Death Grips: The Uncompromising Sound of Experimental Hip-Hop

Death Grips is an experimental hip-hop group from Sacramento, California, known for their abrasive, genre-defying sound and confrontational artistic vision. The trio's 2012 debut studio album, The Money Store, became a critical landmark, earning widespread acclaim for its chaotic fusion of punk, industrial, and electronic music.

Early career

Death Grips formed in 2010, uniting vocalist Stefan Burnett (MC Ride), drummer/producer Zach Hill, and flatbed scanner operator/producer Andy Morin. Their first release, the 2011 mixtape Exmilitary, was initially offered as a free digital download, quickly gaining a cult following through file-sharing and music blogs for its raw, sample-heavy aggression.

Breakthrough

The group's major breakthrough arrived in 2012 with their official studio debut, The Money Store, released on Epic Records. Despite the major label backing, Death Grips maintained their antagonistic ethos, later leaking their own second album for the label, No Love Deep Web, which led to their departure from Epic and solidified their underground legend.

Key tracks

Guillotine — This explosive track from Exmilitary served as the group's visceral introduction to a wider audience.

Get Got — The lead single from The Money Store showcased a more refined but no less intense electronic punk-rap fusion.

I've Seen Footage — A surprisingly danceable yet frenetic highlight that demonstrated the group's ability to channel chaos into catchy structures.

No Love — The defining track from No Love Deep Web is a brutal, minimalist anthem of alienation and power.

Hacker — A cyber-punk manifesto from The Money Store that became a fan favorite for its lyrical themes and driving beat.

Their career continued with a prolific and unpredictable output, including the double album The Powers That B in 2015 and 2016's Bottomless Pit. The group is notorious for cryptic online communication, canceled tours, and a surprise 2018 breakup announcement followed by an even more surprise return with new music, maintaining an enigmatic presence that fuels their dedicated fanbase.

Artists exploring similarly aggressive and experimental territories in hip-hop include clipping, a group that also merges harsh noise and industrial soundscapes with rap. JPEGMAFIA shares a confrontational, internet-savvy approach to deconstructing hip-hop and electronic music. Danny Brown often ventures into similarly chaotic and high-energy production in his work. Injury Reserve pursued abstract and industrial-tinged hip-hop, reflecting a shared spirit of innovation.

Death Grips' challenging and potent discography earns them regular rotation on forward-thinking alternative radio stations and dedicated online radio streams that focus on experimental and underground music. Their tracks are staples on platforms catering to listeners seeking music beyond conventional genre boundaries.

You can hear the intense, groundbreaking music of Death Grips on the experimental and alternative radio stations featured here. Explore and listen to their catalog through the diverse radio stations available on onairium.com.