Album guide ·
Before Dreamville: Shallow Graves for Toys and Strays with Rabies
A guide to EarthGang's independent albums, Shallow Graves for Toys (2013) and Strays with Rabies (2015), and the tours that built their following.
Long before the Grammy nominations, EarthGang made two independent albums that longtime fans still swear by.
Shallow Graves for Toys (2013)
Released July 8, 2013, and re-released in 2014, Shallow Graves for Toys is where critics started paying attention. Noisey called the duo engaging and clever, praising the album's playful delivery and sharp lyricism, and named it one of the most thought-out releases of its year. The duo kept the album alive for years afterward by releasing music videos for its songs.
It's darker and stranger than their later work, with the humor and genre-hopping already in place.
Strays with Rabies (2015)
Released November 6, 2015, Strays with Rabies leans further into swampy, off-kilter production. The duo contributed to the production themselves. Earlier that year, they also put out the Torba EP (February 26, 2015).
Earning it on the road
These were also the years when EarthGang learned to win over crowds that hadn't come to see them:
- These Days Tour with Ab-Soul (2014)
- GO:OD AM Tour with Mac Miller (2015)
- Too High To Riot Tour with Bas (2016)
Meanwhile, Spillage Village was releasing the Bears Like This mixtapes, so the duo was working on two fronts at once. More on Spillage Village.
Should you start here?
Probably not first. Start with Mirrorland, then come back. Once you know where the duo ended up, hearing where they started is a treat. Our beginner's guide lays out a full listening path.