Milton Keynes grime metal outfit Hacktivist feature on the brand new song ‘I Ain’t Depressed‘ by Dropout Kings, released via Stay Sick Records. In a track effortlessly blending furious hip-hop bars and energetic nostalgic nu metal, Hacktivist’s rappers J Hurley and Jot Maxi deliver fiery verses in a signature fashion and spectacular synergy with Dropout King’s very own Adam Ramey and Eddie Wellz. The song premiered yesterday as a standalone single with official self-made video, as teased at the beginning of November.
Our new track “I Ain’t Depressed” Feat. @HacktivistUK is OUT NOW!! https://t.co/b6Ekl9pXv8 pic.twitter.com/EvLWv2Rjxd
— DROPOUT KINGS (@DropoutKingsAZ) December 4, 2020
Hacktivist have been steadily building up material for their upcoming second album, the long-anticipated follow-up to their debut Outside the Box from 2016. The rap metal band already released three singles last year – ‘Dogs of War’, ‘Reprogram‘ and the Prodigy cover ‘Spitfire‘, ready to feature on the new record. Most recently, Hacktivist shared their first song for 2020 – the huge collaboration with Kid Bookie for ‘Armoured Core‘, with further details on future releases expected very soon.
‘I Ain’t Depressed’ is yet another fitting team-up for Hacktivist, having previously worked on various projects as both main artist and featured guests alongside Rou Raynolds from Enter Shikari, Jamie Graham from Heart Of A Coward, Astroid Boys, Kid Bookie, In Hearts Wake, The Qemists and now the rising Arizona nu metal act Dropout Kings. The video is obviously done in lockdown conditions and an entirely self-made product, directed and edited by Dropout’s guitarist Chucky Guzman with help from Hacktivist’s bass player Josh Gurner.
Formed in 2016, Dropout Kings have been building their reputation as one of the freshest names of the rap metal scene in the USA. Building on the momentum from their promising debut album Audiodope (2018) featuring the hit track ‘Scratch & Claw‘, the Arizona sextet returned earlier this year with the follow-up six-track EP GlitchGang. Having toured with the likes of Otep and Crazy Town, Dropout Kings are now signed to Stay Sick Records, the label formed by Christ ‘Fronz’ Fronzak from Atilla.
Hacktivist are playing the Five4Five fest next – a virtual stay-at-home festival organised in support of the Save Our Venues campaign. Scheduled across two separate events on 18 and 19 December, the event will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube from 7:30. Hacktivist are set to play on the second day, alongside Holding Absence, Nova Twins, Normandie and manu more. In anticipation of the two-day event, re-watch Hacktivist’s performance of ‘Unlike Us‘ from the recent Pulse of the Maggots festival for exciting new bands, organised by Knotfest earlier in November.
