Fresh off the success of LIFERS, which has amassed more than 5 million streams, Codefendants return in an entirely new form, joining forces with acclaimed Canadian producer Factor Chandelier for a gritty new collaborative hip-hop project. The first taste of that partnership arrives with “RAW,” a blistering new single featuring legendary Minneapolis emcee P.O.S. of Doomtree and released in collaboration with activist art collective Indecline.
While Codefendants have built their reputation by blurring the lines between punk, hip-hop and alternative music, this new collaboration with Factor Chandelier shifts the spotlight squarely onto the group’s underground rap roots. Together, Factor and Codefendants are crafting a hard-hitting project built around Factor’s cinematic production and the lyrical chemistry of Ceschi Ramos and Sam King, while welcoming some of underground hip-hop’s most respected voices into the fold.
The project’s debut single, “RAW,” is an anti-authoritarian anthem built from three distinct perspectives on life outside the systems that claim to define us. Across the track, Codefendants and P.O.S. explore themes of individual and collective resistance through surreal, apocalyptic imagery, questioning everything from policing and unchecked corporate power to partisan politics, religious hypocrisy, and the industries that profit from fear and division.
Rather than offering slogans or simple answers, “RAW” embraces the perspective of people who’ve never comfortably fit inside the lines. Inspired by the uncompromising spirit of Minor Threat’s landmark Out of Step EP and Richard Wright’s 1953 novel The Outsider, the trio delivers verses that celebrate individuality while rejecting the systems that seek to define it.
Produced entirely by Factor Chandelier, “RAW” showcases the Canadian beatsmith’s signature dusty drums, cinematic textures, and hard-hitting production, providing the perfect backdrop for Codefendants’ most hip-hop-driven material to date. The track serves as the opening chapter of a forthcoming collaborative album between Factor Chandelier and Codefendants, a project rooted in underground hip-hop while retaining the fearless songwriting that has defined the group’s evolution.
The collaboration also continues Codefendants’ growing presence within the underground rap community. Earlier this year, the group reunited with Death Row Records legend The D.O.C. on “Rivals” from LIFERS, following their acclaimed 2023 collaboration “Fast Ones” from THIS IS CRIMEWAVE—a release that marked The D.O.C.’s first new recorded performance in nearly two decades. Those collaborations, along with “RAW,” reinforce Codefendants’ reputation as artists equally respected within both the punk and hip-hop worlds.
Released in partnership with internationally renowned activist collective Indecline, “RAW” also arrives with a limited run of exclusive merchandise including a tactical duffle bag, Codefendants-branded bolt cutters, and other collector’s items created exclusively for the campaign. A portion of proceeds from every bundle sold will benefit the Immigrant Defense Project, supporting its ongoing mission to defend the rights of immigrants and refugees.
With “RAW,” Factor Chandelier and Codefendants aren’t simply releasing another single—they’re launching a new creative chapter, one rooted in uncompromising underground hip-hop, fearless political commentary, and collaborations with some of the genre’s most respected voices.
Codefendants Live:
July 26 – Long Beach, CA – Warped Tour
August 4 – Sioux Falls, SD – Don Cocktails & Casino
August 5 – Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
August 6 – Colorado Springs, CO – Ford Amphitheater
August 29 – Eaton, OH – Mitch X Fest
September 18 – Tuscaloosa, AL – Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater
September 19 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life
October 4 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock
November 15–19 – Sublime Cruise – Sailing from Miami, FL
