Phoenix rapper and alternative artist Mouse Powell has teamed with Shwayze for “Left Hand Side,” a new single that connects Powell’s underground hip-hop foundation with a relaxed West Coast atmosphere.
Released July 17 through Mouse Powell under exclusive license to Ineffable Records, “Left Hand Side” is the latest preview of Powell’s forthcoming album, Cherry. The 10-track album is scheduled for release October 16 and was produced in full by Badgirl Ryry and Matthew Keller.
The collaboration is a natural meeting point for two artists who have spent their careers moving between scenes. Shwayze brings the laid-back melodic swagger that has defined his music since the Malibu rapper broke through with songs including “Buzzin’” and “Corona and Lime.” Powell approaches the same atmosphere from the perspective of an Arizona artist whose writing remains grounded in independent hip-hop.
Rather than forcing either performer to abandon his identity, “Left Hand Side” creates room for both. Powell’s conversational delivery supplies the record’s narrative momentum, while Shwayze reinforces its easygoing, windows-down appeal.
The single continues the gradual expansion of Mouse Powell’s sound. He first developed his following within Arizona’s independent rap community, writing about ordinary pressure, hometown loyalty and the uncertainty of trying to build a creative life without losing touch with the people around him.
Powell later formed Why Not? with Minneapolis rapper Grieves. The pair released two collaborative projects that allowed Powell to test his writing against a different regional style while retaining the humor, vulnerability and unpolished honesty at the center of his work.
His movement into reggae-rock and alternative circles has been equally organic. Collaborations with Katastro and Artikal Sound System introduced Powell to audiences outside traditional underground hip-hop, while songs such as “Home” demonstrated how comfortably his voice could sit beside live reggae instrumentation.
“Left Hand Side” builds on that progression without sounding like a calculated crossover attempt. Shwayze has spent much of his own career combining rap with acoustic guitars, pop hooks and Southern California imagery, making him a particularly effective collaborator for Powell’s genre-flexible direction.
The song follows earlier Cherry preview “Light as a Feather,” another release that showed Powell working within a lighter and more melodic frame while maintaining the detail and personality of his verses.
“Left Hand Side” works because it does not ask listeners to choose between those sides. It is a hip-hop record with reggae-rock accessibility, an Arizona perspective paired with Malibu cool, and a collaboration built around the common ground between two independent artists.
Mouse Powell’s Cherry arrives October 16 through Ineffable Records. “Left Hand Side” featuring Shwayze is available now.
