“For ICYKOF, fashion is out, music is in” – Hypebeast UK
“Euphoric, free, and with two feet firmly planted on the gritty warehouse dancefloor, the project is a far cry from the high-flying fashion world Kofi would have found himself in just months ago – ego-death never sounded so funky.” – Dazed
From style icon to techno visionary — ICYKOF is reborn in Detroit’s industrial warehouse raves with the ‘Zero Sugar’ EP
After racking up over 100M views as one of street fashion’s most influential vloggers, ICYKOF trades high-end glitz for underground grit on his debut ZERO SUGAR EP, out today via his label, RAVE NUIT.
“Zero Sugar is about detoxing from bad habits in life. There’s a mix of hard grooves, acid bass lines and hypnotic percussion driving you through my life story.” – ICYKOF
A moment of regeneration for 28-year-old cultural “originator” Kofi McCalla, ZERO SUGAR marks a bold new chapter, steeped in Detroit techno. Known for interviewing icons like Kendrick Lamar and Drake, ICYKOF’s shift to music was transformative. Drawn to Detroit techno’s raw energy—particularly Underground Resistance—he found solace in its authenticity. “I wanted to recreate that feeling of self-discovery,” he told Dazed in November. This pursuit of an unfiltered space led him to craft a sonic world where empowerment, freedom, and identity take centre stage.
The ZERO SUGAR EP is a bold statement that blends techno, dub, and the DIY spirit of Detroit with ICYKOF’s unique narrative. ‘SHE KNOWS’ and ‘MOVE YOUR BODY‘ set the stage with explosive, high-energy anthems, while ‘BRING IT BACK’ and ‘ACT UP’ channel a fierce attitude, all driven by pounding 909 kicks and hypnotic synths.The EP’s darker moments, like ‘What She Told Me,’ bring menacing tension, and ‘5 YEARS AGO’ offers introspection, full of warped vocals and deep, swelling basslines. A remix of ‘SHE KNOWS’ by MoMa Ready—one of New York’s hottest dance producers right now—injects the track with even more adrenaline, keeping the momentum high for the dancefloor.
The EP has received rave reviews from exciting names like Chloe Caillat, Bambounou, I.JORDAN, re:ni, HAAi, Yu Su and Bok Bok as well as support from heralded names in the game like Josh Wink, who called the original “good ol’ NYC trippy house”, Ryan Elliott, Jerome Sydenham, Laurent Garnier, DJ Bone and many more.
Alongside the EP comes the drop of ICYKOF’s video for MOVE YOUR BODY. “The video acts as a juxtaposition of the three main senses when it comes to dancing and music; sight, sound and touch, stillness in motion, the inability to dance, to feel.” explains Director Ryan James-Beau. The growth of the track signifies growth in freedom, with the blindfold and straight jacket representing the journey of music being the catalyst for musical liberation.”
Zero Sugar isn’t just an EP—it’s a statement of intent. It marks ICYKOF’s bold new era, where fashion, music, and underground culture fuse into a raw, unfiltered expression of identity and rebellion.
ZERO SUGAR, the debut from ICYKOF, is out now via RAVE NUIT.
‘ZERO SUGAR’ EP Tracklist:
- ‘SHE KNOWS’
- ‘BRING IT BACK’
- ‘PAYDAY’
- ‘ACT UP’
- ‘MOVE YOUR BODY’
- ‘What She Told Me’
- ‘5 YEARS AGO’
- ‘SHE KNOWS’ (MoMa Ready REMIX)
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