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Designer Junkie is the debut studio album by American rapper Sk8star through W4th Records and Island Records on February 11, 2026. The album was executively produced by Richie Souf, and featured other production credits from 44preme, Cade, Nosaint, and Taurus, among others. The album features guest appearances from his Ø Way partners Tezzus and Diamond*. Designer Junkie was preceded by its lead singles “2 Sexy” and “ForMyFolks”.

The album was in the making for the past two years and underwent five different revisions before being officially released. Upon release, the album received positive reception with media critics such as The Fader and Pitchfork praising Sk8star’s experimentation, distinct vocals, and his chemistry with Richie Souf throughout the project.

Sk8star began working on Designer Junkie as early as 2024 and continued it over a two-year period.^[1] According to Sk8star, it went through five different revisions during its development, with Sk8star repeatedly altering its direction and composition.^[1] During the album’s development, Sk8star directly reached out to music producer Richie Souf, asking the producer if the two could collaborate. After initially receiving no response, Souf later contacted and reached out to Sk8star in 2025 and later sent him beats to rap on.^[1] Over time, the two began communicating frequently and working closely throughout the creation of the project.^[1] Souf later became the lead architect of the project’s sound and would guide Sk8star towards new creative decisions, which ultimately became one of the major factors for the album’s development.^[1]

Additionally, several recording sessions for the album included fellow Ø Way affiliates Tezzus and Diamond* for “NSD” and “Yeannn”.^[1] During which Tezzus participated despite suffering from exhaustion after a month-long tour schedule, while Diamond* was reportedly ill from the flu. According to Sk8star, Tezzus recorded his contribution before immediately returning to sleep, a moment he described as emblematic of the dedication shown by his collaborators.^[1][2] “NSD” was made after “Yeannn”, according to Tezzus, it was a legendary recording session, where they came, handled business, and left. “Real hitman”, in his own words.^[2]

The title track, “Designer Junkie,” was also another session that Sk8star labeled as crazy.^[1] The track was recorded following a trip to a jewellery store where he and fellow American rapper and Ø Way affiliate Diorvsyou spent thousands of dollars on jewellery.^[1] According to Sk8star, the session was a symbolic milestone in his career, reflecting on his financial struggles before achieving recognition.^[1]

The album was preceded by two lead singles, titled “2 Sexy”, which was released on December 10, 2025, and “ForMyFolks”, which was released on January 21, 2026.^[3] The album was then released on February 11, 2026.^[1][4]

Designer Junkie is a rage and trap album.^[5] It features twenty tracks and two features from Tezzus and Diamond*;^[5][6] the album’s sound expands on the Atlanta hip-hop scene while seeing Sk8star use his “unique voice” and “experimentation” across atmospheric production from Richie Souf and others.^[6][7]

The album starts with “Incognito”, the track features drums from Richie Souf and lyrically sees Sk8star rap about taking losses and playing his part within his community and life.^[8] and later follows with “Brazy Brazy Ho”, on the track, Sk8star go through numerous of different flows with a voice that is very reminiscent to the Beast Mode-era of Future.^[7] The track sees Sk8star accentuate his syllables with a raspy voice. Serge Selenou of Pitchfork labeled the track as a gritty Atlanta trap-style song.^[7] On “ForMyFolks”, Selenou labeled how the track sees Sk8star rap as if he has Hubba Bubba gum in his mouth.^[7] He writes how the zany instincts help bridge the gap between cosplay and genuine advancement.^[7] On “Muse”, the track sees Sk8star go a little into the subgenre regalia where he lyrically raps about trying to make a pretty woman his source of inspiration.^[8] On the title track “Designer Junkie”, Sk8star approaches a track filled with synthesizers and hi-hats in courtesy of Cashheart.^[8] He reflects on his journey from being poor to making ample amounts of money and being able to support himself and others, marking it a milestone in his career.^[1]

On “No Compadre”, he approaches a rage instrumental to flex, braggadociously, that everything he does is the greatest.^[8] On “Yeannn” with Tezzus, the track sees the duo turn the track that turns a little piece of onomatopoeia into the “centerpiece of a hit” according to Olivier Lafontant of Pitchfork.^[9] The track sees the duo deploy “yawns that stretch like a bungee over Zaytoven-type keys”, with Sk8star rapping about money while Tezzus raps about sex and money,^[8] he takes the majority of the track with his coarse, creaking melodies.^[9] Lafontant wrote how the track is “funny as hell” and how “haphazardly genius” it is.^[9] “Beret” goes heavy into hyper trap.^[8] On “BleedLike Me”, Sk8star takes a cloud rap direction sonically and raps about how he puts in more “blood, sweat, and tears” into his craft compared to others in the scene.^[8] Additionally, Sk8star has “long-winded croons” which are reminiscent of those of the late Lil Keed.^[7] Sk8star also “hustle raps” throughout the track, which is similar to that of Lil Baby to the top.^[7] On “PlayYaPart”, Sk8star raps over a psychedelic trap instrumental from Cade, reflecting on dropping out of school to making money from music.^[8] On “2 Sexy”, the track interpolates Right Said Fred‘s track “I’m Too Sexy”.^[8] Across the track, his pinched melodies seem to coexist and work very well on the “shimmering” Nosaint instrumental provided.^[10] Lyrically, he raps about getting violence,^[8] money, women, and sex, and his airy lyricism makes simple lyrics sound so catchy.^[10]

On “Slatt Slatt”, the track’s instrumental is synth-driven and sees Sk8star raps about being “fresher than a peppermint“.^[8] On “NSD” (Niggas Start Dyin’), Sk8star reunites with Tezzus but brings in Diamond*,^[8] the track sees the trio rap about telling haters to worry about themselves rather than worrying about the rappers’ lavish and luxurious lifestyles.^[8] “Macon” is a hometown ode to where Sk8star came from.^[5] The track sees Sk8star go back to rapping on a trap instrumental, something he’s done throughout the album, lyrically, he raps about making it out of his titular city due to his rise in the music industry and being able to financially support himself.^[8] On “Upper Echelon”, the track sees Sk8star a trap beat yet once again from Taurus while talking about reaching higher levels of quality within the past three and half years.^[8] Sonically, the track features twinkling piano keys hanging in the background which amplifies Sk8star’s vocals.^[7] On “Roxy Paparrazi”, Sk8star goes fully Pluggnb admiring his girl’s beauty.^[8] Sk8star’s repeated doe-eyed refrain of “I’m tryna make her mine” makes the track feel genuine and pure due to the fairy tail-like whistles beneath it.^[7] “All In” blends cloud rap, trap, and pop rap into a song while Sk8star raps about hedonistic lifestyles such as telling a stripper to twerk on a pole.^[8] “Black Sheep” continues to pull inspiration from the regalia subgenre and sees Sk8star talking about his own personal experiences of feeling like an outcast.^[8][1] “RipScooter” sees Sk8star pay homage to Young Scooter,^[5] while “leaning into the futuristic swag era revival of the last year (2025)”, the track features rapid fire hi-hats and helps serve as a runaway for Sk8star’s “octane and flexy quips“.^[8] Lastly, the closing track, “Nameless” sees Sk8star cloudily rap about not wanting to change anything if he ever had the chance to rewind time ^[8] Ending it off on a more sentimental note.^[8]

Reviews for Designer Junkie were fairly positive,^[5][6] with Serge Selenou of Pitchfork rated the album a 7.2 out of 10, writing how experimental the project is, and how it just doesn’t see Sk8star mimic his predecessors from the Atlanta hip-hop scene, the album manages to find a unique voice that outruns its origins.^[7] A reviewer from Legends Never Die wrote how the project is well refined and showcases Sk8star’s growth over the years, the reviewer also highlighted Sk8star’s chemistry with producer Richie Souf.^[8] Additionally, Sk8star’s track, “2 Sexy”, was ranked as one of the best songs of 2025 by The Fader.^[10] While his other track “Slatt Slatt” made it on Pitchfork’s Weekly Select Playlist.^[11]

Track listing adapted from Tidal.^[12]

• “2 Sexy” interpolates Right Said Fred’s track “I’m Too Sexy”.^[8]
• “ForMyFolks and “RipScooter feature no spaces in the track title name.
• The track “NSD” is an acronym for “Niggas Start Dyin'”

• Philippe Goudiaby – mixing, engineering, and mastering.

• 2026 in hip-hop