Exum
hole
OUT NOW
CONTACT:
ROSIE BOYD // PUBLICIST
LYDIA KRUMPER // PUBLICIST
A veteran NFL star, having played for six years with the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings, Antone Exum Jr. stepped away from his football career in 2019. Following a near death experience in 2020, he had a renewed sense of life and started down his developing creative path, turning to music with the stage name EXUM.
EXUM made his debut with the acclaimed album Xardinal Coffee in 2021, earning praise from outlets like The Guardian, The Athletic (New York Times), The Needle Drop, Dazed, and beyond. The release was quickly followed by the albums Tickle Pink Hotel in 2022 and 27 Planets in 2023. After his successful dip into music, EXUM spent time on the road, touring with acts like Alex G and Dehd as the opening performer. His music has been featured on Spotify's New Music Friday playlists, as well as curated playlists by Apple and Tidal. He's modeled for Harry Styles' beauty line Pleasing and also works in other mediums such as screenplay writing, directing, visual arts, and beyond.
Across his expanding music career, EXUM’s sound has transcended all genres, moving through rap and hip-hop before eventually broadening his musical horizons into a surreal, eclectic feel. On his upcoming fourth album hole, EXUM says, “It was an attempt that I deemed believable enough, and that took the attention off of me. To me, it ended up as an activity, one that’s exercising something you can’t see.” He expands, “I like to capture something pure. Bring it into my experience and sit with a replica attempt of God's work.”
hole was mastered by Heba Kadry (Björk, Japanese Breakfast, Alex G, Animal Collective, Beach House). EXUM worked with photographers and videographers Ryley Paskal and Bing Cao (Nike Japan, ERD, Cactus Jack, Casio, Baby Keem, Ravyn Lenae) to capture the music videos, album art, and photos used across the project. EXUM leaves the interpretation of his new album up to the listeners, inviting everyone to connect with his music in their own ways. “It’s just happening and it forces you to be with it. Anything could come up depending on what’s going on with you. There’s a sense of connectivity that comes to me with some of it. If I look at somebody on the street and some of the songs are playing, I feel like I’ve known them forever.”