I may have came across his music only a year ago, but Lil Dicky has become one of my more refreshing artists in this bloated cesspool of trap sensibilities, aggressively sexual R&B and the like. With an interesting mix of “average Joe” humor to sometimes mask his dense lyricism, many have been clamoring for Dicky to release his debut project, Professional Rapper for a while now.
Now it appears that fans will get what they’ve been hoping for. Dicky has announced that his long-in-the-works debut album now has a targeted release date of July 31st. Professional Rapper will be a 16-track affair, which will contain the previous drops “Lemme Freak,” “White Crime” and “Classic Male Pregame.”
After dropping his mixtape So Hard in 2013, and cultivating a rabid fan base with his blend of rap and comedy, Lil Dicky has dedicated the last two-years tediously honing his craft as a lyricist, and is ready to be taken seriously as an emcee. “I really ended up falling in love with rap in the process and I don’t see myself going away from it anytime soon,” Dicky said in a recent interview. “The mixtape to me felt like a comedian who is really good at rapping, whereas I think my debut album feels like a good rapper who’s funny. It’s subtle but there’s a difference.” Professional Rapper will showcase Dicky – whose influences include JAY Z and Drake – as an evolved and confident lyricist with skills that have caught the attention of some heavy-hitters in the rap game. “I have some great collaborations on the album and a couple of them will probably shock a lot of people. I’m excited to see how my fans will react when it’s time to reveal the line-up.”
Dicky will also hit the road this summer for a series of concert dates and festival stops. Check below to see if he will hit a stage near you.
May 27 – Detroit, MI @ Shelter at St. Andrew’s Hall
May 28 – Toronto, CANADA @ Mod Club
May 29 – Buffalo, NY @ The Town Ballroom
May 31 – Pawtucket, RI @ The Met
Jun 1 – Boston, MA @ The Paradise
Jun 2 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Jun 4 – Washington DC @ 930 Club
Jun 5 – Philadelphia, PA @ TLA
Jun 6 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Small’s Theatre
Jun 7 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bunbury Music Festival
Jun 9 – Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
Jun 11 – Orlando, FL @ The Social
Jun 12 – Ft Lauderdale, FL @ The Culture Room
Jun 13 – St Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre
Jun 15 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
Jun 16 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Studio
Jun 17 – Austin, TX @ Parish
Jun 18 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
Aug 14 – Somerset, WI @ Summer Set Music Festival
Sep 5 – Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot
