Diaspora (GoldLink album)

Diaspora is the second studio album by American rapper GoldLink, released on June 12, 2019, by RCA Records. It follows the release of his previous album At What Cost (2017), and features guest appearances from Pusha T, Tyler, the Creator, Khalid, Wizkid, Jay Prince, Bibi Bourelly, WSTRN, Jackson Wang, Maleek Berry, Ari PenSmith, Lil Nei and WaveIQ.

Diaspora
Studio album by GoldLink
Released	June 12, 2019 (2019-06-12)
Length	39:52
Label	RCA
Producer	Ari PenSmith GoldLink P2J Blinky Bill Deats EY Fwdslxsh Juls Kurtis McKenzie MD$ Michael Uzowuru OBR Rascal Sean Momberger Teo Halm
GoldLink chronology
At What Cost (2017) Diaspora (2019) HARAM! (2021)
Singles from Diaspora
"Zulu Screams" Released: May 13, 2019 "Joke Ting" Released: May 31, 2019 "U Say" Released: June 6, 2019

Artwork

The album cover features singer and model Justine Skye, his girlfriend at the time, in neon green light, wearing '90s-style sunglasses with her hair pulled back and few earrings. It was photographed by Hailey Bieber.^[1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	82/100^[2]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Clash	8/10^[3]
Exclaim!	8/10^[4]
HipHopDX	4.2/5^[5]
Now	3/5^[6]
Pitchfork	8.0/10^[7]

Diaspora received a score of 82 out of 100 based on reviews from six critics on review aggregator Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim".^[2] Briana Younger argued in The New Yorker that the album comments on Blackness as a global phenomenon, observing that each of its songs "can be seen to represent some facet of blackness".^[8]

Track listing

Diaspora track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"//error"	D'Anthony Carlos Ariowa Irosogie Ashly Williams Brienna DeVlugt Gabrielle Carriero Kristal Smith Richard Isong Shyann Roberts	Ari PenSmith GoldLink P2J	0:22
2.	"Joke Ting" (featuring Ari PenSmith)	Carlos Irosogie Isong Tavon Thompson	Ari PenSmith P2J	3:00
3.	"Maniac"	Carlos Bibi Bourelly Isong Rory O'Brien Thompson	OBR P2J	3:10
4.	"Days Like This" (featuring Khalid)	Carlos Khalid Robinson Michael Uzowuru Teo Halm	Uzowuru Halm	2:49
5.	"Zulu Screams" (featuring Maleek Berry and Bibi Bourelly)	Carlos Antonio Nvuala Irosogie Maleek Berry Isong	P2J	2:58
6.	"More" (featuring Lola Rae)	Carlos Irosogie Rachel Akosua Funmilola Garton Isong	P2J	3:07
7.	"Cokewhite" (featuring Pusha T)	Carlos Adeyinka Bankole Kurtis McKenzie Isong Santeri Kauppinen Sean Momberger Terrence Thornton	Fwdslxsh McKenzie MD$ P2J Momberger	3:25
8.	"U Say" (featuring Tyler, the Creator and Jay Prince)	Carlos Jazon Kawu-Eugenio Julian Nicco-Annan Tyler Gregory Okonma	Juls	3:21
9.	"Yard" (featuring Haile of WSTRN)	Carlos Irosogie Ras Haile Aalexander Isong	P2J	3:16
10.	"Spanish Song" (featuring WaveIQ)	Carlos Irosogie Isong Thompson	Ari PenSmith P2J	3:32
11.	"No Lie" (featuring WizKid)	Carlos Bankole Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun Bourelly Casyo Johnson Dominik Patrzek Karl Wilson Isong	Ari PenSmith Deats P2J	3:24
12.	"Tiff Freestyle"	Carlos Sellanga Ochieng	Blinky Bill	1:43
13.	"Rumble" (featuring Jackson Wang and Lil Nei)	Carlos Canei Williams Jackson Wang Thompson Tobias Breuer	Rascal	3:12
14.	"Swoosh"	Carlos Irosogie Bourelly Eyobed Getachew Isong	EY	2:40
Total length:				39:52

Charts

Chart performance for Diaspora

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[9]	70
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[10]	148
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[11]	87
US Billboard 200^[12]	77
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[13]	40

References

1. "Hailey Bieber Photographed Justine Skye for an Album Cover". Teen Vogue. from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
2. "Diaspora by GoldLink". Metacritic. from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
3. "GoldLink – Diaspora". Clash. from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
4. "GoldLink Diaspora". Exclaim!. from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
5. "Review: GoldLink's "Diaspora" Album Comes From The Soul". HipHopDX. July 11, 2019. from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
6. Ritchie, Kevin (June 28, 2019). "Review: GoldLink goes global on Diaspora". Now.
7. "GoldLink: Diaspora". Pitchfork. from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
8. Younger, Briana (July 11, 2019). "GoldLink's Brilliant Tribute to the Sounds of the Diaspora". The New Yorker. from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
9. . auspOp. June 22, 2019. Archived from the original on June 22, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
10. "Ultratop.be – GoldLink – Diaspora" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
11. "Dutchcharts.nl – GoldLink – Diaspora" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
12. "GoldLink Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
13. "GoldLink Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2019.