Tarot cards have been in American culture for decades, symbolizing spiritual faith and the belief in fate. Throughout his childhood in Los Angeles, Hollis Frazier-Herndon, musically known as 2hollis, was surrounded by these cards, adding a layer of nostalgic attachment to tarot cards for him. Likewise, while making his latest album, “star,” the entire production was done in his childhood home.
For years, Frazier-Herndon perfected his craft in music. Being the son of Kathryn Frazier, a famous music manager for over 200 artists like Skrillex and The Weeknd, he was practically born into the industry. Due to the majority of his early years around Skrillex (a famous DJ who’s done remixes for Pusha T, Rick Ross and more) and his influence, the likelihood of joining the music industry was increased drastically. Finally, in 2018, under the alias “Drippysoup,” Frzier-Herdon released his first singles and EPs on SoundCloud. His music was a fusion of hyperpop, club and dance music.
In the next four years of his career, he would gain quick success, change to a new moniker, “2hollis” and release his debut album, “White Tiger,” which gained massive traction, eventually opening the gates to a swift road to stardom. Fraizer-Herndon would debut for rapper Ken Carson and even be featured in various sports video games like NHL 2024.
Now, however, on Jan. 7, 2025, tragedy struck as the LA fires consumed his and many others’ properties. When the flames died down, Fraizer-Herndon would return, and amongst the burnt rubble of his belongings, he would find the tarot card called “The Star.” In a tweet explaining where the album’s title came from, Fraizer-Herndon recalled this story and said, “My mother had it framed. I knew it was destiny.”
The album has many overarching themes; one is the use of cars. This motif is prevalent throughout the album. In the teasers leading up to the album’s release, Herndon sports a white Nissan Skyline, doing doughnuts to tease and create the kaleidoscopic album cover. Additionally, on April 4, when the album was released, the sounds of engines igniting, wheels drifting on pavement and the aggressive humming of the cars speeding past are scattered on every track. All of these components support how the album is sonically perceived.
Fraizer-Herndon’s music style remains hyper-pop fused with club/dance music. Anyone who’s listened to this type of music can describe the sound as oftentimes loud, fast and chaotic, but contrastingly pulsating and fun, much like the portrayal of the Nissan Skyline in the teasers. “star” illustrates this beautifully with tracks like “sidekick,” “flash,” “girl” and “cope” characterized by pulsating and distorted bass, reminiscent of drifting culture seen in most cities. As a minor speculation, the Nissan Skyline could symbolize Herndon’s ferociously fast rise to fame, especially as someone who only started making music seven years ago and gained popularity only three years ago.
Overall, “star” is unique and unlike anything the music industry has ever heard before, with the depth of creating the album to using something as simple as cars to describe a general topic. Here, Frazier-Herndon exhibits his creativity and engraves himself in music history as one of the most defining artists of our generation.
