One of the hip-hop genres currently dominating the US is rage-rap, characterized by melodic autotune and synth-heavy beats. Playboi Carti has been instrumental in popularizing it, but one of the rising stars poised to take the throne is his protégé, Destroy Lonely.
Bobby Wardell Sandimanie III, as the Atlanta rapper is legally known, is signed to Playboi Carti’s label, Opium. So far, he has released the mixtape “No Stylist” (2022) and two albums, “If Looks Could Kill” (2023) and “Love Lasts Forever”, which dropped in August 2024. The latter two have propelled him to the forefront of the race to become the next major rap star.
Destroy Lonely’s signature style includes his fluid and melodic autotuned rap, paired with atmospheric productions crafted using vintage synthesizers, chopped guitar riffs, and sounds inspired by video games. His musical inspirations range from rappers like Lil Wayne, Young Thug, and Future to alternative noise pioneers like Crystal Castles and Deftones, and even goth legends The Cure.
His breakthrough came in 2023 when the single “If Looks Could Kill” went viral on TikTok. That buzz carried over to his debut album of the same name, which dropped two months later, debuting at number 18 on the US album charts and climbing to number 4 on the R&B/hip-hop chart. That same year, he also released the catchy and energetic single “Turn Your Phone Off”, featuring hyped UK 2-step artist PinkPantheress.
Just a year later, Destroy Lonely returned with his second studio album, “Love Lasts Forever”, featuring guest appearances from superstar Lil Uzi Vert and labelmate Ken Carson. Artistically, it marked a step forward for Destroy Lonely—and commercially, it was a success as well. The album broke into the top 10 on the overall album chart and reached number 1 on the R&B/hip-hop chart for the first time in his career. 2024 has also seen him release tracks like “Potato Loaded”, a collaboration with Migos legend Quavo.
Destroy Lonely is at the top of his game and his performance at Poolen on Friday, April 11 will be his first-ever in Denmark where the post-industrial setting will complement his unique sound and aesthetic perfectly.
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