Missouri artist Honestav steps into 2026 with new music alongside JaYy Wick as he prepares to tour Australia with Machine Gun Kelly
by Paul Cashmere
Emerging Missouri artist Honestav has delivered a visceral new chapter in his fast-rising career, teaming with JaYy Wick for the collaborative single ‘FKN Hate You’, a track that underscores both artists’ growing reputations for unfiltered storytelling and genre fluidity.
Arriving ahead of Honestav’s forthcoming sophomore EP, the song expands his sonic palette while maintaining the emotional candour that has defined his breakout. Built on a hybrid of alternative rock textures, folk sensibilities and hip-hop rhythms, ‘FKN Hate You’ positions Honestav firmly within a new generation of artists dissolving traditional genre boundaries.
The single pairs Honestav’s raspy, emotionally charged vocal with JaYy Wick’s measured Southern rap delivery, creating a dynamic contrast that drives the narrative. Lyrically, the track explores emotional exhaustion and the breaking point that comes from trying to hold onto relationships that refuse to evolve. Honestav frames the song as a moment of personal reckoning, capturing the internal shift from persistence to self-preservation.
The chorus lands with blunt force, reflecting the song’s central tension between attachment and release, while JaYy Wick’s verse pivots toward resolution. His contribution reframes the narrative through self-awareness, closing the loop with a declaration of independence that signals growth rather than defeat.
The accompanying video reinforces that duality, placing the two artists together in a high-energy visual that mirrors the track’s tonal shifts. Set against a backdrop of customised trucks and open road imagery, the clip merges their distinct aesthetics into a unified visual identity, underscoring the collaborative nature of the release.
For Honestav, born Av Freeman, the trajectory to this point has been shaped by personal hardship translated into creative output. Raised in rural Missouri, he began writing songs as a child and steadily built an audience through consistent releases from 2021 onwards. His early material drew directly from lived experience, including family instability and profound loss, themes that would later resonate widely with listeners.
That connection reached a global scale in 2024 with ‘I’d Rather Overdose’, a song written in the aftermath of his father’s death. The track became a viral breakthrough, carrying Honestav beyond his local scene and onto international platforms. Follow-up releases including ‘Wasted’ and ‘Believe’ reinforced his ability to convert deeply personal narratives into broadly relatable music, establishing a loyal and rapidly expanding fanbase.
His debut extended play Hara-Kiri and its subsequent deluxe edition further developed his hybrid style, blending acoustic instrumentation with contemporary production. By 2025, Honestav had transitioned from independent uploads to major touring opportunities, including support slots on US tours and a performance at Austin City Limits, signalling his arrival on the global stage.
The collaboration with JaYy Wick arrives at a similarly pivotal moment for the Georgia rapper. Wick gained attention in late 2025 with the viral success of ‘Pork Chop Sammich’, a release that translated online momentum into radio impact and streaming growth. His background in poetry informs his lyrical approach, often balancing stark realism with tightly structured phrasing.
Signing with EMPIRE marked a significant step in Wick’s ascent, positioning him alongside a roster of influential independent artists. His inclusion on ‘FKN Hate You’ reflects a strategic pairing of two emerging voices whose authenticity sits at the core of their appeal.
Beyond the release, Honestav’s momentum will extend to Australian audiences in April when he joins Machine Gun Kelly on the Lost Americana Tour. The run marks his first major shows in the region, introducing his catalogue to a market that has historically embraced emotionally driven alternative acts.
Honestav Live Dates, Machine Gun Kelly Lost Americana Australian Tour
Wed 8 Apr, Perth, RAC Arena
Sat 11 Apr, Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
Tue 14 Apr, Sydney, Qudos Bank Arena
Thu 16 Apr, Brisbane, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
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