Noname has never been one to rush a project, and longtime fans know it as well as anyone. Born Fatimah Warner, the independent Chicago rapper is building toward her next release, the mixtape Cartoon Radio, one single at a time — with a milestone tour in between.
The burning question is, of course, “When is Cartoon Radio coming out?” Unfortunately, no one outside her camp seems to know — and they’re not telling. The artist herself announced the project as far back as October 31, 2025, when she released the lead single, “Hundred Acres.”
Nearly nine months later, a second single — “Squatter” — dropped, still without a confirmed date for the mixtape. As of the time of this writing, no further announcement has been made, so consider any supposed release date circulating online as “unconfirmed”.
The First Hint: “Hundred Acres”
The lead single certainly gave fans plenty to be excited about. The percussive, piano-led production from Greg Paul and Brandon Cordoba perfectly complements the languid R&B-style hook sung by Devin Morrison.
The single also marked Noname’s first official music video. Directed by Daren Rabinovitch, it shows her sharing screen time with a mascot-like character known only as the Creature, suggesting a playful visual world around the project.
The Mystery Deepens: “Squatter” Featuring DRAM
On July 22, 2026, Noname returned with “Squatter,” featuring rapper and singer DRAM. The song follows a compelling story about an unwelcome guest moving into her house during her last tour, forcing her to recruit friends to remove them. DRAM, best known for his 2016 hit “Broccoli,” amply shows off his hook-making prowess, suggesting that Cartoon Radio will have plenty of melody-laced storytelling.
Interim Tour Marks Telefone’s 10th Year
Even as fans continue to wait for Cartoon Radio to drop, Noname celebrated a decade of her debut, Telefone, which came out on July 31, 2016. The anniversary run began August 2 in Toronto, stopped in New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Seattle, and closed September 10 in her hometown of Chicago. Her schedule also listed a November 7 appearance at Pitchfork Music Festival London.
Filling The Gaps
Noname seems to revel in extended gaps broken by occasional releases accompanied by minimal fanfare. Released in August 2023, Sundial was her first album in five years. Furthermore, news of its release came only by way of a brief Instagram post.
But even away from the spotlight, Noname has been keeping busy. The Noname Book Club, the community reading project that she started in the summer of 2019, continues to showcase books by writers of color, focusing particularly on radical and liberation-minded texts. The club now meets in more than 30 cities across Africa, the United States, and other countries.
What to Watch For
Understandably, the release of Cartoon Radio is what fans are anticipating most eagerly. In the absence of any reliable news, the best thing to do is to keep an eye out for an official release date, a tracklist, and guest names beyond Morrison and DRAM. Going by her past rollouts, don’t be surprised if the news shows up on her Instagram account first.
AFU-RA
FLAKES
More TBA
Volks, Brighton
Friday 13th November
6:30PM–10PM
18 
The Grouch & Eligh bring the How The Grouch Stole Christmas Tour to Treefort Music Hall 12/3 Ft. AmpLive with Special Guests Brother Ali and Lyrics Born
Leave a Reply