While his classmates spend their weekday afternoons polishing off de-crusted peanut butter sandwiches and zoning out to Minecraft livestreams, Philadelphia-based middle schooler Matt OX devotes his free time to the studio, spewing grimy trap-rap stanzas atop the despotically bassy production laid down by his all-star production team.
The latest artist to enlist in F1LTHY’s perpetually buzz-worthy Working On Dying collective, Matt Ox built a fast following on the strength of his stoic flow and distinct Twitter presence. A typical day in the digital sphere for the self-proclaimed “OX GANG CEO” demands a steady stream of re-tweeted acclaim, references to Tokyo Ghoul, and the occasional phone-recorded freestyle. For an emcee not yet old enough to purchase his own copy of Call of Duty at Gamestop, he possesses an artists’ wisdom well beyond his years, establishing his own personal brand and flexing enough underground clout to solidify his niche.
Never underestimate a digital native.
Matt OX’s latest output, produced by former Lil Uzi Vert/Slug Christ collaborator Oogie Mane, is his most hard-hitting. “This N That” is an aural isolation chamber, snarls of industrial percussion drowning out glimmering synths as if to make sure each autotuned bar they accompany is heard clearly.
“cheesin’ to that bread / it’s stuck in my head”