The Linkz — the new project from The Grouch and Pure Powers — have dropped “Black Roses,” a hazy, bass-heavy collaboration featuring Berner and Devin The Dude.
The single serves as the final preview of The Linkz’s debut album The Payoff, arriving April 3 via Ineffable Records.
Built on a smoked-out groove that fuses West Coast hip-hop cool with reggae undertones, “Black Roses” plays to each artist’s strengths. Berner brings his laid-back, entrepreneurial swagger, while Devin The Dude slides in with his signature syrupy drawl. At the center is The Grouch — co-founder of underground rap collective Living Legends — whose introspective cadence grounds the track in lived-in experience rather than pure indulgence.
The Linkz’s upcoming album The Payoff leans into cross-genre collaboration. In addition to Berner and Devin, the project includes appearances from Stylo G, Living Legends, Eli-Mac, M!KEY M.I.A., and Loyal Flames, underscoring the duo’s blend of hip-hop lyricism and reggae rhythm.
For longtime fans, “Black Roses” feels like a natural evolution. The Grouch has long balanced sharp writing with groove-driven production, and Pure Powers’ touch gives the project a polished but unforced warmth. The result is music that drifts easily between backpack rap credibility and sun-drenched reggae influence.
The single arrives shortly after The Grouch wrapped his 14-date “How The Grouch Stole Christmas Tour” at the end of 2025, closing out a busy year and setting the stage for this new chapter.
