Finding Faith Through Hardship: Analyzing No Halo by Brockhampton

I first heard this song when riding the train home from the airport and instantly fell in love. I followed the group since I heard their song “San Marcos” on alternative radio.

About the group:

Brockhampton is a hip-hop crew from Texas. The band was started in 2009 when their ringleader, Kevin Abstract, made a post on a Kanye West forum, asking if anyone wanted to start a band with him. He got many responses and had a group of 40 people who were interested. They were first performing under the name AliveSinceForever. A few years later, Kevin weeded down the real members by saying whoever moved to San Marcos, TX would be part of the group. They also rebranded to their current name, based on the streets Kevin grew up on. This led to the crew we have today. There are six rappers/singers, seven producers, a manager, a graphic designer, and a photographer, coming from all over the world.

They have currently released six albums with loads of critical praise. Commercially, however, that praise hasn’t come yet. Their song “Sugar” blew up on TikTok earlier this year and got a remix with Dua Lipa. It only peaked at #66 on the Hot 100. What is wrong with you America? Brockhampton deserves a real hit song and you didn’t give it to them.

The Song

This song is a great exhibition for how the members found faith from hard times. Each boy’s verse is unique because each of them found faith in different situations. They still interlock with each other like they are telling a story.

Matt’s Verse

I  ain't tryna get like all up in your head again, Montana, 'Lanta
Maybe I should just go mosey my ass over to your house
What about the sight of you up on the couch, so cozy, lowly lit
Like  rosy cheeks, oh you so cozy with somebody else
Get  nervous, my stomach churning, burning
I'm beat, ready to knock some teeth out of his ass
Late  night corner, we pass
Light that swisher, get red
Used to skip up 'round that van
We don't go there no more
We  don't see sun no more
Baby wanna raid the whole apartment like the FBI
Takin' everything, from pots and pans, to fans and Goldeneye
Everything 'cept the dog
Everything in the drawers
Used to be so perfect, but it's never gettin' solved

In Matt Champion’s verse, he talks about his ex-girlfriend. He sees her with another man and decides to beat him up. This led to his relationship crumbling apart and his girlfriend using the situation to take everything he owns, probably claiming it was hers. He lost everything.

Merlyn’s Verse

Do I matter? I'm ecstatic, I'm depressed
Mother, God's special mess, never had no halo
Trippy, I can barely hike it out of bed
Time bomb under it, persuading you to hop in
Hmm, options, runnin' out of options
Hmm, options, used to have options
Hmm, options, runnin' out of options
Hmm, options, used to have options

Merlyn raps about how he is “God’s special mess,” meaning he has made some bad decisions. He is also depressed due to his choices. Then he says he is running out of options. This is what comes with bad decisions. Many people think churches make rules and commandments to control and limit their followers, but it is the opposite. They know that sin limits people’s lives, and they give the rules so people will not be limited. Merlyn has discovered this fact for himself.

Dom’s Verse

Used to fight all my night terrors, now I smoke through the dreams
Depression put me into places where I'm stuck in the seams
They seal my mouth, it's like the only way to breathe is to scream
Pop the stitches from society and fall to my knees
The machines weavin' our fate are gettin' harder to please
But I believe to an extreme
And we all can find a way
To anybody listenin', it's in between
And we all can find a way

Dom tried using drugs to get past his fears and depression. This only left him “stuck in the seams.” It also sealed his mouth. Eventually, he found his voice again and started praying. He ends it with the hopeful phrase “We all can find a way.”

Joba’s Verse

Went to church for the hell of it, stumbled in drunk as shit
Been goin' through it again
Been talkin' to myself, wonderin' who I am, been thinkin', I am better than him
In times like these, I just need to believe it's all part of a plan
Lost a part of me, but I am still here

This is my favorite verse from it. Joba comes to church drunk to help solve his problems. He has had a rough patch in his life. Even with those struggles, he realizes that he has it off better than Christ’s suffering. He finds hope in the fact that all these problems and struggles are part of a bigger plan. Even with all that he has lost, he is still here. To me, it says that he just got rid of all his excess baggage. We carry stuff in life that will make life harder and tougher. Losing the baggage may make us feel more vulnerable, but when we take it off, the load is ultimately lighter.

Bearface’s Lines

He only croons these two lines twice, but they are powerful.

Wash it all on to me to feel the fire (Maybe, I been gone for a minute)
But you know, you know that's a lie (No one help me when my eyes go)

Here Bearface sings about how he wants to stop feeling the pain to feel better, in my opinion. However, he also says that this is a lie. He wants to stop the suffering, but the suffering is what he needs. Many times, people think a perfect life will be a totally painless existence. This is not true. Pain is how we appreciate joy. We need it for this reason.

Overall, I love this song. It tells you why God cuts us down by using real experiences from guys that sound like they have been through this pain time and again.

Sources:

https://www.gq.com/story/the-oral-history-of-brockhampton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brockhampton_(band)

https://genius.com/Brockhampton-no-halo-lyrics