Album: Doris (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This subdued, menacing track finds Earl Sweatshirt spitting some dark rhymes alongside fellow West Coast upstart Casey Veggies, while early Odd Future member Vince Staples guests on the hook.
  • Earl supplied the song's beat with Matt Martians. He credits Christian Rich, who helmed several of the Doris tracks, for showing him the production ropes. "When he came back from Samoa he was messing around on Logic, so [we] gave him some sounds and just showed him how to quantize it," Taiwo "Christian" Hassan of the production duo explained to MTV News. "I didn't realize that we were teaching him how to make beats. I didn't even know he was trying to be a producer, and then before we even got in the studio he already did 'Hive.'"
  • The song's creepy music video was directed by Japanese-American USC film school graduate Hiro Murai, who also shot Sweatshirt's clip for "Chum." Said Murai: "We kind of had something that we already built and we were just building off of what we did for 'Chum.' Odd Future has this very specific brand, but Earl was clearly looking to do something a little more low-key and restrained. So there was a lot of back and forth trying to figure out where we were idea-wise."

    Murai told Billboard magazine that he always pushes the artists he's working with to "go a little weirder." He added regarding this visual, "This one was rough for Earl. He had just gotten off tour and was in the studio right before we pulled an all-nighter for this. People ask me what we did to make his face look so strung out, but he showed up that way! He caught pneumonia three days later."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

Gavin Rossdale of Bush

Gavin Rossdale of BushSongwriter Interviews

On the "schizoid element" of his lyrics, and a famous line from "Everything Zen."

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."

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse Pop

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.

Petula Clark

Petula ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Petula talks about her hits "Downtown" and "Don't Sleep In The Subway," and explains her Michael Jackson connection.

Dr. John

Dr. JohnSongwriter Interviews

The good doctor shares some candid insights on recording with Phil Spector and The Black Keys.