Some records carry grief without saying a word about it. "STILL" is one of them.
The single sets the stage for Dig, Sample, Chop, Sequence, J. Rawls' upcoming album out October 2 via Polar Entertainment and Horizons Music. The whole project is framed by the final recorded interview of Rawls' lifelong friend, DJ Buka, who recently passed away. In the early days, the two friends described their process as "DSCS" — they loved to dig, then sample something and chop it, then make a beat. That phrase became the album title. In an interview with Columbus podcaster Trav Dave, Buka shared his story and his love for Hip Hop, and it mirrors Rawls' own journey almost exactly.
Through interludes built from that interview, the parallels between their lives emerge. Two friends who discovered Hip Hop together and shared its joy from childhood to adulthood. The music reflects the memories Rawls holds for his friend, and the visualizer lets you drift off into the heavens, high above the Manhattan skyline until you land in Columbus, Ohio. It is one for everyone who has lost someone and still loves them, present tense. STILL.
J. Rawls is a foundational figure in underground hip-hop. The Columbus, Ohio producer is best known for producing "Brown Skin Lady" on Mos Def and Talib Kweli's Black Star album in 1998, one of the most beloved records of the entire conscious rap era. His Lone Catalysts work with J. Sands, his Liquid Crystal Project jazz-hip-hop fusion, his collaborations with Casual and countless others. Rawls has spent nearly three decades operating as a producer, DJ and educator with a deep reverence for the craft. The connection to Buka runs even deeper than the music. The Lone Catalysts named their B.U.K.A. imprint after him decades ago. This is family.
The instrumental honors that history exactly the way it should: warm, jazzy, soulful, unhurried. No hook needed. The beat carries the weight.
Watch the visualizer below.
Album: Dig, Sample, Chop, Sequence — out October 2, 2026 via Polar Entertainment / Horizons Music.
