BROCKHAMPTON, Boy Bye | Track Review

Hip-hop collective BROCKHAMPTON drops the short, but sweet “Boy Bye” as the third advance single from their highly anticipated fifth LP, GINGER.

According to Kevin Abstract of the ever-intriguing hip-hop collective BROCKHAMPTON, their fourth album, iridescence, “Didn’t get the reaction we wanted”. After debuting at no. 1 on the Billboard 200 with respectable numbers, iridescence took a free fall to no. 88. The good news is that BROCKHAMPTON, following a one-year hiatus, has a chance to redeem themselves with their fifth studio album, GINGER.  The boys have already shown out with stellar advance singles “I Been Born Again” and “If You Pray Right”.  They continue the flex-fest with the ‘short, but sweet,’ “Boy Bye.”

“Boy Bye” begins with production work that certainly doesn’t exemplify hip-hop.  Regardless, following the brief Merlyn Wood intro (“Jabari, me paddy!”), the rest of BROCKHAMPTON get to work, spitting capably over a unique backdrop.  Dom McLennon is the first to ‘shoot his shot,’ referencing weed (“Breaking up botanical to ease my stressing”), Johnnie Cochran (“I go Johnnie Cochran when I’m raising my defenses”), and Michael Keaton via Birdman (“Man, I feel like Michael Keaton when a nigga start ascending”).  Matt Champion takes the reins on the second verse and has his own share of colorful lines beginning with “My shit bump like a belly when it’s pregnant,” as well as referencing Elmer Fudd and Mean Girls.

A third verse, courtesy of Kevin Abstract, arrives prior to the chorus.  As for Abstract, he references trauma, The Lion King (“Hakuna Matata” specifically), and sobriety.  The chorus is random, but intriguing:

“My bitch is so pretty, pretty
I get cash like really, really
Tell the DJ, man, he ain’t slick cause he ain’t playin’ hits
He silly, silly (Boy, bye).”

Bearface gets his moment on the fourth verse, referencing trauma like Kevin Abstract: “Trauma the price of patience / Character shaped like an arc.” The outro, courtesy of Joba and Merlyn Wood, includes the titular lyric, “Boy, bye.”

Final Thoughts

GINGER should be among the crème de la crème of 2019 albums when it’s all said and done.  BROCKHAMPTON once more have release a single that’s lit AF.  Amazingly, “Boy Bye” isn’t even two-and-a-half minutes long! Regardless, Jabari Manwa, Romil Hemnani, and Kiko Merley provide an awesome backdrop, while Merlyn, Dom, Matt, Kevin, Bearface, and Joba all ‘do the damn thing.’

BROCKHAMPTON • Boy Bye [Single] • Question Everything / RCA • Release: 8.15.19

Photo Credits: Question Everything / RCA