Remember My Name

“Remember My Name” is the debut studio album by Chicago rapper Lil Durk, released on June 2, 2015, through Only the Family and Def Jam Recordings.

The story

Lil Durk came up in the Chicago drill scene, building a following through mixtapes before signing with Def Jam. “Remember My Name” was his major-label debut, released through his own Only the Family (OTF) imprint. Guest appearances on the standard edition came from Jeremih and Logic.

Sound and production

Production came from a mix of Chicago and national names, including Young Chop, C-Sick, DJ L, Metro Boomin, London on da Track, FKi and Vinylz. The album pairs hard, dark drill tracks with more melodic, Auto-Tuned songs that lean toward R&B. The lone single, “Like Me,” was released in March 2015.

Legacy

The album debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200, selling about 24,000 copies in its first week, or about 28,000 equivalent units. Reviews were mixed: critics praised the production and the darker songs but were divided over the shift toward sung, Auto-Tuned material. In hindsight, that melodic approach became central to the style that later made Durk one of rap’s leading stars.

Released June 2, 2015. More from hip hop in 2015.