Fans suited up in gothic black band tees and high-top Rick Owen boots wait patiently outside the Hollywood Palladium for a sold-out show.
Destroy Lonely’s No Stylist Tour lands in Los Angeles on Nov. 30, opening with Opium’s newest members, Homixide Gang — a duo recognized for their thrashing rage and destructive mosh pits. Atlanta’s own Homixide Meechie and Homixide Beno! present the underground rage sound that is signature to Playboi Carti and the Opium label– representing Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, Capo Ree, International Jefe and Lil Unky.
After first listening to “SSN” the King Vamp signed the duo immediately, impressed by their “snotty” belligerent lifestyle that mirrors his NARCISSIST persona. Shortly after, the duo dropped the 5-track EP Snotty World which was followed by the 9-track Snotty World (Deluxe) — with each project consecutively ramping up the high-pitched synthetic trills and 808 kicks.
Snotty World’s opening track “Holler!” throws listeners right into the mosh, leaving no silence in between deadly ad-libs and warbling bass. With the help of F1LTHY’s gritty trap beats on “55 Lifestyle” and “5unna,” the gang reminds listeners of the deviant behavior that controls Atlanta’s underground, and honors to the late R5 Homixide that initiated their music career. While Snotty World didn’t release through Opium, the album established Homixide Gang as an unstoppable duo, ruthless in their approach to the raging underground sound.
A brief glimpse into the mysterious duo’s antics and eerie vocals quickly captivated an Opium fanbase, initiating a strong cult following in their first year of streaming. After successful drops from the label, with Carson’s X and Lonely’s No Stylist, Homixide’s debut was bound to happen soon. Nearly one year later, Homixide Gang presents Homixide Lifestyle: a suiting title for the metal-infused performative album that further establishes them as “Rockstar Made.” Homixide Gang’s thrashing vocals over abrasive, head-banging 808s ignites the two as a powerful force to be reckoned with as leading figures of the underground and the label’s collective.
The performance begins with the opening track “Lifestyle,” as the looping vocals “Pop outside” prepare listeners for the album’s intensity to follow. With a sample derived from 999’s classic punk tune “Homicide,” the track provides the necessary heavy rock edge and punk aesthetic that is home to the Opium label. Beno! Exclaims producer Starboy his “hero” for the punk sample, then turns to Meechie to share back-to-back bars that appreciate G6s and designer clothes. The Gang’s raging attitude comes to life in Lifestyle visual that features the clique drifting in turbo trucks and breaking glass in a red-lit warehouse.
The gloomy electronic dissonance of KP Beatz pairs with the candid lyrics of “Can’t Go,’ with the two revealing their rooted habits in rebellion, with whispering homicide ad-libs echoing throughout. A lighter, bubbly melody follows with “Tatted” that juxtaposes a more abrasive start to the album, as the two playfully express their love and loyalty to the name, “Homixide,” which drives their combative energy.
“Lif3” exposes a shockingly vulnerable side that acknowledges the repercussions of a Homixide Lifestyle. Beno! admits to this when sharing “I’ve been going through this pain (all my life),” recognizing the fragility of life that can easily go dismissed with the punk-lifestyle. However, in recognizing this the duo pushes forth their concentrated grind, with an “upside down, Baguette chain” hanging from their necks serving as a reminder.
Homixide joins forces with Destroy Lonely and Biggaveli in “TF!” to continue the anarchy, unbothered by any outsider’s opinions of their gang’s lifestyle. Lonely’s fashionable appeal boasts of life in France, while Biggaveli bolsters the gang’s collectiveness. Yet it’s Beno!’s catchy chorus that brings that track together when he quickly spits “we slide opp block behind tint” which bounces off Meechie’s swift ad-libs. A glitchy, X-ray visual takes you for a ride through New York City streets, diving into a demonic underground that the group reigns over.
From ‘stunting’ on an 808 mafia beat with Ken Carson to rocking Carti-Esque “Whaaat” screams over an electrical guitar riff, the duo perfects their distinguished, infernal flair of a new-age sound. For a well-versed Opium fanbase, the album may seem like a continuation of Whole Lotta Red’s opening tracks- a sound that many hoped to hear more of; Homixide Lifestyle continues that aggressive experimentation and develops it further, completing Opium’s identifiable sound and aesthetic.
The duo now focuses on bringing the album’s performance to life, aspiring to “break the mic” and open up as many mosh pits as possible.
Watch our latest vlog below!
