Today, .idk. — the artist born Jason Mills whose career as a rapper, singer, producer, and cultural architect has taken him to the NPR Tiny Desk, the cover of GQ, the lecture halls of Harvard University, the cover of MARVIN Magazine, and performing at the legend-laden DMX 55 celebration in NYC — shares his anticipated mixtape, E.T.D.S., or Even The Devil Smiles. Listen to E.T.D.S. here.

Inspired by the immediacy of 90s and 2000s mixtape culture, Black expressionism, and .idk.’s own journey through a broken criminal justice system, E.T.D.S. is a story of survival and second chances; a reclamation and a reconciliation, bolstered by both his own production and contributions from MF DOOM, Pusha T, DMX, RZA, OGI, Madlib, Kaytranada, No I.D., Joey Valence & Brae, Ratboy, Goldie, Conductor Williams, & more.

Earlier this week, .idk. announced a limited physical release, bringing back the trading card aspect of mixtape culture, which you can read more about on Pigeons & Planes. .idk. explained to his fans: “When you buy an E.T.D.S. CD player, it comes with a bootleg mixtape which includes an unreleased song that no one else will have but you and I. Each player has its own unique bonus track/song.”⁠ 

As .idk. elaborates, the mixtape: “confronts the reality [of incarceration] head-on, blending sharp lyricism with raw storytelling about, betrayal, spiritual conflict, and the moments that shaped me. Real phone calls with Deangelo Sneed, a high ranking Blood who saw my potential and kept me focused, serve as checkpoints throughout the project. It leans heavy on rap with touches of melody — gritty, honest, and fully transparent.”

This chapter of the story officially begun with the historic release of “S.T.F”, a collaboration with Kaytranada and the late icon DMX. “S.T.F” is the first posthumous DMX collaboration that Desiree Lindstrom and Sasha Simmons, co-administrators of the Estate of Earl “DMX” Simmons, have cosigned since his passing. The track is .idk.’s tribute to the spirit of a long-time creative co-conspirator — DMX had previously appeared on .idk.’s breakthrough projects Is He Real and USee4Yourself. Last month, he preformed at DMX 55, the celebration of what would have been DMX’s 55th birthday, at SOB’s in New York City, along with Denzel Curry.

Further singles include: “LiFE 4 A LiFE” (the second .idk. x Pusha T collab following 2019’s “Porno” with Pusha T, JID), which serves as a thesis of sorts for the project, reflecting a mentality first encountered upon incarceration at the age of 17, “surrounded by people facing adult charges and life-altering consequences;” and “SCARY MERRi,” a drunken and sinister stumble of a beat from Conductor Williams while .idk. floods the mic with a frantic recounting of smash-and-grab endeavors and holidays aborted by prison bids.

If .idk. had served the full fifteen-year sentence he was given at the age of seventeen, he only would have stepped out in 2025. Having served only three of the fifteen years, every day is a coming to terms with what was so close to being lost to the treacherous US penal system. E.T.D.S. is the result of that reflection, a vivid and collagist origin story that, as .idk. writes, serves as “proof that creation could breathe in captivity.”