Maryland rap auteur IDK kicks off 2023 with his undeniable new single, “Radioactive.” It comes complete with a true-to-life video, which captures the creative energy that fills every bar of the song. Watch it above.
While some of IDK’s recent work captures subtle tones indebted to R&B and jazz, “Radioactive” was inspired by Baltimore’s dance scene and shows the versatility that has long made him one of the rappers best equipped to handle dance and electronic music. Over a pulsing beat, IDK veers from tightly clipped, technically precise runs to smartly harmonized passages, each compounding the other’s power. And yet it’s not the formal wizardry that sells the song – it’s the artist’s unwavering point of view. “Tryna’ off me?” he taunts at one point. “Not today.”
“Radioactive” is the latest in an impressive streak of daring new dispatches from IDK. This year alone has seen him drop a series of singles that captures that aforementioned range, which spans from the jazzy and avant-garde to hard-hitting: see “Coal,” “Monsieur Dior,” “Free Slime,” or “Drive.” IDK has managed all of this while hitting the road alongside Pusha-T for the Virginia icon’s It’s Almost Dry tour, where IDK has performed songs from Simple., his eight-track collaborative project with Grammy Award-winning DJ/producer Kaytranada.
This April will mark a major milestone for the multi-faceted artist as he is confirmed to play Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival for the very first time. No stranger to the festival circuit, IDK’s energetic and engaging live shows vibrate at the highest level. His NPR Tiny Desk performance perfectly captures the energy and heart he puts into each song.
IDK’s remarkable 2022 built on a massive 2021 — a year in which he released his sophomore LP, USEE4YOURSELF, launched his Apple Music 1 radio show, Radio Clue, and led a 10-day music business program at Harvard University in collaboration with No Label and partners NIKE, Logitech, GUESS, Brand Jordan, and Converse. In 2022, he extended his existing partnerships and added HBCUs to further his vision for No Label Academy. In November, he performed for thousands at Bison Madness, Howard University’s homecoming event in partnership with Jumpman.
IDK’s dedication to pushing boundaries is readily apparent on “Radioactive,” a track that showcases his versatility and knack for crafting killer hooks. It’s just a taste of what’s to come from his sophomore album release this year. He’s not letting his foot off the gas anytime soon. Buckle up!
ABOUT IDK:?
Short for Ignorantly Delivering Knowledge, IDK is as much a moniker as it is a mission. The Prince George’s County, Maryland, artist has long dedicated his life and art to presenting big ideas in accessible ways. Using witty lyricism, percussive flows, and a chameleonic musicality, IDK turns life lessons and philosophical musings into utter bangers. In the process, he’s become one of rap’s most inventive practitioners. His new album, USEE4YOURSELF, is his richest work yet, a sprawling meditation on love, materialism, masculinity, and the effects of a troubled upbringing. Loaded with unpredictable features and recollections from childhood, it’s a character study framed in fierce beats and blockbuster productions. It’s also a culmination for the man born Jason Mills, who began his musical journey behind bars about a decade ago. Through albums like Subtrap (2015), IWASVERYBAD (2017), and Is He Real? (2019) IDK built a proper body of work. And he using that foundation as a jump-off point for not just music, but action that enriches the world: his inquisitive Radio Clue Apple Music radio show; No Label Academy, his music biz course in collaboration with Nike and Harvard University; and his Clue Records, which in 2020 released IDK & FRIENDS 2, a soundtrack for Kevin Durant’s Basketball County: In the Water documentary full of DMV-area artists. As IDK puts it, with that trademark mix of flex and humor: “I’m in competition with myself and only me. And I’m whooping my ass every time.” using that foundation as a jump-off point for not just music, but action that enriches the world: his inquisitive Radio Clue Apple Music radio show; No Label Academy, his music biz course in collaboration with Nike and Harvard University; and his Clue Records, which in 2020 released IDK & FRIENDS 2, a soundtrack for Kevin Durant’s Basketball County: In the Water documentary full of DMV-area artists. In 2021 he dropped confessional and guest-laden album USEE4YOURSELF, which featured Young Thug, Offset, Swae Lee, the late great DMX, and more. The critcically acclaimed offering received praise from NPR, Billboard, Office, i-D, NME to name a few. His most recent project Simple. with Kaytranada finds both artists in peak form, pushing each other to new limits. As IDK puts it, with that trademark mix of flex and humor: “I’m in competition with myself and only me. And I’m whooping my ass every time.”
