In fall 2026, music fans unfamiliar with ovrkast. discovered him as the target of a federal trademark lawsuit by legendary Atlanta rap duo Outkast. But fans know the Oakland, California rapper/producer has been working for a decade-plus: After a string of beat tapes and a placement on Earl Sweatshirt’s FEET OF CLAY, he’s released several solo projects with features by rappers like Navy Blue and Vince Staples, dropped a collaborative EP with Cardo Got Wings and landed a pair of beats on Drake’s For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition.

STRIKING follows 2025’s While the Iron Is Hot, and as guest Ant Bankx posits on the intro, is a meditation on acting decisively and becoming comfortable with failure while pursuing personal growth beyond traumatic circumstances. He and Joey Bada$$ reflect on difficult upbringings on “STATIC”, with ovrkast.’s voice cracking as he speaks of strained familial relationships. “HOME” finds more solace in the studio than around loved ones, and “KNOCK” welcomes previous collaborators Samara Cyn and MAVI for a trio of confident verses.

ovrkast. also serves a dynamic sonic palette: Jazzy horns, dusty drums, orchestral strings, sombre piano keys, off-kilter wails, sirens and video-game-adjacent synths are all masterfully employed. The project is only 32 minutes, but not a moment is wasted.

 

 

Lyrics:

Keep it 100 when the shit fold
X already had spliff rolled
I don’t even really smoke spliffs
I get carried with the wind tho
Blowing sticky out the window
How the hell you get tha info?
We don’t even really talk ever back
But you know you still my kinfolk
Niggas geekin off the intro
Wait until you hear the outro
Why you bringing all the doubt fo’
Niggas want it we about those
Niggas want it we about face how the couch taste got a mouth full
You running round with a pout face and you bout lazy I can’t come
Know im still playing when the-
Don’t really care if im right or im wrong
Know its apparent im lighting the throne
Don’t wanna share it im mighty alone
But know we get there if I
WINDO!

Michael Sneed:

Yeah, the wind blows
Yeah, the window
Yeah, tell them weirdos
Yeah, still striking

Yeah, i drift off
Yeah, i spin off
Yeah, seen miracles
Yeah, seen violence

Yeah, the wind blows
Yeah, the window
Yeah, tell them weirdos
Yeah, still striking

Yeah, the window
Yeah, the window
Yeah, the window
Yeah, the window

And I find myself in many situations that I can’t control
Maximize my trifling indignation in my tacky soul
Tapping soles, shoe can fit you later if you acting grown
But it cant get you places when you lacking focus

what?

I noticed, I saw it, seen it and wrote it
Applauding the people who quote it right
Often the meaning eroded
Awfully mean, they holding yo rights they want you to bleed and choke

Not getting me in the-
You not getting me I am going in flight

Michael Sneed:

Yeah, the wind blows
Yeah, the window
Yeah, tell them weirdos
Yeah, still striking

Yeah, i drift off
Yeah, i spin off
Yeah, seen miracles
Yeah, seen violence

Yeah, the wind blows
Yeah, the window
Yeah, tell them weirdos
Yeah, still striking

Yeah, the window
Yeah, the window
Yeah, the window
Yeah, the window