What if summer had a sound—and it was loud, sweaty, and completely unbothered by curfews? 2AM Ricky delivers that sound with “TDLR,” a track that doesn’t ask for permission. It demands movement. From the first beat, the bass hits like a secret you can’t keep, soaked in Freaknik-era Atlanta nostalgia and wired for high heat.
This is Ricky with the volume all the way up. After becoming the first Black trans man to chart on iTunes, he isn’t slowing down. Instead, he’s flipping the cultural script. On TDLR, he captures the thrill and chaos of 90s Atlanta street parties, then drags it into the now. Picture a block party where the speakers blast, the grills burn hot, and no one’s checking the clock.
Sonically, there are no fences. Produced by ClayCo Beats, TDLR fuses house, bounce, and hip-hop into a groove that never quits. Deep 808s thump like engines revving under streetlights, while jittery percussion keeps you on your toes. At any moment, you’re bouncing—or suddenly sliding into a two-step you didn’t know your body remembered. It’s fast, loose, and fully alive.
Ricky wanted this track to feel like a party he wasn’t supposed to be at—but found his way into anyway. And that feeling is everywhere. Each beat crackles with defiance, joy, and the rush of crossing lines you were never meant to cross. There’s a sense of rule-breaking baked into the rhythm. It doesn’t just invite you in—it dares you to stay.
As he readies his debut album Don’t Forget to Call, Ricky is no longer working toward the spotlight—he is the spotlight. He’s the main act, the pulse behind the afterparty, the voice in your bones. TDLR isn’t background noise. It’s the moment.
And if you’re still wondering whether to hit play? Don’t overthink it. The door’s already open.
