Longtime Variance favorite Johan Lenox is starting a new chapter this week with his new single "You Up?," which is a collaboration with Ant Clemons.
The new track finds Lenox—who has a stacked résumé, having worked with the likes of Kanye West, Lil Nas X, Snoh Alegra, Big Sean and Teyana Taylor—inching further into adulthood, perhaps grudgingly. It's the first preview of his debut album WDYWTBWYGU, which stands for "What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up."
In addition to the appearance from Clemons, the self-produced, self-composed album will feature 070 Shake, Lancey Foux, Thouxanbanfauni, RMR, Mr. Hudson and Cousin Stizz, the latter of whom appears on the previously released track "Phases," which arrived earlier this year.
The video for "You Up?," directed by Aamir Khuller, follows Lenox as he grasps for intimacy, texting a potential fling as he rides in the back of a cab, driven by an older version of himself. The song continues Lenox's long-running struggle with insecurities, loneliness and resistance to growing up, themes which seem to surface through in his lyrics.
Watch the new video below.