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MGK (Machine Gun Kelly) and Trippie Redd have released the lead single for their upcoming collaboration genre:sadboy titled LOST BOYS. The song was initially teased during the rollout for Trippie's 2023 album, A Love Letter To You 5.
It seems that Trippie has decided to include this song on the tracklist for genre:sadboy with Kelly coming on board to perform a verse on this project. Kelly and Trippie were seen vibing out to the new tracks on their album Instagram account (@genresadboy).
The account also features several BTS clips and footage of them making this album together, from studio sessions to them just hanging out together. Below is an Instagram reel that features Trippie and Kelly in a jam room, listening to tracks from genre:sadboy.
As both rappers prepare for their album's release, they have decided to release LOST BOYS on all DSPs (Digital Streaming Platforms) along with an accompanying music video.
The record was produced by Charlie Handsome & SlimXX and was distributed to all streaming platforms via 19XX LLC under an exclusive license to Interscope Records.
Breaking Down MGK x Trippie Redd's LOST BOYS
The music video for LOST BOYS, uploaded to MGK's official YouTube channel, features both rappers in a moonlit setting performing their verses from the somber song.
The atmosphere captured by the Sam Cahill-directed video blends exceptionally well with the lyricism and performances from MGK and Trippie Redd. The following themes can be seen as extremely prevalent topics discussed in this song:
- Depression
- Mental Health
- Suicide
- Drug Consumption
- Addiction and Excess
- Failure
- Self-Consciousness
- Death
- Existentialism
Disclaimer: This song review is rated explicit. Reader's discretion is advised.
{Chorus Analysis: Trippie Redd}
"I guess I lost my life again / It's just one of those nights again / No one wants their life to end / Drownin' now in the life of sin (x2)."
Trippie Redd opens the song with a 'Chorus' that finds him reflecting on his past discretions. His metaphorical references to death illuminate his current depressive state of mind as well as set the tone for the somber lyricism that would follow in the track's verses.
It also seems that this could be alluding to Trippie indulging in excess because of how depressed he feels, highlighting how nobody "wants their life to end," but that fact alone is not enough to stop him from drowning in a "life of sin."
Fans also find Trippie harmonizing on the track for about 20 seconds, as part of the 'Post-Chorus build-up' to MGK's verse.
{Verse Analysis: MGK}
"Bloodshot, blue eyes, I recorded two tonight / One is for all those I love, this one's for the suicide / Everything is blue inside, everyone at you and I / People won't say how they feel about you until you die."
Machine Gun Kelly's verse follows suit with Trippie's depressive lyricism, where he opens by proclaiming how he's written two songs, "Tonight," one being a love song to the people close to him, and LOST BOYS, centered around his suicidal mindset.
He explains how he feels this way because he understands that people, possibly referring to both fans and critics, would never truly appreciate him for his art until the day he dies.
"Everything's cinematic, protagonist catches a bad habit / By the end, he's a damn addict / Leave him guessin', make a sequel / Let everyone say that it wasn't as good as the first."
Kelly goes on to explain how his life is like a cinematic movie where he's playing the protagonist who ends up developing bad habits, a possible allusion to drugs and alcohol consumption as he states "by the end" of the film he becomes an addict.
The rapper wishes to make a sequel to this metaphorical movie based around his life because he wants people who second-guessed his artistry to look back and realize that his past work deserves praise for the emotional standard he set.
"And they lost their damn magic / Y'all being pragmatic, b*tch, I'm Illmatic / I'm rich and still savage / I'm rich and I'm unhappy."
This bar is more egotistical than anything else that's been brought forward on this track, as Kelly highlights that although the criticism he receives is acceptable for being reasonable, it won't deter him from being "Illmatic."
The duality of this bar finds Ego blending with self-consciousness as Kelly ends with an acknowledgment of his wealth not being enough to keep him happy.
Fun Fact: Illmatic is a word that popped up back in the late 90s hip-hop era, where rappers used the term to highlight their skill and proficiency over their competition. It is also the name of Nas' debut studio album, which was released back in 1994.
"I wish I was back in the days / When I had a sh*tty shirt with my hat backwards / Now I'm alone in a vamp castle / I'm telling myself it's the last capsule."
The verse appears to wrap up with MGK referencing his early days as an artist since he felt more fulfilled. He also highlights his struggles with money with references to the clothing he used to wear.
He ends the bar by calling out the current situation, where he's living in a mansion, i.e., "Vamp Castle." It seems the loneliness has led him to develop a habit of drug consumption and excess, but the last line finds Kelly consciously trying to quit his addictive habits.
"But why would I even wanna be alive / To see her with someone at Art Basel? So I."
Kelly ends his verse by asking the listeners a question related to existence and death, where he highlights how it doesn't help him be alive if the person he cares about will only end up leaving him, possibly because of his self-harming behavior.
The song then immediately transitions back to Trippie's Chorus, driving the suicidal and depressive themes home one last time before the song ends with the "Post-Chorus" outro.
Acting as the lead single and opening track on the upcoming collaboration between MGK and Trippie Redd, LOST BOYS gives listeners a taste of what themes and production will be put forward in the album.
Pre-save links for genre:sadboy have been provided on both the artists' websites. The album will be released to all DSPs tomorrow, Friday, March 29, 2024.
