{{Good article}} {{Short description|Swedish rapper}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Ecco2k | image = Ecco2K - Houston 2022.jpg | caption = Ecco2k performing with Drain Gang in 2022 | birth_name = Zak Arogundade | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|10|23|df=y}} | birth_place = Stockholm, Sweden | genre = {{hlist|Pop|cloud rap|hip-hop|experimental}} | occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|singer-songwriter|record producer|visual artist|fashion designer}} | instrument = | years_active = 2013–present | label = {{hlist|Year0001|Trash Island}} | current_member_of = {{hlist|Drain Gang}} | website = }}
'''Zak Arogundade''' (born 23 October 1994), known professionally as '''Ecco2k''', is a British-Swedish rapper and singer-songwriter. Arogundade founded the band Krossad with Bladee, his then-classmate, in 2004. Three years later, he founded his first fashion brand, Alaska, and later joined the Swedish shoe brand Eytys as a designer. He founded Drain Gang with childhood friends Bladee, Thaiboy Digital and Whitearmor in 2013. Arogundade appeared on albums with Drain Gang and directed music videos before releasing his debut solo studio album, ''E'', in 2019. He released the EP ''PXE'' in 2021, and the collaborative studio album ''Crest'' in 2022. Arogundade is a private and secretive person who has incorporated queer themes in his work.<!-- don't remove this sentence without discussion and/or consensus -->
== Biography == === 1994–2012: Early life and career === Zak Arogundade was born in Stockholm, Sweden,<ref name="face">{{Cite web |last=Sobolik |first=Thomas |date=2 December 2019 |title=Ecco2K's second coming of age |url=https://theface.com/music/ecco-2k-stockholm-sadboys-yves-tumor-interview |access-date=5 January 2024 |website=The Face |language=en-gb |archive-date=9 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209004338/https://theface.com/music/ecco-2k-stockholm-sadboys-yves-tumor-interview |url-status=live}}</ref> on 23 October 1994.<ref>{{Cite Instagram |user=aloegarten |postid=DBeVWMwz_6a |date=2024-10-23 |title=As someone who had no choice but to find their own sense of belonging... |access-date=2025-03-01}}</ref> His mother is a Swedish makeup artist, while his father is a British graphic designer, writer, and architect of Nigerian heritage.<ref name="vogue" /> For a short time, he lived with his father in London; he spent most of his childhood with his mother in the Hornstull area of Stockholm.<ref name="vogue">{{Cite web |last=Borrelli-Persson |first=Laird |date=2 September 2016 |title=Is there anything he can't do? Meet Stockholm's stylish multi-hyphenate Zak Arogundade |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/musicians-zak-arogundade |access-date=5 January 2024 |website=Vogue |language=en-US |archive-date=10 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210072437/https://www.vogue.com/article/musicians-zak-arogundade |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nyt">{{Cite web |last=Dandridge-Lemco |first=Ben |date=2 June 2020 |title=Zak Arogundade, a musician and designer from Stockholm |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/02/style/zak-arogundade-a-musician-and-designer-from-stockholm.html |access-date=5 January 2024 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US |archive-date=2 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602093359/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/02/style/zak-arogundade-a-musician-and-designer-from-stockholm.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Bladee in Toronto, Canada 2016.jpg|thumb|Benjamin Reichwald (''Bladee, pictured in 2016''), a frequent collaborator of Arogundade]]
Arogundade had his first experiences with visual art at age five, when his father gifted him a graphics software program and taught him how to use it; Arogundade created album covers and logos for imaginary bands.<ref name="vogue" /> In 2004, he became classmates with Benjamin Reichwald (Bladee) and founded the punk-oriented project Krossad ("crushed" in Swedish) the same year.<ref name=face /><ref name="vogue" /> They released a demo CD in 2007.<ref name=pxe>{{Cite web |last=Dandridge-Lemco |first=Ben |date=8 April 2021 |title=Ecco2k: ''PXE EP'' album review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/ecco2k-pxe-ep/ |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |archive-date=6 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506035938/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/ecco2k-pxe-ep/ |url-status=live }}</ref> That same year, Arogundade created a fashion label, Alaska, a streetwear brand. Although he was only 16 years old, he managed to develop the brand through online communication with Chinese factory managers who were unaware of his age.<ref name=face /><ref name="vogue" /> This experience led him to join the Swedish sneaker brand Eytys.<ref name="vogue" />
=== 2013–present: Drain Gang === In 2013, Arogundade founded the Drain Gang collective, first called Gravity Boys, with childhood friends Bladee, Thaiboy Digital, and Whitearmor,<ref name=nyt /> adopting the alias Ecco2k.<ref name=face /> The four had been a part of the musical group Smög Boys.<ref name=dazed /> The name "Ecco2k" was inspired by the titular character of the ''Ecco the Dolphin'' video game series.<ref name=rise /> Drain Gang signed with Year0001<ref name=dazed /> and began regularly collaborating with the group Sad Boys and their labelmate Yung Lean.<ref name=nyt /><ref name=face /><ref name=dazed /> That same year, Arogundade became Lean's creative director.<ref name=face /> Still in 2013, Arogundade started his music career by releasing singles "Bleach", "Hold Me Down Like Gravity", and "Mirage";<ref name=allmusic /> "Hold Me Down Like Gravity" received a music video directed by Arogundade himself.<ref name="hold">{{Cite web |last=Friedlander |first=Emilie |date=9 December 2013 |title=Video: Ecco2k, 'Hold Me Down Like Gravity' |url=https://www.thefader.com/2013/12/09/video-ecco2k-hold-me-down |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=The Fader |language=en |archive-date=15 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815062039/https://www.thefader.com/2013/12/09/video-ecco2k-hold-me-down |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2015, he released an instrumental EP, ''Crush Resist''.<ref name=pxe /> He later appeared on the Drain Gang compilation albums ''D&G'' (2017) and ''Trash Island'' (2019).<ref name=allmusic /> Arogundade also founded the fashion brand g'LOSS, under which he designed Drain Gang merchandise.<ref name=face />
thumb|Cover for ''E'' (2019)
In 2017, Arogundade began to perform solo live sets for the first time.<ref name=face /> The following year, he modelled at Paris Fashion Week for Alyx Studio; he also appeared at London Fashion Week's "Challenge the Fabric" competition as a panelist.<ref name=face /> On 27 November 2019, Arogundade released his debut solo studio album, which was also a surprise album, ''E''. To record it, Arogundade had to leave his day job as a designer and photo retoucher at Eytys.<ref name= face /><ref name= nyt /> It was recorded in Stockholm, Berlin, Los Angeles, London, Falun, and Bangkok,<ref name=look>{{Cite web |last=Borrelli-Person |first=Laird |date=27 November 2019 |title=Swedish musician Ecco2K drops a surprise solo album (and an extreme new look) |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/ecco2k-zak-arogundade-surprise-solo-album-drop |access-date=19 October 2023 |website=Vogue |language=en-US |archive-date=9 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209205408/https://www.vogue.com/article/ecco2k-zak-arogundade-surprise-solo-album-drop |url-status=live }}</ref> and preceded by singles "AAA Powerline" and "Fruit Bleed Juice", with the latter receiving a music video.<ref name= face /> In 2020, Arogundade toured Europe<ref name=peroxide /> and released more music videos for ''E'' songs: "Peroxide" on 29 January<ref name=peroxide>{{Cite web |last=Darville |first=Jordan |date=29 January 2020 |title=Ecco2k surveys a waterworld in the 'Peroxide' video |url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/01/29/ecco2k-peroxide-music-video |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=The Fader |language=en |archive-date=6 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106203408/https://www.thefader.com/2020/01/29/ecco2k-peroxide-music-video |url-status=live }}</ref> and "Security!" on 30 July.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maicki |first=Salvatore |date=30 July 2020 |title=Ecco2k bathes in light in his new video for 'Security!' |url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/07/30/ecco2k-security-video-e-album-physical-cd-sold-out |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=The Fader |language=en |archive-date=6 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106203430/https://www.thefader.com/2020/07/30/ecco2k-security-video-e-album-physical-cd-sold-out |url-status=live }}</ref> That year, he also released singles "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" with Bladee on 24 February<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maicki |first=Salvatore |date=24 February 2020 |title=Bladee and Ecco2k link for new single 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' |url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/02/24/bladee-ecco2k-girls-just-want-to-have-fun-whitearmor |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=The Fader |language=en |archive-date=20 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220224521/https://www.thefader.com/2020/02/24/bladee-ecco2k-girls-just-want-to-have-fun-whitearmor |url-status=live }}</ref> and "Pollen" on 17 September, in which Arogundade sings in Swedish.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Darville |first=Jordan |date=17 September 2020 |title=Watch the video for Ecco2k's new song 'Pollen' |url=https://www.thefader.com/2020/09/17/watch-the-video-for-ecco2ks-new-song-pollen |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=The Fader |language=en |archive-date=6 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106203409/https://www.thefader.com/2020/09/17/watch-the-video-for-ecco2ks-new-song-pollen |url-status=live }}</ref>
On 31 March 2021, Arogundade released a surprise EP, ''PXE'', fully accompanied by a video from artist and animator Freddy Carrasco.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Darville |first=Jordan |date=1 April 2021 |title=Ecco2k shares new EP ''PXE'' |url=https://www.thefader.com/2021/04/01/ecco2k-shares-new-ep-pxe |access-date=19 October 2023 |website=The Fader |language=en |archive-date=8 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230908163204/https://www.thefader.com/2021/04/01/ecco2k-shares-new-ep-pxe |url-status=live }}</ref> Unlike ''E'', ''PXE'' was entirely produced by Arogundade.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yalcinkaya |first=Günseli |date=2 April 2021 |title=6 albums to stream this week |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/52384/1/new-music-friday-6-albums-to-stream-this-week-ecco2k-sophie |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020005405/https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/52384/1/new-music-friday-6-albums-to-stream-this-week-ecco2k-sophie |archive-date=20 October 2023 |access-date=20 October 2023 |website=Dazed |language=en}}</ref> On 19 January 2022, he released the standalone single "Amygdala" with Bladee.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Darville |first=Jordan |date=19 January 2022 |title=Ecco2k and Bladee share new single 'Amygdala' |url=https://www.thefader.com/2022/01/19/ecco2k-bladee-amygdala |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=The Fader |language=en |archive-date=3 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203100502/https://www.thefader.com/2022/01/19/ecco2k-bladee-amygdala |url-status=live }}</ref> On 17 March, they released a collaborative studio album, ''Crest'',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rowley |first=Glenn |title=Bladee and Ecco2k release surprise album ''Crest'': Stream |url=https://consequence.net/2022/03/bladee-ecco2k-crest-stream/ |access-date=21 March 2023 |website=Consequence |date=18 March 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=16 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216142855/https://consequence.net/2022/03/bladee-ecco2k-crest-stream/ |url-status=live }}</ref> which was recorded in the Swedish countryside.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Brady |first=Keegan |date=19 April 2022 |title=Inside the cathartic bliss of Drain Gang, Gen Z's emo torchbearers |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/ecco2k-bladee-drain-gang-interview-new-album-1339713/ |access-date=21 March 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |archive-date=8 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208185948/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/ecco2k-bladee-drain-gang-interview-new-album-1339713/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''The Fader'' staff considered it the 22nd best album of 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 50 best albums of 2022 |url=https://www.thefader.com/2022/12/13/the-50-best-albums-of-2022 |access-date=16 December 2023 |website=The Fader |language=en |archive-date=30 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221230032805/https://www.thefader.com/2022/12/13/the-50-best-albums-of-2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> while ''Pitchfork'' included it in their list of best progressive pop music of the year.<ref name=prog>{{Cite web |date=13 December 2022 |title=The best progressive pop music of 2022 |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-progressive-pop-music-2022/ |access-date=4 January 2024 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |archive-date=14 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114180547/https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-progressive-pop-music-2022/ |url-status=live }}</ref> After the album's release, Arogundade toured worldwide with Drain Gang in their first world tour as a collective.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yalcinkaya |first=Günseli |date=22 March 2022 |title=Photos that capture the offbeat style of Drain Gang fans |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/55736/1/photographs-fans-outside-the-drain-gang-world-tour-in-new-york-bladee-ecco2k |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=Dazed |language=en |archive-date=6 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106224739/https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/55736/1/photographs-fans-outside-the-drain-gang-world-tour-in-new-york-bladee-ecco2k |url-status=live }}</ref> He left Year0001 in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hinton |first=Patrick |date=8 November 2024 |title=Sad Boys and Drain Gang artists announce departure from Year0001 |url=https://mixmag.net/read/sad-boys-drain-gang-artists-year0001-split-news |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=Mixmag}}</ref>
On 19 April 2024, Arogundade released a collaborative single with Bladee and Thaiboy Digital, "TL;DR".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nevares |first=Gabriel Bras |date=21 April 2024 |title=Bladee, Ecco2k & Thaiboy Digital sum up their talents on new single, 'TL;DR': Stream |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/791134-bladee-ecco2k-thaiboy-digital-tldr-drain-gang-new-song-stream-hip-hop-news |access-date=25 April 2024 |website=HotNewHipHop |language=en}}</ref> He played at the Sydney Opera House on 1 June.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Arielle |date=4 June 2024 |title=All the best outfits at Ecco2k and Yung Lean's Sydney show |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/ecco2k-yung-lean-sydney-photos/ |access-date=10 June 2024 |website=Vice |language=en}}</ref> On 14 May 2025, Arogundade released the song "MAKKA" with British rapper fakemink, produced by longtime collaborator Mechatok.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Press-Reynolds |first=Kieran |title=fakemink / Ecco2k / Mechatok: “MAKKA” |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/fakemink-ecco2k-mechatok-makka/ |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref> On 12 June, Arogundade was featured alongside Bladee on Mechatok's "Expression on Your Face" from his debut studio album ''Wide Awake''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strauss |first=Matthew |date=2025-06-12 |title=Mechatok Announces Debut Album, Taps Ecco2k and Bladee for New Video |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/mechatok-announces-debut-album-taps-ecco2k-and-bladee-for-new-video-watch/ |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Musical style and public image == Arogundade is part of Drain Gang, a group of electronic and cloud rap musicians.<ref name="vogue" /> Although Drain Gang's music is intimate, their lyrics often reflect universal human experiences, rather than specifically their own.<ref name="drain" /> Arogundade has maintained a separation between himself and his music, explaining that he does not see Ecco2k as representative of who he is as a person.<ref name= face /> Jayson Greene wrote to ''Pitchfork'' that Arogundade produced "dissociation music" with "numb disorientation, but with flutey, high, fairy-like voices flitting about the mix", and that he "sounds less like a human and more like a pixelated sprite". Greene added: "The immersion in smoother and more hospitable worlds than the real one is everywhere".<ref name="rise">{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Jayson |date=22 June 2022 |title=The rise of dissociation music |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/overtones/the-rise-of-dissociation-music/ |access-date=5 January 2024 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |archive-date=15 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815211624/https://pitchfork.com/features/overtones/the-rise-of-dissociation-music/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Writing for the same website, Nadine Smith noted Arogundade's "fluttering, almost angelic falsetto".<ref name=pitch-e>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Nathan |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/ecco2k-e/ |title=Ecco2k: ''E'' album review |website=Pitchfork |date=6 January 2020 |accessdate=3 February 2020 |archive-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209175550/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/ecco2k-e/ |url-status=live }}</ref> David Crone of AllMusic said that, in 2013, Arogundade's style was "rough yet original, combining distant, hollowed-out vocals with cloudy instrumentals and emotive lyricism". He added that over the decade, Arogundade "embraced technological, forward-thinking sounds taking influence from the rising hyper-pop and hyper-rap subgenres", consolidating his futuristic style with ''E'' in 2019.<ref name="allmusic">{{Cite web |last=Crone |first=David |title=Ecco2K biography |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ecco2k-mn0003748827 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106221608/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ecco2k-mn0003748827 |archive-date=6 January 2024 |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref>
Like other members of Drain Gang, Arogundade is a self-taught musician.<ref name="drain" /> As a designer and editor, Arogundade directs and edits most of his own music videos, and has directed and edited multiple music videos for other artists,<ref name=face /><ref name=vogue /> including Yves Tumor.<ref name="dazed">{{Cite web |date=22 November 2022 |title=Drain is officially a genre: here are five Drain Gang albums to stream now |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/57505/1/drain-is-officially-a-genre-here-are-five-drain-gang-albums-to-stream-now |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=Dazed |language=en |archive-date=28 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240228164006/https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/57505/1/drain-is-officially-a-genre-here-are-five-drain-gang-albums-to-stream-now |url-status=live }}</ref> Commenting on his video work, he said he attempts to "express that there is beauty and magic here, but without putting special effects on it".<ref name="want">{{Cite web |last=Iadarola |first=Alexander |date=29 June 2021 |title='I don't want anything': An interview with Ecco2K |url=https://032c.com/magazine/ecco2k |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=032c |language=en-US |archive-date=9 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209205336/https://032c.com/magazine/ecco2k |url-status=live }}</ref> According to Cassidy George of ''032c'', Arogundade has increasingly incorporated queer themes into his work, citing his feminine presentation in the "Amygdala" music video as an example. George said that the inclusion of these themes increased Drain Gang's LGBT listenership and helped nonbinary, queer, and transgender people embrace their own identities.<ref name="drain">{{Cite web |last=George |first=Cassidy |date=4 May 2023 |title=Drain Gang |url=https://032c.com/magazine/drain-gang |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=032c |language=en-US |archive-date=5 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240105050315/https://032c.com/magazine/drain-gang |url-status=live }}</ref>
Initially, Arogundade attempted to maintain privacy and secrecy regarding his personal life;<ref name="vogue" /><ref name=nyt /> until 2018, he kept his Instagram account private,<ref name=nyt /> as he dislikes making his personal information public.<ref name="vogue" /> Although he has attempted to distance himself from Drain Gang's "obsessive fanbase", in the past, his fans have hacked his cellphone and social media accounts, leaked his music, and contacted his relatives.<ref name="face" /> He commented that he found it "strange... to be such a big part of other people's lives".<ref name="vogue" /> He has been impersonated on Facebook at least twice.<ref name="vogue" />
== Discography == ;Studio albums * ''E'' (2019)
;Extended plays * ''Crush Resist'' (2015) (reissued as ''Cr₂ (Live)'' in 2025) * ''PXE'' (2021)
;Collaborative projects * ''D&G'' (2017) <small>(with Bladee and Thaiboy Digital)</small> * ''Trash Island'' (2019) <small>(with Bladee and Thaiboy Digital)</small> * ''Crest'' (2022) <small>(with Bladee)</small>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Discogs artist|Ecco2k}}
{{Ecco2k}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Living people Category:Swedish male singer-songwriters Category:Swedish male rappers Category:Swedish record producers Category:1994 births Category:Musicians from London Category:Musicians from Stockholm Category:Swedish people of British descent Category:Swedish people of Nigerian descent Category:21st-century rappers