| "Swamp" | ||||
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| Single by Brockhampton | ||||
| from the album Saturation II | ||||
| Released | August 8, 2017 | |||
| Genre | Pop rap | |||
| Length | 4:11 | |||
| Label |
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| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Jabari Manwa | |||
| Brockhampton singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Swamp" on YouTube | ||||
"Swamp" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on August 8, 2017 as the second single from their second studio album Saturation II (2017).
The production of the song includes "jazzy guitar runs", "synth squeals" that are similar in style to that of West Coast hip hop and gangsta rap, [1] and a subdued sound of erhu. [2] In the chorus, Kevin Abstract raps "fucking commas up from the outside", a reference to the song by Future. [2] [3] [4] The verses focus on growing up in a environment of crime, following one's dreams, insecurity, and self-discovery. [5]
Lauren O'Neill of Vice wrote, "'Swamp' itself is yet another encapsulation of why Brockhampton sound like the future: a bunch of fresh, different verses from which it's difficult to choose the best, a poppy hook (I think almost immediately of N*SYNC and honestly I'm not mad at the comparison), and a mellow beat that demonstrates the group can take on pretty much any mood and make their sound suit it." [6] In a review of Saturation II, Peter A. Berry of XXL praised the song and the album for the aspect that "you can hear believably rugged bars about 'turning grams into elbows' (Ameer Vann) on the same song as cheesy, but refreshingly earnest self-help lyrics like 'treat my heart like a treasure, 'cause no one else will' (Dom McLennon)." [3]
The music video was directed by Kevin Abstract and filmed in Van Nuys, Los Angeles. [7] According to Abstract, it was inspired by Spike Jonze, 1990s Nickelodeon and the film Chronicle . [4] [8] It finds Brockhampton members wearing police uniforms, in a car with masking tape on their faces, [6] [5] and depicts police brutality. [1] In other scenes, Merlyn Wood and a puppet are seen flying through the clouds, [1] [5] and the members hang out near four-foot Coca-Cola bottles. [5] The video also features appearances from what resembles Sesame Street characters. [9]
Clifford Ian Simpson, known by his stage name Kevin Abstract, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter known for his role as a founding member of Brockhampton. He released his debut album, MTV1987, in 2014 to critical acclaim, and received attention from a number of major music blogs and magazine publications. His second album, American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story, was released in November 2016, his third, Arizona Baby, was released in April 2019, and his fourth, Blanket, was released in November 2023.
Saturation is the debut studio album by American rap collective Brockhampton. Independently released on June 9, 2017, the album features appearances from group members Kevin Abstract, Ameer Vann, Merlyn Wood, Dom McLennon, Matt Champion, Joba, and Bearface. Production was primarily handled by group members Romil Hemnani, Jabari Manwa, and Kiko Merley, with additional contributions from Joba, Bearface, and No Rome. Manwa, along with Brockhampton webmaster Robert Ontenient, perform the albums vocal skits.
Brockhampton was an American boy band/rap collective founded in 2014 in San Marcos, Texas. Led by Kevin Abstract and formed partially through the online music discussion forum KanyeToThe, the group's final line-up consisted of vocalists Abstract, Matt Champion, Merlyn Wood, and Dom McLennon, vocalists/producers Joba, Bearface, and Jabari Manwa and producers Romil Hemnani and Kiko Merley, as well as graphic designer Henock "HK" Sileshi, photographer Ashlan Grey, web designer Roberto Ontenient, and manager Jon Nunes.
Saturation II is the second studio album by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on August 25, 2017. Production is primarily handled by Romil Hemnani, alongside production duo Q3, Bearface, Kevin Abstract, and Joba.
Saturation III is the third studio album by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on December 15, 2017. Production is predominantly handled by Romil Hemnani, alongside production duo Q3, as with previous releases. It concludes the Saturation trilogy, commenced with Saturation and followed with Saturation II. Originally promoted as the group's "final studio album", the group announced their fourth album, titled Team Effort at the time before being scrapped, a day before Saturation III was released. Saturation III is the band's last album with founding member Ameer Vann, who left the band in May 2018 amid accusations of sexual misconduct.
"Gummy" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton and the lead single from their second studio album Saturation II (2017). The music video premiered on August 1, 2017, before the song was released to streaming services on August 2.
"Junky" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on August 15, 2017 as the third single from their second studio album Saturation II (2017).
"Sweet" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on August 22, 2017 as the fourth single from their second studio album Saturation II (2017).
"Gold" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton and the third single from their debut studio album Saturation (2017). The music video premiered on May 23, 2017, before the song was released to streaming services on May 30, 2017.
Brockhampton was an American hip-hop collective. Formed in 2010, they have released eight studio albums, four compilations, one mixtape, 27 singles, and 38 music videos. Originally formed as AliveSinceForever in 2010 and after releasing a compilation and extended play under the name in 2012 and 2013 respectively, the group rebranded to Brockhampton, proclaiming themselves as "the world's greatest boy band". The collective's lineup underwent significant changes in 2014 alongside this rebrand. After releasing singles throughout 2015, the group's debut mixtape, All-American Trash, was released for free on March 24, 2016.
Matthew Garrett Champion is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is known for his role as a member of hip hop collective and boyband Brockhampton, with whom he released eight studio albums. His debut solo album, Mika's Laundry, was released on March 22, 2024.
Ameer Emmanuel Vann is an American rapper. He is best known for being a member of music collective Brockhampton, until his departure from the group in May 2018. After leaving Brockhampton, Vann started his solo career and released his first commercial EP, Emmanuel, in September 2019.
"1999 Wildfire" is a single by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on July 7, 2018. It features additional vocals from American producer Jazze Pha.
Arizona Baby is the third studio album by American rapper Kevin Abstract, released on April 25, 2019 by Question Everything, Inc. through RCA Records. The album was released cumulatively, with the eponymous first part released on April 11, followed by a second part titled Ghettobaby on April 18. It was primarily produced by Jack Antonoff and Abstract's fellow Brockhampton member Romil Hemnani, with several other members of Brockhampton providing additional production, vocals, and instrumentation.
"Star" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton and the fourth single from their debut studio album Saturation (2017).
"Face" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton and the lead single from their debut studio album Saturation (2017). The music video premiered on May 6, 2017, before the song was released to streaming services on May 18, 2017.
"Heat" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton and the second single from their debut studio album Saturation (2017). The music video premiered on May 16, 2017, before the song was released to streaming services on May 18, 2017.
"Boogie" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on December 12, 2017, as the lead single from their third studio album Saturation III (2017).
"Rental" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on December 15, 2017, as a single from their third studio album Saturation III (2017).
"Zipper" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on December 15, 2017, as a single from their third studio album Saturation III (2017). It contains a sample of "Cha Cha Cha!" by Optigan.