Ab-Soul has finally cracked the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in his career thanks to an assist on a J. Cole track.
The outlet has confirmed that Cole’s “Pi,” which also features Hot 100 newbie Daylyt, hit No. 63 on the chart for the week ending Saturday (April 20). “Pi,” as fans know, is a track on Cole’s Might Delete Later surprise mixtape and earned the spot at No. 63 with 8.1 million official U.S. streams.
“Pi” also reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
This marks the first time in Ab-Soul’s long career that he actually broke through the charts. But it is far from the first time that the TDE rapper worked with legends.
Over the summer, a video of Nas surfaced online showing him in the studio with longtime collaborator Hit-Boy and his father, Big Hit. Ab-Soul and DaBaby were also present at what fans are assuming was a recording session.
Producer and manager Python P, who has worked closely with Ab-Soul, also shared footage of the gathering and wrote: “Listening to NAS new shit and bruh still 25 out here no cap.. But the producer in me really listening to @hitboy production and shit had me itching to get right in the gym bucko!”
And back in May of last year, Soul was tapped to teach a course in partnership with Mickey Factz’s Pendulum Ink Academy.
In addition to teaching his writing technique, Soulo went into detail about how he’s been able to create a balance between Golden Era fans and contemporary fans.
The course was interactive – as 10 participants had the opportunity to ask Ab-Soul a question about his songwriting process.
New music from Soulo may be on the way soon as well, as Top Dawg mentioned last year that the rapper would be releasing a deluxe version of his current album HERBERT, and might follow that with a new album.
LeBron James has apparently signed on to A&R the next effort, based on a post from the pair back in January 2023. In a clip Ab-Soul posted of him and LeBron chatting behind the scenes at the Crypto.com Arena, the TDE rapper asked the NBA star if he’d be willing to take on an executive role for his next project — to which he obliged.
Ab-Soul also mentioned how Calmatic, who directed the then-recently-released House Party reboot which stars LeBron, shot music videos for him and Kendrick Lamar early in their careers.
Ab-Soul Self-Referentially Kicks Off Project Rollout With ‘Mad Men’ IG Post
LeBron revealed his surprise at the fact, before complimenting Soul’s then-new album and gifting him his game-worn sneakers.
LeBron James previously praised Ab-Soul’s HERBERT on Twitter just days after it was released in December 2022.
“Ab-Herbert-Soul is so COLD MAN!!!!!!!!!” he wrote at the time. “[Fire] project G.”
Soulo responded: “Need them floor seats King!!! Get @dangerookipawaa on the phone.”
