2slimey: Underground’s Most Polarizing (Interview)

Although 2slimey’s abrasive and chaotic sound is still far from mainstream, achieving mainstream status is his ultimate goal. While often regarded online as a meme, he is completely serious about his craft and has no time for jokes.  

“I’m coming different in a good way, some people might view it bad, but eventually, people will catch on and by the time people catch on it's gonna be too late.” he said.

The rapper from Oklahoma City first saw internet virality in early 2024 with the release of his song “Shrimp” and its accompanying music video. It was a rage song, yet unlike anything anyone had ever heard.

Jack Tellier: Why do you think [“Shrimp”] took off?

2slimey: I feel like people weren't used to all that, the crazy beats, the noise, shit like that. And I guess, like, the Triller I made … But, in all reality, I took this shit serious, y’know what I mean? Like I did that shit on a serious level. I guess people took it out of proportion and took it kind of like a meme-ish thing, it’s cool at the end of the day. It's cool to run with the meme shit, but to a certain point though, to a certain point. 

Since then, a lot of the conversation around 2slimey as an artist has been ironic and somewhat backhanded. As time goes on though, more people start to understand what he’s doing.

JT: Initially, how did it feel when all the response to you was memes when you take it so seriously? 

2S: To me bro, I ain’t gonna lie, I was kind of like mad and unmotivated for real. I'm like ‘damn,’ … I didn't wanna make music for a little bit in the beginning when I saw that hate and the meme shit. But at the same time, the meme shit early on kind of turned me up cuz I went “aight, bet. Say that, I'm gonna keep going with this.” I'm not gonna say I was playing into it, but like I'm gonna keep going, like obviously do what I do. Let the memes happen regardless, I'm gonna just ignore that shit coming up. 

Now, honestly, when it comes to hate, I don't care. I don't even look myself up too much cuz, you know, people have their perspective of me at the end of the day. Everybody does. 

This 2slimey sound that is so divisive online is defined by its creator as “controlled chaos.” Because of its craziness, it’s easy for new listeners to write it off as lazily-made or lowbrow music that does not have structure or thought behind it.

However, there is a method to 2slimey’s madness.

2S: I took inspiration from punk bands but also like from “Die Lit” Carti, “Whole Lotta Red” Carti. Yeah, all that, for real. Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Sex Pistols. 

JT: When did you start listening to all those guys?

2S: When I first started listening to the bands, I want to say like early on, like 2016, really growing up. When I made, like, the switch to fully really being on the shit I'm on right now, probably since like “Shrimp.” 

When asked if his music has ever felt too chaotic while recording, he said, “To be honest… I feel like it's never enough, Imma be honest.” Although this could turn away some listeners, it helps 2slimey grow as a musician.

2S: The chaos is never enough because I be learning new shit about myself every day, with new sounds, new experimenting, y’know what I mean? But at the same time, we tryna make shit that’s adjustable. A little bit of both. I feel like it’s never enough, though. 

JT: What's something you've learned about yourself recently? 

2S: Um, I wanna say the cadences, the flows when I go onto, like, more smoother beats, I guess. More flow structure, does that make sense? 

JT: Your music is so crazy and, like, it doesn't sound like anything anyone's ever heard, so do you get feedback from people around you? 

2S: Yeah, from the bros, from the team, I do take some feedback, go back and fix what’s wrong and what needs to be fixed. But in reality I go by gut, I go with what I think is good because I make music for myself that I enjoy at the end of the day.

Coincidentally, someone who also recently enjoyed 2slimey’s music was the internet’s busiest music nerd, music critic Anthony Fantano. When reviewing 2slimey’s album, “High Anxiety,” Fantano had almost entirely positive things to say, despite the final review score being blurred out — something that has never happened in his YouTube channel’s history.

2S: With Anthony Fantano, honestly, that shit was crazy, I didn’t expect it. The fact that Fantano tapped in goes to show there's really, like, structure to it … because the average listener is gonna think ‘turn this off, come on! It's gonna hurt-‘ quote unquote, ‘hurt my ears.’ That shit be annoying bro, I ain't gonna hold you. But yeah, that was crazy … I did watch the whole thing, I feel like he gave me an eight or nine, I ain't gonna lie. He blurred it out, y’know what I mean?

JT: Do you feel that he's someone who actually understands what you're going for? 

2S: Yeah, I feel like, yeah. Cuz, like, if you're into EDM, or punk/metal, hardcore punk, or metal music, I feel like you gonna fuck with me. But regardless though, I touch all bases.

JT: What are some of the, I guess, the “other bases” that you try to touch when you're making a song or an album?

2S: … For an example, um the song I got with OK: “Lets go home.” That's more like a sentimental song … I guess a vibe song, more like some shit you vibe with your girl with, throw on with the hoes around, y’know what I mean? Some shit like that. 

It speaks volumes that “Lets go home” is the softest song on “High Anxiety,” because it’s still pretty intense. The 13 track, 23 minute album is not for the faint of heart.

2S: Going into the album, you get high anxiety, you hear all that adrenaline. When you turn it on, it's not some shit [when] you finna sit down. It's some shit you wanna be active to y’know what I mean? In the mosh pit, you wanna throw elbows. Real high vibrations, if that makes sense.

A deluxe version of “High Anxiety” is supposed to release around “the end of January or early February.”

2S: This shit gonna be on, I’m tellin’ you like, crazier shit than the original piece. How should I put this? There may be a possible feature in that, I don't want to say who, but  we finna see cuz we still in the process right now of what's making it, what's not making it. Shit gonna be crazy, for sure. Gonna fuck up the game.

While 2slimey’s staunch originality is what has led some to hate his music, it is also what has landed him a unique spot and plenty of supportive fans in a highly-oversaturated scene. 

2S: This shit I'm doing, I feel like people are afraid to do that. That's what I think. And like, you can't be afraid to do something. How you gonna call yourself experimental if you sticking to the same boundaries that you're comfortable with? 

JT: Why do you think people are afraid to do what you do?

2S: I guess, to them, it might, quote unquote, ‘turn the average listener away.’ Shit like that. I guess people be scared to experiment and lose that fanbase, type shit.

JT: Why do you think that doesn't scare you?

2S: The reason it don't scare me cuz like I do shit that I like at the end of the day. Fuck what a hater think, fuck the outside noises. If I'm satisfied and I'm vibing with it, it's gonna hit. Cuz to me there's a fine line between watering it down and making it digestible. If you water it down, I feel like you were not at your full creative control.

JT: Has there ever been a song you put out that you feel you might have watered down a little?

2S: Nah, hell nah, no, I don't think so. I feel everything out right now is crazy. In a good way.

Recently, 2slimey’s unique position in the underground has also led to multiple meetings with record labels.

2S: We meeting with record labels, for sure. Hella meetings, I’ll say that.  

JT: What has that been like? 

2S: Real strategic cuz, at the end of the day, whatever label we going to, I want them to be on the same page as me. I'm already doing shit where, like, I don't need a label, bruh. But ayy, the extra money gonna help. I feel like I have the leverage right now, I feel like I been had this shit since like last year. Honestly, I feel like people are barely starting to catch on to that shit, but yeah, it all comes down to longevity. … I've been with labels where they looking at ‘oh, this is just a moment, we gotta capitalize on the moment.’ Yeah I'm not with that shit for real. 

If you have denied his originality, one of the things you cannot take from 2slimey is his confidence.

JT: Assuming you do sign with one of these guys, where do you see yourself in, let's say, one year? 

2S: One year, (scoffs) we out of here, bruh. One year? We headlining [in] one year. Probably even less than that. In a few months, we're headlining, I'll say that … Really fuck up the Taylor Swift fans. You know what I mean? Them Hannah Montana fans, they're gonna see who 2slimey is. Break that shit up. 

JT: So if that's one year, then what's five years? 

2S: That's legacy right there. Real legacy. I feel like I'm going to have my own label in the future. I'm for sure going to have my own artists under me, on some Carti shit, you feel me? My own thing, like Opium shit. 

Yes, many rappers put on a display of confidence that is usually fueled by raging egotism. However, nothing about 2slimey’s belief in himself feels phony, it is not an act or a front to hide insecurity. He just believes.

JT: Do you think you're more confident than the average rapper? 

2S: I feel like if you're an artist, you got to have this confidence. And if you don't, you ain't going to get far … You got to be 100% proud and sure of your work. Because if you're not, what are you in this for? Because in reality, I'm not in this for the money. I’d really do this shit for free if I wanted to. This shit, it's a lifestyle. It's really more like an addiction, but a good one. I'm not in this for the money, but hey, if it comes with it, we gonna get it.

Earlier in the conversation, when asked about his plans for the future, 2slimey said he intends to be “mainstream status” and “bigger than the music.” Some of his other goals were to perform at festivals (big ones) and to make songs that reach the Billboard charts. A few days after our conversation, it was announced that 2slimey will be performing at Rolling Loud USA this year.

2S: I feel like, in reality, bruh, if you got a vision, stick with that vision and don't let nobody change it. Because as soon as people come in and start changing shit, that shit's unauthentic and it's gonna fuck up everything. So stick with what you feel, stick to your gut, and fuck the noise. You know what I mean? If you love the shit that you make, keep going.

Some of the most revered art we have today was, at one point, extremely controversial and polarizing. Ironically, many great artists were ostracized and censored because they stood out too much. Only through time and immense effort were they able to break through the mold and change art into something that we now take for granted. Is this what 2slimey is doing? You may have an opinion, but only time will tell.

“I feel like this controlled chaos is needed.”