Drowning (Water)

Album: 1M Project (2017)
Charted: 38
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie flexes his jewellery and riches during this track. He raps in the opening lines:

    Wrist so icy, wonder why she like me, bitch I'm drownin'
    In water, I just bought a Cuban, dipped it in a fountain


    A Boogie is "drowning" as all of the jewelry that he is wearing is weighing him down. A lot of rappers refer to diamonds on jewelry as "water" hence him "drowning in water."
  • A Boogie tapped Kodak Black to spit the second verse, in which he raps about his jewelry and hard-nosed demeanor:

    Just bought a brand new chain from Avianne
    Nigga with attitude but I ain't from Compton
    Lil Kodak bitch I'm Polo'd down like Carlton
    Sniper Gang I put a nigga on a carton
  • The gloomy soundscape was created by Julliard-trained Jahaan Sweet who handles a lot of Kehlani's production. The beat was intended to recall the work of German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

    "I was trying to create this weird Bach-ish piano, which reminded me of Crucifixus, descending chords in the cycle," Jahaan explained to Genius. "I was just trying to tap into something like that, not trying to be corny but, underwater, maybe drowning?"
  • Sweet recalled Boogie creating the song's chorus on the fly as he listened to the production.

    "I remember he was just sitting and I played the beat. He said, "Bitch, I'm drowning." And then he was like, "Wrist so icy." I was like, "That's kind of hard!" He was like, "Yeah, can you send me that beat? I'm gonna record this as soon as I get back."
  • The aquatic visual, directed by the Rite Brothers (Future's "Draco"), features A Boogie rapping, singing and playing piano underwater and literally drowning in diamonds. The video is a fairly literal interpretation of the song's opening lines.
  • Kodak Black doesn't appear in the video. His verse is replaced by a heist scene where A Boogie and partner break into a jewelry store and get chased by the police. It is soundtracked by A Boogie's cut "If I Gotta Go."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

AC/DC

AC/DCFact or Fiction

Does Angus really drink himself silly? Did their name come from a sewing machine? See if you can spot the real stories about AC/DC.

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.