Nathan Aurora didn’t plan on writing one of Monument’s most infectious and genre-bending tracks in a single night—but that’s exactly how “Never Gonna Stop Us,” his collaboration with Las Vegas rapper Ekoh, was born. It all started with a like.
“One day, maybe like four or five months ago, Ice-T liked one of our videos on Instagram,” Aurora recalls. “For those that don’t know, Ice-T is also in a hardcore band called Body Count. So when I saw that, I was like, ‘Yo, Ice-T is out here genre-bending too.’”
Inspired by the OG crossover king, Aurora jumped into the studio that same night and banged out a full demo. “I sent it to him that night. I just DM’d it to him. And I found his manager and connected with him. He was very fucking cool—shout out to Jose.” Ultimately, Ice-T passed on the track—but not before lighting a creative fuse. “The silver lining was like, I wrote a dope song in one night with that inspiration.”
The track nearly didn’t make Monument at all. “Honestly, without Ekoh’s parts, that song was lacking something. It was really a make-or-break situation if that song would see the light of day.”
READ MORE: Hear Aurorawave’s Heavy-Hitting New Single ‘Judge Me’
Enter Ekoh—Aurora’s longtime internet friend and now, an undeniable force in both the hip-hop and rock scenes. “He’s kind of been a longtime internet homie of mine. We just met in person for the first time like four days ago. He lives in my hometown. He’s a Vegas cat. Went to similar high schools.”
The synchronicity paid off. Ekoh’s verse doesn’t just elevate the track—it locks it in as one of Monument’s most ambitious genre fusions, perfectly straddling the line between rock radio swagger and underground defiance.
“Never Gonna Stop Us” feels aptly titled. It’s more than a song—it’s a mantra. And like the rest of ‘Monument’, it’s a reflection of Aurora’s uncompromising vision: heavy, hopeful, and impossible to ignore. Aurorawave isn’t asking for permission. Neither is Ekoh. And together, they might just redefine what a rock anthem sounds like in 2025.
Aurorawave’s new single “Never Gonna Stop Us” featuring Ekoh can be heard below. Aurorawave’s brand new album Monument drops on August 15th, 2025.
Watch Nathan Aurora’s full interview with ThePier.org about Aurorawave’s new album Monument below
