When you talk about the soundtrack of Southern California, you’re talking about Sublime. It’s unavoidable. Blending punk rock energy with reggae, ska, and hip-hop beats, they didn’t just create a new sound in the early ‘90s—they created an entire culture. But for me, and for so many others who grew up on their music, the connection goes a lot deeper than just a genre playlist.

​I still remember “What I Got” being the absolute go-to track while playing Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX on the original PlayStation, a vibe that came right back around later in life when it popped up on Saints Row The Third. When I moved to the Los Angeles area as a high school freshman, Sublime became the literal soundtrack to that massive, overwhelming change in my life. And, like a rite of passage for so many of us, they were one of the very first groups I put on when I first became a stoner. Their music has a way of anchoring itself to your core memories.

​But the story of Sublime has always been one of triumph shadowed by tragedy. Formed in Long Beach in 1988 by Bradley Nowell, Eric Wilson, and Bud Gaugh, the trio built an empire out of backyard parties and relentless underground promotion. They defined a movement with their debut album, 40 oz. to Freedom, and their follow-up, Robbin’ the Hood. They were entirely self-made, unapologetically raw, and fiercely independent. But just as they were on the precipice of global superstardom with their 1996 self-titled album—the record that would deliver timeless anthems like “Santeria” and “Wrong Way”—tragedy struck. Bradley Nowell passed away from a heroin overdose in May 1996, just two months before the album’s release. He was 28. ​The band dissolved, leaving behind a mythological legacy. For decades, the idea of a “new” Sublime album was unthinkable.
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The Heir to the Sun: Jakob Nowell

​When Bradley passed, he left behind an 11-month-old son, Jakob. Growing up in the shadow of a music icon is heavy enough, but Jakob had his own demons to fight. He struggled with addiction starting around the age of 12, battling through years of darkness before finding his way to recovery.
​Music was always in his blood. After carving out his own path and playing in various projects, the universe finally pulled the pieces together. In 2023, Jakob stepped up to the microphone alongside his father’s bandmates, Bud and Eric, formally taking over as the frontman of Sublime. When they hit the stage at Coachella in 2024, the crowd was blown away. Jakob didn’t just share his father’s DNA; he shared his voice. The vocal resemblance is uncanny, carrying the same sunburnt, soulful rasp that made Bradley a legend.

​The Bridge: The ‘Sublime With Rome’ Era

​You can’t talk about the return of Sublime without acknowledging the 15-year detour of Sublime With Rome. Starting in 2009, singer Rome Ramirez stepped in with Eric and Bud to keep the music alive on the road. But legal disputes over the trademark and Bud’s early departure in 2011 meant it was never truly “Sublime.” Rome carried the torch and kept the anthems echoing through stadiums for over a decade, but it always felt like a tribute rather than a continuation.
​In late 2023, Rome announced his departure and a farewell tour, officially closing that chapter. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Rome gracefully stepping aside cleared the stage just as Eric and Bud were quietly reconnecting with Jakob. The spin-off was over; it was time for the rightful heir to reclaim the family name.

​The Mastermind Behind the Scenes: Kevin Zinger

​You can’t talk about the resurgence of Sublime without talking about their management, and for Juggalos, this name is going to ring some serious bells: Kevin Zinger.
​Most of the underground knows Zinger as the powerhouse behind Suburban Noize Records—the label that gave us Kottonmouth Kings, (hed) p.e., and a massive chunk of the underground hip-hop and punk crossover scene. But Zinger’s history with Sublime goes all the way back to the beginning.
​At 19 years old, Zinger and his partner Ryan White launched SRH (Supporting Radical Habits) Productions in San Diego. They threw the punk-rock and hip-hop shows that built the Southern California action sports and music scene from the ground up. SRH gave bands like Sublime, Pennywise, and The Offspring some of their earliest stages.
​Now, full circle, Zinger is the co-manager of Sublime under Regime Music Group (alongside an insane roster that includes House of Pain and Everlast). He was instrumental in bringing the surviving members and Jakob together to secure this monumental reunion.

​’Until the Sun Explodes’: The Final Chapter
​Released in June 2026, Until the Sun Explodes is Sublime’s first studio album in 30 years. And if you’re wondering if it holds up—it absolutely does.

​The album perfectly captures the classic SoCal thrash-punk chaos and smoke-filled reggae rhythms that made Sublime famous, but without sounding like a dated nostalgia act. Jakob brings his own irreverent, relentless energy to the 22-track record, updating the textures while honoring the roots. Tracks like “Personal Hell” and the blistering “Backwards” (featuring Zac Carper of FIDLAR) show the band can still thrash, while the title track “Until the Sun Explodes” serves as a deeply vulnerable love letter to Brad.

​Jakob is fully aware of the sacred ground he’s walking on. He isn’t trying to replace the 1996 self-titled masterpiece. As Jakob told Rolling Stone:

​”Although the self-titled album is the last Sublime record, this album is a tribute to the expansive works of the band and it is an acknowledgment for all that his father has done for him his entire life, and most importantly it is a thank you.”

​It is the victory lap. The epilogue to a mythology that has defined alternative music for three decades.

​Until the Sun Explodes Tracklist:
​Ensenada
​Wizard
​Can’t Miss You
​Backwards (feat. FIDLAR)
​Maybe Partying Will Help Pt 1
​Favorite Songs (feat. Skegss)
​Personal Hell
​F.T.R.
​Evil Men
​Trey’s Song (feat. H.R. of Bad Brains)
​Casino Taormina
​The Problem With That Is It Makes Me Stoked
​Gangstalker
​Figueroa
​Froggy
​Come Correct (feat. G. Love)
​What For
​247-369 (feat. Fletcher Dragge of Pennywise)
​Maybe Partying Will Help Pt 2
​Until The Sun Explodes
​Thanx Again