For Anybody, XV just dropped new music with Mike Summers, Wanna listen with us?
Acclaimed rapper XV is coming back onto the scene with no holds barred. Following his first single, “Caron Butler” (released October 21), XV brings us the next taste of what’s to come with “For Anybody” (out today), from his upcoming album Blog Era due for release on February 3, 2023. XV and MIKE SUMMERS have come together, yet again, to create magic. With glimmers of piano and an old school sample, XV leans on the hypnotic beat of “For Anybody” as he makes a declaration of independence through boisterous horns and incisive wordplay.
Listen to “For Anybody” here. Listen to XV here.
“You’re not changing for anybody,” XV explains. “Whether it’s a job, the industry, a family member, or anything, you still do things on your own accord. I want you to understand what made me who I am today. I'm black, but that doesn't mean I have to be a gangster rapper. I’m the nerd, and I’m proud. Change is an option, but I won’t change for anybody.
Based in Wichita, KS, rapper XV (Donavan LaMond Johnson) has a career spanning nearly 20 years with the credentials to back it. After ascending to critical acclaim and having collaborated with some of the best MCs in history including Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Pusha T, and Big Sean, he’s attracted a devout fan base and follows his internal compass without compromise. XV couples elite lyricism with an innate knack for a hook and independent vision. Akin to a superhero embracing inner strength for the first time, he realizes his power on his 2023 album, Blog Era [Squarian Entertainment], produced by longtime collaborator and creative confidant MIKE SUMMERS [Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Lil Wayne].
Buzzing independently since high school, he collaborated with SUMMERS on the likes of Complex and Everybody’s Nobody. Eventually, he made local history as “the first rapper from Wichita to sign to a major label.” During his time with Warner Records, his single “Awesome” [feat. Pusha T] reeled in over 4.6 million Spotify streams and appeared in ubiquitous campaigns for NBA2K, Verizon, and many more. Meanwhile, the cult classic Zero Heroes mixtape boasted the fan favorite “Textbook Stuff” [feat. Kendrick Lamar] in 2012. Disillusioned by the corporate industry game, he retreated into himself for a few years, read vociferously, studied the stars, married his soulmate, and lived life. 2019 saw him return with the biggest bang possible as he joined forces with SUMMERS for The Dude With The Strap Back Dad Hat—which DJ Booth hailed as “a 10-song stomping ground where the Kansas native spars with the new era of hip-hop while staying true to his Squarian roots.” Throughout 2022, the producer and artist only maximized their rekindled momentum together on Winter Wolves and Zero Heroes.
However, they leapt forward by acknowledging the past with Blog Era — the 17-track record due February 3, 2023. “MIKE and I came up in the blog era,” notes XV. “Ten years ago it ended, and Soundcloud rap came around. We were making songs about what’s transpired since then. We’re catching everyone up on everything we’ve gone through. It’s a culmination of those moments.”
He kick-started this phase with “Caron Butler.” Named after the Washington Wizards small forward, the track found XV spitting with competitive spirit, practically leaving SUMMERS’s production in flames beneath his flow. “It was the perfect introduction to where I’m at now,” he observes. “I was in the game and played with the top dogs. I didn’t become Jordan or Lebron, but the best respected me. I’m from a small town like Caron Butler is. I’ve changed my life around since the age of 15. I still love being the underdog though. There are a lot of different stories on this album I’ve never told.”
