Genre-defying trio Codefendants—NOFX’s Fat Mike, Julio ‘Ceschi’ Ramos, and Sam King (Get Dead)—are coming out swinging on their “Rivals” with a brand new single featuring hip-hop legend The D.O.C., and it’s pummeling. Check out the music video below!
In addition to exclusively debuting the new track, Noisey is also proud to reveal that the band has officially announced their second album, Lifers. It is due out on April 3, 2026. The project was produced by Fat Mike. Speaking to Noisey, Mike told us that his main goal with Codefendants has been to “write songs that are different from anything we’ve done before.”
“My main job is to change chord progressions and melodies,” he added. “I like my progressions to always be surprising to the listener.” Notably, “Rivals” is the second track that Codefendants and The D.O.C. have collaborated on. The first was “Fast Ones” from the band’s 2023 debut album, This is Crime Wave.
When asked about getting D.O.C. on another track with them, Mike quipped, “Well, not only is the D.O.C. a super cool guy…. but he’s also the only rapper I know.” Weighing in, The D.O.C. added, “Being a Codefendant is one of the best parts of making music today. They don’t give a s*** what my voice sounds like as long as it’s on beat.”
The new Codefendants album, ‘Lifers’, will be out April 3
Elaborating a bit on putting “Rivals” together, Ceschi offered some behind-the-scenes insight. “Our second track with the legendary DOC stems from conversations about how Punk and Hip Hop are overlapping counter-cultural movements that came out of a similar time period with similar ideals,” he explained. “The D.O.C. even directly mentions the correlations & similarities in his verse, while Sam & I are mostly talking s*** about rappers & punk/tastemaker snobbery.”
“Since we started Codefendants, we’ve been confronted by gatekeepers not understanding that we genuinely grew up in both of these worlds of Punk & Hip Hop,” Ceschi continued. “When Fat Mike wrote the music for this track, he was directly inspired by some of the slower, sludgier punk tracks of the early 80s.”
Finally, Sam King offered, “The f*** you want me to say, the other guys already said it all. It’s f***ing Codefendants with the D.O.C. It’s f***ing dope.”
All it takes is one listen to “Rivals,” and you can pick out a lot of East Coast hardcore elements. The D.O.C.’s uniquely gritty vocals blend seamlessly, underscoring his crucial role in the dynamic. When asked about playing heavier fare, Fat Mike told us that the shift from NOFX to Codefendents was “so natural.”
He also pointed out that “NOFX started as a hardcore band,” so “playing hardcore is nothing new” for him. “We used to cover a song by Impact Unit from Boston that sounds very reminiscent of ‘Rivals,’” he added.
Finally, we asked Fat Mike what he wants fans to know to expect from Lifers. “They can expect the unexpected on this album,” he asserted, “Little Bossa Nova, little Hardcore, little Simon and Garfunkel…”
Codefendants 2026 Concert Dates:
February 13 – Cooly Hotel – Coolangatta Qld, Australia
February 14 – Morts Brewing Co. – Nambour, Australia
February 15 – The Brightside Brisbane – Fortitude Valley, Australia
February 19 – Café Gummo – Thornbury, Australia
February 20 – The Hotel Metro – Adelaide, Australia
February 21 – The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar – Melbourne, Australia
April 18 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO *with Sublime
May 9 – Sublime Me Gusta Festival – Fort Worth, TX
November 15-19 – Sublime Cruise – Sailing From Miami, FL
The post Codefendants Announce New Album ‘Lifers’, Drop Pummeling New Single ‘Rivals’ With the D.O.C. (Exclusive Debut) appeared first on VICE.
