New York rap icon billy woods has announced a brand new album called GOLLIWOG. The album is set to release May 9 via Backwoodz Studioz.

GOLLIWOG takes heavy inspiration from the likes of MF DOOM, as well as classic horror and sci-fi authors like Ray Bradbury, and the work of Toni Morrison. The project will incorporate aspects of "horror, humor, surrealism, and Afropessimism," according to a press release.

Check out the new single "Misery" below:

This is woods' first solo effort since his highly acclaimed 2023 collaborative album Maps alongside Kenny Segal. His duo Armand Hammer also had a huge impact with 2024's, We Buy Diabetic Test Strips.

A golliwog is a ragdoll that is made to look like a racist caricature. woods explains the meaning behind the name of the album:

"When I was nine years old I wrote a story about an evil golliwog. My mother read it and told me it was overly derivative and needed some work. Here we are."

While his longtime collaborator Kenny Segal produced the new single, that isn't the only production feature present on GOLLIWOG. That list is as insane as is it extensive. The album includes production credits from the likes of The Alchemist, Kenny Segal, EL-P, Conductor Williams, Preservation, Messiah Musik, Sadhugold, Ant (Atmosphere), Shabaka Hutchings, Steel Tipped Dove, DJ Haram, Willie Green, Jeff Markey, Saint Abdullah, and LA-based experimental jazz trio Human Error Club.

woods is joined on the mic by Backwoodz labelmates ELUCID and Cavalier, along with rappers Bruiser Wolf, Despot, Al.Divino, and singer-songwriter Yolanda Watson.

This gargantuan list of credited producers will flex their chops across GOLLIWOG's 18 songs.

GOLLIWOG is out May 9. Preorder here. Full tracklist below:

1. Jumpscare
2. STAR87
3. Misery
4. BLK XMAS Feat Bruiser Wolf
5. Waterproof Mascara
6. Counterclockwise
7. Corinthians Feat Despot
8. Pitchforks & Halos
9. All These Worlds Are Yours Feat ELUCID
10. Maquiladoras Feat al.divino
11. A Doll Fulla Pins Feat Yolanda Watson
12. Golgotha
13. Cold Sweat
14. BLK ZMBY
15. Make No Mistake
16. Born Alone
17. Lead Paint Test Feat ELUCID & Cavalier
18. Dislocated Feat ELUCID

billy woods tour dates:

03/12 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/14 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/15 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
04/03 - Edinburgh, UK @ La Belle Angele
04/05 - The Hague, NL @ Rewire Festival
05/03 - Vienna, AT @ Donau Fest
05/28 - Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5
05/29 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
05/31 - Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
06/10 - San Francisco, CA @ Neck Of The Woods
06/02 - Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s
06/03 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
06/05 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
06/06 - Austin, TX @ The Ballroom
06/07 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
06/25 - Asheville, NC @ Eulogy
06/27 - Orlando, FL @ The Abbey
06/28 - Tampa, FL @ The Crowbar
06/29 - Nashville, TN @ Third Man
09/16 - Easthampton, MA @ Daily Op
09/17 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
09/18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
09/19 - Washington DC @ Union Stage
09/25 - NYC, NY @ Knockdown Center
10/03 - Dublin, IE @ Opium
10/04 - Glasgow, UK @ St. Luke’s
10/06 - Leeds, UK @ Belgrave Music Hall
10/07 - Bristol, UK @ Strange Brew
10/08 - Cardiff, UK @ The Globe
10/09 - London, UK @ Scala
10/14 - Brussels, BE @ Botanique
11/09 - Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
11/11 - Detroit, MI @ The Loving Touch
11/13 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
11/14 - Madison, WI @ High Noon
11/15 - Milwaukee, WI @ Vivarium
11/17 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry