Collage by Tony Morales
There is no bigger stage to premiere music than at the worldâs largest hip-hop festival, Rolling Loud. This past weekend, the L.A. crowd was the first to see Playboi Cartiâs Music turn into kinetic energy. An emotional end to the festival as the rap star performs past curfew saying, âF- the budget, play the f- songâ.
Precedent to this yearâs premiere, Future and Metro first performed âLike Thatâ on the closing Sunday last year. The catalyst to a rap battle that brought many ears to West Coast rap music.
Following this Rolling Loud tradition, we caught up with our rising West Coast artist and asked âWhat do you have planned for the remainder of 2025?â
Music announcements premiering for the first-time backstage at Rolling Loud 2025!
AJ, the One and L.A. Wray
Hometown lyricists AJ, the One and L.A. Wray spoke to us about a 2025 project in the works. The two have previously collaborated, bringing backyard bounce to the forefront in 2022âs âNervousâ.
AJ the One: I’m looking forward to my next project. You know, I just dropped in October, Told You Not to FWM, an EP. It was lovely, but I want to drop a full length mixtape where I could just be super creative and get my visuals going.
I just also dropped a music video last month, so y’all go check that out, âHuff and Puffâ. I just want to drop more, man. It’s time.
L.A. Wray: âRight now we’re working on a collab tape. A collab album. Let me not try to downplay it. With that we’re working with Mike and Keys. So we’re the first female rappers that they’re working with. So I’m excited for that.
Mark Lux
A few days before we ran into Mark Lux backstage, his team had announced Markâs music will appear in the forthcoming Briarcliff Entertainmentâs animated film, Sneaks. When I asked about the appearance, he thanked Mustard and 10summers for the opportunity. What more does Mark Lux have planned for the rest of 2025?
âMark Lux : Dropping my album. It’s gonna change the world.
Tony: What’s a phrase to describe the upcoming album?
Mark: Silver lining. We’re gonna find the silver lining.
DaBoii
One bad thing to come from Rolling Loud isâŠthe feeling you get the day after. As I try to re-sing the weekendâs soundtrack to friends, the only name they recognize is SOB X RBEâs DaBoii. A group cemented in California history similar to Shoreline Mafia, it was only right I asked DaBoii about his collaboration with Fenix Flexin in âDaboii Flexinâ.
Tony: What’s your experience been here, coming to L.A.?
DaBoii: I lived in the outskirts of L.A., like, as soon as the n- start getting a little bit of money. When I was out here, I was f- with a lot of motherfuckers. I done built a lot of relationships.
I was only out here for a year, though, but a n- got so much work done.
That’s song with me and Fenix you talkinâ about, we probably did that at like 2019, you feel me? We just dropped it in 2024. Me and Fenix, we still got tape on the way, you know what I’m sayin. Itâs only a matter of timing.
Pofsky
One of the West Coast platforms covering Rolling Loud alongside us is Undrgrnd Magazine. A digital and physical magazine that has highlighted many of the artist on past and present Rolling Loud lineups such as AzChike, G Perico and Lefty Gunplay. We caught up with one of their founders and rising artist, Pofsky.
Pofsky: I’m promoting my new album, Underground to the Mainstream. Going on tour with Steven G soon. âIn the past, like six months or so, I’ve really dialed in my sound. Went to Atlanta got a Zaytoven beat, so I’m just really working on the whole shit. Getting in like an R& B kind of pocket.
India Lendsey: Do you have a release date for us?
Pofsky: I’m looking for like June, July at the latest.
Keep an eye out for our coverage of those projects to come!