Establishing the mood with cerebral vocalizations and an industrial edge, KOJ opens PUNK PANTHER with subversion and dimensional drums with an assertive, down-pitched ad-lib of “money, power, respect…”. The opus expands with the lyrics, “Can’t nobody touch me… get them dirty hands off me…” and an exclamation of independence that feels inspiring and empowering.
We connect with the gritty edge that manifests, brought to life by a cinematic music video as KOJ shows us who he is with prose about fashion, cash, women with a through-line of self-realization. The rock-rap energy is sublime and reminds us of The Prodigy, Linkin Park, Jay-Z and The Streets all rolled into one.
KOJ‘s unmistakable Liverpudlian accent is epic, and feels super raw and authentic. The whispered motif towards the end of the track adds another level of dynamism, akin to Gorillaz, before an epic and super cerebral finale, leaving us yearning for more.
Speaking on the release, KOJ confidently confesses, “I’ve recently been on a journey of self discovery. After a period of spiritual renovations, hard work and dedication, I want to show the people who the punk panther is. A sound inspired by the feeling in the air at the moment – gritty, defiant, bossy. This record marks the dawn of a new era for me.”
The music video is a genius, one-take trip, which sees the absolutely captivating artist in a PUNK PANTHER jacket walk along the streets as he catches and throws an American football, sparks up a cigarette, rolls with a balaclava gang, does some choreography, takes a phone call and then chucks his phone, deals with a hockey stick gang, stuffs a dude in the back of a car, and even get screamed at by a Karen!
There is no doubt that Liverpool artist KOJ is one of the UK’s most uncompromising new voices. We deeply appreciate how he seamlessly fuses grime, rap and punk into a fearless sound rooted in protest, empowerment and working-class identity.
KOJ has built a reputation for tackling race, class, power and social inequality with unflinching honesty, whilst delivering performances at festivals including Boomtown, Latitude, Radio 1 Big Weekend, Reeperbahn and SXSW. Beyond his own releases, KOJ is also the founder of TRiBE, a Black British music showcase championing emerging talent and community, cementing his role as not just an artist, but a cultural leader committed to using music as a catalyst for change.
We love what he is creating, and have added PUNK PANTHER to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of KOJ, including A ROADMAN’S TALE OF HOME, Vulnerable, and Blue Notes.