For many artists, an album’s title is chosen towards the end of the creative process to tie everything together. On the other hand, for Ill Smith, Already Dead became the foundation for what would follow. Long before the tracklist was complete, the title and the album cover had already given the project its identity, providing a clear creative direction that ultimately shaped the veteran rapper’s fourteenth full-length project release.
Even though the title might sound depressing at first glance, Already Dead reveals something deeper by Ill Smith. Instead of talking about losing, this album focuses on those points in people’s lives that cannot be undone. But rather than dwelling, the album asks the question of how you choose to move forward in life.
“Whatever you’ve lost, no matter how much it meant to you, it is done, and life will go on whether we want it to or not.”
This idea of life is hidden in each song of the album. Ill Smith uses acceptance as the starting point for resilience, and the result is a project that acknowledges loss while encouraging listeners to continue living with purpose.
“Dark Matter” Opens the Door
“Dark Matter,” the latest single from the album, provides the initial exposure for listeners to Already Dead. The single also sets the tone for the contemplative nature of the project while leaving plenty of unanswered questions about each destination on the journey. Inspired by late-night documentaries about space, black holes, and the unknown, the song grew from Ill Smith’s fascination with what exists beyond human understanding. The mysteries of the universe naturally led him toward more personal questions about mortality, memory, and what remains after life ends.
Instead of approaching the topic with any sort of fear, Ill Smith uses the imagery of the cosmos as a way of looking at humanity’s part in it all. Ill Smith describes people as microscopic in comparison to the universe, yet still carrying an invisible force that gives every individual significance.
As far as the music is concerned, Ill Smith says, “It’s clearly smoother than most of my songs. It’s the ever-overcoming intelligence in an all-white room if you can imagine such a thing.”
Fourteen Albums of Progress
Having produced thirteen previous albums already, Ill Smith does not want to change just for the sake of doing so. Rather, Already Dead is about the continuous development of his style based on the gained experience.
When asked what would sound different in his new album, Ill Smith gives an unexpected answer – “One word: progression.”
This progression is audible not only in the songwriting, but also in production. Having experimented with different approaches in making his album, Ill Smith kept coming back to the same two legendary albums – Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall and Tupac’s Thug Life. Both these albums subconsciously guided him in achieving the right combination of musical smoothness and lyrical power.
A Complete Listening Experience
According to Ill Smith, Already Dead goes beyond just being an album; it acts as a film throughout the course of the production. “This is a movie, starting with an over-exaggerated movie credit opening and ending with closing credits music,” Ill states.
The movie concept guided the sequence of songs to encourage people to listen to all of them, not just skipping from song to song. Among these songs are “Catch the Vibe,” paying tribute to the late Bishop Bline (Solomon Perry), “Lovin Myself,” and “Goodbye Imagination.” Also collaborating with various artists such as B-Hype and The Young Man NÜK adds to the creativity of Already Dead.
After fourteen albums, Ill Smith believes this is his strongest work yet. If listeners finish Already Dead when it’s ultimately released asking themselves whether the time they spent with the album was meaningful, then he hopes the answer will ultimately be yes.
Listen to “Dark Matter” featured on Already Dead below:
