American Rapper Tobi Lou Drops a NewJeans Tribute Mixtape, “Same Old Jeans <3”
American rapper and singer-songwriter Tobi Lou has surprised fans by releasing a tribute mixtape dedicated entirely to NewJeans, highlighting the group’s growing influence on global music culture.
Titled “Same Old Jeans <3”, the mixtape features a massive 33 tracks and reimagines NewJeans’ discography through Tobi Lou’s own musical lens. Rather than a simple remix collection, the project plays out like a carefully crafted DJ set, gradually building energy and saving its biggest moments for the final stretch.
Inspired by Bunnies Camp Tokyo and DJ 250
Tobi Lou shared on X that the project was inspired by DJ 250’s set at Bunny Camp in Tokyo, explaining how transformative the experience was for him:
“250s DJ set at Bunny Camp in Tokyo is what inspired me to start making Same Old Jeans. Hearing the way he was flipping the songs was so genius and really eye-opening.”
Hearing NewJeans’ music reworked live sparked the idea for a full-length tribute—one that honors both the original tracks and the DJ culture surrounding them.
A DJ-Style Experience Built for the Dance Floor
One of the standout aspects of Same Old Jeans <3 is its DJ-like structure. The mixtape is sequenced to feel like a club set, with smoother transitions early on and peak-time energy saved for the later tracks.
A fan-favorite moment comes during “ETA”, which opens with Minji’s voice saying in Japanese, “Minasan~ Let’s go~♪”. It’s a small but unforgettable detail that immediately sets the tone and showcases how thoughtfully the project was assembled. Many listeners have described the moment as nothing short of amazing.
Strong Reactions From International Fans
Following its release, the mixtape quickly gained traction among international fans on social media and online communities. Listeners praised both the creativity of the flips and the respect shown toward NewJeans’ original work.
Comments like “whole album is a straight banger”, “this feels like a love letter to NewJeans”, and “the transitions are insane” have been common, with particular attention given to how tracks inspired by songs such as “Cookie,” “Right Now,” “Supernatural,” “How Sweet,” and “ETA” are reinterpreted.
Some fans even noted that the project introduced them to NewJeans for the first time, proving that the mixtape is helping the group reach new listeners beyond the K-pop sphere.
Looking Ahead
With NewJeans continuing to dominate global conversations and artists like Tobi Lou openly celebrating their work, this tribute only adds to the excitement surrounding the group’s future.
It’s gonna be fun to see what kind of collab these two come up with when NewJeans makes their comeback!