The last time 28-year-old Kevin Abstract joined us in the studio was as part of BROCKHAMPTON way back in 2019. At that point he was already three solo albums deep (if you include his 2014 mixtape MTV1987), but as the founding member of sprawling, genre-splicing “boyband,” BROCKHAMPTON were still the centripetal force. By 2022 the group which was formed partially with friends in high school and partially via a Kanye West fan forum, were on permanent hiatus. Never say never, the members are still collabing here and there, and that includes with Abstract, but in the meantime the rapper/singer/producer/creative director/filmmaker has been carving his own assured path, including 2023 scuzzy indie rock swerve Blanket.

After sliding into Zach’s DMs, Abstract — joined by collaborators Quadeca and Love Spells — joined us on the couch to lift the lid on his latest opus BLUSH. It’s a record he likens to a movie, with an expansive cast including Dominic Fike, Truly Young, JPEGMAFIA, Drigo, to name a few. He’s seeking to craft a Warholian, Factory-like creative vibe. He talks to us about all this, plus the heartbreak and breakup that both fueled the album and inspired him to move back to Texas to reset — both emotionally and creatively.

He also discusses what he learned from working with Jack Antonoff, how he often writes music from a place of survival or chaos, the story of how he and Fike became so tight, and so much more. On this record — after years of estrangement and a lot of work done — Abstract also reconnected and began working with former BROCKHAMPTON member (and his high school friend) Ameer Vann, who parted ways with the group following sexual misconduct allegations in 2018. You don’t want to miss this conversation.

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