JPEGMAFIA LP! Online Vs. Offline
By: Mattea Vecera
On Oct. 22, Baltimore rapper JPEGMAFIA released his fourth studio album, appropriately titled LP!, along with a “fuck you” promulgation addressed to his music label and the broader music industry. A man of fine detail, JPEGMAFIA is known for mixing, mastering, and producing almost all of his work. However, his sample-heavy LP! met roadblocks with his new label, Republic Records, leading to a formal release of the album on streaming services and an informal “offline” and true version free to download on Bandcamp and available on YouTube.
The two versions yield different in tracklists, song names, and samples, with variations in mixing and mastering. To honor JPEGMAFIA’s wishes, I’ll be referring to the “offline” version as the true version and the formally released “online” version as the new one with undesirable changes.
Online Tracklist
TRUST!
DIRTY!
NEMO!
END CREDITS!
WHAT KIND OF RAPPIN’ IS THIS?
THOT’S PRAYER!
ARE U HAPPY?
REBOUND!
OG!
DAM! DAM! DAM!
SICK, NERVOUS & BROKE!
KISSY, FACE EMOJI!
NICE!
BMT!
THE GHOST OF RANKING DREAD!
CUTIE PIE!
BALD!
BALD! REMIX (ft. Denzel Curry)
Offline Tracklist
TRUST!
DIRTY!
NEMO!
END CREDITS!
HAZARD DUTY PAY!
GOD DON’T LIKE UGLY!
WHAT KIND OF RAPPIN’ IS THIS?
THOT’S PRAYER!
ARE YOU HAPPY?
REBOUND! (ft. DATPIFFMAFIA)
💯
OG!
DIKEMBE!
TIRED, NERVOUS & BROKE!
🔥
NICE!
BMT!
THE GHOST OF RANKING DREAD! (ft. Tkay Maidza)
DAM! DAM! DAM!
UNTITLED
The true version had the extra tracks “HAZARD DUTY PAY!.” “GOD DON’T LIKE UGLY!,” and “UNTITLED.” “HAZARD DUTY PAY!” was removed due to the inability to clear the sample used. It was released as an unofficial single with an accompanying music video on his YouTube channel on October 1 and was quickly a fan favorite. “GOD DON’T LIKE UGLY!,” “💯,” “DIKEMBE!,” and “UNTITLED” were also removed, presumably for the same reason.
Two of the song titles were also changed, with no notable differences in the songs themselves. What was originally “TIRED, NERVOUS & BROKE!” is now titled “SICK, NERVOUS & BROKE!,” and “🔥” is now “KISSY, FACE EMOJI.” It is unclear why these changes took place.
The last three tracks of the new version are re-releases of old singles that are also songs from his 2020 EP, appropriately titled EP!. This was most likely the label’s choice to strengthen streaming numbers and was not the artist’s decision himself.
Regarding changes within the songs, the first noticeable one is on “WHAT KIND OF RAPPIN’ IS THIS?” The original version opens with a minute long intro of beautiful instrumentals before his vocals join on the track. In the new version, the entire intro was cut. In “THOT’S PRAYER,” the original version also opens up with a 20 second intro and was removed due to the sample used. The song “END CREDIT!” is almost unnoticeably sped up on the new version, making it a few seconds longer than the original, although it is unclear the motivation behind that. On the new “DAM! DAM! DAM!,” the differences come around the one-minute mark, with the removal of a subtle background drumline and sample that names the title track.
When JPEGMAFIA released the true version on Bandcamp, he included a long statement about his passion to create music and his animosity toward anyone impeding on that, including the music industry itself. He announced that his contract with Republic Records is now fulfilled and LP! is his last release under a label.
It’s hard to blame him. When music labels clash with the artist and their vision, it’s tough to uphold a positive relationship between the two. JPEGMAFIA is a man that always seems to be swimming against the tide and creating his own path. He gives no weight to the opinions of others, and it is doing himself a disservice to hand over any ounce of creative control to anyone else, let alone a label. It’s clear that he has no need for them either, as he is a rare case of an artist that does an incredible job of producing every aspect of his art by himself. JPEGMAFIA is a true renaissance man in the music scene and the “offline” version of LP! reflects that.
Overall, the “offline,” true version is easily the better and more polished product. It’s a shame that some of the strongest songs on the project couldn’t make it to streaming services. The new version feels empty, like it is missing something. That could be from the somewhat awkward transitions, the missing samples in songs still kept, the throwaway tracks to finish off the album, or a combination of it all. LP! is meant to be listened to in its true form and it is an injustice to do it any other way.