A year ago, the culture lost critically acclaimed Los Angeles creative maverick August 08. However, his spirit shines as brightly as ever on his long-awaited new album, Pretend It’s Okay, available posthumously today via Def Jam Recordings. As open-hearted as he was versatile, August 08 leaves no sound or emotion unturned on this project.
Check out the full tracklist below.
Pretend It’s Okay illuminates the breadth of his vision as a multi-dimensional artist without comparison. It explores moments of stark emotion crystallized in his icy vocal delivery, only to climax with skyscraper-size anthems teeming with energy and tailormade for an eternal dancefloor somewhere in the future. Among many highlights, the single “Ego Trip” instantly transfixes. Watch above.
About the project, August 08 left us with this sentiment, “Even though times get rough, we’re pretending it’s okay because we know that keeping a smile on our face keeps us from aging. Sometimes you have to put a smile on and keep dancing.”
Last year, he set the stage for Pretend It’s Okay with “Bruises.” Delicate yet powerful, the track emits the sort of catharsis found in begrudging acceptance, the type you find in the simple truth that it’s okay to not be. Watch the video HERE.
This weekend, his family, close friends, and collaborators have teamed up to not only herald the release, but to also commemorate his life. First up, today’s special listening party will debut the record in front of a hometown crowd. The event formally reveals the launch of the 501(c)3 organization Sonny Boy Foundation created by his mother Mena Jacobs, in his honor.
In 2017, August’s musical instincts helped him write melodies for DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One,” a single assisted by Justin Bieber, Chance The Rapper, and Quavo that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The following year, he began his own solo career in earnest with Father, an emotionally transparent journey that sees him untangling memories from a damaged childhood. He continued his development with 2019’s Happy Endings with an Asterisk and 2020’s Emotional Cuh, which use nuance and unfiltered thoughts to explore the dimensions of conditional happiness. His musical evolution persisted with his 2022 two-part album, SEASICK which generated millions of streams highlighted by “Water Sign” [with Jhené Aiko], “What We Used To Be” [feat. Joji], and “Cutlass” [feat. ScHoolboy Q].
TRACKLIST:
1. Bird In The Window
2. Bruises
3. Don’t Call Me ft. Channel Tres
4. Egotrip
5. Right My Wrongs
6. Culo
7. Blow ft. Kiah Victoria
8. Serenade
9. Heartbreak
10. Tornado ft. Mark Lux