A little over a year after the release of King Von‘s debut album Welcome to O’Block, his posthumous release is on the way. Only the Family Entertainment (OTF) and Empire announced Friday (Feb. 4) that the late rapper’s upcoming posthumous album, What It Means to Be King, will be out March 4.
Packed with the ferocious bars and gripping narratives that earned Von his fanbase, the album features songs that range from introspective to aggressive to romantic while hinting at some of the creative avenues the Chicago rapper began to take prior to his death at age 26 in November 2020. A follow-up to his debut, What It Means to Be King, will be a bittersweet treat for fans, and a moment of closure for those who loved him most.
Along with the announcement of the forthcoming album, OTF and Empire have also released the first single from the project, “Don’t Play That” featuring 21 Savage. Produced by Kid Hazel, the song finds both rappers revealing all the ways they don’t mess around. “I did a drill with the face mask/ I washed my hands with the Ajax,” raps Von, who was born Dayvon Bennett.
Shortly after his death, several of the rapper’s songs charted for the first time on the Billboard Hot 100: “Took Her to the O” (No. 47), “The Code” feat. Polo G (No. 66), “All These N—-as,” feat. Lil Durk (No. 77) and “Crazy Story 2.0,” feat. Lil Durk (No. 81). Welcome to O’Block also peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 in its second week, climbing the chart after his death.
Check out the official visualizer for King Von and 21 Savage’s new single below.