Today, .idk. — the rapper, singer, and producer born Jason Mills — partners with the visionary comedian, actor, producer, and musician Eric André for a wild new “C.O.P” video. It’s Eric André’s first-ever music video, and it’s a form-exploding directorial debut — a mini action film starring .idk. that serves as a gruesome and searing commentary on the American police state, as filtered through the absurd satire of Grand Theft Auto.

“C.O.P” — produced by RatBoy — is one of many highlights from .idk.’s acclaimed new mixtape E.T.D.S., or Even The Devil Smiles. He recently brought an ambitious, electric performance of the track to late night, appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon with special guests Black Thought and Kaytranada. 

The new “C.O.P” video deepens the expansive narrative and idiosyncratic world-building of E.T.D.S. — yet another example of .idk.’s singular drive to raise the artistic stakes with each project. .idk. and Eric André sat down with FADER for a conversation about Point Break chase scenes, a teenage-brained conception of criminal thrills, and their shared love of “rap you can have a moshpit to” — read more here.

Watch the official video for “C.O.P” directed by Eric Andre here

“C.O.P” VIDEO CREDITS

Director: Eric André
Produced by GRAND NATURE
Creative Director: Masha Batsii
Animation: SLOW, Hayden Martin
DP: Cory Burmester
House Post EP: Kevin Clark
House Post HOP: Christo Arsenio
Editor: Blaize Fobbe
Post Producer: Jackie Lee
Color: Connor Bailey
Color Producer: Sam Cesan
Assistant Editor: Herb Moran
EP’s: Brianna Sedor, Chris Abitbol, Max Fisher, David Barnes

Inspired by the immediacy of 90s and 2000s mixtape culture, Black expressionism, and .idk.’s own journey through a broken criminal justice system, E.T.D.S. is a story of survival and second chances; a reclamation and a reconciliation, bolstered by both his own production and contributions from MF DOOM, Pusha T, DMX, RZA, OGI, Madlib, Kaytranada, No I.D., Joey Valence & Brae, Ratboy, Goldie, Conductor Williams, & more.

As .idk. elaborates, the mixtape: “confronts the reality [of incarceration] head-on, blending sharp lyricism with raw storytelling about, betrayal, spiritual conflict, and the moments that shaped me. Real phone calls with Deangelo Sneed, a high ranking Blood who saw my potential and kept me focused, serve as checkpoints throughout the project. It leans heavy on rap with touches of melody — gritty, honest, and fully transparent.”

This chapter of the story officially begun with the historic release of “S.T.F”, a collaboration with Kaytranada and the late icon DMX. “S.T.F” is the first posthumous DMX collaboration that Desiree Lindstrom and Sasha Simmons, co-administrators of the Estate of Earl “DMX” Simmons, have cosigned since his passing. The track is .idk.’s tribute to the spirit of a long-time creative co-conspirator — DMX had previously appeared on .idk.’s breakthrough projects Is He Real and USee4Yourself. Last month, he preformed at DMX 55, the celebration of what would have been DMX’s 55th birthday, at SOB’s in New York City, along with Denzel Curry.

Further singles include: “LiFE 4 A LiFE” (the second .idk. x Pusha T collab following 2019’s “Porno” with Pusha T, JID), which serves as a thesis of sorts for the project, reflecting a mentality first encountered upon incarceration at the age of 17, “surrounded by people facing adult charges and life-altering consequences;” and “SCARY MERRi,” a drunken and sinister stumble of a beat from Conductor Williams while .idk. floods the mic with a frantic recounting of smash-and-grab endeavors and holidays aborted by prison bids.

If .idk. had served the full fifteen-year sentence he was given at the age of seventeen, he only would have stepped out in 2025. Having served only three of the fifteen years, every day is a coming to terms with what was so close to being lost to the treacherous US penal system. E.T.D.S. is the result of that reflection, a vivid and collagist origin story that, as .idk. writes, serves as “proof that creation could breathe in captivity.”