TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe Details Debut Solo Album ‘Thee Black Boltz’

TV On the Radio frontman Tunde Adebimpe confirmed the release of his debut solo album, Thee Black Boltz, on April 18 through Sub Pop Records. Adebimpe shared the latest single from the pending record, “Drop.”

Adebimpe co-produced Thee Black Boltz with Wilder Zoby, who also served as executive producer of the 11-track LP. Among others providing additional production and contributions were Adebimpe’s TVOTR bandmates Jaleel Bunton and Jahphet Landis. Adebimpe and TV On The Radio reunited last year for their first public performances since 2019.

“I’ve been doing this thing with this group of people for so long, that I can just have a vague sketch of a concept and I know Jaleel or [TVOTR guitarist] Kyp [Malone] will have five brilliant ideas on where it can go,” Adebimpe said about writing songs for his solo album. “But for Thee Black Boltz, I didn’t have that scaffolding to hang on. That was both terrifying and exhilarating.”

Adebimpe previously shared the solo track “Magnetic,” which appears on Thee Black Boltz. The album’s title is said to be Adebimpe’s “response to the macro unease of a post-pandemic world careening towards violent authoritarianism and the personal grief that has come from loss in recent years, specifically the sudden passing of his younger sister while making it.”

“Also, it’s a good name for a cool metal band,” Adebimpe said. “And I think that most people would describe me as akin to a very cool metal band.”

Watch the visualizer accompanying the Jahphet Landis-produced single “Drop,” below:

Thee Black Boltz Tracklist

1. Thee Black Boltz
2. Magnetic
3. Ate The Moon
4. Pinstack
5. Drop
6. ILY
7. The Most
8. God Knows
9. Blue
10. Somebody New
11. Streetlight Nuevo