Photo of Ekko courtesy of Riot Games.
Ekko wasn’t prepared for the massive success of “GIANTS” — the 2019 League of Legends World Championship Anthem that made him a superstar and has over 230 million streams in 2026.
The New York City rapper and creative multi-hyphenate is one fifth of the virtual hip-hop collective True Damage, which also includes fellow rapper Akali, vocalists Qiyana and Senna, and DJ and producer Yasuo. On their 2019 heater “GIANTS,” the super group concocted a track which combines the neon-lit spirit of EDM with elements of arena pop and trap. “People were asking me for autographs at the bodega,” he recalls to The FADER of those days post-”GIANTS.” “Low key, I took on too much. I didn’t have an agent or manager to handle everything, so my pops had to help me keep track of it all.”
Since then, Ekko has kept his head down and worked to further hone his craft. Now, years later, he’s returning with his crew of champions for the 2026 World Championship Anthem, “Know My Name.” The new track, the 13th Worlds Anthem, will be available across all major streaming platforms beginning Thursday, October 8 at 6:00 p.m. pt, alongside the premiere of the official music video on the League of Legends YouTube.
“‘Know My Name’ feels a lot more in tune with who I am now. It’s about putting in the grind needed to leave your mark and make people remember your name,” Ekko tells The FADER. “That kind of success isn’t something you earn from one peak moment. It’s from putting in the work again and again and again, and I’m really proud of how that shows up on the track.”
The result of his locked in creativity and True Damage’s communal reunion is a song which boasts both grit and ecstatic energy. On Ekko’s verse especially, he sharpens his pen and delivers a thought-provoking verse that could well spark comparisons to the great Chicago spitter Vic Mensa. (They almost sound like brothers).
The FADER chatted with Ekko about his reunion with True Damage, dealing with overnight success, and sticking to his creative guns.
Courtesy of Riot Games
How did you discover a love for rap and hip-hop?
When I was growing up, my pops used to play CDs all the time with the OGs of New York hip-hop. De La Soul, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest …I listened to those albums every day after I got home from school, just mesmerized by their lyricism and how their verses flowed.
Once I was old enough to buy my own music, I’d go down to A-1 Records and grab whatever I could dig up. That’s when I found Nas. I know every rapper says this, but Illmatic changed my life, man. It felt like he saw me and what I was seein’ growing up like he was right there next to me. I couldn’t get it out of my head. And I knew I wanted to capture that in my own music.
What do you think Akali saw in you early on that you hadn’t recognized yet?
When Kali first reached out to me, I was still new to the game. I mean, I’d been scribbling lyrics in my notebooks for years. I was experimenting with some beats to try to stand out from the crowd. But I was still a new artist finding my place in the scene, and when you’re on the grind and struggling to get noticed, it’s easy to start wondering if you’re truly ready for the big time.
Kali came up from the underground scene in Korea, so she understood what I was dealing with when she brought me in. The two of us vibed immediately. We started swappin’ playlists and bouncing ideas off each other for the music we were working on. Any insecurities I’d had flew out the window, and we’ve been collabing ever since.
I’ve been able to do so many things I didn’t think were possible because I said yes to her when she reached out. She saw the artist I’d become while I was sweating the small stuff, and now, I’m exactly where I always wanted to be. Can’t thank her enough for that.
What was life like following the success of “GIANTS?”
Life after “GIANTS” was crazy, man. I knew people were really feelin’ the song — especially after we performed it live — but it was still wild to see just how big it got. Folks were reaching out for ad deals, tours, livestreams, all that. One company even wanted to help me design my own shoe line.
I was drowning trying to keep up with all that and write new music at the same time. It’s like I was everywhere and nowhere at the same time, you know?
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change it for anything. Seeing so many people vibe with my music is like, indescribable. I just didn’t realize how much time all this other stuff was gonna take and how hard it was gonna be to find time to just make music again.
How did you contend with burnout following that hectic period?
Yeah, I was definitely strugglin’ for a little bit there. I’d never felt burnout like that before, so I reached out to everyone to get some advice. Kali told me to just keep pushing and
take the wins where I find them. Yasuo had me try meditating, which wasn’t really my speed. Qiyana hyped me up whenever I needed it, but she lives for this kind of thing, you know? It’s like telling a fish that you’re struggling to swim.
It was Senna who really helped me find my own answer. She told me to stop tryna figure out what helps other people relax and start thinking about what I love doing that’s been missing from my life. We all recharge in our own way, right? So instead of trying to find the answer, I started thinking about what I’d been missing that helped me relax before things got crazy.
I love making street art. With everything going on, it had been forever since I worked on a piece. So I finally just did it. I poured all of the anxiety and doubt and whatever into it. It wasn’t perfect, but I felt a lot better afterwards. Like I could finally breathe. I’ve tried to make it kind of a routine since then.
As you returned to New York for a reset, what elements of the city grounded you?
Going back to New York was like a perfect cup of coffee. It’s all the little stuff, you know? Grabbing dinner with my pops at Giardini Pizza and not having to talk about work. Walking down the street and catchin’ up with neighbors without being swamped by cameras. Even the random street performers poppin’ up all through the subway made me laugh. It was nice to feel normal again.
I didn’t have a plan for how things would shake out when I got started. I just wanted to share my music with the world and use that to lift folks up. But you need to be there to be there, you know? Actually getting to talk to people, hear what they’re going through, helping folks with some odd jobs here and there… I finally felt like I was making a difference. It was a good reminder of what really matters.
What does “the future” of music sound like to you?
What gets me hyped about the future of music is all the innovation I’ve been seeing. It’s one of the reasons Yasuo and I are really vibing with the Drill sound recently, which was a huge inspiration for “Know My Name.” Those artists are super creative with how they find their samples and build beats that fully transform the music. Streaming platforms make it easier to dig the crates than it’s ever been, and there’s so much cool stuff out there just waiting to be discovered.
I also think music is such a personal art form in a world that’s growing increasingly impersonal. When folks are online looking for new music, they’re really looking for an artist they vibe with, who helps them feel seen and who writes songs that connect to them on that deeper level. I think the folks who get that and make music with their fingerprints on it will drive the future.
What non-musical obsession is currently fueling your creativity? Do you approach your other interests similarly to how you do music?
I’ve been building up a killer sneaker collection recently. At first, I was just trying to add a personal touch to my style when performing on stage. I wanted to rep New York with the Jalen Brunson sneakers that came out last year. Thanks for putting the Knicks back on top, Jalen.
But it just kept growing. Qiyana sent me some Campeón’s that are fire, and Senna turned me on to some sick Macks over in the UK. After a while, I decided I wanted to collect sneakers from everywhere I performed. My collection kinda became a catalogue of where I’ve been and all the memories I’ve made in places I never thought I’d get to visit.
Now I just gotta figure out where to put them all. I can barely close my closet door nowadays.
Beyond the records, can you talk about the legacy you are trying to build?
More than anything else, I want to inspire the next generation of artists comin’ up. I really believe everyone has their own sound, and getting in touch with that to make something that’s all your own is the coolest thing in the world. I’m proof that you can put yourself out there, make music your own way, and connect with the world in ways you never thought was possible.
Go experiment with the tools out there and find what works. There’s so much new stuff right now that I wish I had when I was starting out. You just gotta jump in, put yourself out there, and discover what works best with your style one song at a time.
How has your definition of success evolved since you started?
I think when “GIANTS” was first comin’ out, I was more focused on proving myself, standing out from the crowd, and making the world recognize my skills. I wanted to show everyone that I’d earned my spot in True Damage and deserved to be up there with all those other talented artists.
I don’t feel that way anymore. Going back to New York and reconnecting with folks here reminded me of why I got into rap in the first place: to make music that connects with people and makes an impact on their world, just like the rap legends who left their mark on me.
What creative advice do you have for musicians just starting?
When you’re starting out, don’t be afraid to take risks and break things. If you’re anything like me, you’re gonna try a whole bunch of new and weird stuff, and it’s not gonna work. But that’s okay! The music that truly matters is never easy, and it’s the lessons you learn from those missteps that lead you to what finally works. I always go back to what Akali told me one time: “A failure isn’t the same thing as failing.”
Also, don’t let your social feeds fool you into thinking that you need to have some massive platform to be successful. When I started out, I had one fan on Soundcloud, and it was my pops. But I never let that stop me from making music my way, and it shouldn’t stop you either. Focus on putting in the work, taking the small steps every day, and learning how to connect your work with the people who are meant to love it.
