Videos by According2HipHop
Joey Bada$$ may have found common ground with Columbia Records, but the Pro Era MC is making it clear he still has plenty to get off his chest. On his latest single, “DARK AURA”—produced by longtime collaborator Chuck Strangers—Joey delivers a raw performance that captures his lone-wolf mentality during his current album rollout.
“You ain’t talkin’ money, you must be talkin’ a different language / Independent mindset, we ain’t f*ckin’ with the majors,” he raps with growing intensity, each bar rising in energy against a cinematic, boom bap backdrop reminiscent of a James Bond score.
The track embodies everything the title suggests: dark, fiery, and motivational. Joey has been on this aggressive wavelength since the start of 2025, when he sparked responses from a wave of West Coast rappers—many of whom fans say he lyrically dismantled with ease.
With his battles on wax and behind the scenes fueling his pen, anticipation for Joey’s fourth studio album, Lonely at the Top, is at a fever pitch. The project arrives next Friday, August 29, and some are already calling it an early contender for album of the year.
