As a byproduct of the new wave’s signature rage pocket, Rollin Thrax is leading a vibe all his own.
Bred from the distorted, waning synths the underground has become synonymous for, the budding Atlanta rapper’s viral hit “Yeaaaa” not only has created a defining moment for him, but has seen his star rise in a matter of months.
Touting over 61,000 videos on TikTok — by way of the song’s “cyberspeed” version — and over 3 million streams on Spotify, it’s an ascension altogether for the young talent, linking up with DotCom Nirvan for the color-melting visual to his breakout track.
Posing with his crew in front of a blacked-out sports car, Thrax cuts in-and-out of plain backdrops that transform into pastel skies and watercolor VFX created by the eye-catching Nirvan. On par with his previous 2022 visuals, Nirvan’s run-and-gun leaves more than enough space in each of his shots for Thrax to roll freely — mimicking the emcee’s fleeting staccato rhymes on “Yeaaaa.”
“I’ve been giving them the cold shoulder / F*** these n***s I don’t know / They just hit me because it’s my year,” he slides on the triumphant Zodiac-produced beat — emitting a cadence similar to Internet Money’s Rot Ken but with more emphasis on his dripped-laced vocal chains. Corresponding tones of KanKan and SSGKobe make their way through his discography, as Tana has also been a large part of Thrax’s popularity this year — who hopped on the equally enticing “Yeaaaa” remix.
Although Thrax has gone up in 2022, he’s been dropping music on SoundCloud since 2020. It wasn’t until he shared his debut EP SSX that fans started taking notice of his talent — following up the 9-track project with 2eZ and other singles in “Max Prestige” and “TimDuncan *21*”. “Nvr2Much,” “<3/H8” and “Apollo” with close collaborator and fellow wave-adjacent star Southsidesilhouette are among the tracks that Thrax has blown up off of. On top working with Internet Money’s CXDY for a majority of SSX, Thrax is poised for an even bigger breakout in 2023.
The new wave is alive and well, but it’s apparent that a fresh-pressed lane has taken shape in the underground — and Thrax is just hitting his stride.
Watch DotCom Nirvan and Thrax’s “Yeaaaa” visual below!
