Kevin Abstract’s Blush And The Art Of The Album Rollout 

Jonathan Marin  

Music Journalist  

Who’s an artist or a group that you feel like changed the game? A musical act so innovative that nobody could ignore them. When BROCKHAMPTON burst onto the scene in the late 2010s, it felt like they were on this caliber of artist. There had been rap groups before, sure, but how many called themselves a boy band, actively pushed the limits of the genre, and built worlds around their music? For years on end, the group continued to push the envelope with the way they not only wrote music, but also the way they presented the music itself to the masses. They became the kings of the album rollout, promoting each one conceptually in a new way each time.  Painting themselves blue, conceptual music videos, and groundbreaking production were staples for the group. Call them what you will, but they truly were revolutionary. That’s why it was unfortunate when, in 2023, the self-proclaimed boy band called it quits. But one member kept the band’s same credo alive with how he approached album rollouts, in Kevin Abstract.  

Recently, Kevin Abstract began teasing a new record by the name of “Blush”, and the rollout for the record has been nothing short of heavy, as we see Kevin pushing this era of his music by posting an overabundance of images, many with no correlation whatsoever 

with the word Blush on Instagram. This is a perfect example of his ability to build hype, as people began to question what these photos even meant, given that the caption always read “BLUSH JUNE.” He then released a teaser video promoting his upcoming single Blush which featured Dominick Fike.  

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kevin (@kevinabstract)

Kevin Abstract’s solo work was riddled with this album rollout strategy long before Brockhampton broke up. We see this in his earliest material, his first full-length album, “American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story.” Kevin flexed his creative muscles with various video accompaniments for songs such as “Miserable America.” His knack for creating a distinctive style and look for each record was evident from the outset. This is when Kevin was at his most adolescent, and he captured this stage in his life perfectly. 

“Arizona Baby” was Kevin’s second full-length LP, which was released during Brockhampton’s peak, and more than stood on its own stylistically and sonically. Brockhampton, at the time, had just kicked out a member in Ameer Vann, something Kevin Abstract has openly grieved. The melancholic, introspective themes on the record certainly reflect that. The album was released in three pieces, first with a single pack, then with more songs in the form of an EP, and then, eventually, we got Arizona Baby.  Along with Arizona Baby, we got plenty of new videos featuring all of Kevin’s friends with this blue hue that matched the album cover. This was a lot tamer than most album rollouts Kevin had been involved with, but it made sense considering the rough time period he had just gone through. At the end of the day, he just needed some friends to hang out with. The “Baby Boy” music video is a prime example. 

After “Arizona Baby” Kevin Abstract didn’t drop his next full-length until after Brockhampton’s unfortunate breakup. There was this bittersweet sentiment built into every fan’s psyche, one that was saddened by the death of the group but excited but what came next for each member. Kevin Abstract wasted almost no time after the band’s breakup to begin rolling out his new record, “Blanket.” “Blanket’s” rollout began with cryptic and eerie videos depicting monster characters straight out of a child’s imagination. This s To say “Blanket” was a stylistic and tone shift from what we had seen from Kevin was an understatement. The music is inspired by 90s alt-rock, such as Modest Mouse and Pachinko. It was clear Kevin wanted to come out with a bang and remind everyone just what he brought to the table on his own, which he surely did, as the buzz for this record was pretty significant, as speculation began as to whether this was Kevin Abstract’s brand new sound. Turns out this wasn’t just a small deviation in the road, and Kevin was ready to experiment with new sounds for years to come. 

This leads us into “Blush”. The 4th full-length record from the artist has already excited many, as the reputation he’s built for not only building these worlds around his albums, but also delivering musically has become evident to the world of music listeners. Time and time again, he has produced something new and unique, and the people can’t seem to get enough of it. His way of painting a picture, the stage of creativity and life he’s in, is a skill that will keep him on top of this corner of hip hop for years to come.