The band released their first EP, I'm Sorry... in January 2013, where their single Sweater Weather reached #1 in the U.S. Alternative Tracks and #8 on the U.S. Rock Tracks and #33 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also charted at #68 in Canada. Their first album, I Love You. was released on April 23, 2013.
In early 2012 a mysterious band appeared online. The group, The Neighbourhood, revealed no biographical information, no photos and no backstory, offering only a moody track titled "Female Robbery." Fans and the press were confounded, scouring the Internet for any information that might lead them to the identity of these musicians. Pieces of the puzzle, some reflecting reality and some not so much, began to emerge. The Neighbourhood were a quintet. They were from California despite the British spelling of their name. They had a second track, "Sweater Weather," which had an accompanying -- and equally dark -- video.
Although The Neighbourhood's identity remained hazy, it became clear that the music they were making felt transformative to critics and fans alike. The evocative combination of rock instruments with R&B and hip-hop aesthetics seemed, in many ways, revelatory, a reimagining of sounds that seemed to make people clamour for more information with even greater fervour. In April, BBC Radio One DJ Zane Lowe, an early champion of the group, let it slip that The Neighbourhood was the handiwork of musician Jesse Rutherford, a resident of Newbury Park, CA. By early May, as the band unveiled a free, self-released EP titled "I'm Sorry," it became understood that the identity of this young band was, ultimately, secondary to the music itself.
So who is The Neighbourhood? In essence, the group, which was formed in August 2011, is a collection of five friends who make music together. They're headed by Rutherford, a 21-year-old singer who has dabbled in various genres, including hip-hop, before crafting the merge of sounds that categorizes The Neighbourhood's style. Their debut EP was produced by Justyn Pilbrow, who brought Emile Haynie on board to collaborate on "Female Robbery." The EP, recorded at the end of last year, is composed of shadowy, emotional music with visuals to match. And it's all part of the band's master plan.
"I always have a strong vision before I go into anything," Rutherford says. "I don't know how to make music any other way. It was all in my head, and that vision for the music was to make hip-hop beats with guitars and I was going to sing and rap over them. We wanted to do that hip-hop aesthetic on an indie platform."
"I'm Sorry," a five-song disc, is a precursor to the band's debut album, which is also being produced by Pilbrow and Haynie. The album, expected out in March 2013, will expand the group's moody sensibility, which pairs brooding layers of instrumentals with Rutherford's hip-hop-inspired croon. The style, which the band has dubbed "black and white" due to its confident inspirations, is based largely on rhythm, as evidenced by the EP. "When I started in music I started doing drums and then I started doing vocals," Rutherford explains. "And then I combined the two together because to me rapping is just rhythmic vocals. I think the rhythm of hip-hop is really what got me into it. It's not just words being said; it's about how the words are said."
In the end, all you need to know about The Neighbourhood is in that music and in those words. There are more facts, more pieces of the puzzle, more information to unveil. But what's the fun in being given the full picture when you can slowly discover it for yourself? It's better to leave some mystery lingering. Because, after all, it's that unknowing that brought The Neighbourhood to people's attention to begin with.
Dangerou$
The Neighbourhood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got a new girl with me
I could have another one if I wanted to, but no
Might call another one ---
Ridin' round in my city, same thing I used to do
Got a new girl with me
I could have another one if I wanted to, but no
I did it, look who I brought with me
Ridin' round your city, vibin' out in your city
Sold out in your city, but I think you earned this
I feel like you're worth it
Your blue eyes and those red lips
Thank God you're on my guest list
Don't talk much, I don't say shit
And you lay down and we make it up
Fuck what your mother say, let's run away
We play on that gold chain
Drivin' round in my Escalade
Doin' 88 on PCH, let's go
We're made to love, We're made to love
We're made to love, We're made to love
(But) you're dangerous
You're dangerous, you're dangerous
For both of us
You're dangerous
Texting and calling, while I'm with my bitch
You be puttin' me thru some shit
But that pussy good as shit
Now she goin' thru my shit
Ask me, "Who is this? Who's that?"
Smell my dick and asked last night where you was at
So if I lie now she'll probably find the truth later
But if I tell the truth she'll probably wanna leave a player
And if she leave a player, who I'm gon' fuck with
Can't fuck with you cause you too comfortable being my side bitch
But fuck that, I told her
Damn that wasn't smart, damn I fucked up
Now that arguing 'bout to start
She like, "Who is this? Did she suck yo dick?
Oh this that same-wait, YG do you love this bitch?
This the same chick from last time, I saw you creepin' wit
You took her out to eat and shit, ooh I hate this bitch."
God damn, I gotta put a end to this triangle relationship
I gotta stay away from you cause you're pussy too dangerous
We're made to love, We're made to love
We're made to love, We're made to love
(But) you're dangerous
You're dangerous, you're dangerous
For both of us
You're dangerous
The Neighbourhood’s song, “Dangerou$” is a reflection of the perspectives of a man who is torn between two lovers. The opening lyrics indicate that he is riding around his city with his new girl, while also pointing out that he could have had another if he had wanted to, but refrained from doing so. This could be interpreted as a sign of loyalty or his attempt to be faithful. However, as the song progresses, the listener realizes that the situation is far from simple. The singer is caught in a love triangle and is struggling to keep both his primary partner and his side chick happy. He admits that he is in love with the latter but that she is too dangerous for him, acknowledging that it would be better if he stayed away from her.
The song also highlights the consequences of infidelity, as he recognizes that his actions are causing chaos and jealousy between his current and his ex-lover. He is aware of the risks he is taking and how they could impact him in the long run, but he is still drawn to the side chick he describes as dangerous. The song's lyrics demonstrate how infidelity can be volatile and that love triangles are messy, hurtful, and potentially dangerous. "Dangerou$" is about the inner struggle of a man who is unable to break free from his own mind and desires, and he ultimately concludes that loving someone who is dangerous is a risk he is unwilling to take.
Line by Line Meaning
Ridin' round in my city, same thing I used to do
Driving around the city like I always used to do
Got a new girl with me
I'm with a new girl now
I could have another one if I wanted to, but no
I could have another girl if I wanted, but I don't want to
Might call another one this afternoon, I won't
I might call another girl later, but I won't
We're made to love, We're made to love
We were made to love
But you're dangerous
But you're dangerous
You're dangerous, you're dangerous
You are dangerous
For both of us
For both of us
Texting and calling, while I'm with my bitch
Texting and calling me while I'm with my girlfriend
You be puttin' me thru some shit
You're causing problems for me
But that pussy good as shit
But your sex is amazing
Now she goin' thru my shit
Now my girlfriend is going through my things
Ask me, "Who is this? Who's that?"
Asking me who certain people are
Smell my dick and asked last night where you was at
Smelled my private parts and asked where I was last night
So if I lie now she'll probably find the truth later
If I lie now, my girlfriend will likely discover the truth later
But if I tell the truth she'll probably wanna leave a player
If I tell the truth, she'll probably want to leave me
And if she leave a player, who I'm gon' fuck with
And if she leaves me, who will I be with
Can't fuck with you cause you too comfortable being my side bitch
Can't be with you because you're too comfortable with being my side lover
We're made to love, We're made to love
We were made to love
But you're dangerous
But you're dangerous
You're dangerous, you're dangerous
You are dangerous
For both of us
For both of us
Contributed by Parker J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
David Camilo
Ridin' round in my city, same thing I used to do
Got a new girl with me
I could have another one if I wanted to, but no
Might call another one this afternoon, I won't
I did it, look who I brought with me
Ridin' round your city, vibin' out in your city
Sold out in your city, but I think you earned this
I feel like you're worth it
Your blue eyes and those red lips
Thank God, you're on my guest list
Don't talk much, I don't say shit
And you lay down and we make it up (make it up, make it up, make it up, make it up)
Fuck what your mother say, let's run away
We play on that gold chain
Drivin' round in my Escalade
Doin' 88 on PCH, let's go (go, go)
We're made to love, we're made to love
We're made to love, we're made to love
But you're dangerous
You're dangerous, you're dangerous for both of us
You're dangerous
Texting and calling, while I'm with my bitch
You be puttin' me through some shit
But that pussy good as shit
Now she goin' through my shit
Ask me, "Who is this? Who's that?"
Smell my dick and asked last night where you was at
So if I lie now she'll probably find the truth later
But if I tell the truth she'll probably wanna leave the player
And if she leave the player, who I'm gon' fuck with
Can't fuck with you cause you too comfortable being my side bitch
But fuck that, I told her
Damn, that wasn't smart, damn, I fucked up
Now that arguing 'bout to start
She like, "Who is this? Did she suck yo dick?
Oh this that same-wait, YG do you love this bitch?
This the same chick from last time, I saw you creepin' with
You took her out to eat and shit, ooh I hate this bitch."
God damn, I gotta put a end to this triangle relationship
I gotta stay away from you cause your pussy too dangerous
We're made to love, we're made to love
We're made to love, we're made to love
But you're dangerous (but you're dangerous)
You're dangerous, you're dangerous for both of us (you're dangerous)
You're dangerous
Joe Rennaker
All these girls don't understand that the neighbourhood isn't a boy band, they don't make music for you. They make music that they like and enjoy. Goddamn
Sofie
preach
Lily Comer
Preach.
Laura Cunningham
I love all of their music. Mixtape or no
Hyba Boubaker
Joe Rennaker they are a band, funny you're not a hoodlum u know nothing....lol
Joe Rennaker
No shit their a band, What else could they be? Their not a boy band who make music for teenage girls. All of them have said that several times. Hyba Boubaker
Adrien Mars
Dope project. That collaboration between them and all those rappers was crazy.
Sarah Biernat
I've been listening to the nbhd since 2013, and it's amazing how much they've grown in these two years. I'm so proud of them and this mixtape is the greatest thing I've heard in a long time.
Teazy
I found Nbhd in 2022 and I’ve never been as blessed
Hollie Ann
I love how original sounding this track is. I can just here it instrumentally and I know it's the NBHD. They have really come a long way in developing their sound and frankly it's addictive and hypnotizing.