On Monday’s Morning Edition, NPR Music announced Dallas’ Cure For Paranoia (CFP), the hip-hop collective as the winner of the 12th annual Tiny Desk Contest. This has been a long time coming for the band. Founder and frontman, Cameron McCloud, shared that CFP has been looking for a win in this contest for years and now with this recognition, the band can expand its reach to the rest of the country.
Their sound — a self-described “pro-mental health” fusion of rap, hip-hop and soul — is defined by its vulnerability and high-energy delivery.
“Cure For Paranoia is destined to be a force in the music industry and their entry, aptly titled ‘No Brainer,’ sealed the deal as winners of the Contest. For four years, McCloud and the crew have wowed our judges with creativity and versatility and I can’t wait to see what they finally bring to the Tiny Desk,” Tiny Desk‘s Bobby Carter said in the release.
The band’s performance of “No Brainer” was selected from more than 6,000 submissions by independent artists across the country.
This year’s judging panel included Carter, Tiny Desk series producer and host; Robin Hilton, host and senior producer of Tiny Desk and All Songs Considered; Anamaria Sayre, Tiny Desk producer and host of Alt.Latino; Celia Gregory, morning host on WNXP in Nashville; Madison McFerrin, singer-songwriter and Tiny Desk alum; Tierra Whack, rapper and Tiny Desk alum; Alex Marrero of KUTX in Austin; Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee and Jessica Linker, Founder of Pitch Perfect PR.
“Frontman Cameron McCloud is a next-level performer who writes the kind of songs that get stuck in your head and won’t let go. From the moment we hit ‘play’ on this year’s entry, they had us. A perfect mix of catharsis, humor, and humanity,” Hilton added.
See what each judge said about the band here.
Later this month, CFP will perform behind NPR’s iconic Tiny Desk in Washington, D.C.
“Ultimately, there is no greater platform for discovery and authenticity than the visibility provided by NPR,” McCloud stated in yesterday’s announcement. A pre-school teacher by day, McCloud posted a new rap every day on social media for all of 2025.
NPR’s Ailsa Chang spoke with McCloud about the win.
“I’m genuinely, genuinely still so in disbelief that it’s happening. And I’m genuinely not going to believe that we won until I’m standing behind that little desk,” he told Chang on Monday. Listen to the full interview here.
Following the studio performance, Cure For Paranoia will embark on the Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour, taking their sounds to new audiences throughout the country. The 10-city tour includes stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis, Boston, New York and Washington, D.C.
To add, McCloud recently spoke with Dallas Voice about CFP’s upcoming appearance in Synergy by Pegasus Contemporary Ballet. The annual showcase pairs nationally acclaimed choreographers together with Dallas-based musicians to create three original world premiere collaborations performed live on stage. Choreographers Brooke Wendle and Peter Chursin teamed with CFP for the show. Wendle and Chursin will create a dance piece set to selections from CFP’s latest EP, Work of A.R.T. In PCB fashion, the piece will be accompanied by CFP playing live.
Synergy will be presented on June 5 and 6 at Moody Performance Hall. Look for that interview later this month.
Watch CFP’s contest-winning entry, “No Brainer” below:
–Rich Lopez