The style has its early roots in the 1990s and 2000s with the production of the RZA, whose beats would occasionally consist of a single, looped Soul sample with minimal percussion or no additional musical components. The stripped-down post-Boom Bap soulful production and soft percussion of Madlib and The Alchemist's beats, in particular, were also significant influences on the style. The Alchemist became a prominent figure within the genre and had his hand in producing a number of notable songs and albums in the drumless style. Another notable early example is Jay Electronica's Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge) which consisted entirely of drumless, looped film score samples.
The genre came to form in the early 2010s with the music of rapper-producers Ka and Roc Marciano, whose albums Grief Pedigree and Reloaded consisted mostly of unaltered loops of 1970s soul and Rock music with soft or minimal percussion and Gangsta Rap lyrics revolving around street tales of urban crime, drugs, and violence. The style became a popular sound in the second half of the decade among a number of other gangsta rappers, particularly 'coke-rap' artists whose lyrics revolved around cocaine manufacture and trade, as exemplified by the works of artists associated with the Griselda Records label, most notably Westside Gunn and Boldy James. Producers such as The Alchemist, Preservation, and V Don developed the sound further by relying on samples with near-absent percussive elements. Veteran west coast producer DJ Muggs became a prominent figure in the genre, having prolifically produced numerous collaborative projects with a number of different rappers within the style during the late 2010s and early 2020s. The drumless sound also became popular among some Abstract Hip Hop and Experimental Hip Hop artists, including Killah Priest, Earl Sweatshirt, and Navy Blue, who drew samples from a wider, more eclectic variety of sources.
a boy is a gun*
Tyler the Creator Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't, don't shoot me down (okay)
Don't, don't shoot me down
You so motherfuckin' dangerous (you started with a mere hello)
You so motherfuckin' dangerous
You got me by my neck (a boy is a gun)
That's why these other niggas lame to us
'Cause all these other niggas lame as fuck
We show 'em no respect
(You started with a mere hello) When the time's right, yeah
When the time's right, baby
When the time's right (a boy is a gun)
(Turn me up a little bit)
Don't, don't shoot me down
Take your hoodie off, why you hide your face from me?
Make your fuckin' mind up, I am sick of waitin' patiently
How come you the best to me? I know you the worst for me
Boy, you sweet as sugar, diabetic to the first degree
My spidey sensies, got me on the fencies
Whole squad in Ginza, travel bag by Balenci'
Big dawg hittin' big wheelies on the six speed
No, don't shoot me down
You so motherfuckin' dangerous (you started with a mere hello)
You so motherfuckin' dangerous
You got me by my neck (a boy is a gun)
That's why these other niggas lame to us
'Cause all these other niggas lame as fuck
They showin' no respect
(You started with a mere hello) When the time's right, yeah
When the time's right, baby
When the time's right (I said a boy is a gun)
(Look) No, don't shoot me down
Oh, you passive-aggressive? (You started with a mere hello)
Oh, you fakin' you're mad?
Oh, you wanna go home? Cool, you better call you a cab
I ain't takin' you home, yeah, I'm brushin' you off
'Cause this parka is Comme, you're my favorite garçon
Don't leave, stay right here, yeah, I want you right near (you started with a mere hello)
You invited me to breakfast, why the fuck your ex here?
Well, let's see if you 'round the God around this time next year
Don't, don't shoot me down
Don't, don't shoot me down (fucked up)
Don't, don't shoot me down
Don't, don't shoot me down
You so motherfuckin' dangerous (you started with a mere hello)
You so motherfuckin' dangerous
You got me by my neck (a boy is a gun)
That's why I start to think it's lame as fuck
(Well, I'm here for you)
(You started with a mere hello) When the time's right
When the time's right, baby
When the time's right (a boy is a gun)
Don't, don't shoot me down
(You started with a mere hello) you're a gun 'cause
I like you on my side
At all times
Keep me safe (no, don't shoot me down)
Wait, wait, depending on, you know (all the time)
You could be dangerous to me (time, time)
Or anyone else
Look, they be bringin' us up (you started with a mere hello)
Yeah, like now and again
Give a fuck what they talkin' 'bout, I see you as a ten
I'ma leave it at that, I'ma leave us as friends
'Cause the irony is I don't wanna see you again
Stay the fuck away from me
Stay the fuck away from me
Stay the fuck away from me
I ain't gon' repeat myself, but stay the fuck away from me
(You started with a mere hello)
(A boy is a gun)
Don't, don't shoot me down
(You started with a mere hello)
(A boy is a gun)
The song "a boy is a gun" by Tyler the Creator is a tale of a tumultuous relationship between the artist and his lover. The song's title refers to the proverbial phrase "a boy is a gun" which means that a man can be dangerous or unpredictable in a relationship. Tyler starts by asking his lover not to shoot him down, indicating that he usually bears the brunt of their arguments. He recognizes that his lover is dangerous, yet he is still captivated by him/her.
The chorus "When the time's right, yeah, When the time's right, baby, When the time's right (a boy is a gun)" is a plea for his lover to wait and be patient for the right time for them to be together. Tyler describes the relationship as complicated when he says, "Oh, you passive-aggressive? Oh, you fakin' you're mad? Oh, you wanna go home? Cool, you better call you a cab." The artist goes on to say that his lover is sweet as sugar but toxic at the same time.
Tyler uses fashion references in the song, for instance, when he says, "This parka is Comme, you're my favorite garçon," which means that his jacket is from the brand Comme des Garcons, and he can't stop looking at his lover because he is his favorite boy. Overall, "a boy is a gun" is a song about the complexities of a relationship, even when one partner is clearly more dangerous than the other.
Line by Line Meaning
No, don't shoot me down (yeah)
Please don't reject or dismiss me
No, don't shoot me down (okay)
Please give me a chance
No, don't shoot me down
Don't ignore or reject me without giving me a fair chance
You so motherfuckin' dangerous (you started with a mere hello)
You have a powerful hold over me even though our relationship started with a simple greeting
You got me by my neck (a boy is a gun)
You have a strong grip on me, just like a gun to someone's neck
That's why these other niggas lame to us
Other people seem uninteresting or inferior compared to us
'Cause all these other niggas lame as fuck
Everyone else seems boring or unimpressive
We show 'em no respect
We don't treat others with respect because we think we're better than them
When the time's right, yeah
We need to wait until the right moment
When the time's right, baby
We need to wait until the moment is perfect
Take your hoodie off, why you hide your face from me?
Why are you hiding your true self from me?
Make your fuckin' mind up, I am sick of waitin' patiently
Please make a decision, I can't wait any longer
How come you the best to me? I know you the worst for me
Even though I know you might not be the best for me, I still feel strongly attracted to you
Boy, you sweet as sugar, diabetic to the first degree
You're incredibly sweet, but too much of you is bad for me
My spidey senses, got me on the fencies
My intuition is telling me to be cautious
Whole squad in Ginza, travel bag by Balenci'
We're a group of stylish people, carrying expensive designer bags
Big dawg hittin' big wheelies on the six speed
Someone is doing impressive motorcycle stunts
Oh, you passive-aggressive? (You started with a mere hello)
Are you trying to express hostility in a subtle way?
Oh, you fakin' you're mad?
Are you pretending to be angry?
Oh, you wanna go home? Cool, you better call you a cab
If you want to leave, you should arrange your own transportation
I ain't takin' you home, yeah, I'm brushin' you off
I'm avoiding dealing with you
'Cause this parka is Comme, you're my favorite garçon
I'm wearing an expensive coat and you're my favorite boy
Don't leave, stay right here, yeah, I want you right near (you started with a mere hello)
Please stay with me, I want you close to me
You invited me to breakfast, why the fuck your ex here?
Why is your ex-partner here if you invited me to breakfast?
Well, let's see if you 'round the God around this time next year
Let's see if we're still together in a year
That's why I start to think it's lame as fuck
That's why I think everything else is boring
Well, I'm here for you
I'm here to support you
Stay the fuck away from me
Please don't come near me
I ain't gon' repeat myself, but stay the fuck away from me
I won't say it again, but please stay away from me
you're a gun 'cause
You're like a weapon
I like you on my side
I like having you around
At all times
All the time
Keep me safe (No, don't shoot me down)
Protect me
depending on, you know (all the time)
Depending on the situation
You could be dangerous to me (time, time)
You could harm me
Look, they be bringin' us up (you started with a mere hello)
People are talking about us, even though our relationship started with a simple greeting
Yeah, like now and again
Occasionally
Give a fuck what they talkin' 'bout, I see you as a ten
I don't care about their opinions, I think you're perfect
I'ma leave it at that, I'ma leave us as friends
Let's just be friends
'Cause the irony is I don't wanna see you again
The funny thing is, I don't want to see you again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bobby Dukes, Bobby Massey, Lester Mckenzie, Tyler Okonma
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nickjasper
@@seecrd5953 Let me tell you the truth
Every person has a different vibe, and you fell in love with hers. It could hurt knowing ain't nobody gonna make you feel that way ever again, that vibe she gave you, because everyone's got a different one. That energy you feel with her, you're never gonna get that again.
But the thing is, eventually you'll get over her vibe and find someone with a better one, trust me I'm talking from experience. Don't get caught up in a feeling, there's an infinity of them out there to live, some that'll even make you wish you woulda lost the feeling you felt for her earlier.
They say love is blind and they're right. Just understand you're not seeing clearly now.
Keep your path straight, stay away from drugs and love yourself first and foremost.
And if you find trouble doing so, just know I love you bro.
<3
@niemahperry2587
He’s so aesthetically pleasing to look at, his whole vibe is immaculate.
@Acardii
The flavor is immaculate 😌✌️
@louisz133
Wonderful to glaze at
@jordangroth6532
cmbyn vibes
@d.s.6106
Agreed😍
@tradingforsouls
THANK FOR USING THE WORD AESTHETIC CORRECTLY
@ericw4358
I would genuinely pay to see this made into a full movie. This looks like a cut of a cinematic masterpiece.
@kurkindal1234
Already made. See " Call Me By Your Name"
@shauryasingh2462
BRo🙏🏻
@ermelindamirabilis
SAME