1989

Blood (stylized as BLXXD) is the seventh studio album by American recording artist, Jake Tracey. The album is slated for release on October 23, 2015. This album is Tracey's first album on Interscope Records, after leaving Columbia Records in 2014 to reach to new audiences. Blood is Jake Tracey's first album in two years, after his sixth album, Crash Course (2013). The album was confirmed in July 24, 2014, previously under the working title of Rebel Without a Cause.

Background and development
After the release of his fifth studio album, Point Of No Return (2012), Jake Tracey began promoting his album, first with an interview on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. During his interview, he confirmed that he had two albums in the works for 2013 and 2014. Several months later, prior to the success of his fifth album, Tracey released new singles from his sixth studio album, Crash Course (2013), a sequel to his previous album. On July 18, 2013, he released his sixth studio album to mixed reception from critics, who noted the rushed nature of the album, yet praised Tracey's vocal delivery and lyrical content. Despite the lukewarm reception, the album peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 charts and sold over 3,000,000 copies.

On August 23, 2013, Jake Tracey stated that he would take a break from music to return to his acting career. Tracey stated, "I want to be versatile; the guy that people remember on their YouTube screens, in the movie theaters, and on stage." After deciding to take a monthly hiatus, Tracey began filming for My Rock Star Brother in September 30, 2013. Filming ended several months later, and the movie seeked theater attention on March 14, 2014. Meanwhile, in numerous interviews, Tracey later confirmed that he would return to music during the summer and record his seventh studio album.

However, Jake Tracey faced several disputes with his now-former record label, Columbia Records, after a breach in his contract. Columbia Records filed a lawsuit against Jake Tracey in July 7, 2014 for refusing to follow the contract, which forced him to release a consecutive album that year. Jake Tracey admitted his refusal to record new material, and according to Tracey, Columbia Records allegedly accepted his decision. Due to the heated conflict between Tracey and Columbia Records, Tracey decided to depart on July 20, 2014 after eight years.

On Twitter, Tracey promised his fans that there would be new music soon after his departure. On September 5, 2014, Tracey signed a new contract with Interscope Records, and later confirmed that he began recording new material. On October 4, 2014, Tracey released a promotional song for his untitled seventh album, "Lightning Strike," which recieved viral attention from fans and critics respectively.

On January 5, 2015, Tracey confirmed the title of his album, then-titled ''Rebel Without a Cause. ''Jake Tracey revealed his interest in hip-hop and trap production, and found himself searching for a new sound. After working with different producers, who have also worked with Lana Del Rey and more, Tracey revealed his new sound and production via Instagram on April 3, 2015. Meanwhile, in July 8, 2015, Tracey released a new single, "You Can Have It All," for digital download. After a working title, Tracey decided to change his seventh studio album's title to Blood'.

"This album is very edgy and classic in sound, and I wanted an album that felt like a vintage 1970's movie - an album that fictionalizes romance, betrayal, and violence all in one," Tracey stated in an interview. On September 12, 2015, Tracey revealed the tracklist to Blood. On September 15, 2015, Tracey released his first album single, "Made In America," which recieved critical praise for its catchy tune and production, and Tracey's experimentation with hip-hop and R&B. A remix to "Made in America" would soon be released on October 19, 2015, featuring Kendrick Lamar and Rick Ross.