MellowHype
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hip hop music |
| Founded | 2006 or 2007 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, mixtapes |
MellowHype was a hip hop duo originating from Los Angeles, California, comprising rapper-producer Hodgy (Gerard Long) and producer-rapper Left Brain (Vyron Turner). Both artists were part of the collective Odd Future. Throughout their career, they released two studio albums that both appeared on the Billboard 200 chart, in addition to four mixtapes.
Formation and early work (2006–2010)
Collaboration between Left Brain and Hodgy Beats began around 2006 or 2007, with Left Brain handling production and Hodgy providing vocals. While both contributed to the first two Odd Future mixtapes, their official debut as MellowHype came with the mixtape YelloWhite, which was released on February 24, 2010. They also appeared on the track "Basic Bitch" from Domo Genesis's initial mixtape Rolling Papers. Their first studio album, BlackenedWhite, was initially made available for free download on October 31, 2010.
Reissue of BlackenedWhite (2011–2012)
MellowHype’s visibility increased in early 2011 alongside the rising popularity of Odd Future following Tyler, The Creator’s breakout single Yonkers. On April 5, 2011, they performed the track "64" with labelmates Bass Drum of Death on Fuel TV’s The Daily Habit. Additionally, they collaborated with Tyler on the song "65" during a BBC music showcase.
A remastered edition of BlackenedWhite was reissued on July 12, 2011, through Fat Possum Records, accompanied by a music video for its leading single "64".
Numbers album and MELLOWHYPEWEEK (2012)
On August 16, 2011, Hodgy Beats shared the track "67" via his Tumblr page, signaling an upcoming album titled Numbers. This was followed by several additional tracks with numerical titles. On January 4, 2012, "45" was released digitally through Hodgy’s Tumblr account. Later, on July 13, "FAKUOY" was unveiled but was ultimately left off the album.
Originally scheduled for release on October 2, 2012, Numbers was postponed until October 9 to align with the launch of fellow Odd Future Records artists Trash Talk’s album 119. The album’s lead single "La Bonita" was released on July 18, 2012. Collaborations on the record include contributions from Frank Ocean, Mike G, and Earl Sweatshirt.
On August 5, 2012, Hodgy announced via Twitter a MellowHype mixtape planned for September 11. Instead of a full project drop, starting September 11 they released one song per day over a week: "Decoy," "Greezy," "Wasabi," "Godsss," "F," "LP," and "WHAT." Guest artists featured on these tracks included Domo Genesis on "Greezy" and Juicy J on "Wasabi."
MellowHigh project, INSA mixtape, and disbandment (2013–2015)
On April 20, 2013, the group MellowHigh, comprising Hodgy, Left Brain, and Domo Genesis, debuted their single and video for "Troublesome 2013." Their self-titled album MellowHigh was announced for release on October 31, 2013. Promotional vlogs chronicled their studio sessions and Odd Future’s European tour. Prior to the album launch, several songs were shared via SoundCloud, including the video premiere for "Yu" on October 10. The album features guest appearances from Tyler, the Creator, Curren$y, Smoke DZA, Earl Sweatshirt, and Remy Banks. It entered the US Billboard 200 at number 89.
On June 9, 2014, MellowHype revealed plans for their mixtape INSA (I Need Some Answers), which was subsequently released on July 4, 2014.
On January 18, 2015, Hodgy Beats announced that MellowHype had officially ended. Although he and Left Brain would continue to work together musically, they would no longer use the MellowHype name. Hodgy clarified that this decision represented a strategic shift reflecting their growth rather than a formal breakup.
Reunion (2017–present)
On February 6, 2017, MellowHype revealed their joint effort on Left Brain's project titled Mind Gone Volume 1.
In popular culture
The track "On Ya Mind" by MellowHype appeared on the soundtrack for Madden 12. Hodgy Beats mentioned that the song was produced alongside Left Brain during their high school years.
Discography
Studio albums
- BlackenedWhite (re-release) (2011)
- Numbers (2012)
Mixtapes
- YelloWhite (2010)
- BlackenedWhite (2010)
- MellowHypeWeek (2012)
- INSA (I Need Some Answers) (2014)
with Odd Future
Studio albums
- The OF Tape Vol. 2 (2012)
Mixtapes
- The Odd Future Tape (2008)
Compilations
- 12 Odd Future Songs (2011)
with Domo Genesis as MellowHigh
Studio albums
- MellowHigh (2013)