Lil Crush drops new LP ‘Reel Music’

Born in Minneapolis and raised between the United States and Bogotá, Lil Crush has built an artistic identity shaped by movement, heritage and experimentation. The artist, whose real name is Matthew Beachy, exists in a space where culture and creativity collide, resulting in music that reflects a life lived across borders, combining elements from both sides of his upbringing into a sound that feels personal while reaching outward to a global audience.

His background as an Afro-Colombian artist plays a central role in that identity; growing up between Minneapolis and Bogotá meant absorbing different musical traditions, languages and communities from an early age. Those influences eventually became the framework of the Lil Crush project, where hip hop, R&B, alternative country and experimental pop move fluidly together.

Instead of staying within one genre, the music shifts between moods and styles, balancing emotion with confidence and melodic structure with emotional openness. Performance has been part of his life for almost as long as he can remember since he first stepped onto a stage in Bogotá for the first time aged five, marking the beginning of a creative journey that would stretch across decades.

Now, he describes the path behind him as two decades of artistic growth, a timeline that has allowed him to develop multiple creative identities along the way. Early in his career he joined WEON Records, a Minneapolis hip hop imprint where he forged his approach and built important creative relationships. That momentum began to reach wider audiences with the release of his breakout single “Suni Lee” and alongside his singles and albums, he also launched the Baby Goat mixtape series in 2020, inspired by the Carter-era releases of Lil Wayne.

By 2021 he’d taken another step toward independence by launching his own creative label and brand, Planet Crush, which expanded internationally, working with artists, bands and producers across multiple genres while maintaining a focus on adventurous creativity and emotional honesty.

All of these creative strands converge on his latest major release, the new full-length album titled Reel Music. Spanning 30 tracks and running for 1 hour and 31 minutes, the project serves as a sweeping portrait of his artistic voyage. The record also marks a milestone moment, celebrating two decades of performing since that first childhood appearance on stage in Bogotá.

Throughout Reel Music, Lil Crush collaborates with a wide range of artists, including Colombian Crush, THR333, The Latin Prince, Fa’id and BRIZO, resulting in a multidimensional listening experience that moves through different moods, sounds and cultural references while remaining tethered to Lil Crush’s distinct musical identity. Set up by the hazy electronic guitar notes on opening track “I Hate Partying Alone,” an epic live recording of the song, Lil Crush’s belted vocals ring out above the steady punch of laid back drums and crunch of guitars to form up a thrilling pop rock experience.

Flowing through multiple live recordings, acoustic versions and piano renditions of his songs, Reel Music sees Lil Crush serve up a spectacular run through of his incredible musical output. Lil Crush’s music operates as a space where identity, heritage and experimentation can coexist freely and whether performing solo, producing for other artists or sharing the stage with THR333, he continues to go from strength to strength as a must watch artist on the rise.

Listen to Reel Music below