On September 19, the Jordan Peele-produced sports cult horror film Him hits theaters. At the same time, its soundtrack will land on DSPs, bringing a diverse array of music talents to the creepy narrative, led by the film’s composer Bobby Krlic, who also produces his own music under the eerie alias, The Haxan Cloak.
The rap-oriented soundtrack is said to feature appearances from a slew of hip-hop stars; two of them, Guapdad 4000 and Tierra Whack, not only appear in the film but have also shared their contributions today. Guapdad drops off “Swim” with Mavi, a surprisingly soulful but haunting, 808-heavy chest beater that finds the Oakland native comparing himself to Jay-Z and declaring himself an OG.
Meanwhile, Philly rapper Tierra Whack contributes the propulsive “Tip Toe,” traipsing along with a lilting flow over a menacing beat that sounds like being chased by a monster through a dark cavern (or a deranged football star through a labyrinthine private sports complex). The two rappers are joined on the soundtrack by a who’s-who of hip-hop rising stars and OGs including Denzel Curry, Gucci Mane, Larry June, Maxo Kream, and Mobb Deep.
Him is directed by Justin Tipping and stars Tyriq Withers as a promising football prospect who leaps at the chance to be mentored by his hero, played by Marlon Wayans, at his private practice facility. Once he gets there, though, he finds himself questioning how far down a sinister rabbit hole he’s willing to go to reach greatness.
In a press release, Krlic said, “Justin Tipping gave me the freedom to see how far I could bend the genre without losing the emotional thread. When Justin and I met, we clicked immediately. We’re the same age, grew up listening to a lot of the same music, and had the same reference points across film, art, food, everything. We were just singing from the same hymn sheet. It’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had writing music for anything… There’s a school of thought that says a score should be invisible, but I don’t necessarily believe that. A great score should know when to guide the audience, when to surprise them and when to announce itself. If the process is right, it can tell as much of the story as anything else on screen.”
You can listen to “Swim” and “Tip Toe” above and check out the full Him soundtrack tracklist below.
01. Marlon Wayans – ̄”_(ツ)_/ ̄”
02. Gucci Mane – “Lemonade”
03. Bobby Krlic – “The Combine”
04. Maxo Kream – “Live That Life”
05. Bobby Krlic – “Goin’ To The League!”
06. Mobb Deep – “Shook Ones, Pt. II”
07. Bobby Krlic – “Find Your Own Way to Glory”
08. Tierra Whack – “Tip Toe”
09. Guapdad 4000 – “Swim” Feat. MAVI
10. LaRussell & Mike & Keys – “Party On The Westside” Feat. Larry June
11. Bobby Krlic – “Cameron Cade”
12. OG DAYV – “One And Only Him”
13. Bobby Krlic – “Dead Body Alert”
14. Sampa The Great – “GOAT”
15. Bobby Krlic – “All The Glory…All The Defeat”
16. Maglera Doe Boy & ONDELIVE – “Italy”
17. Bobby Krlic – “The Physical”
18. Ovrkast. – “CUT UP”
19. K.oran Streets – “Bill Russell”
20. Bobby Krlic – “Elsie”
21. Carl Angelo – “AIGHT?”
22. Bobby Krlic – “Discipline”
23. Bobby Krlic – “Real Killers”
24. Jean Dawson – “Blitz”
25. Bobby Krlic – “The Opposite of A Mascot”
26. Bobby Krlic – “USFF Theme”
27. Bobby Krlic – “Killing Spree”
28. Denzel Curr – “Him”
The Him soundtrack album is due on 9/19 via Loma Vista.