Cletus Strap Announces Debut Headline LA Show + New Video “High” with Omari Lyseight.
Following the release of his new album rappers suck. via Tan Cressida Records earlier this summer, Los Angeles rapper Cletus Strap officially announces his debut headline LA show taking place at The Echo on Saturday, November 28th with support from Denyah, Rockitneedspace, and 12k Gotti. The performance leads his run of fall shows ahead of joining the “Home on the Range tour” with MIKE, Earl Sweatshirt, SURF GANG, and more across North America in October. Alongside the announcement, Cletus also shares a new music video directed by Bayo for the collaborative track “High” with Omari Lyseight from the South London producer’s new album Digital, out now via Surf Gang.
Blending satire with cultural critique and taking inspiration from the skate brand Droors’ iconic 1993 “Ravers Suck” t-shirt, rappers suck. captures the most transformative period of Cletus Strap’s career yet. Executive produced by Earl Sweatshirt and Cletus’ first official release signing to the label’s roster, the album offers a direct response to rap music’s current timeline often dominated by clout, algorithms, and snippet culture, poking fun at commonalities without standing outside of them. Across eight tracks it includes guest features from Earl Sweatshirt & VIP SKYLARK, alongside production from Laron, Omari Lyseight, madmax4800 and Cam The Chef. Cletus’ experiences with evolving friendships and relationships amidst learning what it means to build a sustainable music career have informed his new journey in moving away from glorifying negativity and towards music that still feels gritty but carries a different, more positive perspective. The attitude hasn’t disappeared, priorities have simply changed.
Speaking on the project’s title and overarching themes, Cletus says, “There’s a divide in hip hop between creativity and technical skill. It’s highly commercialized but somehow culturally niche and sacred while globally influential. Because of the accessibility and illusion of effortlessness, there’s a lack of respect for rap as an art form. Rappers distancing themselves from the title, calling themselves “artists” instead, is contradicting the plight.”
He’s clear that the point is more about respect and collective contribution to the effort of a release, as opposed to an all out diss. “I really wanted to poke fun at the superficiality of these narratives. This is me owning the title and taking the heat that comes with it. On this project I didn’t make any beats, shoot or edit the videos. I’m just the rapper.”
Hailing from Inglewood, California, Cletus Strap has been active in the underground hip hop scene for years as a rapper and producer having dropped a series of previous releases on his own Chill As Fuck imprint, and is also a drummer in the hip hop influenced jazz ensemble Sparker. His association with Earl Sweatshirt has evolved over time, starting with studio collaborations and leading up to this release on Tan Cressida after Earl first reached out to Cletus inviting him on 2025’s “3LWorld Tour” based on one of his recent EPs and the early impressions it garnered resonating with Earl and many others. The connection has naturally led to a string of potent musical and creative collaboration between the two with rappers suck. serving as proof that collaboration doesn’t have to dilute an artist’s vision, but can rather sharpen it. Cletus will also be joining the “Home on the Range tour” for select dates with MIKE, Earl Sweatshirt, SURF GANG, and more across North America towards the end of the year.
November 28, 2026 – The Echo – Los Angeles, CA
w/ Denyah, Rockitneedspace, 12k Gotti
Upcoming Live Dates
w/ Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE, SURF GANG
10/07 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
10/08 – St. Louis, MO @ The Hawthorn
10/09 – Omaha, NE @ The Admiral Theatre
10/11 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
10/12 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
