The group officially formed December 21, 2010, and released its first single and video for "Full Moon (Death Classic)" on March 8, 2011. On April 26, 2011, they released their debut album, the mixtape Exmilitary. NBCNewYork.com called it "an intense, dark listen."
On February 27, 2012 Death Grips signed with Epic and released two albums the same year. The first official album, The Money Store, was released on April 24. Music videos were made for the singles "Blackjack," "Get Got," and "Fever (Aye Aye)." The track "Lost Boys" was also released alone with no video accompaniment.
After a month and a half long ARG involving the deep web, and a spat with Epic over its release, Death Grips leaked the album No Love Deep Web on its website on October 1st, 2012. This resulted in someone closing down the band's website. The band said it was done by the label, which the label denied shortly.
On November 13, 2013, the band spontaneously made available their third LP within two years, Government Plates. The album was posted to their soundcloud page and website, much like No Love Deep Web, but without any sort of lead up or prior hype, except one single, Birds released months beforehand, taking most listeners by complete surprise.
On June 8, 2014, Death Grips released the first half of a new double album featuring Björk, The Powers That B. Disc 1 is titled Niggas on the Moon, and features heavy sampling of Björk's vocal snippets. Disc 2 is titled Jenny Death.
On July 2, 2014, Death Grips announced on Facebook that they have canceled all tour dates, and are finished as a band, stating: "we are now at our best and so Death Grips is over. we have officially stopped. all currently scheduled live dates are canceled. our upcoming double album "the powers that b" will still be delivered worldwide later this year via Harvest/Third Worlds Records. Death Grips was and always has been a conceptual art exhibition anchored by sound and vision. above and beyond a "band". to our truest fans, please stay legend."
On March 24, 2015, Death Grips announced a world tour, confirming the group is currently active. Their double album, The Powers That B was released officially on March 31, 2015.
On February 7, 2016 the single "Hot Head" from their upcoming album "Bottomless Pit" was dropped.
On March 13, 2016, a video was posted on their official channel of the band being interviewed by Matthew Hoffman. The original audio was removed and replaced with instrumentals made by the band.
On March 18, 2016, the band released more information about the upcoming album, Bottomless Pit. The front and back covers were shown as well as the track list.
Bottomless Pit was released on May 6, 2016, with "Hot Head" and "Eh" as singles. Music videos were produced for "Eh" and "Giving Bad People Good Ideas".
On May 30, 2016, Death Grips released a new track, "More Than the Fairy" featuring musician Les Claypool.
On May 22, 2017, Death Grips announced they were working on a new album, while simultaneously releasing a track/mix entitled "Steroids (Crouching Tiger Hidden Gabber Megamix)", featuring 7 new songs.
In March of 2018, the trio posted two photos on their Instagram account (@bbpoltergiest) stating that they were working on the new record with Andrew Adamson, the director of the Shrek series, and Justin Chancellor, the bassist from Tool.
On March 22, 2018, the band announced on their website (thirdworlds.net) that their new album "Year of the Snitch" was "coming soon..."
April 6, 2018, the cover artwork for "Year of the Snitch" is posted on the band's Facebook page.
On June 22nd, Year of the Snitch was released accompanied by five singles: Shitshow, Hahaha, Flies, Black Paint and Streaky. Rolling Stone would go on to name Black Paint song of the summer.
The Fear
Death Grips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just drink blood dude
The fear (jump, jump, jump)
I'm gonna kill somebody (jump, jump, jump)
Don't jump
Downs you with dull pain
Tied up with your legs
Hide helps, on the way
Who will help you fall?
It's just all so frail
So long since we fell
Still don't know we failed
Go for the most tears
Stay cause it gets strange
Went there to shed years
Left there in lead chains
Been there since next year
Scarred us to death chair
Scared us to rest less
Skull full of house guests
The fear
The fear
I feel so sick today
I'm afraid to be here with you
You wanna kill somebody
I'm afraid to be here with you
I feel so sick today
I'm afraid to be here with you
You wanna kill somebody
I'm afraid to be here with you
Don't jump
Jump, jump, jump
Jump, jump, jump
(The fear) pulled close by its pliers
Cold, sharp, and expired
Like ribs of vampire
Like winds on high wire
Whips you like it cares
Push you down more stairs
Kicks you for quick laughs
Don't cry you won't last
(The fear) missing entire weeks
Months gone as I peak
Lost tongue, mystery
Everyone's on to me
(The fear) who's this stole my heels
Stumbled into hell
Hates me till it heals
Wakes me with the chills
I feel so sick today
I'm afraid to be here with you
You wanna kill somebody
I'm afraid to be here with you
I feel so sick today
I'm afraid to be here with you
You wanna kill somebody
I'm afraid to be here with you
Frightening and embarrassing
Like one percent and pleasantries
Gather your things bolt till you reach
The crystal fields of ketamine
I'll meet you there, I'll beat you there
Bet I'll be there before you leave
Time you get there I'll be midair
Like peace of mind's a bore to me
The fear
The fear
Jump, jump
Don't jump
When the rail holds you
Flight like stairs grows you
Off your mind must wish
This is not my ditch
All that ditch wears you
Host torn and worn through
Hard looks at blank walls
Held way too long pause
The fear
The fear
The lyrics of Death Grips's song "The Fear" are characterized by a mix of anger, fear, and confusion, portraying the experience of losing control over reality. The song begins with the rapper stating "I just drink blood dude," which implies his consumption of something violent, forbidden or unnatural, setting the tone for the rest of the song. He then repeats the phrase "The fear" several times in the chorus, accompanied by haunting, dissonant melodies that evoke anxiety and despair. The jump jump jump refrain and other repetitive lines convey the feeling of being stuck in a loop, unable to move forward or escape the fear.
The verses of the song present various images of suffering and despair, such as being tied up with one's legs, missing entire weeks, and being kicked for quick laughs. The lyrics also suggest a sense of alienation and disassociation, as the singer struggles to connect with others and even himself. The phrase "I'm afraid to be here with you" suggests a deep distrust of others, possibly due to past traumas or betrayals. Overall, the song portrays a dark, chaotic world where violence and fear reign supreme, leaving the listener with an unsettling sense of unease.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know dude, I just
I lack understanding and explanation for my behaviour
I just drink blood dude
I have a strong desire for violence and savagery
The fear (jump, jump, jump)
The unbearable terror is coming
I'm gonna kill somebody (jump, jump, jump)
I can't resist the urge to commit violence
Don't jump
Don't give up or lose hope
Downs you with dull pain
Slowly and constantly causing discomfort and misery
Won't we become strange
Won't we be transformed into something different?
Tied up with your legs
Restrained and unable to move
Hide helps, on the way
Finding shelter and protection is possible
Who will help you fall?
Is there anyone who can catch you when you fall?
It's just all so frail
Everything is weak and fragile
So long since we fell
It has been a long time since we stumbled and failed
Still don't know we failed
We are still unaware or unwilling to accept our failure
Go for the most tears
Intentionally causing the most emotional distress
Stay cause it gets strange
Endure unpleasant situations because they become weirder
Went there to shed years
Took refuge in a place to escape from problems and reality
Left there in lead chains
Trapped and unable to escape, feeling heavy and burdened
Been there since next year
Feels like stuck in a place for too long
Scarred us to death chair
The pain is permanently etched into our memories
Scared us to rest less
The fear is intense and unrelenting
Skull full of house guests
Thoughts and emotions are overwhelming and consuming
I feel so sick today
I feel physically and emotionally unwell
You wanna kill somebody
You have an uncontrollable urge to commit an act of violence
I'm afraid to be here with you
I feel scared and unsafe around you
(The fear) pulled close by its pliers
The fear is tightening around like a tool
Cold, sharp, and expired
The fear is frigid and deadly
Like ribs of vampire
The fear is sucking the life out of us
Like winds on high wire
The fear is blowing and pushing us dangerously
Whips you like it cares
The fear is harming and tormenting you as if it matters
Push you down more stairs
The fear is causing us to fall deeper and descend further
Kicks you for quick laughs
The fear enjoys inflicting pain and finds it amusing
Don't cry you won't last
Tears won't help because you won't survive
(The fear) missing entire weeks
Chunks of time are gone because of the overwhelming fear
Months gone as I peak
The peak of the fear lasted for months
Lost tongue, mystery
Unable to articulate or understand what is happening
Everyone's on to me
Feels like everyone knows about our insecurity and anxiety
(The fear) who's this stole my heels
The fear has taken away my confidence and competence
Stumbled into hell
Unknowingly walked into a horrible situation
Hates me till it heals
The fear is deep-rooted and won't subside until it's fixed
Wakes me with the chills
The fear haunts us and causes sudden discomfort
Frightening and embarrassing
The fear is both scary and shameful
Like one percent and pleasantries
Shallow gestures and minimal rewards
Gather your things bolt till you reach
Pack your stuff and run as far as you can
The crystal fields of ketamine
A place of blissful disconnection and escape
I'll meet you there, I'll beat you there
I'll get there before you do
Bet I'll be there before you leave
I'm confident I'll arrive before you do
Time you get there I'll be midair
I'll be long gone by the time you arrive
Like peace of mind's a bore to me
Feeling comfortable and safe is not interesting or exciting
When the rail holds you
Trapped and confined by something
Flight like stairs grows you
Freedom and escape are impossible, instead, it's suffocating and crushing
Off your mind must wish
Fantasizing about being free of worries and anxiety
This is not my ditch
This situation does not belong to me or feel like home
All that ditch wears you
The negative environment and experiences are taking a toll on you
Host torn and worn through
The negative experiences have damaged and exhausted you
Hard looks at blank walls
Staring at emptiness with no clue of what to do or think
Held way too long pause
Stuck in a situation for too long without progress or resolution
The fear
The intense and overwhelming sense of dread and anxiety
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED
Written by: Stefan Burnett, Andy Morin, Zach Hill
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nightdruid540
This song is fucking amazing, definitely my favorite on the album. It really really captures this feeling of fear, especially with Ride's vocal performance which is almost as intense and emotional as on a song like Up My Sleeves. The jazzy instrumentation is fantastic, Zach's drumming is brilliant. The lyrics are absolutely incredible too, holy shit. The imagery and whole feeling conveyed. It's genuinely powerful and disturbing. Ride about to commit suicide off a balcony, completely dejected but unsure if he's ready to jump. It's such an impactful song, especially in the context of the rest of the album, I'm not sure whether Ride is afraid to jump in a literal sense where he fears death or if he's afraid of the end of Death Grips. Because he says he came into DG to "shed years" but he left in lead chains, like he's been enslaved by his own creation. All of it is so heavy and brilliantly done. It seriously gives me chills.
"when the rail holds you
flight like stairs grows you
off your mind must wish
this is not my ditch
ah that ditch wears you
host torn and worn through
hard looks at blank walls
held way too long pause
the fear"
@BLooDCoMPleX
"missing entire weeks
month gone as i peak
lost tongue mystery
everyone’s on to me
who’s this stole my heels
stumbled into hell
hates me till it heals
wakes me with the chills"
Oh jesus fucking christ.
@tjw_
DG returning to their smooth jazz origins
@einab.4639
Smooth african jazz
@clitcrusader4897
Fun pointless fact: the bassist from that most brutal metal scream of 2012 does jazz fusion now
@torrent8446
@clit crusader aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
@jimmymeridian5174
Ever heard of acid jazz?
I guess you'd call this PCP jazz
@VenomousVillain36
@clit crusader Ryan from Mudvayne
@nightdruid540
this song is like falling down an eternally winding spiral staircase in a haunted house
@curtismurphy3207
on DMT
@lenonel3286
Down a spyral staircase winding ta HELL
@LonelyGuitarKid
Reminds me of the endless staircase in mario 64