Queens emcee ACT-1 opens his ANTAGONIST chapter with “Greatful,” a short, sharp single produced by King Vir2ue that sounds like a villain’s prayer for real underground Hip-Hop heads.
“Greatful” (stylized that way on the tracklist) is the first song on ACT-1’s new album ANTAGONIST, a seven-track project released October 31, 2025. Clocking in at just 1:44, it plays like a cold open, no wasted hooks, no fluff, just a fast-moving statement that sets the tone for the rest of the record.
On ANTAGONIST, ACT-1 leans fully into his “villain era,” pushing back against industry politics, inflated egos, and gatekeepers while doubling down on sharp barwork and aggressive undertones. “Greatful” feels like the moment he steps through the curtain: grateful for the journey, but fully aware that the game he loves doesn’t always love him back.
For listeners who’ve been following ACT-1 through records like Shit That Keeps Me Up At Night and earlier singles, that mix of introspection and intensity is nothing new; he’s been sharpening this perspective for years as a New York emcee raised in the golden age of Hip-Hop.
Production on “Greatful” comes from Virginia-based beat architect King Vir2ue, who has built a reputation for boom-bap-rooted, sample-driven work with artists like ACT-1, Showrocka, Mickey Bourbon and more. On ANTAGONIST, he’s part of a heavyweight producer lineup that includes Din Cooks, Whodunit, Explicit Mass Productions, Chumzilla, and PHD Beats.
“Greatful” showcases why underground fans keep hunting for new Beats by King Vir2ue. The track carries that modern boom-bap feel, dusty but polished, with drums that hit like concrete and eerie textures that match the album’s dark cover. It’s the kind of beat that gives an emcee room to talk grown-man truths: about paying dues, surviving politics, and still finding gratitude in the grind.
Even without quoting specific bars, you can hear how the sonic palette mirrors ACT-1’s duality: grateful for the culture, antagonistic toward the systems that exploit it.
If you’ve been locked in with SpitFireHipHop’s coverage of ACT-1, “Greatful” feels like the next page in a story we’ve been watching unfold:
On “Pain Management (Part 1)”, produced by Statik Selektah, ACT-1 wrestled with anxiety, information overload, and the mental toll of the modern world. With “Ahegao,” he showed his wild, cinematic side, turning a chaotic studio night into a provocative single that blended bounce, storytelling, and humor. On “Heel Turn” featuring Tony Dimes, he snapped fully into “No More Mr. Nice Guy” mode, venting about shady promoters, sneaky producers, and industry egos.
“Greatful” sits right at the intersection of all that: the mental weight of being an artist, the wild moments that keep you going, and the decision to stop playing nice while still acknowledging how far you’ve come. It’s an ACT-1 single that rewards fans who’ve been following the arc, while giving new listeners a quick, powerful entry point into his catalog.
In a year where playlists and algorithms decide so much of what people hear, records like “Greatful” remind us why new underground Hip-Hop singles 2025 still matter. ACT-1 isn’t chasing a TikTok moment—he’s building a body of work. ANTAGONIST is a tight, 18-minute album designed to be played front to back, and “Greatful” is the gateway that makes you want to stay for the full ride.
For King Vir2ue, the single is another notch in a growing discography that already includes cuts like “Lost Art” with ACT-1 and Showrocka, “Underdog” with Francheyez and K-Prez, and “Level Up” with Mickey Bourbon and Tony Dimes, each proof that he’s one of the most consistent underground producers in rotation.
For the culture, “Greatful” is exactly what underground heads want in 2025: modern boom-bap, grown lyrics, and a creative partnership between emcee and producer that feels intentional, not manufactured.
