Rest in Bass

Rest in Bass
Image of a shirtless man sitting on top of a giant speaker, paired with two nude women sitting at the bottom
Studio album by Che
Released	July 18, 2025
Recorded	2024–2025
Genre	Rage Southern hip-hop trap metal
Length	48:24
Label	10K Projects
Producer	Azure CXO Ginseng Gyro Warren Hunter Legion Love&Peace Lucid Repglick Rok Skai
Che chronology
Sayso Says (2024) Rest in Bass (2025)
Alternative cover
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Original Spotify cover
Singles from Rest in Bass
"Hellraiser" Released: July 15, 2025

Rest in Bass (stylized in all caps) is the second studio album by American rapper Che, released on July 18, 2025, through 10K Projects. The album is a successor to his 2024 debut project Sayso Says and features a darker, grimmer musical aesthetic with heavy emphasis on distorted basslines and industrial synths. The album is hosted by DJ Rennessy and features guest appearances from OsamaSon, Xaviersobased and Chuckyy.

Rest in Bass marks a stylistic evolution for Che, fusing Southern rap and experimental trap.

Background

Following the success of his 2024 debut Sayso Says, Che announced the title of the album back in February of 2025. Following the announcement, Che then began teasing Rest in Bass in early 2025 through snippets on SoundCloud and social media. On July 15, 2025, he officially announced the release date of the project alongside the release of the lead single, "Hellraiser" featuring OsamaSon, with an accompanying music video.

Release, promotion, marketing

Leading up to the release, Che teased various songs including "KISS" with CXO, "Pose for the Pic", "Love (MKB)", and "Green Day". A surprise pop-up listening event in New York City—sponsored by Ksubi—was shut down by authorities before it could begin, adding to the underground buzz around the album.

The album also gained traction through platforms like TikTok and SoundCloud, where early leaks and fan speculation generated anticipation. A teaser reel uploaded in February 2025 hinted at the distorted sonic direction and several collaborations.

According to Che himself via Interview, he described his album as "Punk, raw, and bass".

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
laut.de
The Needle Drop	7/10
Pitchfork	8.3/10

Rest in Bass received critical acclaim, with praise for high-energy production, fuzzy sound, and innovative use of mixtape structure. Criticism fell in favor of its dedication to the lo-fi, rage-fueled sound and condemnation of its emotional depth and stylistic innovation. The album was heavily compared to the likes of Playboi Carti's Whole Lotta Red.

Pitchfork gave the album 8.3 out of 10 and rated it as Best New Music. Reviewer Rae-Aila Crumble described how Che "pushes his voice to extremes," and called the album "the platonic ideal of rage rap." She complimented production on the album for chaotic layering of redlined 808s, digital grittiness, and punk textures, and cited tracks such as "Doe Deer," "Dior Leopard," and "Mannequin" as highlights. Crumble further pointed out the dichotomy between Che's tough delivery and softer lyrics, particularly in the instance of "Dior Leopard," where Che reflects on drug use and dysfunctional family ties. The review ended by deeming Rest in Bass "purveys raw catharsis with both restraint and anarchy," as one of the most powerful underground releases of 2025.

The Needle Drop's Anthony Fantano awarded the album a light 7, saying it was "one of the most fully realized rage projects in recent memory." He referenced the frantic energy and blown-out sound design of the album as he praised Xaviersobased and Chuckyy features for introducing contrast and energy. Fantano did berate the album for repetition in texture and disjointed sequencing, but then praised Che for possessing "rockstar-level energy" and trying stuff within a very oversaturated subgenre.

Bryson Paul of HotNewHipHop described the album as "Che's most audacious work yet." Elaina Bernstein of Hypebeast called the album the "epitome of rage-rap in the post-SoundCloud era."

The Fader's Vivian Medithi claimed that Rest In Bass is an album which pulls influence from "rainbow-y EDM and nightcore vocaloid", he also wrote how the album takes a turn as it's much more darker and sharper compared to his previous works, writing how "sawtooth synths grating against open hi-hats and hollowed-out 808s, degraded samples mired beneath sludgy basslines and plodding drums." Medithi also wrote how Che often raps about death in his music, but RIB sees him go "full kamikaze". During The Fader's weekly music roundup, RIB was a standout album, and was one of the top five albums that music listeners need to listen to.

Eden Tizard of The Quietus wrote how REST IN BASS "is a dizzying rush of overstimulated beats and frazzled synths". He also wrote how the young rapper follows in the footsteps of "ATLien Playboi Carti in a chase for ever-escalating levels of extremity. He's a self professed rockstar, and a live wire hedonist." Additionally, for the music of the month, Tizard has Rest in Bass as one of the albums of July.

Additionally, Pitchfork had "Rest In Bass" ranked at #39 on their Top 50 Best Albums of 2025. Complex on the other hand had the album ranked at #29 on its equivalent list.

Song reception

According to Olivier Lafontant of Pitchfork, he claims that "Hellraiser" is a freakishly bubbly song, featuring staticky deliriums, scratchy chirrups, and elastic synths from CXO. Lafontant also claims how the song sees the duo "test their breaking points as if to see whose Auto-Tune plugins would crash first". Lafontant also humorously wrote how "Hellraiser" is "what happens when you give molly and FL to some kids raised on WLR leaks and Cartoon Network". Due to the track's individual success, it was nominated as one of the best new rap tracks by Pitchfork.

The Quietus' finest, Eden Tizard wrote how "SLAM PUNK" sees Che give an appropriate shoutout to rapper and pioneer, Lil B, as well as Future, who is "the Atlanta elder statesman of psychedelic autotune", according to Tizard, lines from the track such as "I just fucked this bitch in some Gucci flip flops," is a "claim hard to take at face value when uttered from what appears to be the zig-zagging electric gremlin from Gremlins 2: A New Batch". Tizard also wrote how the track is filled with impish compulsion, and heavy-hitting ad-libs, which Tizard compared to as a game of ping-pong. Lastly, Tizard wrote how the line is a "far cry from Future's lean hiccup come synthetic sob – in that context the Gucci line sounded less like a brag and more like a brief moment of intoxicated clarity, perhaps a heart on sleeve confession."

Year-end lists

Publication	Accolade	Rank	Ref.
Complex	The 50 Best Albums of 2025	23
HotNewHipHop	The 40 Best Rap Albums of 2025	8
Paste	The 25 best rap albums of 2025	15
Pitchfork	The 50 Best Albums of 2025	39
	The 32 Best Rap Albums of 2025	25
Rolling Stone	The 25 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2025	9
The Quietus	Albums of the Year 2025	63
Stereogum	The 50 Best Albums Of 2025	41

Rest In Bass North American Tour

Along with the album's release, Che also announced that the album would have its own designated tour, it will begin on September 3 in Houston, Texas, and it will end on October 2, at Che's hometown, Atlanta, Georgia. Throughout the tour, Che will also be making a stop at Canada, where he will be performing in Toronto, and Montreal.

According to Che in his interview with The Fader, he talked about how he wants the energy to be like at his tour:

"I want the crowd to feel like they're at a ritual and they're just here to praise me [...] It's like a savior of music thing," he said. "I want people to hear my music and feel safe, like there's no struggles at all, nothing to worry about at all in the world."

Che 2025 Tour Dates

Date	City	Venue
September 3, 2025	Houston, TX	House of Blues Bronze Peacock
September 4, 2025	Dallas, TX	House of Blues Dallas (Cambridge Room)
September 7, 2025	Phoenix, AZ	Crescent Ballroom
September 9, 2025	Los Angeles, CA	El Rey Theatre
September 12, 2025	Portland, OR	Star Theater
September 14, 2025	Seattle, WA	Neumos
September 17, 2025	Denver, CO	Cervantes' Other Side
September 19, 2025	Chicago, IL	The Vic Theater
September 21, 2025	Toronto, ON	The Opera House
September 22, 2025	Montreal, QC	Théâtre Fairmount
September 23, 2025	Brooklyn, NY	Warsaw Concerts
September 26, 2025	Boston, MA	Paradise Rock Club (Music Hall)
September 27, 2025	Philadelphia, PA	Theatre of Living Arts
September 28, 2025	Washington, D.C.	Union Stage
October 1, 2025	Charlotte, NC	The Fillmore Charlotte (The Underground)
October 2, 2025	Atlanta, GA	Center Stage

Track listing

All tracks are written by Chase Mitchell. "Hellraiser" written with Amari Middleton, "Mannequin" written with Xavier Lopez, "Never Too Young to Die" written with Charles Davis.

Rest in Bass track listing

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Slam Punk"	Rok	1:42
2.	"Rolling Stone"	Azure	2:33
3.	"On Fleek"	CXO	1:53
4.	"Lip Filler"	Rok	2:02
5.	"Hood Famous"	Rok	3:26
6.	"BossUpppp"	Rok Gyro Azure	2:56
7.	"Marceline"	Rok	2:00
8.	"Die Young"	Gyro	2:08
9.	"Hellraiser" (with OsamaSon)	CXO	3:02
10.	"Dior Leopard"	Azure	4:29
11.	"Mannequin" (with Xaviersobased)	CXO	2:03
12.	"Black Swan"	CXO Skai Legion	4:17
13.	"MDMA"	Warren Hunter	2:42
14.	"Never Too Young to Die" (with Chuckyy)	Repglick Lucid	3:15
15.	"Eardrummer"	Ginseng Legion Love&Peace	3:18
16.	"Doe Deer"	Rok CXO	1:54
17.	"Stagedivin"	Azure	2:04
18.	"Bass"	CXO	2:33
Total length:			48:24

Sample credits

• "Bass" contains an uncredited sample of "Lemon Glow", written by Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand, and performed by Beach House.
• "Hellraiser" contains an uncredited sample of "Spur", written and performed by Greenhouse.

Notes

• All tracks are stylized in all caps.
• "Bass" is stylized as "BA$$".

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.

• Che – vocals, engineering
• CXO – mixing, mastering (all tracks); programming (tracks 3, 9, 12, 16, 18)
• Rok – programming (1, 4–7, 16)
• Azure – programming (2, 6, 10, 17)
• Gyro – programming (6, 8)
• OsamaSon – vocals (9)
• Moustafa Moustafa – engineering (9)
• Xaviersobased – vocals, engineering (11)
• Legion – programming (12, 15)
• Skai – programming (12)
• Warren Hunter – programming (13)
• David Meiners – engineering (14)
• Lucid – programming (14)
• Repglick – programming (14)
• Chuckyy – vocals (14)
• Ginseng – programming (15)
• Love&Peace – programming (15)

Release history

Release dates and formats for Rest in Bass

Region	Date	Format(s)	Edition	Label	Ref.
Worldwide	July 18, 2025	Digital download streaming	Standard	10K Projects
	August 22, 2025	LP	Standard