Deb Never & Kenny Beats – "Stone Cold"

Seattle singer Deb Never has attracted some highly intriguing collaborators in the early stages her career. Last summer she appeared on Brockhampton’s Ginger opener “No Halo” then followed it up with her own single, “Swimming,” produced by Dylan Brady 100 gecs from her own House On Wheels EP. Today she teams up with none other than Kenny Beats on a song inspired by pro wrestling legend Stone Cold Steve Austin.

“Stone Cold” finds Never swaggering across a loose, slow-rolling groove punctuated by sharp syncopated blasts, nonchalantly dissecting the false bravado tough guys everywhere. “Stone Cold Steve Austin, desperate for attention/ He’s slamming bodies left and right just to prove a point.” Despite the implied violence, it’s not the kind rager we’ve come to expect from Kenny, the former EDM DJ who has become one hip-hop’s foremost chaos agents. But as he has shown in his YouTube series The Cave, his muse is flexible. As for Never, her charisma on the mic — and in director Augustin Vita’s hilarious video — bodes well for her future.

Watch the “Stone Cold” video below.

“Stone Cold” is out now.