NF, 30-year-old Christian rapper, singer and songwriter, dropped his album “Hope” on April 7, 2023 after a year of inactivity.
Although “Hope” came out with seemingly no warning, NF fans have done this dance before. NF’s EP “Clouds” was first introduced in March 2021 in a similar fashion with its title track being dropped on a random Thursday afternoon. In “Leave Me Alone,” NF raps, “drop a song out of nowhere / And all the fans embrace it.”
And embrace it they have.
The “Hope” music video sat at #1 trending on YouTube for music and now has 40 million views. “Hope” has also appeared on Spotify’s Daily Song Charts in the USA.
For longtime fans, This new title track promises a different side of NF. He’s replaced his previous iconic wardrobe of black shirts with white ones, changed his profile pictures, and spelled it out in his lyrics: “Nate, you’ve had a great run / But it’s time to / Give the people somethin’ different.”
Still, throughout “Hope,” NF alludes to and blatantly references his “old” music.
The title itself is an Easter egg — in his song “The Search,” he raps, “I’m lookin’ for the map to hope, you seen it?” Hope’s music video expands on this with visuals of NF holding a map.
The song goes on to, in true NF fashion, resemble a conversation of sorts between NF and himself.
NF then asks, “What’s my definition of succеss?”
This question comes straight from his 2018 single “Why,” where he asks, “Yeah, what’s your definition of success?”
In “Why,” NF raps about how his previous musical success (“Let You Down” going triple platinum) wasn’t true success for him. In “Interlude,” NF talks about how the height of his career was also the moment he felt the least happy. Now, in “Hope,” NF redefines what success is for him:
“What’s my definition of success? (Of success)
Creating something no one else can (Else can)
Being brave enough to dream big (Big)
Grinding when you’re told to just quit (Quit)
Giving more when you got nothing left (Left)”
In the middle of his music video, we see NF, holding a map and dressed in white, getting pushed by a figure in all black. NF then falls into a large house and we hear remnants of his song, “Mansion” echoing against the walls.
In “Mansion,” NF raps about a metaphorical house of his memories. He raps about being stuck inside this empty mansion — stuck with his memories, thoughts, and doubts.
In the “Hope” music video, NF goes on to walk around this house, finding a room filled with black balloons and himself, dressed in black with black face paint extending the corners of his mouth. This room represents “The Search,” his third album, which utilizes the metaphor of black balloons to symbolize NF’s doubtful and intrusive thoughts.
NF then walks into a room where someone is trapped inside a cage. This is the same cage as the one featured on the album cover of “Perception,” NF’s second album. This person takes off his hat to reveal an old man — the same person from his music video for “Let You Down,” his most popular song from “Perception.”
NF leaves that room as well, and now finds himself on top of a mountain range.
In the final stanzas of “Hope,” NF talks about his son, Beckham John Feuerstein.
Wake up every day and pick my son up
Hold him in my arms and let him know he’s loved (Loved)
Standing by the window, questioning if dad is ever going to show up (Up)
Isn’t something he’s goin’ to have to worry ’bout
Don’t get it twisted, that wasn’t a shot
Mama, I forgive you
NF’s parents divorced when he was young and he often weaves the trauma his mother’s neglect left him in his songs such as “How Could You Leave Us.”
NF’s mother died due to an overdose on opioids when he was a kid.
Now that NF is a parent, he wants better for his son, yet he’s always intentional about expressing his trauma without blaming his mother.
NF concludes “Hope” with a stunning build up of lyrical repetition. He ends his final stanza with,
(You’ll never evolve) I know I can change
(We are not enough) We are not the same
(You don’t have the heart) You don’t have the strength
(You don’t have the will) You don’t have the faith
(You’ll never be loved, you’ll never be safe)
(Might as well give up) Not running away
(You don’t have the guts) You’re the one afraid
(I’m the one in charge) I’m taking the— (No)
I’m taking the reins.
NF’s songs frequently present in dialogue form — a banter with himself. Previously, NF has argued with his doubts, pride, younger self, parents, and God. “Hope” leaves us with an NF who is finally taking control away from his harmful inner monologue, and instead giving “the reins” to hope.
