“chain on / hold me,” released alongside “fishbone” and is part of the fourth batch of singles in the TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES quarantine series from BROCKHAMPTON. The track features vocal performances from only two of the six performing members of the group as well as DMV experimental artist JPEGMAFI...
[Part I: chain on]
[Intro]
One, two
[Chorus: Kevin Abstract]
Go ahead, throw a chain on, nigga
Tell them boys where you came from, nigga
Tell them boys why I stay up late
Tryna say, tryna say, tryna say somethin', nigga
Tryna say
Go ahead, throw a chain on, nigga
Tell them boys where you came from, nigga
Tell them boys why I stay up late
Tryna say, tryna say, tryna say somethin', nigga
Tryna say
[Verse: JPEGMAFIA]
Fifth string, Young Peggy ring (Go)
Slick with the ink, these melodies need Duolingo (Shit)
Same size as Dua Lipa, where the fuck my pen go?
Second fiddle to weirdos, you feel like Eddie Winslow
Street Fighter like Birdie, keep a stick like Rolento
Did you win if your purpose is just perfect potential?
Did you live up to it, is you just doin' the minimum?
Used to get fifty views, now they need Peggy's momentum (Yeah)
Let's check the addendum
Switch the code, I'm speakin' prophecies, like That's So Raven
Bald headed with lil status, I feel like Maven
But I be dressed like Raven, up in the studio slavin'
Wonder how Peggy be- (Wait, wait)
Wonder how Peggy be cakin'? I be Easy Bakin'
My oven stay prepped and ready for the heat to take it
Niggas that took this road and failed ain't have proper placement
Some of you niggas don't look well, does Peggy make you hate him?
Is it how I make the beats sound like Poltergeist? (Huh?)
Or when my homies bring my name up is it breedin' spite?
It's all talent, perfectly balanced, young Supreme Kai
Who am I? Wake up every morning like it's do or die
No surprise, suits get jealous when you cut the ties
Livin' lie, Lance Armstrong at the finish line
Give it time, when we catch them cops on cam
I don't need six seconds, you remember Vine
It's nasty
[Outro: Method Man]
Cash rules everything around me
C.R.E.A.M., get the money
Dolla dolla bill y'all, y'all
[Part II: hold me]
[Intro: KRS-One]
Of course all the hardcore heads
This one goes out to you
Crank up the volume one time
Peace to all the real DJs out there
Cause I don't send my music to no garbage DJs
They get me
Woop-woop, that's the sound of da police
Woop-woop, that's the sound of the beast
Woop-woop, that's the sound of da police
[Verse: Kevin Abstract]
Stuck in the wild, murder with a smile
The only child to make it up out the mud (Yeah)
My fingers bloody, my tooth is kinda crushed (Uh-huh)
The rush I hate is the one that you love
Fingers crossed (Yeah), crisscrossed, applesauce
Rugrats, writin' raps, quittin' jobs, runnin' laps
Who was that that found the coke in your bag?
I was hopeless, we would laugh, on the lawn doin' math
Ayy, ayy, I need some new genes, I admire your blue jeans
I admire your mood swings, I admire the whole thing
It's gettin' lonely in Cali', yeah, it's so sunny though
Still got hope for the bloke over there with the runny nose
If I could keep your eyes on me long enough
I could prolly trick you into thinkin' that I'm right enough
Like I got it all together, tell your fam' I'm bright enough (Nah)
Keep my crew tight enough (Nah), give me the time, I'm ridin' up
(Nah, yeah)
[Break: Gil Scott-Heron]
It stands out on the highway
Like a creature from another time
[Chorus: Matt Champion & Kevin Abstract]
Hold me by surprise (Hold me by surprise, surprise, yeah)
And try to remember yesterday (Yesterday, ah, you)
Hold me by my head (Hold me by my head, head, yeah)
And rinse away the pain of yesterday (Yesterday, ah you)
I lay, I pray, for you in this time
I lay, I pray, for you in this time
I lay, I pray, for you in this time
I lay, I pray, for you in this time
[Break: JPEGMAFIA & Gil Scott-Heron]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Like a creature from another time, yeah
[Chorus: JPEGMAFIA, Kevin Abstract, JPEGMAFIA, Kevin Abstract & Matt Champion]
Hold me by surprise
Oh, yeah-yeah, yeah
Hold me by surprise
Yeah-yeah-yeah, no you won't (See, you quick)
Hold me by surprise
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Hold me by surprise (Yeah)
And try to remember yesterday
Hold me by my head (Ooh yeah)
And rinse away the pain of yesterday
[Outro: Matt Champion, Method Man, DJ Bobbito Garcia & Gil Scott-Heron]
Cash rules everything around me
I lay, I pray, for you in this time
Cash rules everything around me
Cash rules everything around me
C.R.E.A.M., get the money
Dolla dolla bill y'all, y'all
Pardon the, uh, technical difficulties
It stands out on the highway
chain on / hold me was written by Inspectah Deck & Raekwon & Gil Scott-Heron & KRS-One & Method Man & Joba & Kevin Abstract & JPEGMAFIA.
chain on / hold me was produced by Dom McLennon & Kevin Abstract & Kiko Merley & Romil Hemnani.
BROCKHAMPTON released chain on / hold me on Sat May 30 2020.
On the Technical Difficulties Twitch stream, where the band previewed the track, Kevin revealed that the track was made the day of its release.
The song’s creative process could give more insight into why the themes of empathy and a desire for unity are so prominent in the song, as the murder of Ge...
“chain on / hold me” marks the first musical collaboration between Peggy and the boys.
However, the duo, along with 100 gecs and Dominic Fike, put on a free FRIDAY THERAPY concert on August 23, 2019, in support of the group’s fifth studio album GINGER.