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Zakaria Mafa

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‘Fear’: NF’s Latest is Pop Music In Rap Clothing

New NF EP ‘Fear’ is a likeable but skippable project

Last updated: 15th November 2025

Having racked up 55 billion streams, there must be something to NF? Only, this time on his new EP Fear, the multi-platinum artist isn’t exactly spitting in a medium identifiable within the confines of the genre.

NF – Fear (Official Music Video)

His latest release is a follow up to his highly successful album, HOPE, having been championed by listeners for years — but is the hype justified?

Review and Verdict

While he’s polished, entertaining, and has something to say, the method is derailed by clarity. For his latest release, NF executes ideas to a clinical degree, though departs hip-hop for the pastures of pop music.

READ MORE: Black Thought & Danger Mouse Drop Searing New Song, “Up”

NF – Washed Up ( Official Music Video)

As his catalogue demonstrates, his literal interpretation may be freeing, though leaves little to unpack. Each track struggles to craft its own identity, with incremental, negligible shifts in texture and tonality.

Fear is a music practice within a sonically safe space. It builds a bridge to a certain kind of listener — one that’s often disconnected from his core genre in favour of a pop-driven appeal. The proof is in the pudding and the cake is mass produced.

Zakaria Mafa

Zakaria Mafa is an acclaimed music journalist, writer, and hip-hop historian known for insightful takes on an ever-evolving music scene. From uncovering emerging artists, he has established himself as a trusted voice within the industry, and at the same time, isn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers. His interests lie in pursuing integrity within the production process and the streaming world’s impact on the quality of finished pieces.

2 responses to “‘Fear’: NF’s Latest is Pop Music In Rap Clothing”

  1. Ethan Garrett Avatar
    Ethan Garrett

    This was one of the worst reviews I’ve seen. Whoever wrote this decided to say “leaves little to unpack”. Apparently, the author doesn’t listen to any other NF songs or know who NF is. This EP is written to NF fans to connect the lore from his other tracks. Since the author of this is really stupid and decided to forget all other NF songs, I’ll explain it for you. NF wrote an album, Mansion, and the album’s songs explain that the mansion is a metaphor for the walls he’s built around his brain, which is the owner of the mansion. In the last verse of the song, NF explains how he let fear into his mansion (head). The cure to fear is hope, and NF explains how he was actively looking for the map to hope in his song/album “The Search”. NF finds the map to hope in the song/album “Hope”. This EP is a sequel to all of that, and describes NF’s war between choosing fear, which has been in his head for years, or getting rid of the fear and letting the hope in. To get the amazing life that comes with having hope, you have to let the hope get rid of the fear. NF’s take on that is in the song Mansion:
    “Now I’m in a position, it’s either sit here and let [him/fear] win
    Or put him back outside where he came from, but I never can
    ‘Cause in order to do that, I’d have to open the doors
    Is that me or the fear talking? I don’t know anymore.”

    But there is little to unpack? Whoever wrote this needs to gather some knowledge before writing something like this. Worst take of an album I’ve seen. Here’s one last detail I’ll leave you with that I wish people would recognize: NF writes the song fear to continue the narrative he’s wrote through his other songs/albums like I explained above, but every other song on this EP are songs he’s been fearful to release because he used to be really concerned with critics but found hope and now doesn’t care. This is why the mansion, the emotional walls he’s put up around himself, are burnt down in both the music video and on the album cover. Little to unpack? It is literally impossible to ever use that phrase when referring to NF. Let’s not forget about NF’s fear of taking medicine for his OCD because of his mom was a druggy who OD’d. Again, worst take of ANYTHING I’ve seen/read/heard since the pitchfork review on NF’s “The Search”, which got absolutely torched in “Paid my Dues” and is why Pitchfork hasn’t reviewed anything more on NF since. I kind of hope NF lets his old self back in a little bit so he can respond to this crappy take and light it up in flames.

    Reply
    1. stanisland team Avatar
      stanisland team

      Appreciate your comment.

      Reply

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