Rex bar but its really hard to see rza, Tyler, or DOOM make a track like this and I'm pretty sure that's what the dude meant by no one else could compare
on a limb here, but outsida tracks and interviews, they could have a chance turn out to be pretty douchey and ruin your whole perception of the artist, and you may also think somebody acts line-by-line like their alias and could be disappointed.
This is easily the most accurate artistic depiction of depression I’ve heard ever. If you’ve ever been breezed to the slightest with some of the topics earl raps about on this, you’d understand. It’s even something about that instrumental, the progression. It feels like a traumatic acid trip, or dream. Very insightful, powerful piece. What adds to it all is that it’s hidden away. Amazing.
"To tell the truth, I'm at a loss of friends Well time waits for no man and death waits with cold hands I'm the youngest old man that you know If ya soul intact, let me know"
Matt Murphy fuck, thought the exact same thing! I used to listen to this last year in December of 2015 when I was dealing with some stuff. Now it seems so weird. I feel different. :,)
"i got my grandmamas hands, i start to cry when i see em" This is relevant as fuck at this moment. This project resonates heavy with me, I'm glad earl made this project. Love you grandma..
ahhhhhhhhh you niggas is cementheads and i dont wanna hear it so lemme pull a kanye ^^^^^^AIN'T NOT SERIOUS SWAY, NAH NAH, AIN'T NO HOLD UP, I'VE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO MAKE JOKES
this track means a lot to me. it has got me through some of my hardest times through out my life of 2015 and 2016. thank you Thebe i greatly appreciate you.
Definitely agree, was super depressed and i can relate to this track heavy and lowkey gets me emotional and this helped me get through a lot of bullshit.
this shit kills when im in silence laying in bed just hearing this shit, body all weak just staring far beyond the ceiling, mind just full of wonders that no one else can imagine but you, can feel your heart sink further down your body and words you wanted to say just gets stuck in your throat, can't breathe and start to black out to sleep and wake up, do shit and repeat later again at night.
pftTWMNK So he should aim to please the masses? This is an ongoing problem with art in general...it's just too hard for an artist to make money by focusing on quality over mass appeal.
+Neal Kelly Production is on point! he pretty much did make an album with this kind of style this year with i don't like shit, i don't go outside. check it out. and if you already heard it, why couldn't this have been on it?
sounds like this one point where i was lost in a haze. and when i hear this im all the way back. its like its happening again its like nothing ever changed. part of me misses it all. the shittiness, the long nights, watching the sun, dreaming, doing jack shit, regretting it all. walkin through life in a different way. cant say how or why but it felt me. it was toxic but it felt more genuine than who i am today fuck
this speaks volume to me, because I have a son going through almost the exact same thing. he's a HUGE fan by the way. I just try to keep him strong, and provide solace for him.
That last verse is something else... damn "I got my grandmama's hands, start to cry when I see 'em, cos they remind me of seeing her, these the times that I need her the most cos I feel defeated" "Time waits for no man and death waits with cold hands" Fire.
It's really shitty being lonely/depressed without drugs. The only thing to ease it would be doing things that interest you. Which is why I have about 80 video games. It really works.
drugs might make it worse. You might find yourself even more depressed when off of them. trust me on this one. everybody needs something to escape reality, so i'm really glad you have something that helps. be safe :)
Right on, King Kingy. To those who are curious about weed/my experience; Some weed strains/batches are not effective/numb you with a shitty feeling, but man... some strains/batches truly fade the depression away and brings out the happy, creative and passionate side of you... it doesn't "high" you, it brings you closer to your happy self... alters your mood thus altering your psychology into realizing that things are not actually that bad as you thought they were prior to you ingesting the herb. this glow is sustained the next day and you feel like treating yourself better, doing something better... because of the herb. it has helped me reevaluate my life and be more aware of my life. that's how it has helped me at least... i recommend. it does not make the depression/suicidal thoughts worse. just make sure you're smoking the good quality, blissful, happy stuff - THIS is where legalization comes in handy. Professional growers label and grow each plant with the knowledge of their medicinal/recreational properties and it is then up to the user to use whichever/however at his discretion. + it will be good stuff, you will not be breaking the law and you will be informed on how much is "too much" and how it is best advised to use it without it affecting your daily life. weed is fucking awesome. when you're not interested in the world, and all that is an appeal to you is the stars - for those who are in a depression (like myself time to time, but have been there hardcore) and see no light in the world - weed is the closest thing to walking in a forest with the moonlight and stars shining, the corruption you feel about your world is no longer as bad, and you are at complete peace and silence with some music. oh, and if you don't enjoy movies/music cause you're too depressed, weed revives that interest and amplifies its goodness by x50, at least for me. so, legalize weed, put it to good use, it was planted on Earth for us beings to use at our own discretion. toke up, lighten up, take it easy brothers and sisters. wish you a good week, keep moving forward. no matter what, there is light, even if you don't see it nor do not want to see it. if you keep patient, keep in touch with the universe and follow its vibrations, the light will find you, and you will feel at peace. peace
Earl and Kendrick imo are two of the best rappers/artists of today because they truly are artists in every sense of the word. They take inspiration from their feelings and experiences and paint the most interesting and vivid pictures through music. They are the only two artists today that can help me through my depression when I'm really feeling low. Earl kinda serves to show me that I'm not alone in my feelings and there are others that feel like me, and Kendrick serves to tell me that everything is gonna be alright I guess lol
it's crazy, thinking about his progression. i dug him before. but now he's grown into this raw, transparent artists, that i can relate to on a frightening level. im happy some rappers are starting to cut the shit and offer their soul to the people. that's where the magic is; that's how i feel at least.
+ted31082 same man, I remember when this first came out and how much I could relate to it. I listen to this and I don't like shit, I don't go outside at least once a week..
social intraverts can get a depressing vibe real quick , Real... shit Earl... A soul who's own body hates everything , like me. despite being pale white I just might be... alone , but ain't nobody knows #ForThelostSouls
i remember when my friend showed me this we was low-key drunk but we ended up shedding tears and in arms no it aint gay lol but his grandmother passed same time this project/song was released idk why i typed this lol but shiet love him man
Rap poetry at it's finest. He obviously moved past his immature stage. He also moved past the lyrical shit he had on Doris which necessarily isn't bad. If huey made music it would be similar to Earl's music now.
This brings be back to a time in my life where it felt like every day was suffocating me, and I felt nothing but loneliness, loss of self, as well as lack of purpose and motivation. Figuratively teetering on the edge of a panic attack. Thanks, Earl! But my soul still straight, though. i thank my family/homies for that.
LiftedGamingLoL ***** Thanks for your time and reply, guys. It's a really tough battle, yeah... I've been battling them demons for 15 bloody years now. Had like 4 years in between where I could breathe again and things were kinda fine until things came crashing down again and it feels like that with each couple years that pass the nest of doomed thoughts gets bigger. So yes, you both got quite a point. But well, what can one do, giving up, naw. I must say Earl is a pretty big inspiration. I'm glad to see he made something out of his life already at such a young age and is so open with everything he goes through (very rare nowadays). He is pretty much one of the very few of this generation that inspire me so much. I'm almost double his age so most of my inspirations always were in the past and it feels good to have some inspiration in the "now", something new and refreshing. :) Especially that someone half my age would inspire me, show a way, is simply amazing. The biggest problem is being so tired and weak from being doomed, lol. It makes it pretty hard to keep going once you threw yourself at something. I'll keep your words in the back of my head. Take care guys and keep going! :)
So, for me, the biggest thing was loss of self. Basically, I drew out on a piece of paper everything that I thought defined me as a person. Stuff I like, memories, jokes, games, activities, stuff like that. My family and friends also being something that defined me, so spending time with them helped. Doing stuff like this, release therapy, is like jumping over a big hurdle. During it, you may experience turmoil, but for me doing it just lifted a huuuge fucking burden off my shoulders. In terms of happiness, I just went back to doing stuff that made me happiest in the past. Almost reverting to a childlike state, but not in a regressive sense. Just doing stuff that gave me the most blissful states. Nostalgia can be a powerful tool. Whenever I feel some type of bad thought coming out the woodwork, I always remind my self "Why think this?" "What purpose does this serve me?" "How will this benifit me?" and they seem to pass me on by, almost as if I never acknowledged them. Hope any of this helps
i could write an entire book describing each and every thought and emotion i had and expressed listening to this. its so inspiring, yet horrifying at the same time.
The track at 2:11 hits me hard. Just the line "I been alone for the longest" really relates to me. I don't want to be a bitch and say i cried to this but fuck, I felt all my emotions come out and tears just started running down my eyes. Idek what I'm doing now... Fuck
No shame in your emotions man. It happens to all of us. That's part of being human. Experience emotions while they last because one day you might not have them...
+dopethecretin that took some major balls to come out and say that, emotions give us life playa. music is for tha soul, if you feel it you know this music shit is real.. One love, hope one day my tracks could give you some to relate or just have an emotional outburst like the one seen here.
Nah but on the real, I fucks heavily with this. Like, depression isn't a cool thing to go through. Ik niggas be thinking that depression is somewhat a sign of struggle and it makes you real especially if you do drugs. But nah, it's fuckin terrible waking up everyday feeling like you have no purpose in the world anymore. Not enjoying the shit you used to love doing. Taking tabs of some shit just to reach that happiness you want. Not trusting any of your so called friends or getting too attached to your girl cause she's the only thing keeping you alive. Yeah. Fuck this tho
Its interesting to note how when the mood of the song changes from the opening three sections, the transition from "show-boaty emotional" into as earl might call a "dissertation", the actual fucking time bar shifts into the pink square. And right as earl hits his emotional peak in the song (im at a loss of friends) it shifts again (but time waits for no man and death waits with cold hands) back into the black abyss earl is comfortable inhabiting, and still makes it sound eerily optimistic. If thats a fluke than cool, but if not its probably some of the best use of colour in what isnt even a music video!
earl music always strikes a chord with me, and this one hit deep. at least i know that i'm not at rock bottom yet. i've typed out this comment like four times and can't get across what i mean, but i wish i could just talk and vibe with earl over shit like this, it's so soothing.
I been alone for the longest. I lost my mom a few years back, found solace in my girlfriend and she left me after 4 years and moved on within a month. I got no friends, my family switched on me everybody left me for dead. I'm just tryna find solace somehow find some reason to keep going. I fuck with the music early man
this shit hits me hard .. I've been going through too much man.. every time I feel depressed I fine straight to this song or other songs from Earl.. great piece man
Early man when you release idlsidgo it spoke to me on a whole new level and with this you raised the bar even higher. This song has been helping me deal with a lot of shit in my life. My girlfriend passed a few months ago and this is exactly what I needed to help get me through the worst pain imaginable. Im still struggling more and more everyday and the pain will never stop but having this to listen to i gain solace for 10 minutes. So thank you for all the art you make I will always be a huge fan. Keep doing your thing man you're helping a lot more than you think
with what’s been going on with my life, I come back to this track to soothe me. it’s a feeling that cannot be explained. hopefully everybody here will find their solace. love y’all for listening to this.
the impact this song has on people in this comment section is fascinating, people posting the lyrics and ther analysis and interpretations of the verses and instrumentals is like we are all trying to collectively understand earl's emotional and artistic sensibilities, trying to make sense of his abstract depictions of depression and pain is in some way, us making sense of our own sensibilities and pains. Truly a work of modern art that shows the genius of earl, the definition of a modern poet
The instrumental at around 5 minutes hits a solid nostalgic feeling in me for childhood memories. Not the defining moments, but the uneventful ones that are just melancholy enough to barely manifest 20 years later.
Part 1: 0:00-2:06 Part One opens with a dissonant howl across softly gliding strings samples and piano keys, with the repeated phrase "I've been here before" This fades into Sweatshirt's first verse. The verse discusses past relationships, drug addiction, eating disorder, and loneliness. Part 2: 2:06-4:56 Part 2 immediately follows Part 1, after a short silence. This part is regarded as the centerpiece of Solace, and discusses Earl's depression, constant overthinking, and lonely state. There are no drums present during Earl's verse during this part of the track, with Earl delivering his verse over a smoked out jazz piano loop from the track April In Paris by Ahmad Jamal. Earl's flow on this track is noticeably less energetic than on Part 1, to the point where his verse feels more mumbled than rapped. The verse ends with Earl saying the phrase "stay in it", which can be interpreted as him staying stuck in the endless cycle of depression, which he metaphorically describes as a sink. As Earl's verse ends, the instrumental continues to play for two bars until a loud creaking noise interrupts the instrumental, which flows into Part 3. Part 3: 4:57-6:20 Part 3 is the first of two main instrumental interludes on Solace. This part is noted for its sharp change in mood from the previous part, almost sounding upbeat. The instrumental is characterized by its light piano and synth leads, and its slow percussion. This instrumental loops for around 1:30, and then promptly fades into Part 4. Part 4: 6:20-8:13 Part 4 is the third and final verse on Solace, with Earl lyrically exploring his drug addiction, depression, and his grandmother's death. The production on this part, similar to Part 2, features no drums. Earl quietly raps over the melancholy instrumental, which is a sole Fender Rhodes piano playing in the background. Part 5: 8:13-10:00 Part 5 is an instrumental outro. It features light horns, synths (which take on the melody for the instrumental), light bass, and a sole drum clap.
This would go between Grief and Off Top. In my interpretation of I don't like shit, I don't go outside, Earl talks about the stages of depression. This would be the 'blackout' phase, where you can't remember anything from that period. Always happens right before you really comprehend you aren't right.
As of the time i'm writing this comment, this will be the last time i'm listening to this project in this decade. I'm thankful that this exists, i hope that you and i, or whoever reads this, will find solace. Life can get better.
I love it too but I think it’s perfect length. Anything more wouldn’t fit into the narrative of the feeling of depression, it leaves you lost just as much as when you are in the dumps there’s hopefully an answer, maybe there’s not but you keep going
I just. Everything is somehow relatable, even the start sounds like some form of drowned, agonizing whaling, but it just transmits how I feel right now, the lack of a very professional production and the more instrumental and seemengly chaotic nature of everything just makes me feel like this was an externalisation of my feelings, god THIS is what art is meant to be, and I just love it
I listened to this entire ep the day I admitted myself to a ward for 4 days, this entire ep speaks to you when you are at your lowest, and it makes me thankful Earl speaks to people in the worst states and makes you realise you aren’t alone Truly I do find solace in this Thankyou Earl
+Wodie While I don't think this should've been on the album, it would have been better than the last track with Vince on it. I'm not saying it was a bad song, but it just broke the whole vibe of the album. You feel
+Black Gold Well, from Mantra to Grown Ups it was depressing. AM // Radio, Inside and Huey were jazzier and more on the happy side. Then DNA and Wool were really agressive and Earl letting out anger with his best friends (Na'kel and Vince).
I saw you yesterday at Coachella with Tyler, who headlined the event. I wasn't even supposed to go to the festival but I got lucky and went last minute. Thank you for bringing art to my hometown area, I'm from Palm Springs. Thank you for still making music, it's gotten me through some absolutely crazy times. Solace is my favorite song of all time, it's sacred music to me, play it at my funeral. Thank you for everything, for making my life feel more magical and meaningful. Peace to the creases in our brains.
