The Pilot

The Pilot is the third mixtape by American rapper Mavi. It was released on November 25, 2025, through Loma Vista Recordings. The project marks a departure from his previous work, shifting from jazz rap and abstract lyricism, to an eclectic and confrontational style. The Pilot was constructed when Mavi was sober, following a personal experience while touring for his previous album Shadowbox. During its production, he worked on his personal improvement through muscle growth, therapy, and piano lessons. Mavi wanted to present a self-love approach in the mixtape as a positive representation for the Black community compared to the self-destructive nature of Shadowbox. Stylistically, The Pilot shows a more uptempo and confident tone, and is mainly autobiographical and based on sobriety and money. The mixtape was preceded with the two singles, "Landgrab" and "Potluck", a Colors performance video of "Silent Film", and a listening party. The Pilot received positive reviews from Pitchfork and the Daily Texan, both complimenting Mavi's artistic direction and use of flight and Afrofuturism as prominent themes, while it received criticism from The Fader, seeing it as a regressive project.

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