O SIDE MAFIA is a hiphop group composed of Costa Cashman, Madman Stan, and Gee Exclsv. The name “O Side” is the nickname they came up with for a street in Malate, Manila that they frequent. O Side started dropping videos during the height of the pandemic in 2020, providing a much-needed outlet for the kids cooped up amid strict lockdowns and a dramatic health crisis. They got their start right on that street, recording in the home studio they used to use for producing and mixing other local rappers’ tracks. The trio was exploring styles, trying out Bay Area-inspired music. About two years ago, they landed on an angsty vibe that tapped into the swell of frustration of the pandemic years, typified by the ominous bells, growling bass, and grimy vocal delivery of “Tokyo Drift,” their first video to hit a million views. Their subsequent trap metal style—something akin to New York’s City Morgue—is what they are most inspired by and what they'll show the world through their music.