When Muhammad “Mvstermind” Austin picked up the phone last fall, he didn’t expect the call to lead to one of the biggest moments of his career. The St. Louis rapper, producer and music director was asked to create original music for a new World Cup documentary series presented by HBO entitled U.S. Against the World: Four Years with the Men’s National Soccer Team. The title track — “U.S. Against the World” — has now become the official anthem of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team.
“It feels incredibly amazing to represent St. Louis hip-hop and the St. Louis music scene,” he said. “Performance artists and performance athletes — we live parallel worlds. We all go through pressure. We have the odds stacked against us and we have to deliver. We all have critics who think we can’t do it.”
That parallel shaped the song. Mvstermind wasn’t just contributing a track. He was asked to serve as the documentary’s “rhythmic narrator,” creating music that carried the emotional weight of the players’ journey. “I did the opening title track for every single episode,” he said. “And I have four other songs inside the documentary. All of these tracks were created just for this — speaking for the moment, speaking for the players, their emotions and their feelings.”
The opportunity came through Outpost, a wing of the St. Louis production house Bruton Stroube. The company manages post-production for major documentaries, films and television shows. Mvstermind had already collaborated with them on past projects — including his “Square Up” video — and the relationship opened the door for him to merge his artistry with his licensing experience.
“This was one of those moments where the homies got to do really cool things with the homies,” he said. “They got the opportunity to do the post-production and creative direction for the World Cup documentary, and they decided they wanted a rapper to be the rhythmic narrator. That’s where I came in.”
The U.S. Men’s National Team embraced the song immediately. “One of the producers told me the team’s CMO said, ‘Hey, this is our song,’” he said. “From that moment, they started moving things forward to license it. That kind of stuff is life-changing.”
For Mvstermind, the moment affirmed something deeper. “It reminded me of the power of intention,” he said. “All of these FIFA songs are from major artists from around the world — Shakira, Future, Tyla. But they felt the conviction from an independent artist. They saw how the story tied to their players. It reminded me that hard work is the equalizer.”
Challenging work has defined his path. He has spent years building a career that blends artistry, production, coaching and community building. He was also the first-ever Director of Musical Experience for a professional soccer team — a role he helped create with St. Louis CITY SC. “We created the musical philosophy for the team,” he said. “It put local artists in a better position to get booked for shows and licensing gigs.”
His connection to soccer runs deeper than his professional work. As a teenager, he spent mornings playing pickup soccer with his brothers-in-law — a discipline that shaped him long before he knew how it would resurface. One of them was an exceptional player who later passed away from cancer. “There are some really strong magnetic ties that are deeper than what I’m currently perceiving,” he said. “I gotta pay homage.”
That sense of legacy and responsibility is woven into “U.S. Against the World.” “I want folks to hear the song and lock in within their own journey,” he said. “The real moments where they’ve been doubted. The moments where they don’t know if they have enough juice to get it done. This track was created for those moments — turning doubt into alchemy.”
He said the work required the same mindset he sees in the players. “Either you’re gifted with it or you work hard to get it,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it’s your mindset. You gotta have resilience. You gotta have grit. You gotta have a reality mindset to understand the drastic measures you’re even attempting.”
Mvstermind began working on the project in October 2024. “They showed me the first episode, and instantly the emotions of what I wanted to convey started coming to my mind,” he said. “I was going to take notes, but the words just came.”
The song’s release has led to a series of moments that underscore its impact. The team brought him out to the World Cup. He performed a featured set at Soccer House, the U.S. Men’s activation in Venice Beach. He and composer Hannah Parrott — who scored the documentary and produced the title track — also participated in a fireside chat with HBO about the music.
“We’ve been out here working,” he said. “Just got back into town. I think we’re about to head back out to L.A. for more World Cup things.”
He is already claiming victory as the team prepares for its next match on Wednesday night (July 1) against Bosnia. Mvstermind is preparing too. “It feels powerful,” he said. “And it feels like a duty — a responsibility to take things further. Not just this match, but up to the Cup and beyond. The best way to tell this story is to continue to live it.”
He knows the stakes — for the team, and for himself. “When everybody doubted, what did you do?” he said. “You acknowledge it. Not to prove them wrong, but to prove yourself right.”
And if the team wins?
“We’re gonna celebrate,” he said. “But we’re also gonna get back in the gym. It doesn’t stop. We’re going for it.”