In today’s music environment Working On Dying is
“Working On Dying, though nihilistic by perception,
known as a producer collective on the ascent. Through
their work with bonafide stars such as Future, Lil Uzi Vert
and Matt Ox, WOD have become a household name.
They are positioned to be the next collective crowned
‘super producers’. Before their mainstream takeover, the
Philadelphia based collective had been pioneers in the
underground world. Their transcendent sound and clas-
sic projects with a bevy of underground artists (such as
Black Kray and Chxpo) fuelled their underground domi-
nance. Prior to the countless Uzi placements, WOD had
established their collective as a ‘cult-like’ movement.
Mainstream or underground, Working On Dying are
heavy hitters. In this edition of LO-FI: The Magazine we
will chronicle the rise and rise of Working On Dying. How
exactly did WOD go from producing classics with under-
ground legends to producing for industry superstars?
Find out below.
2012-15: WORKING ON DYING BEGINS
The Working On Dying collective is made up of F1LTHY, Oogie-
mane, Forza, Brandon Finessin’, The Loosieman, Gans-3M (AKA
WOD Jarek), and YOLA. Producers make up the majority of the
clique, whilst Gans and Yola work on other mediums within the
crew. Gans’ main focus is the WOD clothing line, despite having
produced a handful of tracks for other artists. Whilst YOLA is an
artist/ stylist who is best known for his viral renditions of Lil B’s
signature ‘cooking dance’. The formation of ‘Working On Dying’
occurred over several months. Their first release was a self titled
beat tape which featured production from: F1LTHY, Oogiemane,
The Loosieman and Forza. The origin story of WOD dates back
to 2012 when F1LTHY first started producing. Inspired by the
peak of the underground movement, F1LTHY began to hone his
skills on Fruity Loops. F1LTHY then passed on his Fruity Loops
proficiency to his younger brother Oogie Mane. Oogie, who went
to school with Brandon Finessin’, Forza and Lil Uzi Vert, began
to share and compare production tips with Brandon Finessin’.
Forza would join Brandon and Oogie on the producing wave
about a year later. The Loosieman, who was rapping as Declan?
Met F1LTHY and Oogie through their Godbrother Jarek (AKA
Gans-3M). The pieces for the Working On Dying recipe were
beginning to fall into place. Over the span of a year, the Philly
kids had built the foundation for the WOD movement. The term
‘Working On Dying’ was coined by Loosieman after his father
tragically passed away. The term, which was created at one of
the lowest points imaginable, became the term which galva-
nized the Philly group. ‘Working On Dying’, though nihilistic by
perception, is simply an expression which personifies the lives
that we lead. Everyday we are Working On Dying, some more
than others. With the group established and the first ‘Working On
Dying’ tape released, the Philly collective were ready to spread
their wings. The collective had sown their seeds. An in-depth
look at their debut tape shows that they had the blueprint right
from the beginning.
The Loosieman Presents: ‘Working On Dying’ was released
in 2014. The tape features instrumental and acapella blends,
from the members of what would become known as ‘Working
On Dying’. Before the manic ‘Tread’ era, the WOD sound was
very sparse. 808s, chops and hi-hats collide with eerie synths
reminiscent of Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze and Erik Wøllo.
This debut effort gives listeners an insight into the WOD move-
ment at its infancy. WOD instantly differentiated themselves from
other producers by blending Gucci Mane verses and TED Talks
with their eerie elements. In retrospect, ‘Working On Dying’ was
a solid debut effort from the Philadelphia natives. The recipe for
success was being concocted. With their movement in its early
stages, WOD would begin to earn placements with some of the
biggest stars in the underground game.
The first notable placements for the WOD crew came in late
2013. Oogie Mane produced multiple tracks for legends Xavier
Wulf and Chris Travis. Wulf’s tracks: ‘The Alpha K9’ and ‘Big
Wulf’ (off of the To Be Continued EP), featured beats from the
prodigious producer. Chris Travis’ tracks: ‘Another Planet’,
‘Night Ryder’ and ‘Free Gucci’ were produced by Oogie. Enter-
ing 2014, Oogie had became a producer to watch. Due to his
placements with the ‘East Memphis Boyz’. A placement on Lil
Uzi Vert’s ‘The Real Uzi’ mixtape, the track ‘Whippin’, furthered
Oogie’s emergence on the underground radar. These sporadic
placements put Working On Dying on the map. For them to tru-
ly prosper a reciprocal relationship had to be established with
other collectives. Black Kray, Goth Money and Gwallah Gang
(known as Snobmobb at the time) provided this relationship. To-
gether WOD, Gwallah Gang and Goth Money would take the
underground scene over. These movements fused together to
create a classic era in the underground.
The WOD, Goth Money and Gwallah Gang supergroup started
off in a rather nondescript manner. F1LTHY produced ‘30 Goth
Tearz’ off the Black Kray classic ‘700 Dagreez’. This initial place-
ment can be viewed as the starting point for the WOD, Goth,
Gwallah connection. An opportunity to link with Bootychaaain
and La Goony Chonga in Philadelphia arose for the WOD crew.
Working with Bootychaaain and La Goony Chonga in person al-
lowed WOD to increase their rapport with Gwallah Gang and
Goth Money. F1LTHY would produce Bootychaaain’s under-
ground hit ‘On Da Job’ and the majority of the ‘SKRRRICTLY
4 DA SLUTZ EP’. The music Gwallah Gang and WOD created
was some of the rawest in the underground at the time. With
WOD’s connection to Gwallah Gang and Goth Money solidified,
the Philly producers began to garner consistent placements on
high-profile underground songs and projects. During the infant
stages of the WOD, Gwallah, Goth connection, Working On Dy-
ing produced the following songs: ‘Lil Earnhardt’, ‘Count it Up’,
‘Aunty OKAAAY’, ‘Gucci Mane Wrist’, ‘Thousand Rose’, ‘Fuck
Da Guwap I Been Rich’, ‘Try Harder’, ‘Digital’, ‘So Daym Hot’,
‘25 Cellphones’, ‘Titanic’, ‘Get Away From Me’, ‘96 Degreez’
and ‘Beauty Pageant Wrist’. Throughout 2014, 2015 and 2016,
Working On Dying were producing straight piff for the Gwallah
Goth Money Gang. During this period WOD would become more
than a typical production collective. WOD would manifest them-
selves as a full fledged movement during this era. The ‘Tread’
movement ensured WOD was entrenched as an underground
powerhouse.
Working On Dying had spent 2015 building their platform.
Once the crew had gained placements with some of the under-
ground’s top stars, they began to work on a sequel to the initial
Working On Dying mixtape. Unlike the first installment, which
was merely instrumentals blended with acapellas, ‘Working On
Dying Vol.2’ features exclusive songs and beats which were
produced by the upstart crew. The tape features tracks from
: GrandeMarshall, Lil Zubin, Bootychaaain, Kemet Dank (Dank
God), Black Kray, Dizzy Santana and Marcy Mane. This project
exemplifies the sound of the WOD family at the time. Ethere-
al, Tangerine Dream-like soundscapes which were fuelled by
hard-hitting 808s and unique synths. ‘Working On Dying Vol.2’
is the perfect insight into the Philly producers early sounds. This
project features several classic cuts: ‘Red Cups (Marcy Mane)’,
‘Shyne 4 U (Bootychaaain and Lil Zubin)’, ‘25 Phones (Marcy
Mane)’, ‘Prada Walkin (Black Kray)’ and ‘Who Said We Couldn’t
do This Together (Bootychaaain)’. The melancholic instrumen-
tals: ‘Labatt Blue’, ‘Valvoline’, ‘Look at me Now’, ‘6 Dolla Ports’
and ‘I Forgive You’ are also essential listens off of the ‘Working
On Dying Vol.2’ project. The blend of instrumentals and exclu-
sive songs ensures the tape encompasses the Working On Dy-
ing movement. This project is another element which laid the
platform for the continued rise of WOD.
3 4
is simply an expression which personifies the lives
that we lead. Everyday we are Working On Dying,
some more than others”
2016-17: THE ‘TREAD’ a flawless tape. The transcendent mixtape helped kickstart the
‘Tread’ era. With the newfound ‘Tread’ mentality, the WOD, Goth,
MOVEMENT EXPLODES
Gwallah connection proved to be a match made in heaven.
The second full-length project between Working On Dying and
Sickboyrari was ‘Working Out Da Mud’. This time, production
At the dawn of the ‘Tread’ wave, Working On Dying had estab-
lished themselves as underground stalwarts. F1LTHY, Loosie-
was handled by the entire WOD family. ‘Working Out Da Mud’
features beats from Brandon Finessin’, Forza, F1LTHY, Gans-
man and Oogie Mane’s producer tags became synonymous
3M, Oogie Mane and Loosieman. On ‘Working Out Da Mud’
with underground classics. The WOD, Gwallah, Goth connection
their ‘Tread’ sound had matured into a frenetic, limit breaking
had catapulted them to the forefront of the scene. Working On
beast. ‘Working Out Da Mud’ is another gem which cements the
Dying ensured they would become known as more than pro-
‘Tread’ era’s legacy. ‘Shitty Sickboy’ and ‘Working Out Da Mud’
ducers by transforming WOD into a full fledged brand. By 2015
are essential listens for those looking to experience the ‘Tread’
WOD began selling merch and producing visual content. With a
era. In addition to ‘Shitty Sickboy’ and ‘Working Out Da Mud’,
plethora of classics and sought after merchandise, all that was
WOD would produce several classics for other underground art-
left was to find a term to describe their otherworldly sonic expe-
ists throughout the ‘Tread’ wave.
rience. This came to life when Bootychaaain invented the term
Gwallah Gang and Working On Dying released a series of
‘Tread’. ‘Tread’ encapsulated WOD’s progression from synth
classic singles which helped pioneer the ‘Tread’ movement. The
heavy ambience into the frenetic, fast-paced mania WOD would
singles: ‘Lil Ho’ (Bootychaaain), ‘They On Me’ (Bootychaaain),
become known for. The Tread era would go on to cement the
‘Gwallah Girlz’ (Bootychaaain), ‘Juice’ (Bootychaaain), ‘Yellow
Philly producers as legends in the underground scene.
Raincoat’ (Bootychaaain), ‘Numba 1’ (Bootychaaain), ‘Spendin’
Throughout the ‘Tread’ era, Working On Dying continued its
(La Goony Chonga), ‘Yo Se’ (La Goony Chonga), ‘Buena Y Gua-
ascension in the music world. Collaborations with: Lil Yachty,
pa’ (La Goony Chonga) and ‘Cash On Me’ (La Goony Chonga)
CHXPO, 5 Finger Posse, Wifigawd, Pollari, Lucki Ecks and the
were instrumental in establishing the ‘tread’ wave. These high
Goth Money/Gwallah Gang conglomerate elevated WOD’s
energy singles display the progression from both the WOD crew
profile. These groundbreaking collaborations coupled with the
and Gwallah Gang from their previous collaboration: ‘SKRR-
progression of their sound into the frenzy now known as ‘Tread’
RICTLY 4 DA SLUTZ EP’. The dawn of ‘tread’ illustrated the evo-
allowed the group’s profile to grow exponentially. In the ear-
lution of Working On Dying and the extended Goth Gwallah fam-
ly years, F1LTHY, Loosieman and Oogie Mane, were the flag
ily. Through the release of classic projects with Sickboyrari and
bearers for the flourishing movement. With their own sub-genre
classic singles with Gwallah Gang, the ‘tread’ movement be-
established, Brandon Finessin’ and Forza became household
came established in the underground world. Although we were
names during the ‘Tread’ era. The ‘Tread’ movement brought
never blessed with a full ‘tread’ project from Gwallah Gang and
fans constant classics. The ‘Tread’ era demonstrated how ahead
Working On Dying, their body of work together signifies the dy-
of the curve WOD was at establishing themselves as a brand. A
namic chemistry these two parties shared. Bootychaaain coined
content explosion would occur throughout this timespan. Work-
the ‘tread’ term and the Gwallah Gang’s initial ‘tread’ anthems
ing On Dying started to host/throw live shows, post vlog style
were some of the hardest tracks to spawn from this era.
YouTube content, continue rolling out merch and they started a
The emergence of Chxpo was in sync with WOD transformation
weekly release series known as ‘Tread Tuesdays’. ‘Tread Tues-
into ‘Tread’. Chxpo’s muddy Chief Keef-esque stylings were a
day’s’ were WOD’s answer to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Friday’s.
perfect fit for the loud, bass driven nature of the ‘Tread’ sound-
Every Tuesday F1LTHY and the WOD crew would release new
scape. Once Chxpo and WOD linked their dynamic chemistry
content. Whether it was a new single, a new instrumental or a
was on full display. Chxpo would collab with Working On Dying
brand new mixtape. ‘Tread Tuesday’s’ gave their fans consistent
on the following projects: 215+1(Produced by Working On Dy-
content. It kept people in tune with the WOD movement. Work-
ing), 9000 Paths Of Madness: Episode 1 (Produced by Oogie
ing On Dying were taking ownership of their wave. Once they
Mane), Finessin’ Habits (Produced by Brandon Finessin’) and
found their niche, they started to flood the internet with content
9000 Paths of Madness: Episode 2 (Produced by Oogie Mane).
from every medium. Their constant content separated Working
These EPs brought another element to the ‘Tread’ movement.
On Dying from every other producer or producer collective in
The lively connection between Chxpo and WOD produced clas-
the underground at the time. During the ‘Tread’ movement WOD
sic material. With Goth Money and Gwallah Gang, Working On
had cultivated and brought to life their own wave. This unique
Dying were working with artists who were already established
‘wave’ was fuelled by a group of transcendent collaborative proj-
in the underground world. Working with the upstart Chxpo gave
ects. These classic projects ensure the ‘Tread’ era will forever
WOD a chance to break an artist through to the wider under-
live on in underground lore.
ground scene. The collaborations with Chxpo proved that Work-
Over the initial years of the WOD journey, the producers had
ing On Dying’s sound was capable of expanding an artist’s fan-
developed a strong working relationship with Black Kray AKA
base. Chxpo and the WOD workshop spawned several classic
Sickboyrari. With a litany of classic singles between the two
songs: Mobb, Houstonlantavegas, Dragon Blood, Bullets Rain-
parties, the next step was to work on a collaborative project.
ing, Hashirama and BVNDGXD. These EPs were instrumental in
Working On Dying would eventually work on two full-length col-
making the ‘Tread’ era special.
laborative projects with the legend Black Kray. Two of the best
Other artists that WOD worked with on full length projects were:
in their respective fields came together to create history. The first
Five Finger Posse and Wifigawd. WOD worked extensively with
tape was a collaboration between F1LTHY and Sickboyrari en-
5FP on the following mixtapes: Strip Season (Sub9K & Forza),
titled ‘Shitty Sickboy’. Released in December 2015, Shitty Sick-
Freeza Burn (5G & Oogie Mane), Horror Block 2k55 (Alvin
boy shook the underground world to its core. ‘Shitty Sickboy’ is
Abyss & Oogie Mane), Blood Diamondz EP (Sub 9k & Oogie
Mane), 1990 Morgue (Morgue, Oogie Mane and Forza), Hood
Goth (Yung Mojo & Forza) and Trapped in the Trenches (Five
Finger Posse & Working On Dying). Oogie Mane collaborated
with Wifigawd on the mixtape ‘Trenches to Riches’. Working On
Dying also produced several singles off of other Wifigawd proj-
ects. Wifigawd and Five Finger Posse brought the dark punk
rock energy to the tread movement. Their youthful exuberance
allowed Wifigawd and Five Finger Posse to match the frenetic
nature of the ‘Tread’ soundscape. WOD’s work with Wifigawd
and Five Finger Posse is some of the rarest music of the ‘Tread’
era. These tapes are essential listens for all ‘Tread’ heads.
“The Tread era would go on to cement
the Philly producers as legends in the
underground scene”
Working On Dying’s profile rose exponentially throughout the
‘Tread’ era. As their profile rose, so did their opportunities to
produce for artists in the underground scene and beyond. The
WOD crew produced tracks for: Lucki Ecks (‘Thank God’, ‘Fuck
Everybody’, ‘She Love Me’, ‘Options’, ‘Beam Me Up’), Warhol.ss
(‘Rondo’, ‘12 Ozs’, ‘Let Me In’), Drain Gang (‘Dead Inside Dark
Outside’), Pollari (‘Fishscale’, ‘Jordan Belfort’), Lil Tracy (‘All I
Wanna Know’, ‘Gorilla’, ‘Fell Asleep in the Bando’), The Khan
(‘Vices’) and Lil Yachty (‘Killa Killa’, ‘Yea’, ‘Follies’). The ‘Tread’
movement produced countless classics. The Working On Dy-
ing crew were solidified as some of the hottest producers in the
game. F1LTHY, Loosieman, Oogie Mane, Forza and Brandon
Finessin always possessed a transcendent sound. Once their
transcendent sound became unified under the ‘Tread’ umbrella
their dominance began. ‘Tread’ catapulted WOD into being the
most sought after producers in the underground. Sitting atop
of the underground wasn’t enough for the prodigious produc-
ers. They were looking to break down doors in the mainstream
scene. The youth from their own city, Philadelphia, would pro-
vide them with this opportunity. As the ‘Tread’ era came to a
close, a brand new door burst open.
F1LTHY discovered Matt Ox after his song ‘Pretty Penny’ went
relatively viral on Twitter. Matt Ox, who was 11 years old at the
time, immediately linked with F1LTHY and the WOD crew. The
two parties began collaborating on music instantly. Their first
series of ‘Tread’ collaborations made waves amongst the under-
ground community. Music videos for the songs ‘Michael Myers’,
‘This N That’, ‘Lowkey’, and ‘Climbers’ were released. These mu-
sic videos put Matt Ox on the radar of the underground fans. His
‘child star’ factor was evident from these initial ‘Tread’ releases.
‘Tread’ made Matt Ox an 11-12 year old phenom. ‘Overwhelm-
ing’ made Matt Ox and in turn Working On Dying viral super-
stars. The fidget-spinner laden video was one of the biggest viral
hits of 2017. The Oogie Mane produced hit was nothing short of
genius. As ‘Overwhelming’ grew in views by the millions, it was
only a matter of time before the music industry became hip to
the proficiency of the WOD crew. Matt Ox’s meteoric rise led to
a Noisey feature, articles in every mainstream publication and
an LA show alongside Chief Keef. As Matt Ox rose, Working on
Dying rose with him. The greatness of the ‘Tread’ era had placed
the group of Philly producers on the cusp of the mainstream mu-
sic industry. With a young viral phenom in tow, WOD was poised
to infiltrate the industry. What came next was history.
The ‘Tread’ era was one of the most impactful waves to touch
the underground. It restored the underground feeling in a time
period where it was desperately needed. The ‘Tread’ sound
brought a brand new energy to often beleaguered underground
fans. The limit-breaking, frenetic paced beats of the Working On
Dying crew changed the underground forever. Gwallah Gang
and Goth Money helped pioneer the ‘Tread’ movement with
classic singles and projects. Wifigawd and Five Finger Posse
brought the youthful, punk rock energy to the movement. Some
of the rap game’s biggest artists blessed ‘Tread’ beats. Matt
Ox’s viral hit ensured Working On Dying took the leap to the
mainstream. Prices were going up. The world would soon take
notice of the greatness that is Working On Dying.
2018: MAINSTREAM ASCENSION
‘I’m Upset’ was WOD’s crowning moment. The third single off of
Drake’s studio album ‘Scorpion’ was produced by Working On
Dying’s own Oogie Mane. From the depths of the underground
to the top of the mainstream. Their constant grind and creation
of classic projects had paid off. WOD had reached the peak of
their profession. They achieved arguably the biggest placement
possible in the rap game. Working On Dying had officially ar-
rived on the mainstream scene. The bedroom producer collec-
tive, who started out as a group of friends, organically rose to the
top of the food chain. After ascending to the mainstream world,
Working On Dying ensured they wouldn’t fumble the bag. WOD
would begin to gain placements with some of the Rap world’s
most proficient artists. An old friend would help them on this new
journey.
Oogie Mane’s Drake placement sent the WOD movement into
the stratosphere. Their ascent into the music industry had final-
ly commenced. The Philly natives would clique up with anoth-
er Philly talent to create some of the most anticipated music in
recent memory. This Philly talent was none other than Lil Uzi
Vert. Oogie Mane, Brandon Finessin and Forza’s old schoolmate
had come back into the picture. Their relationship had come full
circle. At WOD’s studio in North Philly, Uzi has collabed on hun-
dreds of songs with the WOD producers. ‘Sanguine Paradise’
(Produced by Oogie Mane and Brandon Finessin) and That’s a
Rack (Produced by Oogie Mane and Nick Mira) were the first of-
ficial releases from the WOD and Uzi combo. It is assumed that
Working On Dying production will be heavily featured on Uzi’s
anticipated studio album ‘Eternal Atake’. Unfortunately several
of the WOD produced cuts that were intended for Eternal Atake
have leaked. These leaks may have lowered the surprise factor
of the WOD and Uzi collabs but their presence on Eternal Atake
is almost a certainty. The Philly connection is in full effect. After
producing for two of the biggest artists in the Rap game, Lil Uzi
Vert and Drake, the WOD wave was destined to spread to sev-
eral other upcoming artists and legends.
“They [Working On Dying] ex-
ceeded the notion of producers
and did everything in their power
to become a movement”
5 6
WOD’s profile was rising in the music industry. As their pro-
file rose, so did their immense production discography. During
their industry ascent WOD has worked with a who’s who of art-
ists. Oogie Mane produced the Future and Juice WRLD single
‘WRLD on Drugs’. Oogie has also produced for: Yung Bans,
Key!, Robb Banks and Playboi Carti. In terms of placements,
Oogie appears to be WOD’s main event. Their shining star. As
long as Oogie shines, so does the extended Working On Dying
family. WOD also produced a full-length project for the Euro-
pean enigma Bladee. Heading in to 2020, WOD’s progression
through the mainstream appears to be solidified.
Despite Working On Dying’s ascendance into the mainstream,
they have stayed true to their Philly roots. They continued work-
ing with and guiding the young phenom Matt Ox. Who released
his debut album ‘OX’. ‘OX’ featured several beats from WOD.
Contains features from Chief Keef, Valee and Key. Matt Ox’s de-
but studio effort was well received by fans and critics alike. The
release of ‘OX’ was a coming of age for Matt Ox and WOD. The
progression from ‘Overwhelming’ to ‘OX’ was colossal. Apart
from Matt Ox, WOD have been working closely with other Philly
artists. Quadie Diesel and Asaad are frequent collaborators
with Working On Dying. The eccentric Quadie and avant-garde
Asaad bring different elements to the WOD soundscape. WOD
working with these Philly artists shows that WOD are actively
trying to put on for their city. They may be ascending through
the mainstream but their sound will never be compromised. Cre-
ating classics is still the Working On Dying way.
How has WOD broken through the ceiling? What dynamic has
fuelled this continued success? From the outside looking in,
WOD has always had the vision to become something greater
than music. Since the inception of ‘Tread’, it’s evident that Work-
ing on Dying was hellbent on being a movement in the vein of
808 Mafia rather than being just an ordinary group of producers.
Whether it was dropping fire merch, classic tapes, editions of
WOD radio, episodes of ‘Tread It Up’ or throwing raw under-
ground shows, WOD ensured their content flooded the internet
from every angle. On the come up, WOD covered every base
possible. They exceeded the notion of producers and did every-
thing in their power to become a movement. This content over-
load undoubtedly contributed to their meteoric rise.
The dynamic of the group is another reason WOD have risen to
the top of the music world. F1LTHY’s willingness to lead behind
the scenes and take a back seat in the spotlight has been vital
to the group’s success. The early Working On Dying placements
were mainly from F1LTHY (often with Loosieman on co-produc-
tion). Tapes and singles such as : ‘Shitty Sickboy’, ‘On Da Job’,
‘30 Goth Tearz’ and So Daym Hot’ built the foundation for the
‘Tread’ movement. Oogie Mane, Brandon Finessin and Forza
became extremely proficient during the aforementioned ‘Tread’
movement and the mainstream rise. F1LTHY’s selflessness and
WOD’s intuitive knowledge to play their roles allowed Working
On Dying to become bigger than music. Working On Dying is a
true family.
The rise and rise of Working On Dying is an exemplar of suc-
cess in the modern music environment. The Philadelphia bred
producers progressed from the trenches of the underground to
the heights of the mainstream. The ‘Tread’ movement, which was
pioneered by WOD, Gwallah Gang and Goth Money established
WOD as an upstart movement. Through a tireless work ethic and
transcendent sound WOD became the underground’s version of
808 Mafia. Matt Ox’s viral hit allowed WOD to bring their sound
to the mainstream world. Working On Dying hasn’t looked back
since. Placements with Drake, Future, Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi
Carti shows that Working On Dying are in a position to dominate
the Rap scene over the next few years. Their star is constantly
rising. Whether we like it or not, we are all Working On Dying.
 Everything about you is rare. From your online pres-
ence, to your personal style, to your enthusiasm about
metal. You are the embodiment of what I feel most
underground kids try to portray. What sparked your
interest in Metal? And how do you stay ahead of the
curve style-wise?
Just growing up in Maryland alone, you’re surrounded by
so many metal/hardcore bands. You got Dying Fetus, Pig
Destroyer, Visceral Disgorge, Full of Hell, Pulling Teeth,
Trapped Under Ice, Stout, Turnstile… I could go on but
you see my point? There’s always shows going on in the
DMV area. I was definitely one of those kids with the camo
shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt crowd killing at shows smh
lol. As fas as style, musically, I honestly don’t feel like I’m
ahead of anything, I just like what I like.
In your opinion, who are the true legends of the under-
ground scene?
Man listen. If it weren’t for… in this order:
- Three 6 Mafia
- Gucci Mane
- Soulja Boy
- Chief Keef
NONE of this shit would be possible. None of it. So, sa-
lute to them. Seriously.
What is the process behind your production? Where
do you draw inspiration from? and what program(s)
do you use to create your beats?
I honestly don’t really have a specific “process”. I can
draw inspiration from anywhere frfr. I don’t even know how
to describe it. Sometimes I’ll sample shit, sometimes I’ll
IN THE TRENCHES: AN INTERVIEW
play my shit out or do a mixture of both, it all depends on
what direction I wanna go with the song.
I use good ole FL 11.2 for everythingggggg.
WITH PENTAGRVM
What future projects do you have in store?
Me and Amber London been working on a tape since
2017. We’re adding the finishing touches on that. So be
Pentagrvm is a true OG of the underground world. With placements from the most prominent artists on the look out for that maybe early 2020.
in the game, he has established himself as somewhat of a super producer. His commitment to staying I’m working on putting together another compilation tape
true to the game has led to collaborations with: Black Kray, Amber London, Kirb La Goop, Cold Hart but that won’t be finish til mid 2020. There’s rumors of
and several other standout acts. His clean, distinct, diverse and unique sound has entrenched him as a Bootychaaain x Pentagrvm tape in the super cut that
one of the great producers in this new age era. Forever low-key and on his grind, we caught up with probably won’t ever come out lol. 2015 type shit. But we’ll
Pentagrvm to learn more about the production wizard. see
Where are you from/ currently based?
I’m originally from PG County, Maryland but I moved to the Bay Area in 2016 How would you describe your sound to those who
may be unfamiliar?
What is the origin story of Pentgrvm? Where did you get your name from? And How did you get in to producing/ Adventurous & whimsical.
making music?
I got my name from Gorgoroth’s 1992 EP titled “Pentagram”. When I first heard of the band, I immediately searched Any advice for upcoming producers looking to get on
the internet for their discography, interviews and all that. But out of all their albums, Pentagram stood out the most the scene?
to me. It’s funny because before I went by “Pentagrvm” I went by “Promethean Lord” and “Shinigami”. But I decided You don’t have to dye your hair some stupid color or get
both those names sucked and I noticed a lotttt of people started using different variations of my names so I stuck with stupid face tattoos to be successful or to have a solid,
Pentagrvm. loyal fan base. I didn’t have to do none of that goofy shit
I got into producing because of my homie Swizzy back from around the way lol. He put me on to FL in like 2009/2010. and I have fans all over the world.
He showed me how to sample, how to make melodies, install plugins, ect. He knew it all. I would have him come over Don’t do shit for attention, make music because you love
almost everyday in the during the summer showing him shit I made and how fast I was learning shit. He actually helped it and want to express it to the world.
me make that “Baby Ski Mask” beat for Kray. He’s “J3” hahah. I don’t think he makes beats anymore though.
Who’s got next up in the rap game?
You have produced for an endless list of legends and pioneers. What are some of the gems in your production Money Man go krazy
discography?
I’m not even gon hold you, I really fuck with the beats I did on my most recent projects I dropped with Cam Weathers
(Slurred Disciples EP) & my other project with Supasortahuman (Stressed Out EP) . Definitely peep those tapes.
9 10
What fashion labels are you fuckin’ with at the mo-
ment?
I just be wearin’ Utmost, FTP or old band T’s from high
school n shit lol.
Outside of producing, do you pursue any other hus-
tles/ hobbies/ interests?
Ahhhh, lol all I can say is I do some administrative work
within the cannabis industry. If I’m not making beats or
doing that shit, I’m in the crib watching Star Trek or some
toxic ass tv show lol.
Favorite Halo, Halo Map, and weapon? And further-
more what other games were you fuckin’ with back in
the day?
Favorite Maps: Guardian, Citadel, Lockout, Blackout,
Construct & Epitaph
Favorite Halo: Halo 2
Favorite Weapon: Battle Rifle
Okay so, growing up my first system to myself was a Nin-
tendo 64. I was really into Sub-Zero Mythologies, WWF
Attitude, Wrestlemania 2000, WWF No Mercy, Mischief
Makers, Bomberman 64, of course all the Mario Parties
and Mario Karts, Tony Hawk Pro Skater. Then later on I
got a PS2 and got introduced to the Max Payne series,
all the Grand Theft Autos, Soul Reaver’s, Resident Evils,
all the Devil May Cry’s, and so on. Then boom the Xbox
dropped. I’ve been on all the Gears of War since lol. I
gotta PS4 too. Kinda waiting on Death Stranding to drop
though to use it more often, lol.
You have been on the scene since the beginning of
this new-age underground, What is the key to main-
taining longevity in such a trend-heavy, fast moving
environment?
Make legitimately good music.
If you could produce one project for any artist from
any era, who would it be and why?
I might catch some slack for this but I wish I could’ve
collaborated with Varg on Burzum’s Daudi Baldrs album.
I really appreciate how that album takes you on a journey.
The synths on that album are insane. He wrote/recorded
that whole album while in prison. Shit’s crazy.
General thoughts on the current state of the Rap game
right now?
It’s soft. It’s no longer gangsta. It’s too positive. It’s just a
bunch of pop music now if you ask me.
TAKING FLIGHT:
A QUICK CHAT WITH DUNK COMP
The Dunk Comp collective have established
themselves as the perfect platform for all basket- Ewing on the Sonics or Hakeem on the Raptors, what hurt
more?
ball savants to scroll through. Whether its paying Both stung a bit, but if you ask Vlade Divac’s jaw, it was Ewing
homage to the flashiest and awe-inspiring high- on the Sonics.
lights of the NBA or showcasing the rare oddi-
ties of the NBA experience, Dunk Comp has you Favorite NBA squads of all time?
- 1993-94 Warriors
covered. Hailing from Australia, Dunk Comp has - 1997-98 Lakers
made quite the impression on basketball fans - 1998-02 Kings
from across the globe. Their unique basketball - 2000 Raptors
compilations combined with Golden-Age beats - 2000-03 Jailblazers
make Dunk Comp the perfect remedy for your - 2003-04 Wolves
offseason blues. Lauren Jackson & Sue Bird or Kobe & Shaq?
Let’s start with the basics. Who and What is Dunk Comp? The Goat and the Bird.
Where is Dunk Comp from? And when was Dunk Comp
founded? Who are, in your opinion, some of the most underrated
Who: 3 aging NBA tragics & 1 very generous/talented designer bucket-getters in NBA history?
girlfriend to one of said tragics. - Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
What: A new school answer to the NBA Jam Session era. - Michael Redd
Where: Australia. - Alex English
When: Remixing the classics since 2016. - Mark Price
- Cuttino Mobley
The content posted on Dunk Comp spans several eras of - Antawn Jamison
basketball lore. What era of basketball would be your per- - Michael Beasley
sonal favorite?
The nineties. Dunk Comp is all about above-the-rim action, Favourite
dunkers in league history?
Speaking of content, how would you describe the Dunk - JR Smith
Comp Instagram feed? - Jason Richardson
A mixed bag of classic & contemporary basketball video edits, - Robert Pack
magazine scans & screen shots. - Vincent

Favorite NBA players?
The Anti-Stars – Nick Van Exel, Latrell Fontaine Sprewell, Sheed.
Point Gods that don’t believe in chest passes – Magic, Mark
Jackson, Rod Strickland, J-Kidd, Ricky Rubio and Jason Wil-
liams.
The NBA Renaissance Man – Boris Diaw.
What can we expect from the future of Dunk Comp? Any
thoughts of expansion into other areas?
We actually started Dunk Comp with the idea of making t-shirts
we’d want to wear, but somewhere along the way got distract-
ed spending hours working on videos. The merchandise which
channels the content is finally on its way though!

Outside of basketball, what are some other passions/hob- Any shout outs or social media plugs?
bies you pursue? Liam Santamaria and Tommy Greer, David Astramskas of Bal-
A deep appreciation for music would probably be the main lIsLife, Keith Fujimoto of Oakley&Allen/The Ringer, Neil P of Got
one, and we’ve tried to incorporate that into our passion for ‘em Coach, JE Skeets, Leigh Ellis & Trey Kirby, thegrandar-
hoops, which you can hear in any of our video edits. chives, CJ Toledano, Shift Refresh, Seb Godfrey, Adam Ball-
In the post-decision NBA we see increased chaos every inger, Kris Brennan, Bianca Bosso, Guy Neville, Darren Barker
off-season. What are your thoughts on the current state of & Mark Slocombe, Kimba Lim.
the NBA?
Professional basketball is a business. Within the bounds of their
contractual obligations, players, like any other worker in any oth-
er industry, should seek employment in whatever organisation
they believe is best for them at a point in their career.

The NBL has secured some top level recruits, ala RJ Hamp-
ton and LaMelo Ball, how do you think they will fare in the
league (NBL)?
The NBL is a far tougher league than most people give it credit
for, but there is no denying the ridiculous talent of both Hampton
& Melo so it’s going to be all sorts of fun finding out.

Favorite NBA player to grace the NBL?

They did it back to front, but Doug Overton & Torrey Craig.
Dunk Comp T-Shirt
Favorite Australian hooper of all-time? $45 AUD
Andrew Gaze. dunkcomp.com

14
SPORTS AND CULTURE TALK:
AN INTERVIEW WITH RUNANSHOOT
RUNANSHOOT is a must follow on the ‘gram for
all sports and culture-heads out there. As you
scroll through the 2,000+ posts you encounter
grails of NBA, NFL and Wrestling lore. Anyone
with an appreciation of the 90’s, the swagged up
2000’s and even the best of todays sporting en-
vironment will fall in love with RUNANSHOOT’s
content. The page covers the best of NBA and
NFL culture with additional coverage of other
iconic sports moments. From flicks of Jeremy Lin
in High School to old school, Allen Iverson NBA
2K covers. RUNANSHOOT fulfils the most ardent
fan of sport’s nostalgia needs. We chopped it up
with RUNANSHOOT (AKA Emil Tolliver) to con-
duct the first ever interview in LO-FI The Maga-
zine history. Find out about his passions, inspira-
tions and favorite kicks below:
Who is RUNANSHOOT?
Emil Tolliver, a 31 year old sprinter from Oakland, California.
What is RUNANSHOOT?
RUNANSHOOT is a visual representation of things that I have
shown interest to throughout my 31 years of living. Moments in
history. That I will never forget.
When was RUNANSHOOT founded?
I started this page on July 28, 2012 in Ocala, Florida. This was
a time in my life where I was in a transition. I thought I was done
with school so I was just kind of chilling out in Florida. I was
heavy into tumblr but I basically wanted to take everything that I
loved as a child and show the world. After being featured numer-
ous times on tumblr for sports I decided to make an Instagram.
The old name was ‘glorydays247’ but when I decided to mainly
focus on sports I changed the name to RUNANSHOOT, after
one of my favorite college football offenses.
Which Sports teams do you support?
Oakland Raiders, Golden State Warriors, New York Yankees,
Miami Hurricanes (College Football) and UNLV (College Bas-
ketball).
RUNANSHOOT embodies several aspects of sports/ pop
culture. Your instagram feed is basically a museum of leg-
endary moments in time. Do you view yourself as curator of
culture?
Definitely, that’s exactly how I want people to feel when they
view my page. I want them to see a picture and say to them-
selves “hey I remember him”, “I remember that time”, that team
or that moment. Most of my pictures are of things that I enjoyed
as a child and all the way through to adulthood. I want people to
have that same feeling. I do this for the people who feel like me.
Who enjoy sports just as much as I do.
Many pages similar to yours seem to focus on one aspect of
sports/culture. Whereas yours is all encompassing. Featur-
ing posts from College Football/ Hoops, NBA, NFL and even
the golden era of Wrestling. Out of all of the major sports,
which are you most passionate about?
I would probably say I’m most passionate about football. As a
kid I loved basketball and I still do. But I never had dreams of
playing basketball. Honestly I couldn’t dribble with my left hand
so that killed all my hoop dreams (Laughs). I always loved foot-
ball from the different offenses, to the dominating teams, to the
swag of it. From visors, to tail pads hanging out the back of the
jersey, to socks, gloves, no gloves, taped fingers. The whole
nine. Plus, I always prefer to watch scrambling quarterbacks
over pocket passers any day.
Which is your favorite era of the NBA and NFL? And fur-
thermore, what are your thoughts on the current state of the
NBA?
My favorite era for the NBA is definitely the 90’s. I’m one of
those dudes that just think everything was better in the 90’s. Plus
the uniforms was fire. As far as NFL, I think now is one of the best
eras. The players are bigger, stronger and faster. The game as
a whole is a lot more faster and wide open which is something
I like. I love seeing a great defensive matchup, but I also love
seeing two high flying Offenses going back and forth. The NFL is
implementing more of a college style which is something I think
is dope. I absolutely love what the Chiefs and the Rams are do-
ing and that’s coming from a die-hard Raiders fan you feel me?
I think the current state of the NBA is great. I truly believe we
have left the super team era and the league is more balanced,
which is how it should be. It’s more of a 2-man team as opposed
to a ‘Big 3’ or a ‘Big 4’. I think this will be an exciting NBA season.
I would also like to see more High school kids skipping college
and either playing in the G league or going overseas for 1 year.
Then entering the draft. That’s definitely a game changer and I
hope to see more high profile High School prospects taking that
route.
Allen Iverson with Jadakiss or The Michael Vick experience?
Which are some of your favorite sports commercials of all
time?
Well those Allen Iverson and Jadakiss commercials where leg-
endary I always thought that was dope how they brought those
two together. Allen Iverson is the epitome of swag in the NBA.
He changed the game on and off the court and the commercials
were just on another level. Some of my favorite sports commer-
cials of all time were: the Bernie Mack and LeBron James Nike
commercial, where LeBron comes in the church throwing pass-
es. The Michael Vick Powerade commercial where he is throw-
ing passes, knocking players back and he basically throws the
ball out of the stadium. The Nike Basketball cross over freestyle
commercial from 2001 and the old school NFL fantasy football
commercials.
If you had the choice between: Attending an Attitude era WWF
RAW (or WCW Monday Nitro), Being on the sideline to witness
Mike Vick in his prime or being courtside to watch your favorite
team win an NBA title, which would you choose and why?
I would have loved to be on the sideline where Vick made that
46 yard game-winning run versus the Vikings in 2002. That was
something I remember seeing as a kid and I was blown away. I
had been watching Vick since college but that play is one of his
best plays of all time. To break off a big run like that in overtime
for the game winner was crazy. Plus he had the Jordan 17’s on.
A legendary moment no doubt.
Outside of RUNANSHOOT, do you have any other hobbies/
passions?
Well running is my passion, that’s what I do. I feel like I was
placed on this earth to not only influence but inspire others
through athletics. With an emphasis on children and young
adults. I’m a sprinter and I have been at it for about 8 years now.
I missed last year with an injury so I couldn’t compete but I’m
back this year more hungry and more focused than I have ever
been. My goal is to make it to the Olympic Trials in the 100m and
18
200m. Outside of that I really enjoy: bowling, watching horror movies, playing video games on the PlayStation, going to art museums
and different sporting events. I’m trying to go to as many Raider games as possible since they’re leaving for Vegas. You can also
catch me on YouTube watching old sports highlights from the 90’s and early 2000’s as well.

EA Sports or 2K? What are your holy grails of sports video gaming?
As a kid EA sports but now I’m rocking with 2K all day.
My holy grails for games are any NCAA football game. Every NCAA football game from 2002 all the way to its last game NCAA
football 14. NCAA Football was my favorite I played those games more than anything. I still have my PlayStation 3 just to play that
game. That’s how much I loved it. Hopefully they can work something out and potentially bring that game back. The video game
world needs that. I am not going to lie that Madden 04 with Vick on the cover was the truth. Vick with the 95 Speed, 97 Accuracy,
98 Throwing Power and 92 Elusiveness was definitely a cheat code.

Which kicks are your grails?

Black Cement Jordan 3’s, Nike Air Max Griffey 1 Freshwater, Nike Air Max 95’s (any OG color) and probably some All White, Low
Top Air Force 1’s.

Cash Money’s Hot Boys or Dipset?

Cash Money all day. I got to give it up to Cash Money cause they taught everyone how to stunt. Before them nobody was riding
rims on they cars. Nobody was flexing like them. They changed the game no doubt about that. Hopefully one day we can see a
Cash Money reunion. I would love to see something like that.

Who were your favorites from the And1 Mixtape days?

Hot Sauce, he had the most handles. Escalade cause he was big but he had handles and could destroy you in the post. AO had
the most game to me he was like a pure basketball player, he just had StreetBall skills. The Professor was and still is nice to this day.

What does the future hold for RUNANSHOOT?

Truly I don’t know. I never even thought it would make it this far. So I’m going to continue to keep giving the people what they want
till Instagram goes away (Laughs). Which will probably be never.

Who had more swag, Mike Vick or Randy Moss?

As much of a Vick fan I am, I got to go with Moss. Vick at one point was rocking J’s (Jordan’s) on the old Astro-Turf fields. He ended
up getting his own line with Nike and his shoes were dope. But Moss was on team Jordan so we got to see the Jordan 9’s in the
Vikings colors. Also the 11’s and 13’s. Not to mention he had his own Jordan shoes that were dope. So I got to give it up to Moss.

Who do you believe are some of the most underrated players in NFL and NBA history?
In the NFL: Warrick Dunn, Fred Taylor, Brian Westbrook, Randall Cunningham, Marvin Harrison, Corey Dillon, Rob Smith and Dar-
ren Woodson .
In the NBA: Grant Hill, Scottie Pippen, Clyde Drexler, Horace Grant, Andre Miller, Shawn Marion, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Chaunc-
ey Billups.

Any shout-outs, social media plugs/ closing words?

I want to shout out: Sole Collector, Fat Shawn Kemp, Taylor Rooks, Big Bo Strong, Giancarlo Stanton, Straight Backs, Asialacap,
Downtown Ball, Brian Bosworth, Beautiful Ballers, Kendall Gill, TheGrandArchives, The Life And Culture and s7eviefranchi5e for
giving me a platform to speak my mind. Also shout out the whole Bay Area and all my followers. Especially the ones who have been
rocking with me since day 1.

RUNANSHOOT’S CURRENT MADDEN ‘5’

Todd Gurley Lamar Jackson Kyler Murray Pat Mahomes Odell Beckham Jr.

19