Key Takeaways:
- JID unveiled his fourth studio album, God Does Like Ugly, on Friday (Aug. 8).
- The 15-track album includes features from Clipse, Ciara, Westside Gunn and more.
- A follow-up album, God Doesn’t Like Ugly, is reportedly in the works and may include possible involvement from Metro Boomin.
On Friday (Aug. 8), Dreamville Records’ JID officially released his fourth studio album, God Does Like Ugly. The 15-track project arrived as a follow-up to 2022’s The Forever Story and features production from the likes of Childish Major, Lex Luger, Jay Versace, Boi-1da, Thundercat and longtime collaborator Christo.
The album also includes guest appearances from Ciara, EARTHGANG, Ty Dolla $ign, Westside Gunn, Vince Staples, Don Toliver, Pastor Troy and more. Additional contributions come from rising Atlanta acts like MARCO PLUS and Baby Kia. According to a recent feature with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the album includes music recorded as early as 2018.
God Does Like Ugly spans a variety of themes, from systemic critique to personal reflection. One standout, “Community,” includes verses from Clipse’s Pusha T and Malice and addresses issues of power and survival. “K-Word” explores revenge through a character-driven narrative. Songs like “Sk8” and “No Boo” take a lighter tone with regional sounds and humorous storytelling. The final track, “For Keeps,” boasts a moment of introspection and a brief audio clip of JID speaking with his child — his first public acknowledgment of fatherhood.
The title of the album comes from a phrase used by JID’s late grandmother. As explained to the aforementioned publication, the rapper compared the album’s approach to a high-risk football play.
“[God Does Like Ugly] is like a go ball,” he stated. “In football, the go ball is when the quarterback drops wider on the outside and throws it as deep as he can and sees what happens. Hail Mary type s**t. But it’s not like all is lost if you drop it. It’s just, ‘I’m about to go and make a play.’ This is me making a play.”
A follow-up album, God Doesn’t Like Ugly, is reportedly in progress and may include a previously teased assist from Metro Boomin.