southpaw collaborates with Era 51 & Blvck Svm

Hailing from San Francisco, southpaw has been walking a unique path in the modern music landscape, working as both an artist and producer to craft a lo-fi sound world where genre boundaries soften and subtle details are highlighted. Eschewing the limelight themselves, southpaw often acts as a facilitator, creating space for other artists to step into focus while maintaining a consistent musical identity.

This context has rippled throughout their work since their first official release in September 2024 with the debut EP Pugilists Anonymous. The five-track project introduced a sound built around misty melodies, understated beats and forward-thinking production choices that prioritised mood over immediacy. It functioned as both an introduction and a statement of intent; southpaw was less interested in straightforward authorship and more invested in constructing collaborative spaces where different creative voices could intersect.

Each collaboration has added a different tone to the project, reinforcing the idea that southpaw’s music exists through interaction. After establishing that background, southpaw continued to build momentum with later releases, the single “Clocked Out,” featuring Ac.LPC, arrived the following year and expanded on the atmospheric direction introduced on the debut EP while this year, they’ve kept up the momentum with the track titled “? Myself” and their brand new record, Don’t Run From the Rain.

One of the key moments from Don’t Run From the Rain comes with the track titled “Money?,” a collaboration that brings together rising artist Era 51 and Chicago-based rapper Blvck Svm. The track captures the shared chemistry between the artists while maintaining southpaw’s carefully constructed atmosphere, resulting in an enveloping alternative hip hop soundscape that flows with downtempo energy and slick interplay between the two vocalists.

Opened by the swell of murky instrumental textures and sweeping vocal elements, the dusty strike of drums and rattle of metallic shots forms a laid back groove as Blvck Svm’s smooth vocals float above. Era 51’s presence on the track then showcases her technical command as a vocalist and lyricist, standing confidently alongside Blvck Svm while maintaining her own distinctive character. The synergy between the two artists becomes a central feature of the song, with their performances floating across southpaw’s textured production.

Wrapped up in a hypnotic sonic fabric and stitched with woozy instrumental elements, “Money?” lands as a cutting edge moment of lo-fi hip hop music that puts on the talents of southpaw, Era 51 and Blvck Svm on full display. Kicking off 2026 with a sensational full-length release, this year is shaping up to be another exciting chapter for southpaw and the artists operating within their creative orbit.

Listen to Money? below

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