Released: 2017 • Features: Trippie Redd
“Fuck Love” by XXXTENTACION featuring Trippie Redd dives deep into the turmoil of a fractured relationship, underlining the pain of betrayal and the fear of being left alone. At the crux of this track are the emotional extremes—yearning for love to stay, while at the same time pushing it away because of the hurt it’s caused. Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty of these verses and break it down bar-for-bar.
At the jump, Trippie Redd hits us with a plea mixed with a warning in the hook, “Baby, I need you in my life, in my life. Please, bae, don’t go switchin’ sides, switchin’ sides.” The word “bae” is a term of endearment, slang for baby or babe. He’s saying he needs his partner’s presence consistently, fearing they might switch sides—basically, he’s afraid that his partner may flip loyalty or affection, which would be akin to betrayal. “Switchin’ sides” could refer to infidelity or simply shifting emotional support to someone else. When he follows with “I swear this is where you reside, you reside,” it’s like he’s reminding his partner that their home, their safe place, should be with him. But he’s conflicted, right? Hence the title of the track—this love is causing so much pain that he questions whether it’s worth holding onto.
The chorus echoes this internal conflict, begging, “Please don’t throw your love away.” On the surface, it’s a straightforward request not to end the relationship carelessly. But “throw your love away” could also be interpreted as not squandering the love they share by acting in ways that damage the connection—like “switching sides.”
Then XXXTENTACION leaps in, delivering a visceral picture of the aftermath of love’s collateral damage: “I’m nauseous, I’m dyin'”—he’s physically ill, completely overwhelmed by the emotional pain. The line “She ripped my heart right out” is a graphic illustration: the betrayal felt like a violent extraction of his emotions. “Can’t find her, someone to (My eyes are all cried out)” shows the desperation and confusion post-breakup, alongside a feeling of exhaustion from being so emotionally spent. When he gets into “Lost it, riots | Gunfire inside my head, I’ve | Lost it, riots | Gunfire inside my head”, the violence of the metaphor escalates; “riots” and “gunfire” depict a mind in chaos, tormented by the end of the relationship and consumed by a turmoil that’s loud and destructive, like a riot.
Throughout “Fuck Love,” XXXTENTACION and Trippie Redd tap into a raw nerve of emotional brutality brought on by love gone sour. The self-contradictory call to hold on to a love that’s both craved and reviled is a common thread that many can relate to. It’s a rollercoaster of needing someone and fearing losing them, but also recognizing the pain they’ve caused and wanting to push it all away—a complex dance of attachment and detachment that defines this gripping track.
