| Alias: | Smög Boys, Gravity Boys, Shield Gang, GTB, GTBSG, DG, D-9, SG |
| Origin: | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Years Active: | 2013–present |
| Website: | https://gtb.sg/ |
| Current Members: | |
| Past Members: | Yung Sherman |
Drain Gang (formerly known as Gravity Boys Shield Gang) is a Swedish music collective. Consisting of Bladee, Ecco2K, Thaiboy Digital and producer Whitearmor,[1] [2] the group rose to one of the top Swedish music collectives in the mid-late 2010s. They are known for their frequent collaborations with fellow Swedish rapper Yung Lean and producer Gud.
The group formed in 2013 in Stockholm. Thaiboy Digital was residing in Sweden at the time. Bladee and Ecco2K had previously collaborated as the grindcore duo Krossad.[3] Signing to the YEAR0001 label, the members of Drain Gang gained prominence in the cloud rap scene from their collaborations with labelmate Yung Lean.[4]
Speaking on the meaning of the group's name, Bladee states:[5]
The compilation GTBSG Compilation is considered the collective's first work. The compilation contains various singles released throughout 2013, which are available online on the official Soundcloud account.[6]
Gluee is Bladee's first mixtape, featuring Thaiboy Digital, Ecco2K, and BONES, and produced by Whitearmor, Yung Sherman, Curtis Heron, and Blank Body.[7] [8]
Thaiboy Digital's first mixtape, Tiger (also known as ส), was released in 2014.[9] [10] In 2015, Thaiboy Digital's visa expired and he was deported from Sweden. Through the internet, he has managed to continue collaborating with the other members from his new home in Bangkok.[11] He and Bladee released a collaborative EP titled AvP in 2016, which featured production from both Whitearmor and Yung Sherman.[12]
In 2017, Bladee, Ecco2K and Thaiboy Digital released their collaborative album D&G, featuring production from member Whitearmor, and frequent collaborators Gud, Yung Sherman, Woesum, and Australian-based collective Ripsquadd.[13]
In December 2017, Bladee also released the mixtape Working on Dying, which was a collaborative album with the Philadelphia producer collective Working on Dying. The entire project was produced by Working On Dying, with Whitearmor contributing additional production. The project had features from Yung Lean, Black Kray (a frequent collaborator of both Bladee and Working On Dying), and Ecco2K, while Thaiboy Digital provided additional vocals on a few tracks.[14] The project is heavily influenced by tread music, a trap subgenre created by Working on Dying.[15]
In spring of 2018, Bladee released the album Red Light,[16] the follow-up to his 2016 debut album Eversince.[17] The release was celebrated with a special concert at the O2 Academy Islington in London on 16 May 2018.[18]
In 2018, Bladee released Icedancer, his third mixtape and ninth project. The mixtape was produced by RipSquad and features collaborations with Yung Lean, Cartier'GOD, and Thaiboy Digital.[19]
In 2019, the group released a collaborative album titled Trash Island. Whitearmor served as the executive producer, while Ripsquadd and German producer Mechatok returned to contribute additional production.[20] The album was partially recorded and produced in Bangkok.[21] The album was a surprise release, as no announcement was made on YEAR0001's nor the group's various social medias.
On 27 November 2019, Ecco2K released E, his first full-length project, produced by Yung Gud.[22]
In 2020, Bladee released three full-length studio albums, the first of which being Exeter. Released in April, it was executively produced by frequent collaborator and Sad Boys member Gud.[23] This was the first time that Gud executively produced one of Bladee's albums. The project contains elements of genres like cloud rap, art pop, trap, and alternative R&B.
Bladee's second album of 2020 was 333. Released in July, it was executively produced by Whitearmor. Gud, Mechatok, Ripsquadd member Lusi, and Swedish musician Joakim Benon all contributed additional production to the album.[24]
The Fool is Bladee's fifth studio album, being another surprise release. All songs on the project are produced by Lusi along with other producers such as Loesoe, who appears several times on the album.[25] The album's artwork and track listing were leaked on 14 May 2021, with a planned release date of 11 June.
In late 2021, the group announced a 2022 Drain Gang world tour, consisting of 23 performances across Europe and North America.[26]
In 2022, Bladee and Ecco2K released a collaborative single titled "Amygdala" produced by Mechatok.[27] A collaborative album by Bladee & Ecco2K, entitled Crest, was released unannounced in March of the same year. The album, containing the single "Girls just want to have fun", which had previously been released as a miscellaneous single in 2020, was produced entirely by Whitearmor.[28] Later that year Whitearmor released his solo debut, a full-length instrumental album titled In The Abyss: Music for Weddings.[29]