With more and more technological accessibility made throughout the years, audiences now have the option to become the creator. As many musical architects look towards the positives of the newfound convenience in making music, many different acts are born to continue the pattern of recycling flows and release seemingly disingenuous content. However, there have been blossoming petals besides the many thorns throughout the years. Illinois native Lil Hawk Boy is one of the few new artists to emerge pulling in thousands of plays while simultaneously releasing authentic, heartfelt music.
With “crashthewhip,” Lil Hawk Boy contemplates death and what the meaning of his own life entails. Hawk Boy notes that with the recent influx of death surrounding stars of the music community, he heavily stirs internally about the topic. “Most of the time I’m worried about dying instead of living, because I’m seeing all these people I look up to passing and shit and like that could be me,” he explains. “I could be gone tomorrow, you know? And that scares the shit out of me, but at the same time my depression wants to say that everything would be okay, if I wasn’t here and if I died I would be everything I’m meant to be.”
His somber thoughts are laden throughout “crashthewhip,” from his simple yet eloquent lyrics to his legitimate delivery. Beginning the track, Hawk Boy clearly wrestles with his own thoughts.
Imma keep my hopes up // Hoping that I die soon // They don’t want the new me // “They want the old you”
When discussing how the recording process came about for “crashthewhip”, Hawk Boy recalls feeling “real fucked up that day.” “I don’t know what was different but I came home, and I was just so shitty so I made a song with the emotions I had.”
The song was released a little over a week after the passing of one of the most talented and influential artists to come out of the last decade, Mac Miller. Hawk Boy’s contemplation with death had only increased since, as Miller was one of his many influences growing up.
“Mac Miller has always been one of my favorites since middle school, but up until he passed I hadn’t really listened to him, so when I heard his newest project and heard how much his music progressed and matured since I had last listened to him it really fucking bummed me out to know that he wouldn’t be expanding and making more art,” Hawk Boy reflected. “I was just like, fuck man, I don’t want to die until I know my music has reached its peak. Because honestly, his new album is so fucking good and it portrays all of the emotions of how he felt recently.”
Produced by sketchmyname, “crashthewhip” falls away from the usual melodic beats found throughout Hawk Boys catalog. Deep bass simmers beneath Hawk Boy and his emotionally evoking melodies.
“The album art was just something cool to me,” Hawk Boy confesses,“Because I thought if I were ever to die in a car crash it would be a really nice car.”
While the instrumental fades away, Lil Hawk Boy intimately sings into uncertainty at the wheel of this imaginary car.
Crash the whip // I’m sick of this // I hate myself // I’m sick of this
Lil Hawk Boy is undoubtedly on his way to stardom with his signature croon and effective penmanship. “I really just hope the song does good, because it came from a dark place and from the heart,” Hawk Boy acknowledges. “I really do mean the stuff I say in the song, even if it doesn’t seem like it on the surface.”