Rising UK rapper EsDeeKid has issued a public admonishment to The Chainsmokers after the electronic duo circulated a remix of his single “4 Raws” without his authorization.
In a sharp-tongued post shared on X on January 2, EsDeeKid signaled that the unauthorized track was being “NUKED.” He cautioned the pair against reworking his intellectual property and distributing it across digital service providers (DSPs) without prior clearance.
that chainsmokers remix is getting NUKED
mate wow 💀💀please don’t remix my shit and think it’s cool to post to all DSPs🕊️
— EsDeeKid (@esdeekidd) January 2, 2026
Shortly following the artist’s grievances, the remix was purged from official channels on YouTube and SoundCloud, though snippets of the audio continue to linger on various social media feeds. As of now, The Chainsmokers have remained silent regarding the dispute.
This incident highlights a growing tension surrounding the duo’s recent trend of posting unofficial reworks of popular tracks. While many of these edits occupy a legal gray area, their recent collaboration with Taylor Swift, titled “The Fate of Ophelia,” stands as a fully licensed and credited release on major streaming platforms.
EsDeeKid has navigated a remarkably high-profile year, largely defined by his enigmatic, masked persona. The mystery sparked widespread internet theories that the rapper was actually actor Timothée Chalamet—a rumor that took an ironic turn when Chalamet officially joined the rapper on a sanctioned version of the “4 Raws” remix.
In his guest verse, Chalamet leaned into his public image, rapping, “It’s Timothée Chalamet chillin’, tryna stack a hundred million / Girl got a billion / What the f—, what a wonderful feeling,” an apparent nod to his partner, Kylie Jenner.
The Academy Award nominee also utilized the track to generate buzz for his film Marty Supreme. Throughout his verse, he juxtaposed his Hollywood accolades with the noise of his critics, rhyming: “My life is an opera, look at the Oscars / Look at the groupies, look at the movies… Look at my haters, man, they wanna sue me.”
Before his musical debut, Chalamet had been coy about the EsDeeKid rumors. During a press tour in the United Kingdom, he told reporters that “all will be revealed in due time,” expertly stoking the flames of fan speculation.
The viral intrigue proved to be a significant commercial catalyst for the rapper. EsDeeKid’s album Rebel benefited from the surge in attention, making its debut at No. 131 on the Billboard 200 this past November.
