“…it’s good to have him back.” – Pitchfork
“…the loose-lipped, punchline god from Flint who became a Michigan rap titan” – Pitchfork
#66 Best Album of the Decade So Far (City On My Back) – Even his offhand comments have the power to smack you with bitter truths while you try to hold back the laughter.” – Passion of the Weiss
Best Albums of 2025 So Far (RIO FREE (Something Happen)) – The FADER
“I cannot possibly list all the lines that made me laugh out loud” – Stereogum
“Even his offhand comments have the power to smack you with bitter truths while you try to hold back the laughter.” – Passion of the Weiss
The Announcement:
Emerging from one of the nation’s roughest cities and shaking off a multi-year prison sentence, Rio Da Yung OG is having a massive 2025, filled with sold out dates, trending videos, and more punchlines than you can count. Reflecting on all he has accomplished against the odds, Rio gives thanks to the city that raised him with F.L.I.N.T. (Feeling Like I’m Not Through), his new album.
Packed with kinetic beats by Rio’s frequent collaborators like Wayne616, BEATSBYSAV, and Danny G Beats, the new album allows Rio to test out some truly head-spinning flows, doubling back on his bars to create rewindable punchlines and unexpected moments of poignancy. Spanning 20 tracks, F.L.I.N.T. is one of Rio’s most focused works to date, spanning 20 tracks of bass-heavy Michigan music including recent singles like “What U Spend” ft. Zillionaire Doe (Top 30 on YouTube trending), “Great Day,” (trended in YouTube’s Trending Top 20 with over 1.3 million views), “Sneaky B,” and “Big Ben.” The album brings collaborations with Michigan associates like Flint’s own Coochie Man YN Jay and his Dum N Dumber duet partner Rmc Mike, and connects Rio with his favorite up-and-comers from the national scene, including Chicago emcees VonOff1700 and Star Bandz, Dallas’s Zillionaire Doe, and Atlanta’s FBLManny.
Along with the album, Rio releases a whopping five new music videos, all directed by 2M Digital, as a gift to his longtime fans:
The F.L.I.N.T. album arrives as Rio Da Yung OG continues his epic “Welcome Home Tour,” which kicked off with a show in Detroit. Continuing this summer and fall, “Welcome Home Tour” spans over 60 dates, passing through San Francisco on August 10th (Regency Ballroom), Los Angeles on August 12th (The Belasco Theater), Houston on August 30th (9pm Music Venue), and New York on September 24th (Webster Hall) before concluding in Chicago on October 11th (Patio Theater). Featuring support from Baby Money, FBLManny, and many special guests, tickets for the “Welcome Home Tour” are available at https://www.touringwithrio.com/
A salute to his hometown, the album arrives weeks after Rio received a proclamation from the City of Flint for his cultural and for his contributions to the city’s culture and community. Releasing as the rapper celebrates his freedom and puts his city on his back, F.L.I.N.T. (Feeling Like I’m Not Through) is available on all platforms via M I N E Ent. / EMPIRE
Stream F.L.I.N.T. (Feeling Like I’m Not Through): https://music.empi.re/feelinglikeimnotthrough
F.L.I.N.T. (Feeling Like I’m Not Through) tracklist:
The Background:
Emerging out of Flint in the late 2010s, Rio Da Yung OG helped transform his working class city into one of the most exciting rap hotbeds of the past several years. Elevated by notable co-signs from Detroit rappers like Peezy and buoyed by fan excitement over his freestyles and guest spots, Rio stormed onto the national scene, garnering overwhelming critical acclaim for releases like 2020’s City On My Back (named the #66 Best Album of the 2020s So Far by Pitchfork), Fiends Don’t Matter, 2 FACED, and his Dum and Dumber mixtape series with fellow Flint punchline artist Rmc Mike. During this time, Rio released some of his scene’s defining rap hits, including “Movie” ft. Louie Ray, “Chicken Coupe” ft. Peezy, and “1v1,” his collaboration with Lil Yachty. Just as his career was hitting high gear, Rio hit an obstacle in the form of a 4-year prison sentence. In late 2021, he left words of wisdom for his fans in the form of his “Last Day Out” freestyle, and went away. Even prison couldn’t stop Rio from putting in work. Fans rallied behind his 2019 hit “Legendary,” which grew into his biggest hit, generating hundreds of millions of streams.
In December 2024, Rio returned to the scene with a bang, releasing the epic first day out freestyle “RIO FREE,” racking up over 1 million views in a day and 8 million streams in just three days. The music video trended #1 on YouTube Music for three weeks straight. “RIO FREE” paved the way for the RIO FREE EP, which earned praise from Pitchfork, and its expansion RIO FREE (Something Happen), named one of the Best Albums of 2025 So Far by The FADER. In early January, Rio performed his first concert since 2021, selling out a star-studded show in Detroit, and in April, “Legendary” earned PLATINUM status from the RIAA, making Rio the first-ever rapper from Flint to earn a PLATINUM record. Rio has also been a willing collaborator, jumping on the viral “Shark” with Jorjiana, recently performed at the NBA Finals, appearing on Money Man’s new album, and reuniting with Rmc Mike for “Bragging Rights,” which trended at #28 on YouTube for music with over 1 million views in its first week.
With F.L.I.N.T. on the way and more excitement in the future, Rio looks to make 2025 his year. Stay tuned for more music and announcements in the coming weeks.
Photo credit: Esdras Thelusma
Rio receives his proclamation from the Mayor of Flint
Please contact Michelle or Annjie for more info.
Links:
official site | instagram | youtube | spotify | tiktok | apple
F.L.I.N.T. (Feeling Like I’m Not Through): https://music.empi.re/feelinglikeimnotthrough
“Different Music”” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA16xrGaMcM
“Ghetto Star” ft. Star Bandz: https://youtu.be/oWxgUSAWfXI
“Rich Regardless” ft. YN Jay: https://youtu.be/mUam6j3u8kU
“Back Rubbed”: https://youtu.be/FysZvag7Th8
“Ask Jay”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjHCwP85l6Q
“What U Spend” ft. Zillionaire Doe: https://youtu.be/yccj80Zyc5M
“Great Day”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ODIHFyf9Qc
“I GO” ft. FBLManny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI6y8ZHL3sg
“Sneaky B”: https://music.empi.re/sneakyb / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_vlNOnXmDM
RIO FREE (Something Happen): https://music.empi.re/riosomethinghappen
Buy tickets for Rio’s “Welcome Home Tour”: https://www.touringwithrio.com/