WEIGHT by BROCKHAMPTON Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Emotional Heft of Personal Struggles
Lyrics
I’ve been feeling defeated, like I’m the worst in the boyband
I ain’t sleepin’ some weekends, tryna headline both weekends
Leave my niggas, y’all sheepin’, I keep the world in my hands
I know accounts should be deleted, I know some niggas should stop hitting my phone
Whenever they needing money or favors done
‘Cause I’m still worried ’bout when Ashlan finna put the razor down
So I don’t really give a fuck about what story they done spun
And I ain’t done
And I ain’t done (ya heard me)
And I ain’t done
I really miss the old days before the cosigns
I really miss them cold days before the road signs
I really miss when I ain’t know which way I’m supposed to head
And I was pressed because my shorty gave me cold signs
I was writing poems ’bout a dog and study hard
And she was mad ’cause I never wanna show her off
And every time she took her bra off my dick would get soft
I thought I had a problem, kept my head inside a pillow screaming
I don’t wanna waste no more time
I’m ready to go
I live my life on standby
I can leave you alone
‘Cause we’re born with a dollar sign attached to our temple
Life is a dish served cold most times
And all my life I’ve taken handfuls, force fed by the hand that feeds us
But not all hands created equal, I stand by waiting for something good to come
In due time, the skies will split for the sun to smile
My mother called me today
She said she thought she felt my energy a country away
I apologized for not calling enough due to weight
But couldn’t tell you if I kept it in my head to decay
I asked her “why this world love echoing hate?”
She said “Don’t let up, soon you’ll start dictating your fate”
I think the hardest part of love could be rebuilding the breaks
Condition to ’em, let the mental, our foundation will shake
There’s no debate the road to peace is filled with snakes, you gotta keep your cool
And recognize them wolves that wanna try and leave you wool
Don’t let ’em treat you like a window you know you a jewel
This world is cruel and not as simple as they teach in schools
Sometimes you’ve gotta step away and check your own intentions
And analyze if what they do can compromise your vision
If people trust you they don’t need to question your decisions
You never needed them if they make you another villain (pressure)
So they tried to take the bike
And they took my friend’s bike
And then friend was gonna get it back
But then he didn’t get it back
And we had to go to the police station
And then, uhm, then some (pressure)
A random stranger brought back his bike
We just, you know and we didn’t tell our mom
So we got in trouble (pressure makes me)
‘Cause they found out like a day later
Do you want to start the game again?
Pressure makes me lash back
Wish I could get past that
I can’t take a step back
Makes me wish you’d pass that
Pressure makes me lash back
Wish I could get past that
I can’t take a step back
Makes me wish you’d pass that
Pressure makes, pressure makes, pressure
Wish I could, wish I could, wish I
I can’t take, I can’t take, I can’t
Makes me wish, makes me wish, makes me
Pressure makes, pressure makes, pressure
Wish I could, wish I could, wish I
I can’t take, I can’t take, I can’t
Makes me wish, makes me wish, makes me
Sippin’ on my pain, smokin’ on my pain, ingesting my pain
I just wanna play
Sippin’ on my pain, smokin’ on my pain, ingesting my pain
I just wanna play
Sippin’ on my, (sippin’ on my)
Smokin’ on my (smokin’ on my)
Ingestin’ my (ingestin’ my)
I just wanna (I just wanna)
Sippin’ on my, (sippin’ on my)
Smokin’ on my (smokin’ on my)
Ingestin’ my (ingestin’ my)
I just wanna (I just wanna, I just wanna, I just wanna, I just wanna)
BROCKHAMPTON, the self-proclaimed ‘boyband’ known for their raw, unabashed storytelling and sonic innovation, presents a striking introspection with their track ‘WEIGHT.’ This profound piece serves not just as an emotional outpouring, but as a poetic dissection of personal struggle, ambition, and the pressures of life in the limelight.
Bearing one’s soul through music is a daunting feat, yet BROCKHAMPTON does so with a deft blend of vulnerability and aggression. ‘WEIGHT’ becomes a canvas where the jumbled thoughts and intense pressures faced by the collective’s members come together in a confessional masterpiece that hits home for anyone grappling with the heavy expectations of modern existence.
The Struggles of Stardom and the Weight of Ambition
Kevin Abstract, the lead voice in ‘WEIGHT,’ wears the strain of stardom like a winter coat, one that is both warming and suffocating. His raw confessions detail the fragmentation of personal relationships amidst the pursuit of headline-worthy performances, revealing the inner conflict of desiring success while longing for simpler times.
The lyric ‘I’ve been feeling defeated, like I’m the worst in the boyband’ resonates as an acknowledgment of the imposter syndrome that plagues many artists. The dichotomy of the group’s collective identity versus the individual’s internal battle underscores the song’s central theme — the weight that ambition lays on one’s shoulders.
Uncovering the Song’s Hidden Meaning Through Generational Anxieties
Underneath the surface of ‘WEIGHT’s narrative on personal pain and career pressure lies a generational cry for help. The line ‘We’re born with a dollar sign attached to our temple’ is a succinct commentary on the commodification of life and the cold nature of our societal structures.
BROCKHAMPTON’s verse implicates the economy of attention and success in the digital age, suggesting that even as we strive for personal betterment and clarity, the world continues to weigh on the younger generation through expectations and the monetization of one’s persona.
The Power of Resilience in the Midst of Emotional Vulnerability
Despite the overt despair and anxiety in the lyrics, ‘WEIGHT’ pulses with an underlying current of resilience. The confessional tone is cut with an unwillingness to submit, illustrated by the repetitive defiance in ‘And I ain’t done.’ It’s a testament to the power of pushing forward, even when the psyche is battered.
The synergy of BROCKHAMPTON’s verses with the hook ‘I don’t wanna waste no more time’ signals not just a refusal to be stagnant amidst pressure, but a desire to transcend the emotional weight that binds them. There’s resolve here, a determination to heal and seek joy while acknowledging the lure of coping mechanisms in ‘Sippin’ on my pain, smokin’ on my pain.’
The Introspective Power of the Lyrics’ Most Memorable Lines
‘The hardest part of love could be rebuilding the breaks’ is a line that resonates for its sheer poetic beauty and truth. It encapsulates the difficulty of mending relationships that have faltered under the weight of life’s pressures and personal growth.
Another memorable line, ‘Don’t let ’em treat you like a window you know you a jewel,’ speaks volumes on self-worth. The metaphor is potent, rejecting the transparency and fragility of glass for the resilience and value of a jewel. It encourages strength in identity and self-belief in the face of devaluation.
The Duality of Pressure: From Breaking to Making
The chorus, ‘Pressure makes me lash back, Wish I could get past that, I can’t take a step back,’ is BROCKHAMPTON laying bare the duality of pressure as both a destructive and constructive force. It’s as much about the frustrations of setbacks as it is about the relentless overcoming of personal and external obstacles.
The philosophical undercurrent running through ‘WEIGHT’ draws attention to pressure not just as a catalyst for discontent, but also as a potential driver of action and change. While the pressure to succeed can cause one to ‘lash back,’ there is also an inherent suggestion that withstanding pressure is integral to personal growth and artistic maturation.
