Don’t BOX 📦 Yourself in With These 13 Songs | Playlist 🎧

1. Roddy Ricch, “The Box”

Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial • Atlantic • 2019

Roddy Ricch had a breakout year in 2019. He had a hit with Mustard on the single, “Ballin’”, which appeared on the album, Perfect Ten.  More notably, the Compton, California rapper’s debut studio album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard 200. The platinum-certified album is best known for the multiplatinum, former Billboard Hot 100 no. 1 hit, “The Box.” At this point, you definitely can’t have a box-oriented playlist without including this totally dominant hit.

“The Box” is a contemporary classic, would you say? It begins with the endearing, signature vocal sample by Ricch, before he goes H.A.M. on the absolutely memorable chorus:

“Pullin’ out the coupe at the lot
Told ‘em, fuck 12, fuck SWAT
Bustin’ all the bells out the box
I just hit a lick with the box,
Had to put the stick in the box, mmh
Pour out the whole damn seal, I’ma get lazy…”

You get the idea – you might even have it all memorized at this point! All of that over terrific, minor-key production by 30 Roc and Datboisqueeze.  And what about that fierce Ciara sample (“Love Sex Magic”)? Beyond the chorus, Roddy Ricch is on autopilot on the verses as well.  What does he rap about? Drip, violence, sex… normal rap shit essentially.  Of course, with ‘the box’ being key, there’s no shortage of the sexual context, as the aforementioned chorus touches upon.  Of course, one of my favorite lines, despite being X-rated is, “She sucked a nigga soul, gotta Cash App,” hehe.

2. Alice in Chains, “Man in the Box”

Facelift • Sony Music Entertainment • 1990

So, we started with a dominant, modern classic with “The Box” by Roddy Ricch.  However, nearly three decades before Ricch “Just hit a lick with the box,” grunge band Alice in Chains were singing about “Man in the Box.” This, of course, was in 1990, years before front man Layne Staley died of a drug overdose at just 34 years old (2002).  The Grammy-nominated record about censor-shit – I mean censorship – definitely finds Staley and Alice in Chains as a whole in top-notch form.  A personal favorite – eclipsed only by “Rooster” – it still rocks hard in 2020.

“I’m the man in the box / Buried in my shit,” Staley sings assertively on the brief first verse, before asking to be saved on the pre-chorus.  On the chorus, Staley gets backing vocals from Jerry Cantrell, where he essentially contradicts/offers the opposite of Staley.

“Feed my eyes
Can you sew them shut? 
Jesus Christ
Deny your maker
He who tries
Will be wasted
Feed my eyes
Now you’ve sewn them shut.”

The “feed your eyes…sew them shut” lyrics speak to the censorship angle perfectly. Of course, the second verse returns with more ‘shit,’ which is censored on some versions of this classic.  Sigh, now that’s some shit right there.  Also, worth noting regarding “Man in the Box?” That Jerry Cantrell guitar solo! JERRY, JERRY, JERRY!

3. Ro James, “Outside the Box (How Bout That)”

MANTIC • RCA • 2020

Ro James thinks “Outside the Box (How Bout That).” “Outside the Box (How Bout That)” appears as the ninth track on the Grammy-nominated R&B musician’s fine sophomore album, MANTIC.  Though he’s an underrated musician, the “Permission” singer definitely shouldn’t be – people need to think “outside the box!”

With Andre Harris behind the boards on “Outside the Box (How Bout That),” within the context of MANTIC, the tempo slackens, the sex intensifies (a lot), and another top-notch contemporary R&B cut is born.  The sexual innuendo is on-point – something fierce to say the least.  The chorus is the crowning achievement, though the verses get the stimulating job done superbly as well:

“Let me think inside your box and slide inside, your mental
How ‘bout that?
Let me bow beside your skin like you was born in September
How ‘bout that?
Let me tap into your solar plexus, stimulate your center
How ‘bout that…”

4. NCT 127, “Pandora’s Box”

NCT #127 Neo Zone – The 2^nd Album • SM Entertainment • 2020

Sigh, it’s no secret that K-pop has become ‘kind of a big deal’ in the United States, particularly in the mid-10s and into the 20s.  NCT 127 is another Asian boy group (K-pop and J-pop) that’s earned a fair share of attention, though not to the same degree as BTS.  Speaking to their success, their 2020 album, NCT #127 Neo Zone – The 2^nd Album (Neo Zone for short), debuted at no. 5 on the Billboard 200, with solid numbers. NCT 127 earns a nod on DON’T BOX 📦 YOURSELF IN WITH THESE 13 SONGS thanks to “Pandora’s Box.”

The song aside, more often than not, opening Pandora’s Box isn’t a good idea. Why?  Greek Mythology said so! You can refresh your memory on the mythological tale by checking out the aforementioned video.  As for the song itself, the majority of the song is in Korean, with a select few lines performed in English.  Without translation, well, it gets a bit hairy decoding what’s going down.  That said, with the help of Google Translate, although imperfect as translations tend to be, basically, “Pandora’s Box” deals with a four-letter word – LOVE.  Here’s the imperfect translation of the chorus:

“Your breath in my ear
When you reach like a lullaby, oh
Sweet you, Pandora’s box
Oh, sweet you
Th lazy afternoon sun
When it gets into my heart, oh
Falling in, Pandora’s box
Pandora’s box, Pandora’s box.”

Ultimately, regardless of the language barriers, the music itself is pretty sweet.  Strong vocals, some hip rapping, and sleek production work.  K-pop definitely has banging production work on lockdown.  Autopilot!

5. Portishead, “Glory Box”

Dummy • Go! Discs Ltd. • 1994

Alice in Chains’ “Man in the Box” isn’t the sole classic to appear from the 1990s.  We also welcome British alternative, trip-hop collective, Portishead.  The most important album from Portishead is their debut, Dummy, released in 1994.  Two songs in particular shine from Dummy: “Sour Times”, the second track, and the song that fits this particular list, “Glory Box”, the closing cut.  Beth Gibbons definitely shines with her expressive vocals on this epic, five-minute-plus gem.

“I’m so tired of playing
Playing with this bow and arrow
Gonna give my heart away
Leave it to the other girls to play
For I’ve been a temptress too long.”

Awesome, memorable, telling lyrics! Before diving any further into the songwriting, the backdrop on this stellar ‘box’ cut must be highlighted.  “Glory Box” samples “Medley: Ike’s Rap II / Help Me Love” (Black Moses) by late soul legend Isaac Hayes.  Specifically, it’s the “Ike’s Rap II” portion of the song that helps fuel “Glory Box.” While the sample is vital to the record’s success, there’s also some great added music specifically Adrian Utley’s use of Hammond Organ and truly superb guitar playing and soloing.

Returning to the lyrics, basically, Beth Gibbons is done with games when it comes to love and men.  She is tired of bending over backwards to please and try to attain love – she’s evolving and becoming much more mature.  She desires the same of a man, who she addresses on the stellar chorus: “Give me a reason to love you / Give me a reason to be a woman / I just wanna be a woman.”

6. Gavin James, “Boxes”

“Boxes” • GS AllPoints / UMG Recordings, Inc. • 2020

Who is Gavin James – “That is the question!” Well, not exactly considering the Irish singer/songwriter is a few years younger than myself and I lived nowhere near the times of William Shakespeare.  Now that that’s out of the way, “Boxes” marks James’ introduction on The Musical Hype, so, welcome the man! This might not have actually happened if his song was (1) a perfect match where the criteria of DON’T BOX  📦 YOURSELF IN WITH THESE 13 SONGS is concerned and (2) it wasn’t a good song.

One of the main reasons why “Boxes” is good – strike that – great? Gavin James can sing! Yes, yes, yes, many singers can sing, but James has a great tone, easygoing vibe, and the ability to pack a punch when it feels right.  He’s no autopilot on “Boxes,” where he definitely does NOT want to be boxed in, damn it! Hey, that goes with title/theme of this list – GENIUS! “They told me that I would sit down and just bite my tongue,” he sings of the ‘wrong school’ he attended in the first verse, before stating on the refrain, “But I’m so tired of standing still / And I’m not buying what you’re trying to sell.” PREACH! Let the church say yes!

Gavin ‘brings it on home’ on the chorus, with the key lyrics being, “We don’t fit into your boxes / We’re all different underneath.” Again, can I get a witness, church? On the second verse, worth noting, he speaks about chasing dreams (“Four chords is all you need to show people just who you are…”). The effect? Don’t let anyone take away, defer, or silence your dreams.

7. Ledisi, “88 Boxes”

The Truth • The Verve Music Group • 2014

Ledisi Young is an extremely talented but underrated R&B singer. Despite being underrated, the extraordinary, soulful nature of her pipes simply cannot be denied. Though she’s not been hugely successful from a commercial standpoint, Young did manage to debut in the top ten of the Billboard 200 with her 2012 album, Pieces of Me. The Truth wasn’t quite as successful, but there’s no shame in debuting at no. 14, particularly when you’re more of an adult R&B. Enough blabbering, let’s focus on the reason Ledisi is even here – “88 Boxes” y’all!

“I was trying to pretend that the end wasn’t coming
Prolonging the inevitable
In love with what used to be
You loved yourself much more, much more than me.”

On the stellar “88 Boxes,” Ledisi feels as if her relationship – her life – has become nothing but boxed-up memories.  It’s over and it’s done – she wasted her time. “88 Boxes I counted / My life it went from years to 88 boxes,” she sings on the chorus.  If The Truth were lacking in innovative spirit, “88 Boxes” infuses some using familiar, truly authentic scenarios.  Of course, besides the terrific, minor key production (Ivan Barias and Carvin Haggins), we also get nuanced, powerhouse vocals from Ledisi – always a plus!

8. Glass Animals, “Heart-Shaped Box”

Quarantine Covers • Wolf Tone • 2020

“Hey! Wait! I got a new complaint / Forever in debt to your priceless advice / Your advice.” Those lyrics hail from yet another 90s classic, “Heart-Shaped Box.” Of course, “Heart-Shaped Box” was written by the late, great Kurt Cobain, the iconic front man of kings of the grunge movement, Nirvana.  If for some reason you missed out on this movement – you weren’t ‘woke,’ weren’t born, or other reasons – “Heart-Shaped Box” appears on the 1993 album, In Utero, the final studio album (Cobain would commit suicide in 1994). Of course, if you read the heading, you’ll notice that Nirvana isn’t credited…

That’s because, spicing things up on DON’T BOX 📦  YOURSELF IN WITH THESE 13 SONGS, we highlight Glass Animals.  Glass Animals uniquely covers “Heart-Shaped Box” on the single, Quarantine Covers.  Quarantine Covers, of course, arrived in the midst of COVID-19, where a lot of covers and music capturing the emotions of quarantine itself were released. The result is definitely a contrast from the original.  Sure, nobody will ever be able to supplant Kurt Cobain, but I definitely enjoy Dave Bayley’s interpretation, in a more alternative, artsier style.

9. Moses Sumney, “boxes”

Græ • Jagjaguwar • 2020 

Sometimes, it’s easy to cry foul about a lack of experimentation and innovative spirit in popular music.  Conformity runs rampant and so many songs and musicians sound like carbon copies of one another.  That certainly isn’t the case for Moses Sumney, who ranks among the more distinct musicians, unafraid to try new things.  Sumney is a blend of multiple styles, best placed under the umbrella of music’s most eclectic genre, alternative. “Boxes,” which perfectly fits this box-driven list actually isn’t a full-length song Sumney’s 2020 sophomore album, Græ. Let’s break it down, shall we?

“Boxes” is actually an interlude (outro) that follows a song named “Conveyor.” On “Conveyor” Sumney explores the ends people will go to leave their mark on the world, including “The carpenter bee [that] dies when he finally leaves a sting,” or the less heralded (“I will step on a belt, put my life on a shelf, one of many”). The thought-provoking number segues into the brief “boxes,” which speaks about the power of defining roles, particularly for black women and men.  Some key lyrics from “boxes,” via Ayesha K. Faines:

“I truly believe that people who define you control you
And the most significant thing that any person can do
But especially black women and men
Is to think about who gave them their definitions
And rewrite those definition for themselves.”

Prefacing the Faines interlude of the interlude, is a skit (or interlude) by Taiye Selasi, Michael Chabon, and Ezra Miller.  I’d argue the most important bit is the Faines interlude, all said and done.

10. The Lonely Island, “Dick in a Box”

Ft. Justin Timberlake

Incredibad • Universal Republic • 2009

Believe it or not, back in 2009, The Lonely Island – Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone – had some legit success.  Comedy albums, even with a more musical component, don’t tend to ignite the charts on fire.  That said, Incredibad debuted at a respectable no. 13 on the Billboard 200, landed a few charting songs on the Billboard Hot 100, with a select few earning RIAA certification.  While “Dick in the Box” featuring Justin Timberlake didn’t earn one of those spots on the Billboard Hot 100 or RIAA certification (“I’m on a Boat” it is not), it is considered one of the comedy troupe’s classics, period.

“Hey, girl / I’ve got somethin’ real important to give to you / So, just sit down and listen.” Oh boy! Obviously, “Dick in the Box” isn’t intended to be taken seriously in the least.  After sitting his bae down, Samberg, with the help of a crooning Timberlake gives her a Christmas gift she definitely won’t forget: “Take a look inside – it’s my dick in a box (it’s in a box).”  Of course, this is utterly absurd, made even more so when you hear the chorus, where Timberlake lists things that cost money that he’s NOT going to give her:

“Not gonna get you a diamond ring
That sort of gift don’t mean anything
Not gonna get you a fancy car
Girl, you gotta know you’re my shining star
Not gonna get you a house in the hills
A girl like you needs somethin’ real
Wanna get you somethin’ from the heart…”

Of course, Andy Samberg couldn’t just let Justin Timberlake have all the fun.  He goes on, with Timberlake’s assistance, to explain exactly how this whole ‘dick in a box’ thing works:

“It’s easy to do just follow these steps
One – Cut a hole in a box
Two – Put your junk in that box
Three – Make her open the box
And that’s the way you do it.”

Yeah, what happened to diamonds being a girl’s best friend?

11. Tamar Braxton, “Empty Boxes”

Bluebird of Happiness • LoganLand • 2017

Musical families can have more than one star believe it or not. The Jacksons are a prime example, with Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson both having stellar careers.  Perhaps the superstardom isn’t quite as pronounced when it comes to the Braxton family, but Toni Braxton and Tamar Braxton have definitely experienced success. Sure, Toni’s been the biggest star, but in the 2010s, Tamar certainly had her moment, particularly on her sophomore album, Love and War (2013).  On her fourth studio album, Bluebird of Happiness (2017), she remained a vocal force – beastly throughout the course of 11 songs. Of course, only one song from Bluebird of Happiness fits DON’T BOX  📦   YOURSELF IN WITH THESE 13 SONGS: “Empty Boxes.”

“Empty boxes / They’re all over the floor / I’ll think of every little thing that you ever did to me / I’ll pack it up and cry no more…” “Empty Boxes” is the second of two ballads that conclude Bluebird of Happiness. As is the expectation with a song by any member of the Braxton family, “Empty Boxes” is well performed, showcasing Tamar’s expressive and powerful voice. Of course, Tamar has every reason to be expressive because emotionally, she’s consistently disappointed by the broken promises and lies made within the relationship.  At the end, in her most assertive moments, she sings:

“So, keep your empty boxes
Your lying boxes
Your cheating on me boxes
Can’t take no more
I promise you boxes
I‘m in love with you boxes
So empty, so empty, oh…”

Perhaps the biggest rub is the fact that this song is ‘boxed in’ by not being the best ballad on a ballad-heavy album.

12. JID, “Hot Box”

Ft. Method Man & Joey Bada$$

DiCaprio 2 • Dreamville / Interscope • 2018

“Ha, I’m trapped in my mind, I need help (I need help) / I sit back and recline, and inhale (And inhale) / Bitch, I’m back on my grind, you can’t tell / When I hit the spliff, only time we face L’s.” What’s the biggest takeaway from the Joey Bada$$ chorus from “Hot Box?” Hella weed is being smoked.  Honestly, that’s the takeaway from the JID song that appears on DiCaprio 2. In addition to Joey Bada$$, JID taps Method Man for the assist.  Beyond all the highness though, “Hot Box” has some brilliant, old-school, East Coast / boom bap production that fuels the fire… or smoke… or both…

Following the intro (DJ Drama) and chorus (Joey), J.I.D. spits the first verse, which is as smoke-tastic as it gets: “Shit poppin’ like ten zits, I got a little weed oil / Pull it when the pen lit, that’s a good drag.” Method Man takes the second verse of “Hot Box,” asserting “Taraji out in line, giving ‘cookies’ up” as well as later mentioning THC, codeine, and of course, OG [Kush]… It’s not all chorus for Joey Bada$$, who gets his on ‘zooted’ verse where he tells his girl, “Please babe, don’t you push me ‘cause I’m off the edge, dawg / My sonics got me politicin’ with them hedgehogs / You hookd up on my findings, I’m hooked on this chemdawg…” OMG. And for good measure, at the end of his verse: “I’m smokin’ on this fire batch, it got me raisin’ hell / While I hold this Mac-11 screaming, ‘Fuck twelve.’”

13. Omarion, “Ice Box”

21 • Sony BMG Music Entertainment • 2006

“Girl, I really wanna work this out cause I’m tired of fighting / And I really hope you still want me the way I want you / I said I really wanna work this out, damn girl I’m trying / It’s no excuse, no excuse.” “Icebox” is definitely a classic, at least within the context of the music released by Omarion. “Icebox” appeared on the singer’s sophomore album, 21, which was released in 2006.

While the aforementioned pre-chorus is pretty sweet, the most memorable lines from this Timbaland-produced joint (alongside King Logan and Johnkenun Spivery) occur on the chorus.  That’s where Omarion sings: “But I got this icebox where my heart used to be / But I got this icebox where my heart used to be.” Timbaland assists as well as he follows O with the lyrics “I’m so cold, I’m so cold, I’m so cold, I’m so cold.”  Beyond the memorable lyrics, the chorus is dramatic.  One easily believes and relates to how heartbroken the R&B singer is.  Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a superb backdrop to fuel the fire, sigh.  “Ice Box” previously appeared on the iced-out playlist, 11 Songs That Reference Ice.