Sideshow Unveils Bold New Album TIGRAY FUNK Out February 27, Releases Striking Lead Single
Photo courtesy of Orienteer
Tigrayan artist Sideshow announces his new album TIGRAY FUNK, arriving February 27 via 10k. The forthcoming full-length marks a defining moment in his career—a capstone body of work shaped by two years of relentless refinement that delivers on the growing reputation he’s quietly built as one of rap’s most compelling new voices.
Alongside the announcement, Sideshow shares the album’s lead single, “LIFES AS VIOLENT AS YOU MAKE IT,” accompanied by a music video directed by Juan Nieto. The track serves as a quintessential introduction to Sideshow’s world: an unfiltered, omniscient stream of consciousness that moves through violence, drugs, and hard truths, anchored by vibrant production from Alexander Spit. Earnest and incisive, the song captures the raw immediacy that defines Sideshow’s approach—observational, reflective, and unsparing.
TIGRAY FUNK pulls no punches in its clear-eyed examination of the world around him. Across the album, Sideshow weaves fragmented memories of terror, heartbreak, and ambition into a poignant document of survival and self-awareness. His stark honesty is purposeful, confronting both the personal impact of the Tigray War in Ethiopia and the broader realities of being Black in America. The album is framed by an interwoven parable tracing how animals became predators and prey, a metaphor for Sideshow’s hard-earned wisdom and the systems that shape power, fear, and endurance. Production comes from a dynamic roster including harrison (Surf Gang), Laron, Tony Seltzer, Anysia Kym, and Popstar Benny.
Born in Tigray, Ethiopia, and raised between Virginia and Los Angeles after moving to the U.S., Sideshow’s dexterous rap style is a direct product of deep immersion in American culture—absorbing movies, art, fashion, and the music surrounding him. His artistic evolution began with two EPs in 2020 (Farley and Ginger Shot), followed by his debut full-length Wicked Man’s Reprise in 2021, featuring collaborators such as MAVI, Na-Kel Smith, and Navy Blue. He has continued to expand his world with multiple projects since, including JAM, a collaborative album with Alexander Spit released in 2023.
The announcement of TIGRAY FUNK coincides with Sideshow joining Earl Sweatshirt on the European leg of the 3LW tour, which kicked off January 20 in Helsinki and concludes February 6 in Zurich.
Listen to “LIFES AS VIOLENT AS YOU MAKE IT” now, see below for more details on TIGRAY FUNK, and stay tuned for more from Sideshow soon.
Sideshow
TIGRAY FUNK
February 27, 2026
10k
1. SIGNS+SYMBOLS (feat. SEXWORKS)
2. KILL FROM THE HEART
3. VOLUME METRIC
4. SOFT TOOTH TIGER
5. I AM DA CAPTAIN
6. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE (feat. Kelow Latesha)
7. MARTYR MOST HIGH
8. HEART 2 A FEATHER
9. 3EEP IT 2OGETHER (feat. El Cousteau)
10. FLOOD 2 FRENZY
11. LIFES AS VIOLENT AS YOU MAKE IT
12. BLAME BURNAYS
13. ALMOST FAMOUS
14. WAR GAMES
15. CCP LIKE OTO
16. YARDBIRD
17. WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL ARE YOU?
18. ALENA(ኣለና)PARADISE LOST
19. SOLID SNAKE
20. BANDIDO GENEROSO
21. SCHIZSHOW BOB
22. ALOVENARCOTIC
23. WHY WOULD YOU WANT SUCH THINGS?
24. INVADER JIM
25. WRETCHED OF THE EARTH
26. HAPPY MACHINE (feat. Niontay)
27. PUSSY RIOT!
28. YEAR OF THE FIRE HORSE
29. LOOK WHAT OUR STOMACH MADE US …
30. INTERNATIONAL SODA CLUB
31. +5
32. CHAOS CONSTANT
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sideshow127
