’89 the Brainchild: Begin at the Ending

An ensemble is not just a guest list. It is the word ’89 chooses to describe how his latest album came together.

“This album is an ensemble piece,” he told Gary Suarez. “It paints a full picture of what our community is.” [1]

The credits make that idea concrete. Across the 11 tracks on Not Who I Thought I Was: the evil who brought us joy, ’89 works with artists including Fatboi Sharif, DJ Haram, Ghais Guevara, RaFia, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire and Gangsta Boo. “FOUND ♥,” the closing song, features Dana frm Upstairs and Flick Liver, with production by Sixteen & ’89. The album was released March 30, 2026, through Fused Arrow Records in collaboration with HANDSMADE. Steel Tipped Dove handled mixing and mastering; Nic Oriza made the illustrated cover. [2]

A feature gives a more specific example of what ’89 means by an ensemble. He told Suarez that Gangsta Boo brought a lived perspective on sex positivity that he could not convey as well himself. He described watching her record the verse as a show of support for women who may feel unable to be fully themselves. In his account, collaboration creates room for a perspective the lead artist cannot supply alone. [1]

Collaboration, with more structure

The community behind the album did not appear overnight. ’89 told Suarez that Fatboi Sharif, a friend since high school, connected him with Steel Tipped Dove. Dove released ’89’s Night Lives through Fused Arrow Records in 2024. ’89 described the label’s working dynamic as something that made him consider whether he needed more structure in his own career. He also acknowledged that he had not been pursuing his work with the level of commitment he thought it required. [1]

The earlier Night Lives, released August 6, 2024, already credits a wide network of producers and collaborators, including Dreambeach, Raphy, Dream Computer and Zoowe. [3]

The change he describes is not a discovery of collaboration; it is a decision to bring greater structure and seriousness to the work. Watching trusted collaborators manage their projects prompted him to question his own habits. [1]

Personal experience, public questions

The topics ’89 identifies in the new album move between his own life and concerns within his community. In Suarez’s interview, he describes relationship struggles behind “No Man.” He says “1st Rule of Boxing” addresses sexual assault affecting members of his community. [1]

He separates personal writing from a dismissal of craft: “I think I lean more into the personal aspect than relying on the skill of rapping, which is not even an insult to those that do have that skill.” He also states his own confidence as a rapper, then names what he sees as his distinct contribution: “I got this kind of perspective that no one else is fulfilling.” [1]

He is not setting craft and personal subject matter against one another. In his account, the perspective he brings is what distinguishes his writing. [1]

The Rap Music Plug identifies ’89 as a co-host of the radio show Strangers LIVE and describes his rap as bringing together Jersey club, electronic music and pop. Its interview also traces his songwriting, recording process and what he took from making the album. [4]

Why “FOUND ♥” closes the album

The closing track brings the personal and collaborative parts of this story together. ’89 told Suarez it was the first record he wrote after his father died. It went through different forms before Fatboi Sharif encouraged him to place it last. The final version features Dana frm Upstairs and Flick Liver, with production by Sixteen & ’89. [1] [2]

“For me, that’s the credits at the end of the movie while there’s still a scene going,” ’89 said. [1]

The placement gives the album’s ending a specific arc: a song that began in personal loss, developed through several versions, then took its final position on a collaborator’s advice. That sequence connects the song’s private origin to the album’s collaborative process.

Taken together, these details give “ensemble” a specific meaning: trusted relationships shape how the record was made, while the writing stays rooted in ’89’s perspective.

Listen to “Found❤ (Sixteen & 89)” on Spotify
Explore Not Who I Thought I Was: the evil who brought us joy on Bandcamp
Hear ’89 discuss the album on The Rap Music Plug

Editorial bibliography