Germ

About Germ

# Germ

Writing about someone called Germ without knowing which Germ is tricky, because there are a few floating around. The most likely candidate is the Memphis-bred rapper who came up through the $uicideboy$ universe, real name Jerry Antoine. That's the Germ who matters if you spend any time in the darker corners of SoundCloud rap.

He emerged from the same murky Memphis scene that produced $uicideboy$ and the whole G*59 Records roster. The connection isn't incidental. Germ is one of the core members of that crew, and his music shares the same DNA: blown-out bass, samples that sound like they were pulled from horror movie VHS tapes, and lyrics that don't shy away from addiction, depression, and self-destruction. If you know the $uicideboy$ aesthetic, you know roughly what Germ sounds like.

His early work appeared mostly on SoundCloud, which was basically the only place this style of rap could exist before the industry figured out how to monetize nihilism. Tracks like "Germ Has a Deathwish" made it clear he wasn't interested in commercial crossover. The production was grimy, the hooks were minimal, and the whole thing felt like it was recorded in a basement at 3am. Which it probably was.

The breakthrough, if you can call it that for someone operating in this particular niche, came through steady output and the G*59 co-sign. He appeared on various $uicideboy$ tracks and compilation projects, which put him in front of a fanbase that was already primed for his particular brand of misery. "Badshit" and "Inferior" became fan favorites, not through radio play or playlists, but through the same word-of-mouth channels that built the whole underground rap revival.

His project "Bad Shit" arrived in 2018 and solidified what people already knew: Germ was staying in his lane, and that lane was pitch black. The tape featured production from Mikey the Magician and others in the G*59 orbit, maintaining that consistent sonic palette of distorted 808s and ominous atmosphere. It wasn't trying to be anything other than what it was.

More recently, Germ has continued releasing music through G*59, staying relatively underground even as some of his peers have seen bigger mainstream moments. That seems intentional. His 2022 project "Germ Has a Deathwish Vol. 2" suggested he's comfortable where he is, making the same kind of music for the same kind of fans.

He tours with $uicideboy$ when they do their increasingly large runs, playing to crowds that know every word. For someone who raps almost exclusively about wanting to die, he's built a surprisingly sustainable career. The music hasn't gotten sunnier. The fanbase hasn't demanded it. That's probably exactly how he wants it.

His shows are sparse and intense. Small crowds of dedicated listeners. Germ performs with minimal setup, letting the abrasive production and his delivery do all the work. No crowd-pleasing moments. People either lean in completely or leave early.

Known for Germ, Lick Back, Germ (Remix), Racks, Neva

See Germ Live