Kevin Abstract is difficult to pin down. He’s a supremely gifted rapper, yet his debut album leaned more into singing. He co-founded BROCKHAMPTON, yet the boy band’s last album was pretty much a Kevin Abstract solo effort. It can be confounding to follow his career trajectory, but the unpredictability is also part of the appeal. His latest single, “DIRTY BOY SWAG,” is a testament to this “anything goes” process. The rapper teams up with Quadeca for a song that recalls Soulja Boy’s “Pretty Boy Swag,” but gives it a grimy makeover. Hence, the revamped title. “DIRTY BOY SWAG” is the rare song that sounds exactly like its title suggests.
Kevin Abstract adopts a mumbly, borderline atonal flow for “DIRTY BOY SWAG.” It sounds like he’s trying to channel Soulja Boy, but also the more incomprehensible side of Lil B. The influence of the latter really shines through in the music video. Abstract is rapping in non-glamorous locations and busting out very, very awkward dance moves in the process. The sound and the aesthetic suggests a sort of intentional, one take roughness to it. “DIRTY BOY SWAG” is worlds away from the sound Abstract dropped on his debut, or his recent album, Blanket. That being said, there’s something compelling about. Based God swag filtered through Abstract’s sad boy energy is a hybrid that sounds better in song than it looks on paper.
Let us know what you think of this brand-new track, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Kevin Abstract is gearing up to make his first post-Brockhampton move as a solo artist. While he already has a good bit of solo material under his belt, for the first time since the rap group called it quits last year he’s returning to his own work. So far the the singles have embraced his early DIY style with an aesthetic that’s more influenced by indie and punk. He’s kept his fans fed as well. The first single for the album “Blanket” dropped in the first week of October. Since then Abstract has shared three more singles, culminating in “Madonna” earlier today.
The track once again sees Kevin Abstract taking an indie pop route. The instrumental features acoustic guitar and rustic percussion while Kevin’s vocals are pitched up for much of the song. The song is generally quite uplifting, as much of his new material has been. The artwork once again keeps with the theme of felt monsters that has run through all of his new singles. This newest artwork features all three of the monsters that appeared on previous covers. Listen to the entire new single below.
Kevin Abstract Sings To A Girl Who “Thinks She’s Madonna”
Kevin Abstract’s new album BLANKET is expected to drop later this week. Technically, it’s his first solo album since 2019’s Arizona Baby. Though many Brockhampton fans consider the group’s penultimate project The Family to be a Kevin solo album in disguise.
Blanket is Abstract’s 4th studio album following Arizona Baby as well as his breakout 2016 project American Boyfriend and his 2014 project MTV1987. He isn’t the only Brockhampton alum releasing music individually. Former members Ameer Vann and Merlyn Wood recently released a joint mixtape. What do you think of Kevin Abstract’s new single “Madonna?” Let us know in the comment section below.
Quotable Lyrics: She thinks she Madonna, maybe she Madonna No friеnds, 2 A.M., and she hit the diner Speedin’ homе, fever dream, outrunnin’ the drama Next day, sunrise, just facin’ the water She thinks she Madonna, she don’t wanna let us down
Last week, California via Texas rap group and boy band Brockhampton released their final two albums. The Family and TM served as the last new material from the group before they officially dissolved. While other former members like Merlyn Wood, Dom McLennon, and Ameer Vann have released solo material of their own, the group’s de-facto leader is about to make his first solo move post-Brockhampton. While The Family is largely handled by Kevin Abstract and some have labeled it a solo album, he’s got an official solo record on the way very soon.
It isn’t Abstract’s first solo project. Before the band’s breakthrough he released the conceptual American Boyfriend in 2016. The song was a quick hit with rap fans for its honest storytelling and it spawned the hit song “Empty.” He followed that album up a few years later with his ARIZONA BABY project. The record came out a few months before Brockhampton returned with their critical darling album GINGER. Abstract’s second solo album also spawned his biggest hit as a solo artist “Peach.” Now after four years of shifting his focus elsewhere, he’s returning with new solo material. Check out the announcement post below.
Kevin Abstract kept it pretty simple announcing his new album on Twitter. He shared the album cover with a simple caption reading “BLANKET Nov 03.” In the comments fellow musicians like Daniel Caesar, Midwxst, and former Brockhampton member hk expressed their excitement for the project. Clearly the fans are excited to as the post racked up over 30k likes in just a few hours.
Over the weekend Kevin Abstract shared the first taste of the album with fans. He shared the single “Blanket” which took his sound in a drastically different direction than anything he’s done previously. He also dropped a music video for the track that’s as strange and surreal as you’d expect. Are you excited for Kevin Abstract’s new album BLANKET? Let us know in the comment section below.
Brockhampton has undoubtedly solidified itself as the defining boy band of the Gen-Z generation. First meeting on a Kanye West fan forum, Brockhampton (named after the street Kevin Abstract grew up on) has one of the most tight-knit and impactful discographies to date. After releasing The Family and TM at the end of 2022, it seems that the band’s illustrious run has finally ended. Today, we rank Brockhampton’s nine studio albums from worst to best.
9. TM (2022)
Unfortunately, Brockhampton ended with a whimper rather than a bang. When you consider how out of touch numerous members of the group had been since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it didn’t come as a surprise when fans were treated with the jaded, incomplete project that is TM. Rather than a cohesive experience, TM reads as a colorless collection of tracks that never made previous projects. That said, TM still features a collection of dark and gritty tracks that make it worth a listen. “MAN ON THE MOON” draws the listener in with twinkling synths featuring soothing vocals from Joba and Ryan Beatty. “FMG” toys with distorted synths and a grumbling 808 amidst menacing verses from Kevin Abstract and Dom McLennon. However, these highlights are an exception rather than a constant. Ultimately, TM comes from a group of artists who created the project out of obligation rather than creative freedom.
8. ALL-AMERICAN TRASH (2016)
Technically, this is Brockhampton’s first and only mixtape, ALL-AMERICAN TRASH. It set the groundwork for the Saturation trilogy that arrived a year later. The group came together at a run-down house in San Marcos, Texas, without pinpointing what they would create. Sharing rooms and spending their days creating music, it’s understandable that this project would come from a group of kids who haven’t yet developed creative chemistry.
ALL-AMERICAN TRASH tackled lo-fi, melodic soundscapes that walked a tightrope between hip-hop and soul. As a result, members such as Joba and Bearface have more pronounced appearances on the project. This included an impressive look on the blissful “HOME.” It’s hard to miss the Outkast influences on “MICHIGAN,” blending pitched-down synths with slapshot hi-hats. While there are a few worthy moments from the mixtape, there are far too many slow burners from a group trying too hard to fit into a creative mold.
7. The Family (2022)
The Family was released as a creative counterpart along TM at the end of 2022. While it was released under the name of Brockhampton, it’s essentially a Kevin Abstract album. The Family sees Abstract read from his journal, chronicling the events that led to the demise of hip-hop’s most beloved boyband. He’s brutally honest, stating, “I decided not to show up or show support ’cause I was tryna go solo before we went on tour” on the groovy “All That.”
There’s a bitter aftertaste to The Family. The gorgeous soul samples scream for a chorus from Matt Champion or an exhilarating verse from Merlyn. Abstract doesn’t have to say anything; the absence of the rest of the group (except for Bearface) says enough about where the group is. However, the sendoff is still lyrically touching. From the heart-wrenching outro track “Brockhampton” to the sun-seeking “Good Time,” The Family is an admirable effort from Abstract.
6. Iridescence (2018)
Brockhampton took a left turn after the smash success of the Saturation trilogy. After an exhausting world tour, the group took some time off before creating their most experimental project. Iridescence is a distorted collection of mosh-pit bangers created by a group that just wanted to get back to having fun making music. While it’s nowhere near their best work, the experimental vocal pitching and wild song structures become easier to enjoy with each listen.
However, Brockhampton bites off more than they can chew on much of their fifth record. The balance they achieved on Saturation III is out of whack, as its experimentation often seems directionless. Of course, this reality is understandable, considering the recent departure of frontman Ameer Vann. That said, there are occasional moments when the chaos finds its way through the clutter. “TONYA” is one of Brockhampton’s best songs, as the piano chord-ridden intro gradually morphs into a momentous banger. “J’OUVERT” and “NEW ORLEANS” expresses the group’s inner rage at the world around them.
5. Saturation (2017)
Brockhampton’s sudden progression from ALL-AMERICAN TRASH to Saturation left hip-hop fans dumbfounded. Leaping from lo-fi melodies to unapologetic bangers, the collective unequivocally found their sound on their first installment of the Saturation trilogy. After the group moved from San Marcos, Texas, to Los Angeles, they immediately worked on their debut album. As Bearface put it, “Music was being made all of the time. You could wake up at 6:00 a.m., and somebody would be making something.” The group’s endless labor would send waves across the US music scene.
From the braggadocios “GOLD” to the shimmering melodies on “SWIM,” there’s an overarching message of self-confidence. The production chops of the project are the stand-out element, as the lyricism is far more naive and cringeworthy than in their later works. However, Saturation stands out as Brockhampton’s most essential record, catapulting them from suburban streets to the limelight of Hollywood.
4. Ginger (2019)
Their fifth studio album, Ginger, was nowhere near the group’s initial plan for the record. Back in June 2019, Abstract told GQ, “We want to make a summer album.” Ten seconds into “No Halo,” this notion was promptly thrown out the window. Brockhampton struggles to navigate the world around them on Ginger, further expanding on the experimental sampling on Iridescence. In many ways, the record feels like a fully realized version of what Iridescence was meant to be.
Some of Brockhampton’s best tracks to date are on Ginger.’Joba screams out on “Dearly Departed” while Dom delivers his most heartfelt verse on the backend. “Boy Bye” is one of those tracks that will drive aspiring producers crazy; the plucky lead melodies and eclectic sampling make it a much-needed banger on a somber project. Ginger is top-heavy and occasionally meandering. However, undoubtedly, it’s another solid addition to their discography.
3. Saturation II (2017)
Released only two months after the first Saturation installment, Saturation II saw Brockhampton fully capitalize on its notoriety. Swiping away the notion that great music takes a long time to perfect, the project saw Brockhampton brush up on many subtle flaws in the first installment. The lyrics aren’t falsely self-indulgent, and the production feels far more poignant than ever. With the group in a creative flow, diving right back into Saturation II rather than sitting on Saturation proved wise.
Once again, Brockhampton is finding subtle ways to blend the worlds of Outkast and Frank Ocean. “Jesus” and “Summer” are gorgeous, while “Gummy” and “Tokyo” ditch the pretty boy act for wonky bangers. The chemistry had taken a notable leap, as members more frequently traded mid-verses bars. While Brockhampton’s discography never shied away from attacking dark subject matter, Saturation II remains their most gleeful project.
2. Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine (2021)
The sixth project from Brockhampton, Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine was their most introspective record. Much of the narrative struggle is centered around Joba, who’s processing the tormented aftermath of his father’s suicide. “Does mental illness run in the family? Did you even care about me?” Joba asks these damning questions amid beats more subtle than what appeared on any of the Saturation projects. Roadrunner opts to package its messaging with quality rather than quality, coming in at 13 tracks.
Roadrunner is genre-bending and unpredictable from start to finish. “I’ll Take You On” brings in Charlie Wilson for background vocals on the lovesick and triumphant cut. “Buzzcut” sees Merlyn take the forefront, with Danny Brown delivering a feature. In fact, Roadrunner is the first project that sees Brockhampton incorporate features, a welcomed change to the scenery of their sound. Bouncing from soulful pop ballads to trap bangers, Roadrunner compacts everything great about Brockhampton.
1. Saturation III (2017)
Saturation III feels like a grandiose culmination, the creative prime of a group already at the top of the mountain. While previous projects often lacked a certain element, whether surface-level songwriting or wallpaper production styles, the final installment of the Saturation trilogy finally saw Brockhampton bring it all together. Excluding the brief interludes, the record only features 12 tracks, which aids in the cohesive nature of the record. Brockhampton’s pen game is at its peak on Saturation III. Ameer, Dom, and Merlyn have improved on all fronts. This is especially notable on bangers such as “Boogie” and “Bleach.”
In many ways, “TEAM” feels like the perfect send-off, as it symbolically blends the two contrasting sides of Brockhampton. Bearface is once again the outro star, as his harrowing vocals are layered with a screeching electric guitar. In summary, every member is given room to shine.
Late last year, Brockhampton officially broke up, but not before dropping two albums in the time span of two days. First came the highly anticipated seventh LP The Family, then was the surprise record TM. They’re already hard enough to keep up with, especially when it comes to the beloved member Kevin Abstract, who’s apparently never slowing down.
The artist told GQ in a new interview that he has a lot of ambitions and goals for this year, including putting out a solo LP. “I want to put an album out this summer,” he said. And that’s not it — he also mentioned a tour and venturing into new artistic mediums, such as film and TV, which his friends do.
Abstract was actually the only member of Brockhampton on The Family. About the new Brockhampton records and the breakup of the band, Abstract wrote in a letter, “The members of the band began to move our separate ways and focus on our individual careers and passions. With this project, a few of us were inspired to make something new that would bring closure to the past and set the table for all of us to finally be able to explore our individual futures.”
Brockhampton as we know it may be over, but its individual members, who we’ve come to know and love over the years, have exciting new projects underway. In a clip shared to social media, Brockhampton member Jabari Manwa appears to be teasing a solo era.
Manwa, who seems to be going by Saga Bouy now, was known for his role of handling much of the group’s music production, however, also penned many of Brockhampton’s hooks.
In the video, Manwa is seen driving through a city, sitting in a bedroom, and taking calls from someone by the name of love. Snippets of different songs can be heard throughout the video, however, the sounds are slightly obscured.
It sounds like Manwa will be taking on an alternative R&B sound for his solo Saga Bouy era, which, thus far, sounds similar to the likes of Don Toliver and Ty Dolla Sign. In a 2021 interview with Vulture, conducted as a group with Brockhampton, Manwa explained that he is inspired by an eclectic sort of sounds.
“We do listen to a lot of older rap,” Manwa said. “I feel like you can hear it in the album. Throughout the making of [our Technical Difficulties singles series], I was really big into Beastie Boys and Dr. Dre.”
He continued, saying, “Whereas, with the album that we had before, I was listening to Lil Baby, Lil Uzi, Cardi B, a bunch of shit. But that didn’t resonate with what was going on in the world. I felt like we had to go back and study a lot of those older songs because they had a lot of meaning in them, as opposed to sh*t going on today. I feel like we were trying to meet that quality, that timelessness a lot of those records have.”
Brockhampton may have dropped their final two albums last month, however, it appears they’ve got a few more gifts for fans before they disband for good. Yesterday (December 22), Kevin Abstract took to social media to unveil a teaser for their upcoming Christmas special.
In a video clip shared to Twitter and Instagram, Euphoria actress Hunter Schafer is seen having dinner with someone in a restaurant and describing a rather scary, vivid dream she had the night before. She tells the person across from her that he was in it, and says the same thing to a person sitting next to her offscreen. The camera then cuts to the person, who is revealed to be Brockhampton member Kevin Abstract, whose real name is Clifford Ian Simpson.
“Hello,” Abstract says. “You’re just in time. Welcome to the Christmas special. I’m Ian Simpson, and we have a few stories we want to tell you guys.”
The screen then presents text reading “Xmas Special Vol. 1”
Brockhampton has been teasing the Christmas special the Christmas special over the course of the past week, with images and clips that appear to have been shot on an old camcorder.
Prior to the pandemic, things seem like they would be smooth sailing for Brockhampton for quite some time. They had just earned their second consecutive and overall top-3 album with Ginger and they landed their first Billboard Hot 100 entry with “Sugar,” a track that was later remixed by Dua Lipa. However, things changed for the band once the earlier phase of the coronavirus pandemic came and went. Last year, they released their sixth album Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine, but before it arrived, Brockhampton announced that the project’s follow-up would be their last project as a band.
Brockhampton has yet to reveal what the title of their seventh and final album will be, but tonight, we’ve received new music from the band that doesn’t seem to be connected with their final album. “Hollywood Swinging” arrives as a jazzy tune that flaunts the group’s undeniable versatility by providing a fun track for fans to. The song is also from the upcoming soundtrack for the Minions: The Rise Of Guru movie.
Prior to the release of Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine last year, Brockhampton’s lead vocalist Kevin Abstract explained why their upcoming seventh album would be the band’s last. “Everybody just getting a lil older and got a lot to say outside of group projects,” he wrote in a tweet. “We’ve dedicated the last ten years of our lives to making music together. This next project we’re just doing what’s rite.”
You can listen to “Hollywood Swinging” in the video above.
Dua Lipa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After performing a swan song with Brockhampton at Coachella last month, Merlyn Wood has released a new single. On “Green Light,” Wood wakes up “feeling like a Gucci ad lib,” delivering fiery bars, ready for a promising post-Brockhampton era.
Wood, who has now rebranded as Merlyn!, doesn’t mention Brockhampton or any of his bandmates by name in the song. However, he shouts out his hometown of Houston and calls out his haters.
In the song’s accompanying video, directed by Miggy Jasper, Wood plays video games on the couch in a mansion as his outfits change in rapid succession. He is joined by a group of women as he continues to play video games and later dances by the pool.
According to an accompanying press statement, “Green Light” is one of four projects set to be released on a weekly basis, until the 20th, which is when Wood is teasing something big.
Brockhampton has yet to release their final album, but Wood is gearing up for an exciting new start.
Ahead of “Green Light’s” release, Wood teased his new era in an Instagram post, saying, “My skin is tingling im so excited. This that anticipation right before the LIGHT TURNS GREEN in the most important race in your LIFE. I put my heart, soul and sweat in this and i hope you enjoy it immensely.”
A little over a year ago, Brockhampton’sKevin Abstract announced that the group’s final two albums would be released in 2021. Only one of those projects was released, that being Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine, and the rest of 2021 came and went without their final effort. Abstract explained the decision to end the group, saying, “Everybody just getting a lil older and got a lot to say outside of group projects.” During their set at the first weekend of Coachella last week, Brockhampton confirmed that their final album would arrive at some point this year and they even shared a trailer for it.
In addition to saying their final album would drop this year, Brockhampton also noted that their final performance together would be at Coachella’s second weekend which took place last night. According to Desert Sun, Brockhampton took to the Coachella stage wearing matching Adidas Originals varsity jackets with the band’s logo and a quote on the back that read, “all good things must come to an end.” Throughout the set, the band made sure to note several times that the performance would be their last one as a group with Abstract saying point-blankly at one point, “It’s the last show.”
Brockhampton’s set came to an end with a performance of “Boogie,” but not before a final message from Abstract. “This is the last song we’ll ever do as a band,” he said. “That’s kinda crazy.” After their set, Brockhampton shared a post on Instagram that thanked fans for their support. “The show is over,” they wrote. “Thanks for being a part of the ride. love all of you.”
You can view clips from their last set together in the videos above.
