The Essential Brockhampton Playlist
Brockhampton is taking the underground rap scene by storm this year, and will no doubt have an enormous breakout into the mainstream soon enough. A boyband at heart, but an experimental rap group in reality, Brockhampton is necessary listening for anyone interested in the future of rap. The songs that will be a part of this playlist are being put together in an attempt to create a complete, yet succinct, view into their world and their sound.
Song 1: Gold
The first thing you’ll notice about Brockhampton is their love of the lofi soundscape. Their entire aesthetic is designed around a group of kids that met on the internet to make songs together, and that lends itself to feeling and sounding rough around the edges. Gold comes off of their debut album Saturation, and is a fantastic introduction to the fun-loving side that they have as young adults. They’re a group of kids living together to make music, so naturally they want to have fun. Gold’s booming bassline and simplistic synth combine for a very exciting beat, and Kevin Abstract’s fuzzy hook brings the hype every time he’s on.
Song 2: Star
On one of their meaner sounding beats, Star comes together off of their debut album as an anthem for striving to be pop stars. Constant references to Hollywood stars and famous athletes pepper verses from each member, most notably Dom McLennon. One of the most iconic lines from this song, and also one of Brockhampton’s most iconic lines ever, is at the beginning of Kevin Abstract’s verse where he says “I just gave my nigga head”. Kevin is openly gay and shows no shame for it, and makes sure people know about it on this track, as well as many others, but the way he puts it so bluntly on this track, the way many rappers speak about women, ends up being just as relatable as what any other rapper might say and it has completely reached the fans and onlookers.
Song 3: Trip
As we get to the more serious side of Brockhampton, Trip is a fantastic look into the lives of the people behind the music. Kevin Abstract’s hook of “Today, imma be whoever I wanna be” rings out to a huge amount of people that struggle with identity issues, and Kevin declaring that he’ll be whatever he wants to be is a sign of empowerment in him and others. Ameer Vann’s verse is laden with drugs and depression, most notably “Trapped in the suburbs, we suffocatin’”. Dom McLennon’s verse tackles self image and self esteem issues with lines like “ Family full of athletes, I was kind of chubby, shit was never sunny, wrists were sorta bloody”. All in all, it’s an incredibly heartfelt track where everyone on it opens up completely about their own personal issues, but the fact that they’re able to say it means they’re at least able to battle them, and that can give listeners hope.
Song 4: Junky
Junky comes off of Brockhampton’s second album Saturation 2, and is by far one of their darker songs to date. The frantic plucking that makes up the first half of the beat is frightening and harsh, and goes perfectly with Kevin Abstract’s verse. He talks about the hardships of growing up gay, how his mom wouldn’t listen to him when he came out to her, how “Where I come from niggas get called ‘faggot’ and killed”. It’s harsh and it hurts to hear, especially the way he delivers it all so hauntingly. After his verse, the beat pauses for a moment and then continues with the sound of a car swerving and crashing. The beat switches to something much harder and heaver with Ameer Vann’s verse next, covering drug addiction and the attitude that comes with it. Merlyn Wood comes on next talking about how his family tries to make him feel guilty for his decisions. Joba gives a short interlude to lead into Matt Champion’s verse, which is filled to the brim with spite and anger. It’s a harsh track, but it reveals the inner workings of the members of the group and the struggles that they have to deal with.
Song 5: Summer
The final song on Saturation 2, Summer is mainly just bearface, one of the more mysterious members of the group. The song evokes incredibly strong aesthetics ranging from passion to pain to love to regret. The guitar riffs whine and croon while bearface’s smooth, buttery voice glides alongside and floats along the track. The piano chords that accompany them give off an incredibly passionate feeling. It’s evocative, it’s lustful, it’s warm, and it’s a perfect ending to any Brockhampton listening.
This playlist could honestly be played in just about any setting you can think of. Although it’s short, you can space out the songs and play them during a party, with Summer bringing the party to a close. You could listen to this while driving to work, you could listen to this while walking to class, you could probably even listen to this while working out. The playlist has a very defined arc to it and provides fantastic structure that you can work around. Each song has it’s place in the playlist and transitions well into the next, so if you want something structured and thematic, while also serving as a proper bassline introduction to a group, then this Brockhampton playlist is essential for you.
