Ten years ago this month, the Western Massachusetts musical collective known as Dark World appeared on the cover of The FADER. The niche non-urban assortment of rappers, singers, guitarists, and producers had achieved a sort of semi-notoriety among the seriously tapped in thanks to their disarming YouTube videos and ultra DIY ethos. It helped that their music, as bizarre as it could be, really slapped.

Dark World was founded in the early 2010s by Lucas Kendall, better known by his stage name DJ Lucas. At the time, Lucas, alongside brother Dana and friend Chris Wardlaw, was playing in a rock band called Worm. Dark World began as a loose, informal group of friends who liked to hang out and make music together, and that formlessness allowed a wide range of styles and approaches to blossom under the collective’s name.

At its height, Dark World had more than a dozen artists in its ranks, including names like LUCY (Cooper B. Handy) and Sen Morimoto. But many of the artists associated with its buzziest era have since departed from Dark World. Plenty of its former members are still putting out new releases. Others seem to have transitioned out of music, though what they might be up to now isn’t always apparent.

The Evolution of Dark World Members

Those that seem to have vanished into the ether include Chris Wardlaw (who also recorded under the name Pale Horses), as well as the producer Josue and keyboardist Eamon Wick. Others are still in the music industry but working behind the scenes, like Lucas Graham, another Who Shot Hollywood? alum who now works as an A&R with Create Music Group.

LUCY (Cooper B. Handy)

The singer-songwriter born Cooper Handy makes songs that defy easy categorization. His latest album CITIZEN’S ARREST was recently released on October 9. According to a 2017 interview, LUCY left Dark World in November 2016. He’s been quite prolific in the years since, releasing several solo albums and collaborative projects with Gods Wisdom, SURF GANG, and more.

Sen Morimoto

Once upon a time, Sen Morimoto was the first guy in Dark World brave enough to rap. Nowadays, the multi-instrumentalist is part indie rocker, part jazz musician. Morimoto released his debut album Cannonball! after moving to Chicago in 2016. While it’s hard to pinpoint when exactly he parted ways with his former collective, his “Dark World” tattoos appear to have been covered up by spring of 2018.

Gods Wisdom

In January, a sprawling profile of Gods Wisdom hit the internet. The eclectic musician (née Reuven Ender) comes across as a dynamic, passionate artist with unexpectedly tragic lore. Like his friend LUCY, he’s been strikingly prolific over the past decade, though the exact timing of his departure from Dark World is hard to pin down.

Mal Devisa

Mal Devisa, aka Deja Carr, was one of the only women associated with Dark World. After her 2016 debut Kiid, Carr took a somewhat circuitous path to her sophomore album. In between, she worked on collaborative music with bestie Gods Wisdom and signed to Topshelf Records, which released the wide-ranging compilation Palimpsesa in 2025.

DJ Lucas

Dark World’s founder and leader has maintained a prolific output over the decades. While his recorded output has slowed slightly in the 2020s, it’s rare for 12 months to go by without a new DJ Lucas album. Internet chatter occasionally alludes to unspecified sexual assault allegations against DJ Lucas. Though the alleged victims have opted not to come forward and publicize their stories, these rumors have continued to resurface over the years. LUCY, Gods Wisdom, and Sen Morimoto had a major falling out with Lucas prior to departing the group, and some longtime Dark World fans believe it was because of the allegations.