Pigs by Tyler the Creator Lyrics Meaning – Unmasking the Turmoil Beneath Teenage Angst
Lyrics
I’m not bipolar, see I’m just known by those couple names
I wanna tell my pops but shit, he’ll probably say the same, fuck
Hated by everyone, that’s the way it seems
I don’t know whats shorter, his damn temper or my self esteem
I sit in my room and I listen to tunes, I’m amused alone
Because none of the cool kids would let me join a team
Depression on the stalk again
My best friend is an inhaler because it will not let me cough
Whenever I am losing oxygen, bully hand around my neck
Because he felt disrespected when I decided to talk again
I brought that on myself, see I should know my place
But not at lunchtime, see
I know better then to show my face around them
But the day I do it will be everywhere
When I share these feelings finally they gon’ fucking care
Grab a couple friends, start a couple riots
Crash a couple
Gather all the bullies, crush them motherfuckers
Odd future hooligans causing up a ruckus
It’s us, nigga
I said it’s us, nigga
Murder, murder, m-murder the last they heard of you
Was when I uh with all them burners, you
Think that I’m some punk bully bitch who ain’t gone trouble you
Well I’m gonna burst your bubble two times if you don’t mind um
“Who are you again?” I’m Sammy and that’s Tyler
And we came to get wild and style in these trench coats!
Don’t start asking whats packin’ in these trench coats!
But just know if you start acting I’m grabbin’ for these trench coats!
My step-father called me a fag, I’ll show him a fag
I’ll light a fire up in his ass
And recently them assholes that be fuckin’ with me in class
So I’ma keep them motherfuckers there and make sure they pass, huh
My prom date, she distance my offer
So I’ma and toss her in the principles office
Oh, now you wanna conversate with me try to be my friend?
(Yeah but my parents) don’t worry you will probably never see them again
Grab a couple friends, start a couple riots
Crash a couple
Gather all the bullies, crush them motherfuckers
Odd future hooligans causing up a ruckus
It’s us, nigga
I said it’s us, nigga
Bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum bum bum
Bum bum bum burumrumrumrum bum bum bum
Bum bum bumbumbumbum, hehe
We are the sams, and we’re dead its just four of us
We come in peace we mean no harm and we’re inglorious
We took their heads but we just took back what they took from us
I guess we lost ours
Music had nothing to do with my final decision
I just really wanted somebody to come pay me attention
But nobody would listen, but stuffed animals that I had
Since I was a kid but I’m growing up so they missin’
I didn’t mean to hurt anybody I’m sorry
I wouldn’t hurt a fly or consider joining the army
I’m hardly ever angry, Toger Rabbit framed me
Momma I’m the same fucking kid that you made see?
I don’t wanna go to jail I just wanna go home
And I want those fucking kids at school to just leave me alone
And I, I hear helicopters make them dip
I’m fucking reloaded I told you all that I ain’t takin’ shit
You better backup before this mac starts to lift up
I’ll pump it like my inhaler when asthma begin to act up
The difference between us and our class is tan khakis
I got 99 problems and all of them is being happy
In the defiant echoes of Tyler the Creator’s ‘Pigs’, listeners are plunged into the raw underbelly of teenage rebellion and angst. More than a surface-level rap brimming with vitriol, ‘Pigs’ is a searing examination of the crushing social pressures that can cripple the youthful spirit.
Within this provocative track from his third studio album ‘Wolf’, Tyler spins a narrative soaked in the grim realities facing many adolescents. It’s a tale that challenges us to look beyond the abrasive exterior and into the heart of a fraught and complex individual.
Exploring the Labyrinth of Teenage Isolation
At its core, ‘Pigs’ is a potent chronicle of isolation. The protagonist, haunted by epithets like ‘geek’ and ‘fag’, embodies the seclusion that too many teens endure. As Tyler navigates through the psyche of this character, he brings to light the suffocating loneliness that comes from being ostracized and misunderstood.
There’s a distinct bitterness in the acknowledgement that family, those presumed to be a source of unconditional support, may only contribute further to this sense of abandonment. The absence of a compassionate ear when one’s own father mirrors the disdain of peers is a stark revelation of the protagonist’s solitary battles.
Beneath the Rage: A Call for Empathy
The aggressive posturing within ‘Pigs’ might initially obscure the vulnerability that seethes beneath. Tyler’s vivid imagery of inhalers and constricted breaths doesn’t just depict physical affliction but also an emotional gasping for air – a need for understanding in a world that seems intent on throttling compassion.
This cry for empathy is laced throughout the track, hidden between lines that dare the audience to look past the menacing threats. It begs the question of how society might address the internal struggles of its youth rather than merely reacting to their outward explosions.
The Potent Symbolism of ‘Pigs’: A Closer Look
Tyler’s choice of the word ‘pig’, traditionally symbolic of authority and societal control, is a pointed reflection of the societal institutions that have failed the protagonist. The schools, the family structure, the social hierarchy – all these pigs have a role in the narrative, contributing to the constriction and ultimate snap of the central character.
Inverting the power dynamic, Tyler portrays these ‘pigs’ as ultimately vulnerable to the very chaos they have, in part, sown. The uprising led by these ‘Odd future hooligans’ is not just a physical revolt but a symbol of taking back control from the stifling forces of authority.
Dissecting the Chorus: A Rallying Cry Against Oppression
The repetition of ‘Grab a couple friends, start a couple riots’ is more than just a hook – it’s a microcosm of revolt against systemic bullying. Coupled with ‘Gather all the bullies, crush them motherfuckers’, Tyler crafts a memorable line that resonates with anyone who has ever felt the crushing weight of oppression and dreamed of an uprising.
Here, the notion of rebellion is shared; it’s not a solitary battle but a collective action. The chorus becomes an anthem for all who have been marginalized, calling for a communal retaliation against the forces that seek to diminish individuality and self-worth.
A Tragic Conclusion and the Hidden Meaning in ‘Pigs’
The haunting outro, delivered with a chilling detachment, reveals the unforeseen casualties of the protagonist’s actions. What started as an empowerment fantasy ends in a confession that violence and anger were never the inherent disposition of the character – ‘Momma I’m the same fucking kid that you made see?’ The true conflict lies within the societal neglect and inability to nurture the emotionally distressed.
It’s a twist that brings the narrative full circle, questioning the romanticization of rebellion and underscoring the genuine plea for help that often goes unheeded. Tyler’s ‘Pigs’ is not just a portrait of aggression; it’s a mirror reflecting the often-overlooked cries of a generation demanding to be heard.
