Spite is powerful motivation.
It might’ve been easy to count ToxiPlays out after their public momentum slowed in 2025 and they cited heavy disillusionment1 as a reason to quit music. That was until Toxi made a cryptic Tweet on an unsuspecting Saturday, and then released the ever-so-destructive DON’T KNOCK THE GRIND EP on February 25, 2026.
As announced throughout, the extended play is an audiovisual milestone and quick pit stop towards their next big project: THE WORLD IS YOURS. More information about that will be shared as it is made available.
Behind the Record
In the artist’s words:
To be honest with you, I was coming off of the heels of some of the weirdest artist-to-artist relations in my life. DON’T KNOCK THE GRIND is the direct result of these relationships ending and me trying to rediscover who I was through the music (something I had already tried to “move on” from). I really wanted something I could call my own… sounds silly looking back, but it’s something I was denied in the months prior. Every track in here is intended to hit hard for a different kind of listener. There’s something in it for everybody—whether you’re a fan of the underground, you like more classic trap, or you dig a rocky aesthetic. I’m really happy with how it’s turned out and, if given the opportunity, I’d do it all over again.
I made all of this EP acting like it were to stand as the last words that these people I was trying to get away from would ever hear from me. I think you can honestly tell, since I’m not pulling any punches with my work here. “LOSE MY NUMBER” is probably better categorized as a diss track if anything, “BOP IT” was reclaiming that power I had given up to them so easily, and “SHOWSTOPPER” is straight up reworked from one of the demos co-produced partly by the person that kickstarted the mess of 2025. It’s all love though. I’m happy that AQUATIC RECORDS took me on at such a critical stage in my career, and I think I’ve set the bar pretty high for THE WORLD IS YOURS, when the time comes.
tracks
The project has three songs:
- “LOSE MY NUMBER”
- “BOP IT”
- “SHOWSTOPPER”
However, fans can purchase the deluxe CD on Bandcamp to gain exclusive access to the B-side:
- “ANIMAL CROSSING” with J.B.S. and RO-B. Z.
- “COOPER THE STREET SWEEPER”
- “UAV ONLINE” ft. Raye ivy
The deluxe CD also contains instrumental/acapella/clean versions of the base project.
Collaborators
Vocalists
- Money Mida$ as MC for tracks 1-3.
- ToxiPlays as rapper.
- J.B.S as rapper for track 4.
- RO-B. Z. as rapper for track 4.
- Faye ivy as rapper for track 6.
Engineers
- ToxiPlays as mixing engineer.
- ToxiPlays as mastering engineer.
- jasmine/fartedlitterbox as producer of “LOSE MY NUMBER”.
- Dr. Classified as producer of “BOP IT”.
- twilo as producer of “SHOWSTOPPER”.
- CofStars as producer of “ANIMAL CROSSING”.
- ToxiPlays as producer of “COOPER THE STREET SWEEPER”.
- ryzon as producer of “UAV ONLINE”.
Photography
- minuit as CD photography.
- aurainairy as emotional support.
- ToxiPlays as graphic designer.
Partners
DON’T KNOCK THE GRIND by ToxiPlays is brought to you by:
- AQUATIC RECORDS: label, publisher
- Indie Pool: digital distribution
- Kunaki: CD manufacturing
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