Over the past decade, Nas has only released two proper albums: The 2012 divorce LP Life Is Good and the disappointing 2018 Kanye West-produced quickie Nasir. Nas seems to announce and abandon new projects more often than he actually releases them. So it was a bit of a surprise when Nas announced that he’d made a new album with executive producer Hit-Boy and that it would be coming very soon. But apparently it’s happening! Nas claims that King’s Disease, his new album, will be out next week. This morning, he’s shared the first single.

Nas has led King’s Disease off with “Ultra Black,” a Black pride song that Hit-Boy co-produced with Nipsey Hussle/Polo G collaborator Corbett. (Nas previously worked with Hit-Boy, the consistently huge producer, on “Royalty,” a Frank Ocean collab that appeared on his 2019 outtakes collection The Lost Tapes 2.) On “Ultra Black,” Nas raps over a laid-back breakbeat and jazz chords, expanding on the beauty and power of Black culture. He namechecks a whole lot of examples: Grace Jones, Essence Fest, Motown, Cash Money, Oakland Raiders gear, Billy Dee Williams, Penitentiary II, Colin Kaepernick.

It’s probably worth noting that Nas calls himself “the opposite of Doja Cat.” If there’s any fallout from this track, it’ll probably be over that. (Also, he throws in a quick dig at Hall & Oates.) Check out the track below.

King’s Disease is out 8/21 on Mass Appeal.