They Hate Change

They Hate Change

They Hate Change is a rap duo from Tampa, Florida, made up of Andre “Dre” Gainey and Vonne Parks. Formed in 2011, the group is known for drawing on rap, electronic music and other hard-to-classify sounds.

Origins and members

Andre “Dre” Gainey and Vonne Parks first meet as teenagers outside the apartment complex where they both live. Dre has recently moved from Rochester, New York, while Vonne is trying to sell him weed. Dre uses he/him pronouns and Vonne uses they/them.

Style and influences

Both members spend their early years searching the internet for music and building a broad shared collection of sounds from different countries and different decades. They describe themselves as listeners with wide-ranging tastes, interested in rare and experimental music as well as tracks designed for dancing. Their background as DJs in Tampa’s DIY scene helps them combine these influences into a style that joins sonic experimentation with music for movement.

Music

When they move from DJing into rapping and making beats, they keep that experimental approach. Their work is described as post-genre, with an emphasis on connecting different musical traditions rather than following fixed categories.