"Junky" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on August 15, 2017 as the third single from their second studio album Saturation II (2017).
| "Junky" | ||||
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| Single by Brockhampton | ||||
| from the album Saturation II | ||||
| Released | August 15, 2017 | |||
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| Length | 4:08 | |||
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| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Brockhampton singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Junky" on YouTube | ||||
Composition and lyrics
editThe production of the song contains erhu,[1] while the lyrics revolve around the personal and social challenges that each member has faced. In the opening verse, Kevin Abstract raps about his homosexuality and its surrounding challenges ("'Why you always rap about being gay?' / 'Cause not enough niggas rap and be gay").[1][2][3][4][5] This is followed by a "piercing cacophony of solemn piano chords and tire screeches".[6] Ameer Vann discusses his paranoia and drug addiction in the next verse, after which Merlyn Wood raps about his family pressuring him to pursue a career outside of music.[2][4][5] Matt Champion performs the penultimate verse, in which he addresses sexism, male entitlement and rape culture.[2][4][7]
Critical reception
editMatthew Strauss of Pitchfork called Kevin Abstract's verse "ferocious" and wrote "even when his bandmates rap with less objective gravity, the coiled beats makes them feel just as important."[3] Peter A. Berry of XXL described Matt Champion's verse as "accurate, but misplaced" and deemed it irrelevant to the similar themes of the other verses.[4]
Live365 ranked it as their second best song.[8] Variety placed "Junky" at number 14 on their list of Brockhampton's 15 best songs.[9]
Music video
editThe music video was directed by Kevin Abstract and filmed in Los Angeles. It shows the members of Brockhampton "spazzing out" in front of the camera, as well as frightening shots of four people wearing dresses that are soaked in blood and a person wearing an alien-looking baby mask and holding a butcher's knife in the back seat of a car.[10][11][12][13]
References
edit- ^ a b Schwartz, Danny (September 1, 2017). "Brockhampton "Saturation II" Review". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ a b c "Brockhampton: Saturation II". PopMatters. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ^ a b "BROCKHAMPTON: SATURATION II Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
- ^ a b c d Berry, Peter A. (September 22, 2017). "Brockhampton Deliver a Diverse Effort With 'Saturation II' Album". XXL. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ a b O'Neill, Lauren (August 16, 2017). "Brockhampton Just Won't Stop: Here's Their New "Junky" Video". Vice. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ "Brockhampton - SATURATION II (album review 2)". Sputnikmusic. August 25, 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ "Brockhampton On Their Song "Junky"". MTV News. November 2, 2017. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Milewski, Kathryn (January 19, 2022). "Top 10 Brockhampton Songs". Live365. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Moreau, Jordan; Shafer, Ellise; Shanfeld, Ethan (November 18, 2022). "Goodbye, Brockhampton: The Hip-Hop Boy Band's 15 Best Songs, Ranked". Variety. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Skelton, Eric (August 15, 2017). "Brockhampton Go Wild In New "Junky" Video". Complex. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Goddard, Kevin (August 15, 2017). "Junky". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Craighead, Olivia (August 16, 2017). "Brockhampton Share "Junky"". The Fader. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ "BROCKHAMPTON Strip It Back for New Track "Junky"". Hypebeast. August 16, 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2023.