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Modern Art is the sophomore studio album by American hip hop group Lil Squad, which consists of Lil Bro, Lil Puff, Moon, Oreo and Shuttle. The album was released on June 26, 2020, for streaming and digital download by Magnolia Records, Epic Records, and GOOD Music. It features production from Rxtro Hvze, Mike Dean, Moon, SAHARA, Shuttle and QuaXaR.

Modern Art charted at number two on the US Billboard 200, and received generally positive reviews from critics.

Background
The title of the album was announced in the fall of 2019, and initially teased for a December, 2019 release. The album title was named Contemporary Art, however the album was renamed Modern Art because the Squad agreed it flowed better.

The Squad is comparing their music to Modern Art installations. The cover, a drawing form the Supreme, Paris store, also references the fact the album is influenced by art.

Recording
Recording for the album took place between 2018 and 2020, with Shuttle posting updates through social media. In December 2019, it was reported that Shuttle was completing the album in Arizona.

Composition
Modern is a hip hop album, incorporating elements of trap and psychedelic music."One Two" has been described as a "psychedelic trap" song, while "Coffee Bean" is said to inhabit regular trap elements.

Artwork
The cover was drawn by American artist Mark Gonzalez. A second cover features a black and white definition of Modern Art.

Release and promotion
The release was originally slated for December 25, 2019, however the Squad never finished the album in time and was rescheduled for the spring of 2020. News on the album would go quiet, until Shuttle would announce via his Instagram that the status of the album was unknown. In Early June a new release date would be scheduled for July 26, 2020, exactly a week after Shuttle's solo album release Californian Psycho.

Critical reception
Modern Art was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 66, based on six reviews. Album of the Year assessed the critical consensus as 63 out of 100, based on nine reviews.

Brian Josephs of Pitchfork commended the album's exciting production, but criticized the performances of the artists: "But like any Lil Squad album, it's the sterling production that carries the project. The beats are as elegant as they are variegated. In a fatal irony, Modern Art 's liveliness tends to come from everywhere except Lil Squad. The protean energy that buoy their respective works are sadly absent." Aaron McKrell of HipHopDX stated that Modern Art is "an album that basks in each artists' signature sound to the benefit of its groove and detriment of its creativity" and "further proves the trio's strength is entertainment on cruise control."

Greg Whitt of Consequence of Sound said, "There is no palpable effort or discomfort on Modern Art, resulting in a perfectly fine album that no one will remember next year or maybe even next month." In a mixed review, The Guardian 's Ben Beaumont-Thomas stated: "Their often magnetic signature styles veer close to gimmickry here. ... But the production props them up strongly." In another mixed review, Sputnikmusic's Arcade stated: "A competent collaborative tape that nevertheless proves that Lil Puff and Bro should stick to Lil Squad and Shuttle to curating his own albums."

Commercial performance
Modern Art debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 90,000 album-equivalent units, of which 17,000 were pure album sales. It is Shuttle's third album to reach the top 10, Lil Puff's second album to reach the top 10, and Lil Bro's first as a solo artist. The album was the trios's first number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Credits were adapted from the album's liner notes and BMI.

Notes


 * $undefined$ signifies an additional producer
 * $undefined$ signifies a co-producer
 * "Sun City features additional vocals from Young Thug

Sample credits


 * "One Two" contains a sample of "You Remind Me" as performed by the Mary J. Blige, written by Eric Milteer, produced by Dave "Jam" Hall.
 * "Sun City" contains a sample of "169 Aaaah!" as performed by Roland.

Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.

Musicians


 * Mike Dean – keyboards (track 10)

Technical


 * Mike Dean – mastering (all tracks), mixing (tracks 1–10), recording (track 10)
 * Jon Sher – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 3, 6, 10)
 * Ben Sedano – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9)
 * Zach Steele – recording (tracks 2, 5, 12, 13, 17), mixing (track 6)