''Free Dem Boyz'' is the fourth

mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...

by American rapper

42 Dugg Dion Marquise Hayes (born November 25, 1995), known professionally as 42 Dugg, is an American rapper. He is jointly signed to rappers Lil Baby and Yo Gotti's respective labels 4 Pockets Full (4PF) and Collective Music Group (CMG), in conjunctio ...

. It was released on May 21, 2021, by 4 Pockets Full (4PF),

Collective Music Group Collective Music Group (also known as CMG the Label, formerly known as Cocaine Muzik Group), is a record label founded by Yo Gotti. The label's current president is Yo Gotti's cousin, Brandon Mims. The label houses artists Blac Youngsta, BlocBoy ...

(CMG) and

Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...

. The mixtape features guest appearances from Roddy Ricch,

Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...

Lil Durk Durk Derrick Banks (born October 19, 1992), known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper and singer. He is the lead member and founder of the collective and record label Only the Family (OTF). Durk garnered a cult following with the ...

Rylo Rodriguez Ryan Preston Adams (born September 30, 1993), professionally known as Rylo Rodriguez, is an American rapper signed to Lil Baby's record label 4 Pockets Full (4PF) and Virgin Music. He is known for his frequent collaborations with Lil Baby. Ear ...

EST Gee George Albert Stone III (born May 11, 1994), known professionally as EST Gee, is an American rapper. He is signed to Yo Gotti's Collective Music Group (CMG), Interscope Records and Warlike. His fifth mixtape, ''Bigger Than Life or Death'', rele ...

, Fivio Foreign, and

Rowdy Rebel Chad Marshall (born November 24, 1991), known professionally as Rowdy Rebel, is an American rapper from Brooklyn who is signed to GS9 and Epic Records. He is a member of the Brooklyn-based GS9 crew alongside rapper Bobby Shmurda. Rowdy Rebel app ...

. Executive produced by rappers and label heads Lil Baby and

Yo Gotti Mario Sentell Giden Mims (born May 19, 1981), known professionally as Yo Gotti, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record executive. In 1996, Gotti released his debut album ''Youngsta's On a Come Up'' under the alias Lil Yo. He went on to re ...

, record producers who contribute to the mixtape consist of TayTayMadeIt, DJ Swift,

Helluva ''Hella'' is an American slang term that originated in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is used as an intensifying adverb such as in "hella bad" or "hella good" and was eventually added to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' in 2002. It is possibl ...

Einer Bankz Einer Bankz is an American ukulele player and platinum producer from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is known for his viral videos with rappers where he plays the ukulele as the artists rap a cappella. He has created acoustic content with artists su ...

, Section 8, AnttBeatz, TyyMachine, Carlo Anthony,

808Melo Andre Michael Loblack (born 6 April 1997), known professionally as 808Melo or 808MeloBeats, is a British record producer and songwriter from Ilford, East London. 808Melo is credited as a pioneer of UK drill and Brooklyn drill and is known for ...

, Taz Taylor,

Murda Beatz Shane Lee Lindstrom (born February 11, 1994), known professionally as Murda Beatz, is a Canadian record producer. He has produced hit singles like " Butterfly Effect" by Travis Scott, "Back on Road" by Gucci Mane, "Nice for What" by Drake, "Moto ...

, Pooh Beatz, Flex OTB, and more. The title of the mixtape refers to pleading for 42 Dugg's friends and family who are currently incarcerated to be freed from jail or prison.

Background

The mixtape is a tribute to the people that 42 Dugg knows who are serving time in jail or prison and the known people that are dead. Every song from 'Free Dem Boyz' is a tribute to them, even the "uptempo songs". On the cover of the mixtape, names of his friends and family that were locked up at the time of the mixtape's are there, such as MD, Mery, Onte, Rico, Skeet, Nell, Dirt, Wild, KWE, and Dunk.

Release and promotion

On May 13, 2021, 42 Dugg revealed the cover art of the mixtape, which gave its title. He revealed the release date on May 17, 2021. The following day, he posted a list of the guest artists on the mixtape, while also putting a pre-order link on

Apple Music Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple M ...

with the complete track listing.

Singles

42 Dugg released the mixtape's lead single, "Free Merey", on August 21, 2020. "Free Woo" was released as the second single on November 6, 2020. He released the third single, "Free Me" on November 26, 2020. The fourth single, " 4 Da Gang", a collaboration with fellow American rapper Roddy Ricch, was released on April 2, 2021. The fifth single, "

Maybach Maybach (, ) is a Automotive industry in Germany, German luxury car brand that exists today as a part of Mercedes-Benz. The original company was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach, originally as a subsidiary of ''Lufts ...

", featuring fellow American rapper

, was released along with the mixtape on May 21, 2021.

Commercial performance

During the chart week of May 29, 2021, ''Free Dem Boyz'' debuted at number eight on the ''Billboard'' 200, making 42 Dugg's highest-charting project.

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians

– primary artist * Roddy Ricch – primary artist *

– featured artist *

– featured artist * Fivio Foreign – featured artist *

– featured artist * Arabian McWilson – featured artist *

Moneybagg Yo DeMario DeWayne White Jr. (born September 22, 1991), known professionally as Moneybagg Yo, is an American rapper. He is signed to fellow Memphis rapper Yo Gotti's record label, Collective Music Group (CMG), in a joint venture deal with Interscope ...

– featured artist * Nardo Wick – featured artist

Technical

* Khaya "Macxsn" Gilika – engineering , mixing , recording , studio personnel * Leo Goff – mixing , mastering , studio personnel *

– engineering , studio personnel * Chris Dennis – engineering , studio personnel *

Derek Ali Derek Ali (born November 1, 1989), better known by his moniker MixedByAli, is an American mixing engineer. His career began in Los Angeles in the late 2000s recording and mixing for Top Dawg Entertainment artists Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, SZA an ...

– mixing , studio personnel * Chris Athens – mastering , studio personnel * Julien Suleiman – engineering , studio personnel * Ari Morris – mixing , studio personnel * Matthew "Mattazik Muzik" Robinson – engineering , studio personnel * Antt Beatz – mixing , recording , studio personnel * Logan Schmitz – assistant mixing , studio personnel

Background

Release and promotion

Singles

Commercial performance

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References