When was Death Grips formed? Band squashes split rumors in Instagram post

Experimental hip-hop band Death Grips responded to the ongoing rumors about their split. The band shared an Instagram post on April 8, 2025, squashing the rumors. The post had an image of a photo frame with the words:

“Despite rumour and hearsay, we remain active as Death Grips.”

The band, comprising Stefan Burnett, Andy Morin, and Zach Hill, was formed in 2010. The frame was undersigned by two members, Burnett and Hill. According to NME, after their first album, The Money Store, came out in 2012, the band released five more albums.

However, their latest album, Year Of The Snitch, was released in 2018. The next year, they released a shorter collection of songs called Gmail And The Restraining Orders. In 2023, they released single songs that were not part of an album. These songs were True Vulture and The Bug Death Grips FULL MIXX.

The split rumors began circulating in February 2025 following a leaked Instagram conversation with Andy Morin. As seen in the viral screenshot, Morin said:

“Yeah it's over, stefan doesn't want to do any more. But truthfully none of us can ever predict what will happen with the group.”

The last time they performed together was in 2023 at Austin City Limits. The hiatus following that also made people think that the band had broken up. The same year, guitarist Nick Reinhart performed with the band, and fans noticed Morin's absence. In July 2014, the band announced a split writing:

“We are now at our best and so Death Grips is over.”

Zach Hill on Death Grips’ ideology and his bond with Stefan Burnett

In a 2012 interview with Pitchfork, band member Zach Hill was asked if political ideologies shaped Death Grips’ work. He said that while some of their choices might reflect resistance to certain political movements, their influence came more from personal values than any specific political party.

Hill explained that they followed their moral compass rather than aligning with mainstream politics, and neither of them voted, showing their distance from traditional political systems. Speaking about Stefan, he said:

“We had known each other from around Sacramento for a few years and talked about making music for a long time. I'd always see Stefan and be like, "F*ck man, we gotta f*cking make music." I just had this feeling and I could tell he did, too."

He went on:

"But I wouldn't even hear a sound when I had that feeling. Then we found out we lived two blocks away from each other; we started hanging out at night, smoking we*d and talking about life and music.”

Zach Hill explained that the NO LOVE cover art was meant to challenge viewers’ ideas about masculinity, sexuality, and aggression. He said Death Grips always supported individuality and inclusivity, aiming to confront taboos and break down discomfort with things like nudity and nontraditional gender expression.

Hill said people often label the band as aggressive and male-centric, but in reality, they don’t see themselves through those lenses. For them, the artwork represents fearlessness and rejecting harmful societal norms, like prejudice and rigid beliefs, that limit personal freedom.

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