It’s hard to believe that Bobby Shmurda has been a fixture in hip-hop for nearly eight years and still has yet to release his debut album, but it’s true. Sure, at least part of that is due to his extended stint at New York’s Clinton Correctional Facility after being convicted of conspiracy to murder, weapons possession, and reckless endangerment in 2014, but he was released from prison in February 2021. The flurry of positive press he received should have been the launching point for at least an EP or a mixtape, but the moment came and went without much new music.
Bobby may soon get the chance to begin releasing music again, though, as Bobby announced his departure from Epic Records on Instagram over the weekend. Bobby signed to Epic in 2014 at the height of the mania for his viral single “Hot N****,” but had expressed his frustration with the imprint since being released from prison. In a prior post on Instagram, explained, “I ain’t been in charge of my music since I was 19 years old and I just turned 27 and honestly idk when sh*t dropping. So don’t ask me shit go ask them mf’s since they wanna control everything!!!!!!!”
However, his more recent post was much more upbeat. “I just sign my release papers,” he wrote. “Also jus made ah milly today I can’t wait to drop.” He noted that he was shooting his first video as an independent artist and would be celebrating his newfound freedom into the week. With control over his music regained, perhaps the comeback we’ve all been waiting for can finally take place.