Toronto rapper Houdini was still on the way up when he was tragically murdered in 2020.
His 2019 releases Hou I Am and Hou Woulda Thought were both popular mixtapes, and his debut EP underGROUND established him as a major name. His 2017 hit "Late Nights" with Burna Bandz was belatedly certified gold by Music Canada in 2021 after his death. "Levels" has also gone gold.
Since then, Houdini's friends, collaborators and his estate have kept his legacy going with a series of posthumous releases. None have been as anticipated as Hou I'm Meant To Be. The long-promised independently released full-length album has just been confirmed to come out next week, Friday, September 20.
Hou I'm Meant To Be has 18 tracks and is filled with features from his longtime collaborators: Canadian rappers Pressa, KILLY, Why G, NorthSideBenji, Tory Lanez and more, plus big American names including Dej Loaf and Fivio Foreign, plus Toronto creative media platform 6ixbuzz.
The announcement comes with a new single, "Do It."
The song features Pressa and Fivio Foreign, and they bring together elements of their respective Toronto and New York sounds in a compelling way. "Do It" combines the sing-songy melodic style of Pressa and Houdini with the hard-hitting brashness of drill.
It's a taste of an album that expands his signature sound while serving as a celebration of Houdini by the artists in his scene and community who have kept his name alive. Musically, it could be a new high point.
See the tracklist below:
Simon GebrelulDiwang Valdez
Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderDiwang Valdez
GIVĒONDiwang Valdez