Steve Aoki and grandson Unite on Collaborative Single “KULT” Featuring Jasiah
Listen Here: steveaoki.lnk.to/KULT
Watch Music Video: https://youtu.be/uTFo_iCN8uM
2x-Grammy-nominated artist Steve Aoki joins forces with platinum-selling artist grandson on the collaborative single “KULT.” Brimming with white-hot intensity, “KULT” lyrically approaches the cynicism and pressure of having the world on your back; cracking under the weight and looking for a way out.
Instrumentally frenetic, this track feels like a firefight with gasoline poured all over it. The song bursts into action with “breakout rocker” (Variety) grandson singing, “I’ve got the weight of the world on my back / It made me slip right through the cracks / It caused a chain reaction…” over Aoki’s foreboding guitar-driven soundscape.
The cathartic chorus kicks in with earworm-inducing lyrics, before dropping into a second verse sung by Jasiah, a Dayton, Ohio native known for his piercing cross-genre collaborations with the likes of Travis Barker, Yung Bans and 6ix9ine.
Arriving alongside the single is the official music video directed by cinematographer Ava Rikki. Through a gritty clandestine lens, the camera follows Aoki, grandson and Jasiah along as they slowly become the interests of a bizarre underworld cult.
“KULT is the first taste from my upcoming album and showcases some of the new and old sounds that have recently inspired me,” Aoki states. “grandson and Jasiah have both been killing it recently, so I was excited to get them together on a track. The energy and lyrics capture a certain kind of feeling that will shake you to your core and possibly even persuade you to join the KULT.”
“KULT is about what happens when the imaginary world becomes more attractive than the real world we inhabit,” grandson explains. “It’s about the cognitive disassociation with reality in a dystopian hellscape, but set at a Steve Aoki concert. Working with Steve was an awesome experience, I’ve been going to his shows since I was a broke college student, and Jasiah and I have talked about making genre-bending music together for a long time so this was the perfect opportunity to get the gang together and throw down.”
Jasiah adds, “I’m a huge fan of both Steve and grandson's music so being able to work with both of them on this has been amazing.”
About grandson
grandson is the pseudonym of Canadian/American alternative artist Jordan Benjamin. He takes elements of his rock and roll, hip hop, and electronic music roots and combines them to tell stories of reclaiming power over one’s life, confronting social issues facing his generation, and opening up about struggles with addiction and mental health. Since releasing his Modern Tragedy EP series, grandson has toured extensively across North America, Russia, and Europe, accumulated hundreds of millions of streams online, and received co-signs from the biggest names in rock and roll and progressive politics, from Tom Morello to Bernie Sanders. grandson’s debut album, 'Death Of An Optimist,' conflates personal anxieties with political realities. As the protagonist, grandson simultaneously explores the dark underbelly of his unrelenting optimism for change, by creating an antagonist, X. The record delivers a subtle A-side/B-side structure totaling twelve tracks that follow grandson and X’s dueling world views. grandson has collaborated with icons and heavy hitters in the music industry. Just this year, the platinum-selling alt-rocker collaborated with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Jessie Reyez for "Rain," the exclusive single from the James Gunn-directed superhero film 'The Suicide Squad,” and for the end title sequence of the film, grandson joined forces with Chicago rapper Vic Mensa and Australian rapper Masked Wolf for "Oh No!!!" (From The Suicide Squad)." Additionally, grandson tapped Travis Barker and pop superstar Kesha for “Drop Dead” and performed “Hold the Line” alongside friend, mentor, and fellow advocate Tom Morello on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
About Steve Aoki
Counting nearly 4 billion music streams to his name, Steve Aoki is a true visionary. Billboard described the 2x-GRAMMY-Nominated artist/DJ/producer and Dim Mak Records founder as “one of the most in-demand entertainers in the world.” As a solo artist, Aoki boasts a lauded cross-genre discography that includes 7 studio albums and collaborations with Lil Uzi Vert, Maluma, BTS, Linkin Park and Louis Tomlinson amongst others. In 1996, he established Dim Mak out of his college dorm room, a trendsetting record label, events/lifestyle company and apparel brand. It has served as a launch pad for global acts like The Chainsmokers, Bloc Party, The Bloody Beetroots, and The Kills, in addition to being the home of early releases from acts such as ZEDD and Diplo. As a nightlife impresario, Aoki’s legendary Hollywood club night Dim Mak Tuesdays hosted early performances from future superstars such as Kid Cudi, Daft Punk, Lady Gaga, and Travis Scott. A true renaissance man, Steve Aoki is also a fashion designer, author and entrepreneur. In 2012, he founded THE AOKI FOUNDATION, which primarily supports organizations in the field of brain science research with a specific focus on regenerative medicine and brain preservation. In addition, Aoki has pushed his clothing line Dim Mak Collection to new heights, both with original designs and collaborations with everyone from A Bathing Ape to the Bruce Lee estate. Aoki’s multi-faceted journey is chronicled through the Grammy-nominated Netflix documentary I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (2016) and his memoir BLUE: The Color of Noise (2019). In the summer of 2020, Aoki unveiled his Latin music imprint, Dim Mak En Fuego, continuing to break down musical and cultural boundaries ‘by any means necessary.’
MORE FROM GRANDSON:
ONLINE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
MORE FROM STEVE AOKI:
ONLINE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
For more information on grandson, please contact
Mikaela Duhs at Shore Fire Media
For more information on Steve Aoki, please contact
Allison Elbl or Rebecca Shapiro or Mike Jones or Cory Councill at Shore Fire Media