Diving Into the Abyss

Danny Brown is one of modern music's most unique and intriguing figures. His work is characterised by his distinctive, yelping vocals, and a gritty, experimental backdrop. To many, myself included, 2015's Atrocity Exhibition is his magnum opus. Here, I will attempt to unravel the dark and twisted, but often humorous, world presented on the album.

The album's opening track, Downward Spiral, kicks off with an ominous guitar sample, over which Danny depicts a squalid scene with his signature squawk. He paints a vivid picture of his lifestyle, describing cocaine residue on nearby surfaces, unprotected threesomes, and locking himself away from the world for days at a time, except to pick up more drugs. He also gives us some insight into his mental and physical state, marked by sweats, hallucinations, paranoia, gurning, erectile dysfunction, fears of getting STDs... He ends the first verse with a caution: don't fall asleep with a cigarette burning. This advice suggests that it is a mistake he has made before. The hook represents a moment of clarity: "gotta figure it out". He is aware of the toll this lifestyle is taking on him, and he knows that he something has to change. The second verse sees him reflecting on his success. He has received acclaim for his work, but it has hardly registered with him due to his perpetual intoxication. He elaborates, describing numbing himself with cannabis, cognac, and coke, "drowning frustrations in an ocean of sin". He further describes the physical toll of his drug abuse: "eyes start burning", "chest like a furnace", and "brain feel a bit frostbit". He plays on imagery invoking heat and cold, a reference to the drastic temperature swings one in likely to feel when experiencing withdrawal from drugs or alcohol. Then, after mentioning that he doesn't remember when he last ate, he spins it on its head to assert his skill as a lyricist: "but I eat these f***ing rappers like f***ing last steak". He ends the verse contemplating his mortality, stating that he could die at any time, so he pours his anguish into his music as an outlet, as well as to leave a legacy. The hook comes back as the song plays out, the instrumental rising to a climax before slowly petering out.

Danny opens up the second track, Tell Me What I Don't Know, with a confident declaration: "street smart, PhD", delivered with a calm inflexion unlike his usual style. He talks about his early days dealing drugs, getting caught by teachers, and the constant danger he was in: "one lane going wrong way 'til I crash". In the hook he expresses his desensitization to the hood life, saying: "tell me what I don't know", with a despondent tone, then describing hearing about his friend getting killed on his way to get cigars to roll blunts with. In the second verse, Danny reflects on the naivety of those early days, only thinking about what they wanted to buy with the money they made from dealing, and never about the potential consequences. By the end of the verse, the consequences have caught up with them, and landed them in jail. The second hook repeats the refrain from earlier, "tell me what I don't know", and outlines the raid, court hearing, and eventual probation that they went through. It then repeats the refrain several more times, as if to hammer home the fact that Danny really has seen everything. The following verse is brief, showing them returning to the same mindset once they get out, and how difficult it is to escape the life of crime, describing it as a cycle, finally proclaiming that: "this is not the life for us". From here, the song plays out with one more hook, followed by several repetitions of the refrain.

Rolling Stone, the third track, deals with the trials of living like a rockstar. Danny previously discussed this topic on his 2011 track Die Like A Rockstar, although on that track he was revelling in his hedonism. Petite Noir's hook, which opens the song, reads like a misanthropic prayer, begging to be left alone. It ends: "just release me", hinting at the tendency towards substance misuse which Danny will later elaborate on. His first verse begins with him commenting on his tendency to present himself as wealthy, while acknowledging that his wealth is only relative to the people around him, and that he in fact has also been dealt a bad hand in life. He continues: "bought a nightmare, sold a dream", referring to him dealing drugs; entering a world of crime and danger, selling people fleeting happiness in chemical form. He goes on to comment on the regret he feels about his actions, and the emptiness they have brought him, but he knows no other way, and sees no way out. He follows this with: "some people say I think too much; I don't think they think enough", a telling insight into his psyche. Here he exhibits a tell-tale sign of depression and anxiety: overthinking. He challenges those who criticise him, suggesting that they ought to think more. He continues by expressing his opinion that fame has only made things worse, that he can't do away with the drugs, but acknowledges his immaturity in thinking this way. After reiterating his feelings that there is no way out of this lifestyle, he describes himself hotboxing a car alone, "smoking like there's ten of us". He ends the verse pondering whether he can ever make it back from the brink. Following a repeat of the hook, Danny kicks off his second verse describing a state of limbo he feels, like he's between life and death, and burying his feelings. He comments on feeling like he's lost his sanity from all the drugs he's taken, and - perhaps unwisely - remedies this with further drug use. As the verse comes to a close, he describes existing in a constant drug-fuelled haze, seeing no way out, and eventually admitting that it no longer brings him any joy After this, his thoughts return to death, and he notes that "life goes on", dismissing his own death as inconsequential. The hook repeats once more, followed by an outro by Petite Noir. He talks about feeling "your" shame, perhaps addressing Danny, acknowledging that he too struggles with the same vicious cycles.

The fourth track, Really Doe, is a posse track featuring Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, and Earl Sweatshirt. I previously released an in-depth breakdown of the song entitled "The Four Horsemen of the Rapocalypse". The song mainly serves as an opportunity for the four rappers to show off their lyrical chops and stake their claim at the top of the rap game. It mostly sits outside the overall narrative of the album, so I will not go into any more detail here, but if you are interested, I would suggest reading my previous piece on it.

The fifth track on the album, Lost, sees Danny back before the events of Downward Spiral. Set over a chopped-up vocal sample from a Chinese soul song, Danny opens up the first verse comparing himself to Stanley Kubrick. He does this to present himself as a creative visionary, not only in his art, but also in his drug dealing and in his relationships with women: "with two bricks and hoes on the strip". He tells us that he is going to explain how he made enough money to make it out of the streets, but not before he delineates the first of the events leading up to the start of the album. He describes having sex with a particularly well lubricated woman, before going on an intense drug binge accompanied by porn. The verse ends with him heavily intoxicated, with delusions of grandeur akin to Tony Montana. The hook returns to his days as a dealer, showing him working tirelessly to produce crack for his customers, not even stopping when the fumes start to go to his head. His second verse starts with another comparison to a famous movie director, this time Stephen Spielberg. He then muses on his mental instability for a moment, but remarks that he still has enough sense to use a condom when having sex with a woman with a "wrinkle pussy". It is unclear whether the wrinkling is from age, extensive use, or loss of elasticity due to drug abuse. He ends the verse boasting about how much he has made, offering advice to young black men in similar situation; namely to toughen up, "because these n****s gon' whip it". Here he plays on the literal meaning of whip, as well as its slang meaning of cooking crack. The hook plays again before cutting abruptly to the next song.

Track six, Ain't It Funny, is a non-stop verbal onslaught, backed by a bombastic horn sample. The first verse opens with Danny commenting on his rapping prowess, describing it as "verbal couture", high quality lyricism. He also says that he does "parkour with the metaphors", inviting us to do some mental gymnastics when reading into his lyrics. He then notes the dark subject matter of his music, comparing it to being locked in a "house of horrors". He references The Sixth Sense, a psychological thriller in which a child claims to be able to see dead people. This could be a reference to being surrounded by death throughout his formative years, or to the hallucinations induced by his drug abuse. The latter is more likely, given the following line in which he describes taking stimulants in order to prevent a comedown: "mind skydive, doing bumps in the cockpit". He then professes himself the "locksmith of hip-hop", which suggests that he sees himself as someone with a unique ability to extract the true potential of hip-hop as an art form. One interpretation of this is biblical. In Revelation 1:18 Jesus proclaims: "I hold the keys of death and Hades". In this case, Danny is declaring himself the saviour of hip-hop. Taken with the next line, "appraisal that wristwatch, the rocks 'bout the size of the teeth in Chris Rock's mouth", it conjures an image of him breaking into a jewellery store and stealing all the largest diamonds, with the diamonds being a metaphor for the quality and uniqueness of his music. The next line, "sock out the mic, prototype for Adderall", refers to a few things. Firstly, "socking out" a microphone refers to covering it with a sock in order to drown out the popping sound that sometimes occurs when saying the sounds "p" and "b" into a microphone. Secondly, it could be another reference to his ability; he "socks out", or "punches out" the mic, meaning that he delivers punchy one-liners. "Prototype for Adderall" refers to the fact that making music was a precursor to his drug addictions. He continues this theme in the next line, criticising other rappers for diluting their message by comparing it to cutting a drug with fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate, signifying the inorganic, inauthentic nature of other rappers' music; where Danny creates honest, expressive art, other rappers create something fake, which only serves to dumb down their audience: "your work killing fiends". He then goes on to compare the quality of his own work to a pile of cocaine so high, you would need a ski lift to reach the top. This plays on "snow" being a nickname for cocaine. He also warns artists that, should he feature them, he will not take kindly to them bringing anything less than their best to the table: "flip the table over if you cut it with the bulls***". The next line: "nose bleed on red carpets, but it just blend in" uses a potential side effect of heavy cocaine use - nosebleeds - as an illustration of the damage his drug use has caused him, but he notes that his problems go unnoticed by the media just as blood would go unnoticed on a red carpet. He continues, "snapping pictures feeling like my chest being sunk in", describing experiencing a common symptom of anxiety, as well as stimulant abuse, while the media just carries on taking pictures, taking no note. He finishes the verse by remarking that he has seen people around him succumb to slow deaths. Not wanting to experience the same thing, he dives headfirst into self destruction so that he can see a quick end. In the chorus, he reflects on the irony that escaping from a his past life hasn't left him any better off, repeating: "Ain't it funny how it happens? Ain't it?". Danny kicks off the second verse with a boast about his abilities as a salesman, claiming that he can "sell honey to a bee". He goes on to describe himself as an "octopus in a straight jacket". This bizarre image alludes to his mental instability, depicting him in an item of clothing most commonly used to restrain patients in asylums. The octopus could be a reference to the freakish caricature he plays in his music, one that is difficult to restrain as a result of its many limbs and lack of structure. He follows this by reiterating the chorus, noting the irony of going from selling drugs to get by, to becoming a heavy user himself. He reflects on how far he's come, again highlighting the irony of his situation, this time that despite his rise to fame, he is more dependent than ever on other people: "panic when the drugs are gone and nobody is answering". Towards the end of the verse Danny turns his attention outwards. He observes that many other people in similar positions to him fall prey to the same vices, blowing all their money on drugs and partying, only to "become has-beens". Following a repetition of the chorus, the third verse starts with a call-back to the second track, describing his life as a car careening the wrong way down a busy road. He then repeats the line: "staring in the devil face but ya can't stop laughing", signifying his closeness to death and horror, as well as his desensitisation to it. Instead of confronting the reality of his situation, he just laughs at it in drug-induced delirium. Following this, Danny comments that there are many people like him who are prone to addiction as a result of being raised around users. There is an element of social commentary here, with Danny posing that people like him are destined to stay where they are, as it is "inherited in [their] blood". This is a comment on generational inequality, where black families tend to be poorer, meaning that future generations are afforded fewer opportunities, and therefore remain poor, perpetuating the cycle: "it's why we stuck in the mud". This kind of commentary is rarely seen on the album, with Danny favouring personal anecdotes and depictions of his debauchery over "conscious" rapping. He swiftly returns to form, however, returning his attention to his substance abuse issues. He comments that, even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to quit. He instead opts to "wash away [his] problems with this bottle of Henny". This is similar to the behaviour described on Rolling Stone, where he self-medicated to remedy his mental instability. He goes on in this vein, taking Xanax for his anxiety, and dismissing rehab as "pussy". The verse ends with a drug dealer bringing cocaine and women who are "all tryna play". This is the continuation of the events on Lost. Following a repetition of the chorus, the beat crashes to a halt, distorting wildly as it does, as if to hint at the depravity Danny is about to engage in.

The seventh track, Golddust, sees Danny going an extended spending spree and drug and sex binge. The high-tempo guitar and trumpet sample, and his fast, crazed flow give the song a manic energy. There is no chorus or hook on this song, just three deranged verses. He begins his first verse opening a bag of cocaine. Pleased with the purity, he takes some: "get a whiff of this uncut". As he says this, the sound of him sniffing plays in the background. He has a cocktail for brunch, remarking that he is still drunk from the night before, and skips lunch, opting instead for an Adderall. He then has the idea to smoke some weed and invite some women over to do more cocaine with him. He describes these events as spinning out of control, and losing himself in the process. He ends the verse doing more coke, drinking heavily, and spending recklessly. During the second verse he reflects on how his fame has facilitated his addiction, being surrounded by enablers to the point where he no longer has to buy drugs, as people will just give them to him for free. He recognises that they do it to please him: "they think they showing love", but that if they actually cared about him, they wouldn't ply him with intoxicants: "kinda f***ed up". He notes: "now I do it way more than I used to". He acknowledges that he has pushed his drug use to a point where most people would have died, but claims that he has survived due to a higher tolerance. He comments on the history of addiction in his family and his own struggles with stopping using. He ends the verse inviting the listener to "step inside" his mind, doubtful that anyone can understand him without doing so. Verse three brings us back to the binge. More drinking, drugs, sex and spending ensue. Danny contemplates how far he's come through the lens of the women he sleeps with: "came a long way hitting thots in the spots, now I f*** pornstars I done jerked off and watched". He then finds himself judging an erotic dance competition between two ecstasy-fuelled women who resent his eventual verdict. He ends the verse and song wondering whether this lifestyle is financially sustainable, repeating: "will it all last?".

White Lines, the eighth track, begins with Danny coughing. He starts his first verse comparing himself to the captain of a pirate ship, on account of his drinking. He continues the drug and sex binge from the previous track, but his choppy, barked delivery gives the impression of him being out of breath. This suggests that the binge has him at his limit. This is confirmed in the hook, where he describes having palpitations from excessive cocaine use, and worries for his life: "hope it ain't my time to go". He refuses to accept this, however, repeating: "no way". In the second verse, he doubles down, taking ecstasy and having sex with multiple women at once. He brags about his skill at sex, claiming: "I ain't never met a hoe I can't make come". An abridged version of the hook follows, where he describes having a nosebleed, another side effect of extensive cocaine use. The song ends with a repetition of the line: "hope it ain't about my time to go", which echoes out and reverses, as though he is fading in and out of consciousness.

The ninth track on the album, Pneumonia, begins on the hook with Danny describing how quickly he makes and spends money. He makes $30,000, either from his music or selling drugs - the equivalent of a kilo of cocaine. It is more likely that it was from performing at a concert, as he mentions that it only took him 30 minutes to make. He buys a designer jacket with the money before he even has time to count it. This is an indication of his reckless spending, as shown on Golddust. He compares his flow to pneumonia, given that it is so "sick". The first verse is short, but covers a few bases. He starts by comparing the bars in his verses to ammunition in a clip, warning that should he decide to unload on somebody, they will fold: "ya calzone". He then relates his rapping ability (still using the metaphor of a firearm) to his drug use by stating that he has "powder stains on [his] Balmain". He throws in a line about oral sex for good measure, and closes off the verse warning that he expects purity in the drugs he uses. The hook repeats before the second verse, in which we see Danny returning to the binge, smoking weed and having animalistic sex. He calls back to a time when his mother found his drug money in his trousers. He tells her she can keep the money as long as she launders it, playing on washing the dirty trousers. He then engages in the threesome previously mentioned on Downward Spiral, reflects on how far he's come since he was jailed in 2007, and ends the verse making a call to get more alcohol and drugs. The song plays out with another repetition of the hook, the beat glitching out into the next track.

Track ten is Dance In The Water. Set to bombastic tribal chanting with a ripping bassline, it is moment of great catharsis on the album. During the verses, Danny barks out instructions to the women around him to twerk and let him have sex with them, and the chorus is a call to forget about consequences. This contrasts starkly with the tone of the rest of the album, where Danny often dwells on the damage done to him by escaping into a world of drugs and sex. Here, instead, he is just enjoying himself, letting loose. Lyrically, there isn't a lot to say here; the focus of the song is the energy. It is a supremely danceable bop, which fits perfectly with the lyrical content.

From The Ground, the eleventh track on the album, sees Danny reflecting on his past in a much mellower cadence than he usually uses, closer to his rapping on Tell Me What I Don't Know. It begins with a distorted, twisted scream, before cutting out into the beat. This could represent a transition, from the narrative taking place up until Downward Spiral, to the present day, where he is more in control. This is reflected in a more sober, calmer delivery, as well as the first line, where he talks about bags of drugs "with a safety pin". He reflects on his past ambitions to get to where he is, his time in jail, and his tireless work ethic. The chorus, performed by Kelela, describes Danny's rise to fame from the bottom of society. Danny's second verse continues with him again commenting on how hard he's had to work to get where he is. He continues the verse reflecting on a friend of his in jail he hasn't seen in some time, looking forward to seeing him make it out. He ends: "Was trapped in the storm, but I made it out the rain". This is a metaphor for escaping his tempestuous past, as well as foreshadowing for the next song, where he discusses said past. The song plays out with a repetition of the chorus.

The twelfth track, When It Rain, begins with an ominous synth line played slowly. The track speeds up as the drums kick in, and Danny charges out the gate with his signature yelping vocals. He describes "running a train" on a woman with his posse, referring to having sex with her in sequence, in this case anally: "put that thang in her caboose". He warns that he and his posse are not to be trifled with: "beef with us, it ain't no truce". He then notes the irony that the dollar has "In God We Trust" printed on it, given that those who put their faith in money "fall victim for greed and lust". He talks about how he struggles with the repercussions of his hedonism: "waking up, feelin' like a sin". He then gives some insight into the dangers of growing up in Detroit, warning that you have to keep an eye on those around you, as everyone is hungry and desperate enough to rob even the elderly. He comments on how the environment is so harrowing that many turn to drugs, then brings the metaphor of rain into view, saying that they all have "dark clouds" hanging over them. He plays on a colloquial term for gunfire - lead shower - and the metaphor of rain to bring the verse to a close, ending by commenting on how likely it is for someone you know to get shot. In the bridge, Danny gives instructions on how to survive when bullets start flying; namely, to get to the ground as quickly as possible. The song ramps up in intensity as it builds to the hook, which reiterates the advice given on the bridge. Danny begins the second verse describing the person he was forced to become to survive in his hometown. He references hollow-tip rounds, which are bullets designed to expand when they enter a target, causing more internal damage than a normal bullet. He compares himself to Victor Vega, AKA Mr Blonde, from Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. This isn't the first time he's referenced the film. In fact, he was a founding member of a rap crew named after it before he got big. The comparison to Vega relates specifically to the scene in which he uses a razor blade to cut off a policeman's ear. This, along with the reference to hollow points, portrays Danny as brutal, violent, and even psychotic. He goes on to describe watching a basketball game wearing animal furs with a gun at the ready. This serves to represent his affluence and success, as well as the constant danger around him. He comments on the insularity and danger of Detroit, suggesting that not everyone could survive there. Following another bridge and hook, the song ends.

Today is the thirteenth track on the album, and features a pulsating synth, which sounds like a ticking clock. This relates to the song's lyrics, which deal with the possibility that Danny could die at any time. He begins the song with a warning to be wary of people around you, saying that their true colours will be shown when they are in danger. If they are the type of people to snitch, it will become evident when "them guns come out and them shots ring out". He warns that the consequences might be severe, such as getting shot. He extends the metaphor of a storm from the previous song, with the bullet being lightning, blood as the rain, and the sound of a gunshot mimicking thunder. He then says: "cops kill a n***** everyday like protocol". As he says this, there is a grainy effect added to the vocals, similar to the sound of talking over a radio, such as those used by the police. Danny comments on the disillusionment he feels when hearing about the violence in his community, comparing it to "listen[ing] to blues". He talks about having to cook crack to afford diapers for his child, but notes that getting snitched on will land him in jail, leaving another man to raise his child. He then interpolates a line from OutKast's Bombs Over Baghdad: "cure for cancer, cure for AIDS, make a n**** wanna stay on tour for days". This line is a commentary on how dire the situation is in the hood; it is something that is as unlikely to be fixed as it is for someone to find a cure for cancer or AIDS. This results in Danny (and previously Andre 3000) wanting to stay on tour to avoid being confronted with the realities of his hometown. He ends the verse advising the listener to keep a gun on them at all times, just to be safe. The chorus consists of four repetitions of the same few lines, in which Danny reminds us that: "you never know when [it's] your time to go", and that it might be "today". The second verse begins in a similar way to the first, with a warning to be wary of the people around you. It continues in a similar vein, too, saying that there are some who would kill just to get enough money for some new trainers. He illustrates how a gunfight can break out at any time, and the risk of becoming collateral is high. He ends the verse noting that he has no interest in acting tough, and he's just trying to get by, before leaving us with some final advice: to avoid jail at all costs. He says: "jail the new slave", which is a reference to the practice of forced labour for inmates in the US penal system. This practice has been observed by many to be a form of modern-day slavery. Following a repetition of the hook, the song ends.

The penultimate track on the album, Get Hi, is a humorous song all about smoking weed. Throughout the song, Danny talks about using cannabis to relieve himself from the stresses and burdens of his day-to-day life. He does so with a lot of self-awareness, recognising that it only gets rid of his problems momentarily. The instrumental is gentle and ethereal, reminiscent of the feeling of deep relaxation many use marijuana to achieve. The first verse contains multiple references to free jazz musicians, likely as a reference to the liberating effect cannabis has on the mind, as well as the similarities between the blowing action performed by the trumpeters, saxophonists, and trombonists mentioned, and the blowing action performed when exhaling smoke. He mentions Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Tommy Dorsey, and Dizzy Gillespie. He ends the verse declaring that weed might be "the love of [his] life". The chorus, performed by B-Real, is delivered in a childlike cadence. This can be seen as having some dark undertones. It's clear that Danny uses weed and other drugs to escape from reality, but given the delivery of this chorus, it suggests that he has had to from a very young age, with weed use causing him to regress into a much younger version of himself, before his trauma. The chorus prescribes weed as a remedy for having a bad day, and then describes taking it first thing in the morning. This is common among weed smokers. Many people start out only using it in the evenings to get them to sleep, and eventually start doing it from the moment they wake up, becoming functional stoners. The second verse consists of Danny listing potential sources of stress: getting dumped or fired, car troubles, and late bills, and suggesting weed as a coping mechanism. During the bridge, Danny recommends to "smoke into [the] face" of problems, but acknowledges that this doesn't actually deal with them. After a repetition of the hook, the song ends.

The final track on the album, Hell For It, is a monument to Danny Brown's determination and talent. He starts his first verse with a couple of biblical references. The first is to the Holy Spirit, after which he remarks: "cannot see reflection in the mirror". This plays on the notion that spirits are invisible, as well as the idea that he no longer recognises himself, likely as a result of his extensive drug abuse. The Holy Spirit is juxtaposed with the title of the song. He uses juxtapositions of holy and sinful imagery throughout the album to contrast his talent with his depravity. Here, it seems that he has found some resolution, having enough clarity to look in the mirror and see that he has lost himself. The second is to Judas, where he compares those around him who are just out for themselves to the betrayal of Jesus. He reflects on the early days of his career, where he cooked and sold crack, and also sold knockoff designer bags, to support his family, while also travelling to New York by bus to record music. He mocks other rappers for not having hard-hitting bars and beats like him, describing them as "carcasses" to show his superiority. The following line: "got me mistaken, Muslim salami bacon", has a few layers to it. "Muslim salami bacon" is an approximate homophonic translation of "as-salamu alaykum", a common greeting in Arabic. "Got me mistaken" refers to mishearing the words. On another level, there is the fact that Muslims don't eat pork, and both salami and bacon are pork products. In this case, Danny is mistaken about the cultural norms of Muslims. This can be seen as a sign of disrespect to the rappers previously mentioned. The final thing to consider - although it is something of a stretch - is that the etymological meaning of "Muslim" is "one who submits". Here Danny is reinforcing the previous assertion that all other rappers are beneath him, while continuing the religious theme of the song. He continues putting down other rappers, this time by claiming that his age and wealth of experience put him far out of their league. He ends the verse once again recalling his earlier days, sleeping in New York studios, and never giving in to self-doubt, affirming his own skill. In the chorus he delivers a firm promise: "I'ma give 'em hell for it". He repeats this at the end of each line with a grim determination. He says that he won't stop putting everything he can into his music until either: "there's heaven on earth", or: "death comes first". The reference to heaven reinforces the religious themes of the song. He starts the second verse by linking "hell" to his upbringing, and commenting on his past addiction to lean, which he used to escape from his grim reality. The next few lines see him acknowledging how his polarising, unhinged personality and habits have held him back and alienated him from people around him. He then describes what he believes to be his calling: "inspire your future with my past". He wants his music to serve as a cautionary tale for people who struggle with addiction and trauma similar to his. He goes on to say: "wanna cry right now, so I'm wishing that it rain". He feels that he can't show any weakness, so he wants it to rain so that he can hide his tears. This line is a reference to a song by The Temptations: I Wish It Would Rain, in which the narrator is mourning a relationship with a woman, and hopes that it will rain so that he can cry to "ease the pain". He condemns the culture of focussing on record sales and radio plays, declaring his music to be more "real", as it focuses on lyricism. He namedrops Iggy Azalea, who was in the same XXL Freshman Class as him.  He dismisses her as being nowhere near his level, and notes how wrong it is that she would even compare herself to him. He ends the verse stating that he has little interest in fame for its own sake, instead wanting to use music to establish his legacy. The chorus repeats, and Danny ends the song, and the album, with one final repetition of: "I'ma give 'em hell". The last word echoes and distorts as the beat fades out.

The album artwork is a distorted image of Danny's face, with his right side melting off to expose the skull underneath. This represents Danny giving us a glimpse at what is beneath the surface of his public persona. The album is marked by its honesty, introspection, and self-awareness. The album's title is taken from the title of a Joy Division song. Throughout the album, Danny deals with many of the same dark themes that Ian Curtis, the frontman and lyricist for Joy Division, dealt with in his own work.

The first time I listened to this album, I found Danny's vocals grating to begin with, and didn't have high hopes for the experience as a whole, but by the end of the album, I was transfixed. His squawking vocals work with the gritty instrumentals and unhinged lyrics to amazing effect, creating a vivid image of a life completely off the rails. I was struggling severely with addiction at the time I first listened, and although I was nowhere near the levels of substance abuse that Danny describes, the album served as a wake-up call for me, a grim portent of what could be - if I didn't get my act together. As Danny says in the last song, this was his intention all along. It wasn't an instant fix, of course. It has taken me a long time to get to a place where I no longer feel reliant on substances to escape from reality, or even that I need to escape at all. I have had several relapses in that time, both in the shape of moments of weakness, and occasionally outright rejection of my attempts to get better. This album has been there with me through it all, and it gets better with every listen.