, as performed by Slim Thug, which itself samples "Secretary", written by Reid and Clarke, as performed by Betty Wright; and samples from "Like a Boss", written by Thomas, Pharrell Williams, and Chad Hugo, also performed by Slim Thug.
• "Hear Me Clearly" contains interpolations from "Free Mason", written by William Roberts II, Shawn Carter, Leigh Elliott, John Stephens, Johnny Mollings, Leonardo Mollings, and Rennard East, as performed by Rick Ross.
• "Remember" contains samples from "Sound of a Woman", written by Kiesa Ellestad and Rami Samir Afuni, as performed by Kiesza.

Charts

Chart performance for I Know Nigo!

Chart (2022)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[13]	89
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[14]	170
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[15]	21
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[16]	21
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[17]	34
US Billboard 200[18]	13
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[19]	6

References

1. Rose, Jordan (March 25, 2022). "Listen to NIGO's New Album 'I Know NIGO' f/ Pusha-T, Kid Cudi, ASAP Rocky, and More". Complex. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
2. Helfand, Raphael (January 28, 2022). "Nigo and A$AP Rocky share "Arya," a time capsule from the near past". The Fader. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
3. Corcoran, Nina; Strauss, Matthew (February 18, 2022). "Kid Cudi and Nigo Share New Song "Want It Bad": Watch the Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
4. Minsker, Evan (March 4, 2022). "Pusha T and Nigo Share New Song "Hear Me Clearly": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
5. Rose, Jordan (March 14, 2022). "NIGO Reconnects With Teriyaki Boyz for New Track "More Tonight"". Complex. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
6. Renshaw, David (March 18, 2022). "Lil Uzi Vert and Nigo drop "Heavy"". The Fader. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
7. "I Know Nigo! Review by Paul Simpson". allmusic.com. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
8. O'Connell, Jayson (April 1, 2022). "Nigo - "I Know NIGO!" Album Review". CommMedia.
9. Jayasuriya, Mehan (April 1, 2022). "Nigo: I Know NIGO! Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
10. Ihaza, Jeff (March 31, 2022). "How Bape Founder Nigo Made an Album for His Friends". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
11. "I Know NIGO!". Spotify. 25 March 2022.
12. "I KNOW NIGO DESIGNED BY NIGO CD". Retrieved April 18, 2022.
13. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 4 April 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1674. Australian Recording Industry Association. April 4, 2022. p. 6.
14. "Ultratop.be – Nigo – I Know Nigo!" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
15. "Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of April 9, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
16. "2022 13-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. April 1, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
17. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. April 4, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
18. "The Billboard 200: Week of April 9, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
19. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Week of April 9, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2022.