CoDefendants

CoDefendants is a Berkeley-based group formed in 2022 by Fat Mike of NOFX and Sam King. The group’s members are Ceschi, Fat Mike and Sam King. It works across folk punk, hip hop and rap rock, and the members describe its style as “Crime Wave”, a genre-blending approach that combines punk and hip-hop elements with other influences.

Formation and background

Sam King, known as the vocalist of Get Dead, and his graffiti crew first connect with rapper Ceschi Ramos while helping raise money for him during a period when he is in prison. Later, King and Fat Mike meet at the Gilman Street Project in Berkeley, California, where they talk about their shared interest in hip-hop and punk rock. From that encounter, CoDefendants begins.

Style

The group is formed with the aim of making an album that does not fit conventional genre categories. Its sound is described as a mixture of hip hop, new wave, flamenco and the Beatles, alongside punk and rap influences.