Matt Proxy
Matt Proxy | |
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| Also known as |
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| Born | 17 September 2006 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S |
| Genre | Alternative hip-hop |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2019–present |
| Label | Listen To The Kids |
Matt Proxy (stylized in all lowercase; born September 17th, 2006) is an American rapper and producer from Minneapolis. He first gained recognition in 2024 following the release of his single "Wtf Do I Gotta Do to Get My Bitch Back", which went viral on Instagram. In 2025, Proxy attracted further attention with the release of "Catfish", which garnered support from artists such as Fakemink. His profile rose further in 2026 after appearing on the "2026 Underground Sound Cypher", where his experimental style drew wider notice. Following his growing prominence in the underground rap scene, he released his debut studio album, Trojan Horse on June 19, 2026.
Early life
[edit]Matt Proxy was born on September 17th, 2006 and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1][2] According to Proxy, the city was a perfect spot to develop himself due to the radicalization movements that had occurred throughout the years.[3] Proxy figuratively stated how his city "was being burned by fire" with the murder of George Floyd and the killings of Philando Castile and Daunte Wright, amongst other incidents.[3] As a kid, Proxy grew up surrounded by music.[3] According to him, his mother was a big fan of hip-hop and often listened to artists such as ASAP Rocky, Speaker Knockerz, 2Pac, Danny Brown, and Jeezy, amongst others.[3] His uncle, Jesse, introduced Proxy to experimental music when he was younger, showing Proxy artists such as Aphex Twin, Neutral Milk Hotel, Death Grips, Panda Bear, JPEGMafia, and Sophie.[3][1] Proxy began making music as early as elementary school, where he had a rap group called C.O.M., and he would beatbox and try to find ways to become a music producer.[3]
Career
[edit]Proxy began taking music seriously when he was around the age of 12 or 13.[3] At 14, Proxy began producing music on FL Studio under a different alias.[4] In 2024, Proxy gained attention with the release of his track "Wtf Do I Gotta Do to Get My Bitch Back", which went viral on Instagram. Subsequently, following his rise to fame, Proxy changed his alias in 2025. His first release under his current moniker, Matt Proxy, was the extended play (EP) Beating A Dead Horse, in May 2025. According to Proxy, his name originated from the VPN he used when he was making music.[3] Proxy posted tutorials on FL Studio on his YouTube channel.[5] He released the EP Horse Play in November 2025.[1]
During this time, Proxy would continue to release a steady amount of music while continuing to build his name up within the music industry. Following the end of 2025, and entering 2026, Proxy began focusing more on his upcoming project, titled Trojan Horse.[4] Then, in February, Proxy would make a guest appearance on the "2026 Underground Cypher", with other artists such as RainingLol, Sixbill, and 2Slimey.[6] His part of the cypher immediately went viral online due to his experimental style of music, which resonated with fans of the rage-rap scene.[7] Following his growing prominence in the scene, he gained the attention of American rapper JPEGMafia, who announced that Proxy and Redveil would be the openers for his North America tour in support of his album Experimental Rap.[8][9]
On June 11, 2026, Proxy announced the release date for the mixtape Trojan Horse.[7] The mixtape was released on June 19, 2026, containing 12 tracks and guest appearances from Fakemink, Grimes, Current Joys, Jusq, and Never Goodbye.[10][11][12] On September 4, 2026, Proxy announced the release date for his next album on his Discord server, announcing, "ALBUM IN 12 DAYS." The album is expected to release on September 16, 2026.
Musical style and influences
[edit]Proxy's sound is considered a form of experimental hip-hop. Proxy's musical style consists of honest lyricism[5] over blaring instrumentals, which showcases his self-destruction throughout his tracks.[3][13] His inspirations and influences growing up were Kanye West, JPEGMafia, XXXTentacion,[3] and Quinn. He has also cited Edward Skeletrix as an influence and collaborated with him. Outside of artists, Proxy has labeled movies as a source of inspiration for him too, with those being Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Mulholland Drive, Yogi Bear, The Princess and the Frog, and Good Will Hunting.[3] Elaina Bernstein of Hypebeast labeled Proxy's Trojan Horse as a "genre-blurring" mixtape with a rare combination of features and productions.[12]
Personal life
[edit]Proxy is a Christian.[3] Proxy's father became a professional boxer after leaving jail.[3] In 2025, his father was detained by ICE, later being deported back to Liberia after being in detainment for six months.[1][3][4] Proxy also had a sister, who died of a drug overdose.[4]
Outside of his family, Proxy enjoys researching Neanderthals and early human life.[3] His favorite movie is The Princess and the Frog.[3]
Controversies
[edit]In 2026, artist Martin of the K-pop boy band Cortis praised Proxy's track "Knots". Following the co-sign, Proxy took to his Instagram story writing "Hit me up", implying he wanted to collaborate with him. However, Proxy retracted his statement after listening to the band's music, stating, "Never mind. This is kind of ass. I'm good." Due to this and other comments made by Proxy, such as calling Cortis's music artificial and suggesting they appropriated black art, he received major backlash from the band's fanbase.[14]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]- Trojan Horse (2026)
Extended plays
[edit]- Beating a Dead Horse (2025)
- Horse Play (2025)
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 Schube, Will (July 2, 2026). "Matt Proxy Is Ready for a Battle". Pigeons & Planes. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
- ↑ Neiman, Drew (June 30, 2026). "Matt Proxy runs circles around his SoundCloud rap peers". The Fader. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Matt Proxy Is Planting His Flag In". Welcome Magazine. June 19, 2026. Retrieved June 20, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Schreckinger, Thomas (May 28, 2026). "Best New Artists (Spring, 2026)". Pigeons & Planes. Retrieved June 20, 2026.
- 1 2 Lafontant, Olivier (July 6, 2026). "matt proxy: trojan horse". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 6, 2026.
- ↑ Johri, Antonio. "Who Is 2slimey? Meet the Underground Rapper Breaking the Internet". Complex. Complex Networks. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
- 1 2 Breihan, Tom (June 12, 2026). "Matt Proxy Announces Debut Album Trojan Horse Feat. fakemink, Current Joys, & Grimes". Stereogum. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
- ↑ Price, Joe (May 21, 2026). "JPEGMAFIA Drops Hard-Hitting New Album 'Experimental Rap'". Complex. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
- ↑ Stickler, Jon. "JPEGMAFIA Announces New Album 'EXPERIMENTAL RAP' And Accompanying North American Tour". Stereoboard. Stereoboard. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
- ↑ "New Music Friday: The best albums out June 19". NPR Music. NPR. June 19, 2026. Retrieved June 20, 2026.
- ↑ Brown, Preezy (June 19, 2026). "New Music Friday: 50 Hip-Hop & R&B Releases You Need On Your Playlist". Vibe. Retrieved June 20, 2026.
- 1 2 Bernstein, Elaina (June 19, 2026). "Everything We Added to Our Playlist This Week". Hypebeast. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
- ↑ "Songs You Need In Your Life This Week: June 24, 2026". The Fader. June 24, 2026. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- ↑ Kang, Kyung-youn (July 13, 2026). "US Rapper Slams CORTIS After MARTIN's 'Shout-out'; "Not Interested in Lab-Made Music"". SBS News. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Matt Proxy discography at Discogs
| Authority control databases: Artists |
|---|
- 2006 births
- Living people
- American trap musicians
- Rappers from Minneapolis
- Rappers from Minnesota
- 21st-century American male musicians
- Rage (music genre) musicians
- 21st-century American rappers
- 21st-century American male rappers
- 21st-century African-American male rappers
- 21st-century African-American rappers
- Alternative hip-hop musicians
- American hip-hop record producers
- American avant-garde musicians
- Underground rappers