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GENA (Liv.e & Karriem Riggins) by B+
GENA MAKING THEIR LIVE DEBUT IN LONDON ON JANUARY 30TH
THE PLEASURE IS YOURS OUT FEBRUARY 27TH
VIA LEX RECORDS
GENA, the duo of Liv.e and Karriem Riggins, begin the year by sharing a new single. “Lead It Up” is the latest offering from the duo’s forthcoming debut album The Pleasure Is Yours, out February 27th via Lex Records, which was hailed by Brooklyn Vegan and Pitchfork as one of their most anticipated new albums of 2026. “Lead It Up” introduces the honeyed, soulful side of the GENA project, with Liv.e immediately commanding following the hip-hop and R&B elements of previous singles “HOWWEFLOW” and “Circlesz”. GENA will also be making their live debut in London with a sold out show on January 30th at ICA, with special guests B. Cool-Aid (Pink Siifu & Ahwlee) and a DJ set from Shungu.
GENA, which stands for God Energy, Naturally Amazing, was born out of realizing and harnessing divine moments, not only between musicians, but between two people. Liv.e and Karriem, who are equally accomplished musicians in their own worlds, found each other as kindred spirits through a shared love of improvisation and embraced each other’s musical similarities and differences. Together as GENA, the duo complement each other’s dueling styles, with Karriem’s approach to rhythm as one of contemporary music’s most respected drummers and beatmakers laying a foundation for Liv.e to be a conduit to the melodies that come to her.
The resulting album, The Pleasure Is Yours, is an amorphous embodiment of that flowing musical conversation between two minds, brimming with silky melodies and a warm nostalgia for soul, hip-hop and R&B. Liv.e’s boundaryless approach introduces a forward-thinking alchemy to Karriem’s genre mastery. That seamless connectivity also translated to contributing guest musicians Isaiah Sharkey, James Francies and Telemakus, who channeled their own visions for the GENA sound through virtual sessions. The Pleasure Is Yours is a record that lives in motion, unburdened by the outside world and harnessing musical instinct and flow as two musicians exercise their ability to carve out a new sound together that represents their collective strengths.
GENA
The Pleasure Is Yours
February 27, 2026
Lex Records
1. Who’s Got a Problem With Gena
2. Theybetterbegladihavetherapy
3. Left The Club Like “Really Nigga!”
4. You’ve Outdone Yourself Today
5. Unspokern
6. TGD
7. readymade
8. Douwannabwithastar
9. This Is So Crazy
10. Lead It Up
11. HOWWEFLOW
12. Doobie Doo Wew
13. Circlesz
14. Dream a Twinkle
15. Thatsmyluvr
16. omo iya ati baba
Connect with LIV.e:
Connect with Karriem Riggins:
