Death Grips: Cult Music at Its Most Pure

“Fuck Death Grips” was the first response I received when I posted on the Sacremento-based group’s subreddit. Other responses likened the sound of frontman MC Ride, aka Stefan Burnett, to “My dad when he beat me,” or argued about whether or not the trio is one of the most influential bands of the 2010’s. The real question, however, is how this relatively unknown group has seemingly developed one of the most steadfast and psychotically devoted fan bases the world has ever seen.

Above, the band poses for a rare photo in 2014. Left to right, Zach Hill, MC Ride, and Andy Morin

The trio’s insane 10 year history includes a string of heavily lauded mixtapes and albums, leaking their own music for free on BitTorrent, printing out a “huge printout of a fan's suicide note, written to the band in the form of an email” for a performance piece and even using an uncensored picture of drummer Zach Hill’s erect penis as the album cover for their second album, No Love Deep Web. Fans now jokingly refer to the band’s music as “penis music” because of this. Their antics have elevated them to an almost god-like status within the vast word of experimental music, followed by thousands of fans including legends like the late David Bowie, actor Robert Pattinson, and filmmaker Edgar Wright. Multiple canceled concerts

Above, the breakout single "Guillotine"

and world tours, including performances at Lollapalooza 2013, caused mass hysteria among fans, riots occurring at venues where the band was supposed to perform. This kind of fanaticism, a sick kind of obsession, has followed the group since its inception and is almost Beatles-like in the level of devotion fans have for the trio. The group's lyrics also don’t shy away from controversial topics. Many songs have referenced suicide, rape, police brutality and other unspeakable acts. On The Powers That B’s penultimate track “On GP”, Ride says “I've tried nothing, everything works,” alluding to his suicidal thoughts. On 2013’s “You Might Think He Loves You for Your Money but I Know What He Really Loves You for It’s Your Brand New Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat,” Ride alludes to insanity, rapping on the chorus “Get so fuckin' dark in here/Come come fuck apart in here.”

Above, Kero Kero Bonito covers "I've Seen Footage"

The band’s influence on experimental music culture in the past decade is unquestionable. The group first captured attention with the single “Guillotine” off of their first mixtape Exmilitary, spawning countless memes in 2011. Music from the group has also appeared on shows like HBO’s Westworld, Netflix’s BoJack Horseman and FX’s Atlanta, however the group’s impact on music in the 2010’s is so much more profound than those audio cameos. According to frequent David Bowie collaborator Donny McCaslin, Death Grips influenced the making of Bowie’s final album Blackstar. Speaking to Uncut in 2015, McCaslin was quoted as saying “I was so inspired by how much music and literature David’s checked out. He is constantly looking for new things, to listen to and to read. We’d talk about Death Grips,

The band with actor Robert Pattinson and singer Beyonce in 2013. Left to right, Zach Hill, Beyonce, Robert Pattinson, Andy Morin, and MC Ride

this band in California.” It can also be argued that the group’s fusion of industrial/punk rock with experimental hip-hop informed Kanye West’s production on Yeezus, and the vast majority of SoundCloud rap as well. Other mainstream artists like Tyler the Creator and Denzel Curry both seem to drawn on the sonic features of Death Grips, while the over-blown bass and ear-splitting vocals found on both Death Grips records and many SoundCloud rappers songs are also too similar to be coincidental.

Considering their influence on other artists, their presence in pop culture, and their notable tendencies to put on performance pieces rather than average concerts, I believe that their cult status in the music industry is well deserved. While we wait for their seventh studio album, please remember to stay noided.

REQUIRED LISTENING:

Exmilitary

No Love Deep Web

Jenny Death, disc two of The Powers That B

Bottomless Pit