Psyops

Esham wrote several Facebook posts about the album in the week leading up to its release:

December 10:

#Psyops isn’t rooted in fantasy; it’s very personal and very real. It details the unbelievable series of events I’ve lived during the past two years. Keep in mind, my truth might not be your truth – and that’s okay. The illusion that we all have to think and feel the same way to coexist is part of the psyops.

December 12:

May 25, 2020: A few blocks from my house, another unarmed Black man died in police custody. Unfortunately, I know this story – it happens all the time. But this time was different… This is where the album #psyops begins… #reellife #offduty #icantbreathe #esham #minneapolisriot #minneapolisuprising

December 13:

(cont.) A neighborhood no one had ever heard of was suddenly front-page news. People from all over the country, including the media, started showing up in droves. Military and news helicopters flew overhead, protesters marched by, the National Guard was activated, and a 6 pm curfew went into effect. It was getting hard to tell who the enemy actually was… I started writing.

December 15:

𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁.
I’ve been told by those close to me that I let people hijack my story – and they’re right. I never really tried to correct anyone that called me “devil worshipper” or “Rasham.” I never speak up when people accuse me of having beef with <insert name here> or all the other ridiculous untrue s*** that’s been said about me. My words and music have always been taken out of context. But that doesn’t sit right with me when it comes to this album. I want to be very clear; I don’t identify with any political or decentralized political group. I don’t subscribe to conspiracy theories. I think for myself based on what I see, hear and experience.

December 17:

To me, making music has always been about capturing the moment and translating it through sound. Psyops is like a scrapbook of the past two years of my life. I wanted the sonics to be raw, unfiltered, and abrasive to reflect the dark sides and weaknesses of humanity.