Death Grips Have Broken Up (Unless This Is Another Stunt)

Death Grips have officially broken up, according to a note posted on their Facebook page. The noise rap group/performance art trolls relayed the news on a length of what may or may not be toilet paper, in classic Death Grips fashion:

"We are now at our best and so Death Grips is over. We have officially stopped. All currently scheduled live dates are canceled. Our upcoming double album 'the powers that b' will still be delivered worldwide later this year via Harvest/Third Worlds Records. Death Grips was and always has been a conceptual art exhibition anchored by sound and vision. Above and beyond a 'band.' To our truest fans, please stay legend."

Drummer Zach Hill, Stefan Burnett (MC Ride) and producer Andy Morin (Flatlander) formed Death Grips in 2010 and released their critically acclaimed breakout mixtape, Exmilitary, in 2011. Their latest release, Niggas on the Moon, is the first half of a double album The Powers That B, and it features Bjork vocals throughout. The group still plans to release the second part of the project, Jenny Death, according to the breakup note.

Ah, Death Grips, you beautiful bastards, what a fast and frustrating four years it was. Your music is often thrilling, but let's be honest, you'll be remembered for all your dickish moments. Let's rehash them as a final farewell.

1. Back in 2012, the band scheduled a major tour in support of The Money Store, and then canceled it so they could work on follow-up No Love Deep Web.

2. On October 1, 2012, they released No Love Deep Web for free, circumventing Epic Records' plan to release it, ya know, commercially, in 2013. Epic was not pleased.

3. Not only did they release the album for free without the consent of the label (this wasn't a troll move if you're a fan, though), they also rubbed salt in the wound by making the album cover a photo of an erect penis with the title written on it in Sharpie. Very tasteful.

4. Epic Records was, understandably, nonplussed. The label's senior vice president of business affairs and legal sent an email to the band saying they were in breach of contract, violating copyrights, and making "false and disparaging" remarks about their corporate overlords. "Epic will not pay for an album that thousands of people have already downloaded." Oh, how do we know all these details of the private communications? Because Death Grips posted them to Facebook, because they "got sick of hearing about this marketing shit, annoying." The band signed off with "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA NOW FUCK OFF," and that's what Epic did, swiftly cutting ties with them.

5. They were no-shows at a Lollapalooza after-party gig in 2013, and fans proceeded to destroy the band's equipment on set. They then bailed out of Lollapalooza and their ensuing dates, explaining that they were never going to play at these shows, and instead were going to have a suicide note projected behind the stage, an empty drum set, and somebody playing their music on an iPhone or CD. Maybe some sort of commentary on EDM shows?

6. On Government Plates, they began giving their songs Fall Out Boy-like names, such as "You Might Think He Loves You For Your Money But I Know What He Really Loves You For It's Your Brand New Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat."

7. And finally, the breakup. This itself isn't a dick move (unless, of course, it's another "art" stunt, in which case it would be a dick move). But the breakup means they've (yet again) canceled shows. This time, they will no longer be opening for Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden this summer. Take it away, Trent: