Toronto-born hip-hop artist IJF Preach just teased his debut studio album. With #TrustTheProcess and #AlbumMode in the caption of a recent Instagram post, fans wonder whether or not the album is going to be called “Trust The Process.”
IJF Preach’s most recent EP, “100: The Bipolar EP,” earned him a nomination at the 2017 Oshawa Music Awards. Since then, he’s been focused on creating a project that will be a leap forward in his musicality. “I want the album to show my fans how much I really put into this music s***,” IJF Preach said when reached out for comment.
“I won’t say the name of the album just yet, so just trust the process and be patient. More is coming soon.”
The news comes two months after his last music video release, "Said What I Said," where IJF Preach boasts rapid-fire flows and clever wordplay.
'Mind on the Lord from the bottom he took me, veteran movements although I’m a rookie
- Lyrics from IJF Preach’s January track 'Said What I Said.'
IJF Preach is quickly becoming recognized as one of the city’s most unique hip-hop artists. Overcoming homelessness at 18 years old, constant relationship issues, and difficult family life has given IJF Preach all the inspiration he needs to tell masterful stories in his music. “I want my fans to be able to connect with me just from listening to my raps.
I want my fans to know me.” he says during a RIOT Radio interview where he debuted one of his most popular songs, “Never Again.”
Ishaq “IJF Preach” Forde was born into a difficult household in Toronto’s Victoria Park neighborhood. Many successful lunch-room ciphers gave IJF Preach an escape from his harsh reality growing up.
However, becoming homeless at 18 forced him to focus on surviving. “Becoming homeless when I turned 18 really put a halt on my career, but it ultimately gave me the inspiration for stories I could tell to my fans,” he says about overcoming the situation.
“I just try to be as real as possible in my raps. The game is so oversaturated with artists, so as long as I’m myself, I’ll stand out.” Preach says about his unique style.
“People remember my songs for the story. For the connection. I’m not just a boring hip hop artist.” he continues during his RIOT Radio appearance in 2019.
IJF Preach’s inspirations range from the hard-hitting flows of Dave East to the introspective, melodic sounds of Dej Loaf. His ability to combine introspective lyrics with catchy, infectious tunes makes him one of the unique artists in Toronto’s rapidly growing hip hop scene. COVID-19 forced the rapper to adapt to changing music industry; however, overcoming adversity is what he does best. IJF Preach plans to release his first studio album near the end of 2021. The rapper is also an avid basketball fan. With the 2021 season in question right now, Preach is hopeful the Raptors can still have a successful playoff run.
