Every 20 years, the culture regenerates - taking its direct cues from two decades prior. It's fucking clockwork. Fashion has been trending in this direction in full, with nu wave, en vogue trendsetters like Bloody Osiris & Elle Banes bubbling the Y2K drip in all the right subculture circles. There's a host of reasons for this, but none outweigh raw nostalgia.  

As with everything within broad stroke culture, subculture leads the charge, and cues are taken from the birth cycle of authentic pioneers. The 1998-2002 aesthetic that the throngs of one-wash knockoff knuckle draggers have amplified since last fall on the Gram are not even a bit new in concept, its just that the silhouette has changed. The OG's deserve their nod in all of this. If the aesthetic is back, it's only right that that the soundtrack is fitting. 

Lloyd Banks has re-entered the chat.

Lloyd Banks has been teasing the C.O.T.I. acronym since April, but finally revealed the meaning at the end of his album trailer. Throughout the clip, Rashan Brown delivers spoken word against black and white visuals of New York City that include images of a Big L mural.

Following teasers over the past month and a half, the former G-Unit member has announced his next LP is titled The Course of the Inevitable has dropped today. 

Banks took to social media to share the cover art for the project, which shows the 39-year-old holding his son hand. The list boasts 18 tracks with guest appearances from the legendary Styles P, GxFR's Benny The Butcher, NYC legend Roc Marciano & Harlem hitter Vado. 

With fashion taking a very 98-02 turn, we needed that energy in audio form to grease the wheels. It's going to be a very Y2K summer. Here's to the return of an absolute legend retunring when hiphop could use that dose of the raw uncut the most. You can't know where you're going until you know where you've been. 

Spreewells & DuRags sold separately.