▁described ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 <0x0A> </s> ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁( also ▁known ▁as ▁Ter ius ▁Nash : ▁ 1 9 7 7 ) ▁is ▁the ▁fourth ▁studio ▁album ▁by ▁American ▁R & B ▁singer , ▁song writer , ▁and ▁producer ▁The - D ream . ▁It ▁was ▁originally ▁released ▁as ▁a ▁free ▁download ▁on ▁August ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁through ▁the ▁singer ' s ▁Radio ▁K illa ▁website . ▁Record ed ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁two ▁weeks , ▁the ▁album ▁was ▁issued ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁contract ual ▁issues ▁with ▁The - D ream ' s ▁label , ▁Def ▁Jam ▁Record ings , ▁delay ing ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁his ▁planned ▁IV ▁Play ▁album . ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁was ▁later ▁released ▁for ▁commercial ▁sale ▁by ▁Def ▁Jam ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁and ▁IV ▁Play ▁followed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁Rec ording ▁Following ▁issues ▁with ▁his ▁contract ▁with ▁Def ▁Jam ▁Record ings , ▁production ▁on ▁The - D ream ' s ▁pur port ed ▁fourth ▁studio ▁album ▁Love ▁IV ▁MM X II ▁halt ed , ▁having ▁originally ▁been ▁due ▁for ▁release ▁of ▁September ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁The - D ream ▁recorded ▁additional ▁material ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁album ▁titled ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁– ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁year ▁of ▁his ▁birth ▁– ▁which ▁he ▁intended ▁as ▁a ▁stop g ap