Earl Sweatshirt and rapper MIKE discussed the use of ghostwriters and various cultural trends during a recent interview with Pitchfork.

The conversation arrives as the two artists promote their new collaborative project, "POMPEII // UTILITY." This double album [1] represents a significant creative pairing between two figures known for their distinct approaches to experimental hip-hop.

During the interview, the artists rated a wide array of topics as either overrated or underrated. These subjects included music festivals, freeways, cults, and aura farming. They also discussed astronomy, Michael Jackson, Myspace, 50 Cent, Grailed, and the concept of longevity.

Their discussion on ghostwriters served as a focal point of the segment, touching upon the authenticity and authorship of lyrics within the genre. The interview was released following the debut of their joint work, which consists of two albums [1]. Despite the scale of the project, only two songs on the double album feature both artists [2].

The pairing of Sweatshirt and MIKE highlights a shared interest in avant-garde production and non-traditional song structures. By addressing the industry practice of ghostwriting, the duo positioned themselves within a broader conversation about artistic integrity and the evolution of rap songwriting.

“The artists rated a wide array of topics as either overrated or underrated.”

The focus on ghostwriting and the curation of 'overrated' versus 'underrated' trends reflects a broader movement in independent hip-hop toward transparency and critical curation. By releasing a double album with minimal joint appearances on tracks, Sweatshirt and MIKE emphasize a collaborative spirit based on shared aesthetic vision rather than traditional feature-heavy marketing.