Listen up, cousins, because the tea coming out of the Euphoria camp is piping hot, and it looks like the behind-the-scenes drama is officially outshining the on-screen chaos. If you’ve been holding your breath for Season 3 of HBO’s polarizing hit series, you already know the wait has been nothing short of exhausting. But the latest shake-up is hitting fans right in the chest, and it involves the literal sonic architect of the show: the incredibly gifted Labrinth. We all know that the glittering, anxiety-inducing world of East Highland High School would be absolutely nothing without the haunting, gospel-infused, and transcendent musical beds created by this musical genius. Now, Labrinth is stepping up to the mic, setting the record straight, and making it abundantly clear that he is not the one to be played with when it comes to his artistry, his boundaries, and his respect.
Let’s rewind a bit to understand exactly how we got to this messy crossroad. Recently, Euphoria creator and showrunner Sam Levinson made headlines when he nonchalantly claimed that he “didn’t know” why Labrinth’s iconic music would not be featured in the highly anticipated—and endlessly delayed—Season 3. Naturally, this sent the internet into an absolute tailspin. How does the creator and director of a massive show not know why the foundational composer is suddenly out of the picture? For years, Levinson and Labrinth were touted as the ultimate collaborative duo, the peanut butter and jelly of HBO’s Sunday night lineup. Levinson’s claim of ignorance felt like a massive slap in the face to the culture and to the fans who stream the soundtrack just as much as they rewatch the episodes. It gave off major gaslighting energy, and Black Twitter immediately started putting the pieces together, sensing that there was a much deeper, darker story lingering just beneath the surface of those neon lights.
Well, Labrinth wasn’t about to let anyone control his narrative or play in his face, and he took to social media to drop a bombshell statement that completely cleared the air—and cleared Sam Levinson in the process. In a powerful, no-holds-barred message, Labrinth revealed that his absence from the upcoming season wasn’t a mystery or an accidental oversight. He deliberately decided to remove his music. Why? Because he experienced blatant dishonesty and flat-out refused to tolerate mistreatment. Let that sink in. In an industry where so many creatives are pressured to swallow their pride for a paycheck or to stay attached to a massive cultural juggernaut like Euphoria, Labrinth chose his peace, his dignity, and his boundaries. He made it crystal clear that protecting his spirit and his art is far more important than any television credit. Seeing a brilliant Black artist stand on business and refuse to be marginalized or mistreated by a powerful Hollywood showrunner is the exact type of energy we love to see and need to celebrate.
To truly grasp the magnitude of this fallout, we have to talk about what Labrinth actually brought to the table. Let’s be incredibly real for a second: Euphoria without Labrinth’s score is essentially just a bunch of teenagers making terrible decisions in sparkly makeup. Labrinth didn’t just write background music; he provided the emotional anchor and the soul for the entire series. When Zendaya’s character, Rue, is spiraling into the darkest depths of her addiction and trauma, it’s Labrinth’s sweeping, choral arrangements that make us feel the heavy, suffocating weight of her pain. Tracks like “All For Us,” “Mount Everest,” and “Still Don’t Know My Name” weren’t just viral TikTok sounds; they were absolute cultural resets. He infused gospel, R&B, electronic synths, and raw, unfiltered soul into a landscape that desperately needed it. His departure leaves a gaping, unfillable hole in the heart of the show. Without his sonic genius, the aesthetic of Season 3 is going to be severely lacking the depth, resonance, and cultural flavor that Black creativity naturally provided.
This situation also opens up a much larger, frankly exhausting conversation about how Black creatives are treated behind the scenes in Hollywood. Time and time again, we see Black talent being used as the secret sauce to elevate a mainstream project, only to be met with disrespect, lack of transparency, and poor treatment when the cameras stop rolling. Labrinth’s vocal refusal to participate in a toxic environment should serve as a massive wake-up call to the industry. You cannot profit off of our brilliance while simultaneously mishandling the brilliant minds that create it. The audacity to publicly claim ignorance about his departure only highlights the profound disconnect between the powers-that-be and the talent that actually keeps the wheels turning. By speaking his truth, Labrinth is not only defending his own legacy, but he is also setting a powerful precedent for other artists who might be suffering in silence under the thumb of “visionary” directors who fail to practice basic human decency and professional respect.
As we brace ourselves for whatever Season 3 of Euphoria turns out to be—if it ever actually sees the light of day—one thing is absolutely certain: it will be a fundamentally different experience. The vibe has unequivocally shifted, the trust is broken, and the fans are fiercely rallying behind Labrinth. At BlkCosmo, we will always stand with artists who recognize their immense worth and refuse to shrink themselves for the comfort or convenience of others. Labrinth will undoubtedly continue to bless us with transcendent music, whether it’s on his own solo projects, new film scores, or other collaborations that actually respect his genius and treat him as an equal. As for Sam Levinson and the Euphoria team? Good luck trying to recreate that lightning in a bottle without the maestro who summoned the storm.
