Kicking off the weekend on an incredible note, Phonte has surprised fans with the release of No News Is Good News, which doubles as his first LP since his critically acclaimed 2011 debut, Charity Starts At Home.

After spending time as part of the group Little Brother, Phonte returns to his roots as an MC, with the album full of warm melodies, subtle-but-hard-hitting rhymes and an overall calm, enjoyable demeanor.

The North Carolina rhymer’s sophomore album has been years in the making, with Phonte carefully selecting only two guest features from Freddie Gibbs and past collaborator Eric Roberson. The project spans 10 tracks in total and includes production from Nottz, Marco Polo, Tall Black Guy and AbJo, among others.

The album, which arrived as quickly as it was announced, has been released across all digital platforms via Foreign Exchange Music.

Take a listen to Phonte’s highly anticipated No News Is Good News LP, below.