NF’s latest EP “FEAR” gives his fans an inside look into the thoughts of self-doubt and despair that resurfaced after the release of his 2023 album “HOPE.” What makes this EP surprising, however, is that it opens a wound his last album seemed to close.

Released Nov. 14, the six-track project features songs titled “FEAR,” “HOME,” “WHO I WAS,” “GIVE ME A REASON,” “SORRY,” and “WASHED UP” — with each song speaking to a different struggle in the rapper’s life. Within the first few weeks of its release, the EP reached top rankings in YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Spotify. 

During its release weekend, NF’s song “FEAR” ranked number one in Spotify’s Top Songs Debut USA and Global charts, with the EP’s other songs securing top 10 rankings. His music videos for “FEAR” and “WASHED UP” placed one and four respectively on Youtube’s trending music videos list. NF’s EP also surpassed Ye’s record as the most pre-saved rap album on Spotify. On Apple Music, his EP ranked number two in Top Albums, after Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl.”

NF has never shied away from discussing his past, including the grief of losing his mom to a drug overdose when he was a teenager. He uses music as a way to confront his emotions and put a reign on them. 

NF ended his 2023 album with the song “RUNNING,” in which he said, “I can’t spend the rest of my life in this darkness.” 

That makes the opening of his new release’s first track, “FEAR,” all the more surprising. NF starts his EP saying, “Hello darkness, my old friend/ Knocking at my door again/ Beggin’ me to come outside/ Let you back into my life.”

NF confronts what he thought he had already abandoned. Although “HOPE” ended with a promise to leave darkness behind, “FEAR” shows those shadows returning.

As the song unfolds, NF likens himself to a puppet pulled by strings he cannot control. He sings, “It’s the same song and dance, you’ve all seen it before/ Darkness holds out his hand, then we walk to the floor/ Every decision made isn’t mine anymore/ Like a puppet with strings, I just don’t have a choice.”

This opening track is a vivid metaphor for the cycle of fear and doubt that NF finds himself in, showing listeners that slipping back into old patterns is a natural part of healing.

The other songs in his EP highlight various battles in the last couple of years. In “HOME,” NF confronts the loss of his grandma and is comforted by the fact that she’s just found a new place to call home. “WHO I WAS” relays the fear NF has that his kids will end up stuck in an endless loop of emotions like him. In “GIVE ME A REASON,” NF uses a combination of rap and hip-hop to show listeners how he needs adversity to motivate him to work harder. “SORRY” describes the trials he faces in relationships. With a more melodic style, the song highlight’s NF’s vulnerability through softer tones and a smoother flow.

At the end of his EP’s final song “WASHED UP,” NF asks, “Am I on the brink of somethin’ great/ Or have I lost it?/ Am I on the verge of makin’ waves/ Or am I washed up?”

Ultimately, “FEAR” doesn’t undo the progress of “HOPE.” It just shows that healing comes in waves. NF’s latest EP is raw and honest — a testament to his willingness to confront the darkness instead of pretending it’s gone.

NF prides himself in keeping it real with his fans. His latest EP is proof that hasn’t changed.