Key Takeaways
- This ranking spotlights Destroy Lonely’s 15 best songs, tracing how his minimalist, electronic take on rage distinguishes him within Opium.
- “NOSTYLIST” tops the list, followed by “if looks could kill” and breakout underground classic “Bane,” while Ken Carson collaborations “VETERAN” and “money & sex” showcase Lone’s chemistry with his labelmate.
- The 15-song countdown spans 2019 through 2025, covering hazy early cuts, grunge-tinged album tracks, lyrical showcases, and collaborations including “Off The Meter.”
Destroy Lonely is the dark horse of Opium.
The son of Disturbing tha Peace rapper I-20, his sonic tendencies feel different from those of Ken Carson or HXG, who sit closer to Playboi Carti’s orbit and more directly reflect the rage sound. Lone interpreted the Whole Lotta Red scripture in a less literal way, making music that feels a lot more left-field within the rage lane.
His vocals aren’t as buried in the mix, and he gets off his share of quotable bars. He also favors minimalism over maximalism, bringing some much-needed variety to the label, and his sound leans electronic, at times closer to artists like 2hollis. There are different sides to Lone as an artist. Sometimes he’s rapping, other times he’s letting the melody do the work, and when he does show up on features, he usually delivers.
With his long-awaited joint album with Ken Carson, 00Twinz, set to drop this month and a new Von Dutch collection for sale now, it feels like the perfect time to take inventory of his catalog. Here are the 15 best Destroy Lonely songs, ranked.
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Ken Carson, Playboi Carti & Destroy Lonely, “Off The Meter” (2025)
Producers: star boy, Outtatown, Gab3 & DJ Moon
Album: More Chaos
It took until 2025, and a bonus track on Ken Carson’s More Chaos, for Destroy Lonely and Playboi Carti to finally share a song. Even then, it’s technically a Ken record rather than a proper Lone and Carti collab.
Still, of the three performances, Lone is the most locked in, running through his usual subjects, from lean and Rick Owens to popping pills. Up against his label boss and his kindred spirit, Lone walks away with the track. —Antonio Johri
"Miley Cyrus" (2020)
Producer: Clayco
Album: ᐸ/3
It’s not clear why this song is called “Miley Cyrus” beyond the throwaway line “Rockstar life, nigga, Miley Cyrus,” but there’s something calming, almost serene, about this </3 standout. Clayco does the heavy lifting with a beat that’s cozy in a Super Mario 64 kind of way, and that’s before you even get to the ending, a majestic stretch you can float to. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
"screwed up" (2025)
Producer: Cxdy, saintracks, kayv & Branden Akinyele
Album: ᐸ/3³
“screwed up” finds Destroy flexing his range on a beat that’s a little outside his wheelhouse. It’s more analog than most of his songs, led by a bluesy guitar so Houston you can almost hear UGK rapping over it. It's a dedication to DJ Screw and the psychedelic way it unfolds does him justice. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
“Tokyo Mission Impossible” (2020)
Producer: Clayco
Album: ᐸ/3
Lone’s pre-Opium, pre-Whole Lotta Red music had a certain chipper brightness that cut against his mix of stunting and tough talk. Few songs capture that tension better than “Tokyo Mission Impossible,” built on a masterful flip of music from Mass Effect. One moment he’s rocking “Rick Owens jeans, not Evisu”; the next, he’s promising to make “these fuck niggas bleed just like menstrual.” —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
"by the pound” (2023)
Producers: TM88, DJ Moon, Slo Meezy, Macnificent & Cristian Jeffries
Album: If Looks Could Kill
Lone and his steady cast of collaborators, from Clayco to TM88, have a knack for flipping oddball samples. On “by the pound,” the main sound is lifted from an Instagram meme, giving a whimsical bounce to a song that’s mostly about getting geeked out of your mind. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
"In the Air" (2020)
Producer: YXNGFLAIR
Album: N/A
One of his hardest-hitting songs, “In the Air” pairs airy distortion with menacing 808s, laying the foundation for the sound he’d build on with breakthrough projects like No Stylist and If Looks Could Kill. Even Lone knows how hard this one is: “Maison Margiela, all I see is numbers / Rain on my umbrella, them 808s like thunder.” —Jon Barlas
"JETLGGD" (2022)
Producers: ProllyIan and Zodiac
Album: No Stylist
“JETLGGD” is a lyrical showcase for Lone. There are no vocal tricks, barely any ad-libs, and no melodic chorus, just straight, nonstop bars. The only real variation comes from his triplet flow, which he slips in and out of throughout the song, leaving you wondering when he’ll stop to catch his breath. —Antonio Johri
"safety (interlude)" (2023)
Producers: Clayco, Glasear, Esko, ssort & Carter Bryson
Album: If Looks Could Kill
Although listed as an interlude, “safety” sprawls across five minutes, driven by growling grunge guitars and blurry, shoegaze-tinged drums that make it one of the most immersive soundscapes on If Looks Could Kill. A sonic match for the album’s slasher-film aesthetic, “safety” sends Lone spiraling into paranoia. “I’ve been spending more on my safety,” he raps, capturing the feeling of constantly looking over your shoulder as the track slowly descends into a nightmare. —Jon Barlas
Destroy Lonely & Ken Carson, "money & sex" (2023)
Producers: ssort & Lucian
Album: If Looks Could Kill
Ken Carson joins Lone on “money & sex,” which is fueled by some of the most innovative, high-energy production in Lone’s catalog. The two have always shared an affinity for darkness, but their chemistry shines brightest here, with Lone delivering a memorable verse amid a rush of adrenaline. —Jon Barlas
“NEVEREVER” (2023)
Producers: ssort & Lucian
Album: If Looks Could Kill
“NEVEREVER” shows a different side of Lone: a slower, vibey cut you don’t usually hear in the rage lane, where the beat takes a back seat to his playful bars. “Yeah, I’m into fashion, I’m into swag, and your sister,” he raps, before adding, “Huh, damn, I keep spreading this swag, yeah, I guess it’s a new disease.” —Antonio Johri
Destroy Lonely & Ken Carson "VETERAN" (2022)
Producers: KP Beatz, Lil 88 & Einthismf
Album: No Stylist
The last song on No Stylist, “VETERAN” is the closest thing you get to a pure rapping exercise from Ken and Lone. The two spit their asses off here, going back and forth—with Lone merging his shit talking with a sing-song flow. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
"how u feel?" (2023)
Producers: ssort & Carter Bryson
Album: If Looks Could Kill
The opening track on If Looks Could Kill, “how u feel?” finds Lone in a more contemplative mode, weighing the rock-star life against his personal relationships. The second verse is especially emo: “I’m not into tellin’ lies / Got a mask on, no disguise / And the old me already died” he raps. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
"Bane” (2019)
Producer: 4ME
Album: N/A
When Lone first played “Bane” on IG Live, he did it for a whopping four viewers. The turnout wasn’t indicative of his talent or the song’s potential, though; “Bane” is now a battle-tested underground classic and the track that broke Lone out.
It embodies why fans fell in love with Lone’s take on rage in the first place. Compared to Ken and Carti, Lone offers a softer version of the sound, one that leans into its hazy sonics without as much distortion. The beat is generational, built on an unforgettable whirring lead and sporadic 808 hits. —Antonio Johri
"if looks could kill" (2023)
Producers: Clayco, ssort & Carter Bryson
Album: If Looks Could Kill
Halloween rap is a thin canon, but Destroy Lonely’s “If Looks Could Kill” has a guaranteed spot. The title track from his debut album rides an understated, almost haunting guitar, and it’s as catchy as Lone gets, thanks to the instantly quotable “If looks could kill, that makes every day Halloween.” —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
"NOSTYLIST" (2022)
Producers: Cxdy & Chef9thegod
Album: No Stylist
A chorus built to be screamed back at shows, a sharp, screeching digital beat, and dense verses flooded with non sequiturs about women, money, and clothes: “NOSTYLIST” is peak Lone. If “Bane” was the theory, “NOSTYLIST” was the evidence that rage didn’t have to be an anti-establishment distortion fest. It could be sleeker, more Die Lit-coded, and more digestible.
In hindsight, the song was an early bet on where rage was headed. Its catchier more subdued sound is the lane newer talents like Slayr are working in now. —Antonio Johri
