FABRIC by BROCKHAMPTON Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Threads of Self-Identity and Artistic Struggle

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for BROCKHAMPTON's FABRIC at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Take it all or leave it

I can’t sleep like I used to
The world will try to tell you who are before you get to
Explain yourself, your thoughts, your motives, and all your reasons
Two albums every season
What the hell do ya’ll believe in?
Why the hell do ya’ll keep reachin’?
In the evenings when I see ’em
I tell myself that love will be the thing to keep us from grieving
Need something new to believe in
‘Cause these new niggas are changing
I mean they change on you
Why the hell the BBC only writes about me when it comes down to controversy?
What about three CDs
And one year with no label
And then we signed and our story turned into a fucking fable
I was a nigga in a room with no motherfuckin’ cable
And no table
Now my mom call me whenever she needs her car note
Cellphone, or whatever bill paid, too
Y’all niggas losers
You understand why I do what I do, so let me do it
Get the hell on, let me do it
Get the hell on, let me do it

I don’t speak like I used to
I’m thinking of a way to change the world that I move through
I feel like Nikola, what I invent is what I’m true to
I feel for Nikola with these ideas that I grew through
I know that when they see a brilliant mind, they’ll just abuse you
I started feelin’ restless nights
I’m scared that I’m delusional
I’m scared I’m more like Nikola than I’d ever collude to
I’m scared of what can happen when ideas would consume you
‘Cause there isn’t room for peace I can achieve

You don’t understand why I can’t get up and shout
I keep tellin’ you
You don’t understand why I can’t get up and shout

Stay off
Keep off
Get out
Hey boy
Stay off
Get buff
Get out
The monsters swarm around with them toys
The monsters swarm around with them toys

Keep off
Stay off
Keep off
Get out
Hey boy
Stay off
Get buff
Get out
The monsters swarm around with them toys
The monsters swarm around with them toys

Don’t mind me, I’m just killin’ time (you can pick me to pieces)
But if you got a life
I’m growin’, growin’
Don’t mind me, I’m just killin’ time (you can pick me to pieces)
But if you got a life
I’m growin’, growin’

Why the fuck would you share this shit with these people
I don’t know these people
I don’t know you either no more
I’m at war with myself
Every time I see this shit I wanna kill myself
And they coming for my mother sending bullets through my head
Think they foolin’ us but I’d rather be dead
Just leave me alone, I don’t wanna weird
Yeah ah

You don’t understand why I can’t get up and shout
I keep tellin’ you
You don’t understand why I can’t get up and shout

You don’t understand why I can’t get up and shout
I keep tellin’ you
You don’t understand why I can’t get up and shout

You don’t understand why I can’t get up and shout
I keep tellin’ you
You don’t understand why I can’t get up and shout

You don’t understand why I can’t get up and shout
I keep tellin’ you
You don’t understand why I can’t get up and shout

These the best years of our lives, motherfucker
You and I got to experience
These are the best years of our lives
I feel you

In the tapestry of modern hip-hop, few tracks weave complex narratives quite like BROCKHAMPTON’s ‘FABRIC’. Standing as the closing colossus on their fourth studio album ‘iridescence’, ‘FABRIC’ is a medley of introspection, defiance, and raw vulnerability. Through pivotal transitions and a sonic landscape that feels simultaneously claustrophobic and vast, the song unfolds like a deeply personal manifesto set to music.

‘FABRIC’ captures the members of BROCKHAMPTON at a crossroads of fame and identity, wherein the quintessence of their artistic being clashes starkly with the harsh lights of media scrutiny and personal upheaval. It is a telling tale of growth, the burdens of creativity under public eye, and the undying quest for a semblance of peace within the tumult.

The Burden of Genius: A Modern-day Nikola in the Limelight

Evoking the plight of pioneering inventor Nikola Tesla, ‘FABRIC’ delves into what it means to be an innovator beset by the whims of the world. Much like Tesla, BROCKHAMPTON’s members grapple with their aspirations to change perceptions and industry standards. It’s a stark reminder of how society often mistreats its visionaries, leaving them ‘restless’ and even ‘delusional’ in pursuit of their truth.

The song decries the curse of brilliance – equating artistic ingenuity with potential madness. This lyric encapsulation pitches us headlong into their fear that, akin to Tesla, they may be consumed by their ideas. It’s a raw expression of artistic anxiety, which is only amplified by the hypersensitivity of public scrutiny.

The Dichotomy of Fame: Critiquing Media Narratives and Public Facades

BROCKHAMPTON’s artists address the fickleness of fame head-on, questioning the manner in which media outlets shape narratives. ‘Why the hell the BBC only writes about me when it comes down to controversy?’ is a direct jab at sensationalism, suggesting that the substance of their work is often overshadowed by scandal.

The frustration evident in the song speaks to the disillusionment with how success is framed externally. This is not just about celebrity but also the struggle to remain true to oneself in an environment that seeks to commodify every facet of personal history and trauma.

A Nightmarish Chorus: The Fight Against Internal and External Demons

The chorus, with its repetitive shouts to ‘stay off’ and ‘get out’, echoes the desire for solitude and the defense of personal space against ‘monsters’—both literal and metaphorical. Here, the powerful imagery of swarming toys illustrates the incessant pressures of industry predators and the loss of innocence that accompanies fame.

This isn’t just a literal call to action, it’s a psychological warfare cry. It serves as a protective mantra for the members against the relentless onslaught of critics, opportunists, and perhaps even their own doubts and mental struggles.

The Pursuit of Peace Among Chaos: Uncovering the Song’s Hidden Meaning

Peeling back the layers, ‘FABRIC’ goes beyond the surface angst to reveal a quest for inner peace and stability. The ‘restless nights’ and the plea to ‘keep tellin’ you’ highlight a communication barrier between the artist and the audience, and even with the artists themselves.

The song suggests the artists’ yearning for a serene mental state where creativity can flourish without fear or obligation. Despite the cacophony and chaos, there is a deep, albeit concealed, desire for calm—a psychological sanctuary that remains tantalizingly out of reach.

Memorable Lines That Carve the Struggle: Declaring ‘These are the best years of our lives’

Towards the close, the song’s emotions crescendo with the assertion, ‘These the best years of our lives, motherfucker’. This is not just an affirmation of their current success, but a declaration that rings both triumphant and tragic.

The duality here is palpable—in one breath, the line is a battle cry for embracing the present moment with all its highs and lows. In another, it’s an ironic reflection on the cost of their artistry—the never-ending battle to maintain their core selves in the cyclone of success.