Cash Cobain

New York-based rapper and producer Cash Cobain is the main architect of a playful, melodic variation on drill known as sexy drill. Taking influence from Jersey club rap as well as contemporary R&B, his tracks favor lush, summery textures and lightly punchy kick drums over icy trap beats, and his lyrics are lighthearted, clever, and sexual rather than violent or confrontational. Though he began releasing music during the mid-2010s, his career (and the sexy drill scene at large) took off around 2022, when Cobain released 2 Slizzy 2 Sexy (with Chow Lee). By 2024, he had worked with several mainstream rappers, including Drake, Lil Yachty, and J. Cole, while receiving attention for his own singles such as “Fisherrr” and “Rump Punch.” Cashmere Small was born in the Bronx and later moved to Queens. He taught himself to create beats using music software at a young age, often using samples of songs he happened to hear during everyday life. Early mixtapes like 2016′s Cobain consisted of melodic trap songs, and his music became more upbeat and playful with releases such as 2018′s Flee Cobain (with Flee). He regularly collaborated with rappers like 2219 Lee, Matthew Ali, and Sliick, and the sexy drill sound began to crystallize with the release of Cobain and Chow Lee’s club-friendly 2 Slizzy 2 Sexy in 2022. The EP Slizzy Day and full-length Pretty Girls Love Slizzy appeared in 2023, while Cobain made songs with Lil Yachty and had a co-production credit on Drake’s For All the Dogs. Cobain released or was featured on several charting singles in 2024. His single “Fisherrr” (with Bay Swag) was released in a remix featuring Ice Spice, and Cobain’s single “Dunk Contest” was given an extra verse by J. Cole and retitled “Grippy.” Additionally, Cobain guested on A Boogie wit da Hoodie’s “Body” and Don Toliver’s “Attitude” (also featuring Charlie Wilson). Cobain’s single “Rump Punch” appeared in June. ~ Paul Simpson