Omar Banos, a.k.a. Cuco, is the first to admit that “CR-V” is one of the most random songs in the entirety of his discography. But it’s also one of it’s favorites. The track originated as just a funny instrumental, but when combined with the catchy “CR-V” melody, named after the Honda SUV he drives, and some super relatable lyrics like, “Picking up my homies in my CR-V/ Kick it with my boo thang in my CR-V,” it became next level. And while Cuco only got his beloved CR-V last year, the video for the song, premiering exclusively on i-D today, shows him doing donuts in a high school parking lot like a pro.
The 20-year-old musician grew up in Hawthorne, in southwestern LA, where he was born to immigrant parents and raised as an only child. Cuco (which means “crazy” in Spanish), found comfort in making music, and he’s self-taught and self-produced — writing, mixing, and mastering all of his own stuff in his bedroom. Cuco often sings in “Spanglish,” effortlessly flowing between English and Spanish lyrics, to create his own unique brand of lo-fi dream pop. From 2016’s Wannabewithu EP to his breakout “Lo Que Siento” in 2017, not to mention his dreamy duet “Drown” with Clairo, Cuco suddenly went from playing small hometown shows to giant festival stages. But Cuco is super chill and stays humble, especially on this track. “I got an audi now, but I still drive my CR-V like all the time,” he says.
i-D caught up with Cuco to chat about his new video and find out exactly what makes the CR-V so dope.
The beginning of the video shows you graduating from high school and getting a CR-V. Is this based on a true story?
Oh, no. I got my CR-V like way after high school. Yeah, we just thought it would be a funny thing to do. I got my CR-V like last year. It came after I graduated high school — probably right after I just dropped out of college.
When did you get the idea to write the song?
Last year, actually. I just made the instrumental and I thought it was funny. So, I did the CR-V melody and I was like okay, cool, that’s something to work with. And then it ended up being one of my favorite songs, so that was kind of the trip.
This song is super relatable. My Mom used to drive a CR-V and I’d always ask to borrow it.
Dude, CR-V’s are so clutch. That’s like my favorite car still. I mean, I have a lot of favorite cars. I like cars a lot, but the CR-V is just cool cause it’s a dope car. It’s hella spacey, you can do a bunch of shit. I feel like SUV’s are tight. Like, I feel like coupes and sedans are tight, but not close to SUV’s in general. SUV’s are dope because you go to a drive in and like, put all the seats down. And the fucking trunk, you know? I feel like SUV’s always come in clutch.
Almost every music publication has called you a heartthrob, but on “CR-V” you’re singing about how you’ve got no game. How does that make you feel?
Oh, how I’ve got no game? I don’t know. I don’t know why they categorize me as like a heartthrob or whatever. I’m just making music and whatever. That’s why I say on “CR-V,” like I got no game because it’s a funny line that’s just like, cool.
What kinds of artists are inspiring you right now?
Damn. That’s like really hard. I don’t know how to explain that because there’s just so much music that’s flooding my ears, you know? It’s definitely super heavy the stuff that I’m listening to. A lot of old music. Um, experimental music a lot. It really depends. I’m trying to make sense of what I am trying to do and what I’m not doing because I was just like, confusing myself more. I want to do so much, but I don’t know how to approach it.
Are you working on new music now?
I’m working on my album now, little by little. Piecing it together and hoping it sounds you know, good. I don’t know. The album is just so weird. Sometimes I’m cool with it and then the next day I’m like, no this is fucking garbage. Then I’ll like crank out a bunch of songs and just redo the whole thing. It’s weird.
Tickets for Cuco’s west coast tour dates are on sale now, here.