“Hollywood’s Bleeding” by Post Malone

“Hollywood’s Bleeding” – and by the extension the album it is featured on (since it is the title track) – are based on Post Malone’s strong feelings about the City of Los Angeles. Los Angles itself is epitomized by the term “Hollywood”, which is a neighborhood located within the city. Hollywood is known worldwide as being the de facto center of the entertainment industry in the United States. And Post Malone is relaying his sentiments about this locality based on his own experiences there, specifically from the perspective of a popular entertainer.

Lyrics cast Hollywood in a Negative Light

And as can be derived from the title, what he is saying about the locality isn’t flattering. Instead, when the song opens, he presents the people there as “vampires feeding”. That is an elaborate way of saying that they leech off of others. Indeed he presents Tinseltown more along the lines of being a ghost town.

For instance, Malone implies that whereas he and others may be present physically, their hearts aren’t really there. Also the “feeling” they ultimately hope to experience in Hollywood is never actually realized. And deciding to leave Hollywood is a lonely endeavor. In other words, whereas life in this locality is obviously not ideal, it still presents a situation where very few people actually want to get out. What Malone basically means is that an individual shouldn’t expect others to support his decision to escape the situation.

Chorus of “Hollywood’s Bleeding”

In the chorus, the addressee is identified as one of the vocalist’s close associates in the city. During this part of the song, Posty speaks more directly to the allure of Hollywood, as in it being a place they “can’t let go” of.  And they consider the place their “home” even though it is “bleeding”, a term which reads like a metaphor for its deplorable interpersonal and spiritual state. Indeed the overall idea the chorus is seemingly pointing to is the relationship between the singer and this individual never reaching its full potential due to them being located in a toxic environment.

Verse of “Hollywood’s Bleeding”

And in the track’s singular verse, Post Malone plays with the aforementioned symbolism in various ways. In doing so, he faithfully sticks to the horror-movie type of trope. For instance, he describes a certain female as possessing characters tantamount to a vampire. And he also alludes to the use of juju as a means of defense against his enemies, both physical and spiritual. Indeed the main sentiment expressed in this verse seems to be one where the rapper feels at risk of being murdered or dying prematurely, as many of his peers have. So apparently, one of the beefs Post Malone has with Hollywood is his belief that his life can be taken there at any moment.

Conclusion

In terms of the rapper’s personal life, we know that he did indeed forsake Los Angeles, instead opting to reside in the relatively-mundane state of Utah. So in all, this song encapsulates the sentiments which led him to make that decision. And what it all boils down to is his belief that the people in Hollywood have serious, even dangerous, personality traits. He sees Hollywood as a place loaded to the brim with undesirables. Despite this, it still posses a really powerful allure.

This track has some elements that remind us of the Eagles iconic song “Hotel California“!

Writing Credits for “Hollywood’s Bleeding”

Post Malone wrote “Hollywood’s Bleeding” with the following writers:

• Billy Walsh
• Louis Bell (also song’s co-producer)
• Carter Lang
• Brian Lee (also co-produced song with Bell)

Release Date

Malone released this track on the 6th of September, 2019. It is track number 1 on his third studio album. Both song and album share the same title.

The Dark Side of Hollywood

Hollywood, a neighborhood found in Los Angeles, California, has come to symbolize the U.S film industry as well as all the people associated with it. Though subsumed in 1903, Hollywood was merged with Los Angeles in 1910.

Before Hollywood earned the description as a world full of desire, lust, fame, and affluent lifestyles, it was set up to mainly to do good. It was designed to educate, inform and transform the lives of individuals ready to pursue their careers in the film industry.

The community seems to have taken a turn over to the other side in recent times.

One’s talent and abilities are more or less the least of qualifications needed to thrive. Sexual favors are rampant when roles are being cast. Landing a top TV or film role is more about who you know and what you can give than the individual’s talent and intellect.

Substance abuse in “Hollywood”

Another dark mole eating its way quickly into the heart of Hollywood is the use and abuse of illegal and sometimes legal substances as steroids for performances. It is clearly hazardous but has been overlooked by many.

The deceptive ideology of actors indulging in substance abuse of many forms are now being localized and handed down to very talented people who could have brought diverse talents into the community had they not been compromised.

Satanism in Hollywood

Satanism and occult practices have become celebrated acts quite recently. Many artists have admitted to selling their souls for the fame and wealth that come with being involved in these practices.

For the very so-called “naïve” actors that come into Hollywood, it is assumed that it will take a longer period if they are lucky to achieve their dreams of being successful outside these practices.

The level of lies and deception in Hollywood cannot go unsaid. Many celebrities have most of their lives set up to look perfect to the outside world, far from the truth of who they are. Their age, looks, and lifestyles most of the time are not what they seem to be.

Some bigwigs have been caught in cases of child sexual abuse, while many yet-to-be-exposed continue taking advantage of vulnerable children in the industry.

Sadly, most of Hollywood’s dark sides may always go unseen and unspoken of. And this is due to the amount of wealth, power, and connections available to cover up bad deeds.