Released: 2022
A’ight, we gonna break down “Kill Bill” by SZA. Straight off the bat, this track paints a vivid picture of the chaotic aftermath of a breakup, illustrating the complex blend of anger, love, jealousy, and yearning that often follows the end of a relationship. The title of the song name drops Quentin Tarantino’s revenge film series, “Kill Bill,” setting up the intense emotions that are about to unravel.
SZA opens the track expressing bitterness about seeing a former lover happier with another woman. The phrase ‘salty’ is slang for being upset or bitter. She then pulls a quick 180 by admitting the maturity of her feelings is questionable. Like she’s almost mocking herself when repeating the line “I’m so mature”. It’s a sarcasm-filled jab at her own jealousy and vindictiveness.
In the chorus, she muses about physically hurting her ex and his new girlfriend, stating, “I might kill my ex, not the best idea / His new girlfriend’s next, how’d I get here?” Whoa, hold up! She ain’t really planning a murder here, y’all. It’s a metaphor for the intense emotions she’s wrestling with. The line “Rather be in jail than alone” drives home just how desperate and alone she feels, willing to face the consequences of her hypothetical actions just to not feel the pain of the breakup.
Moving on, she says “Don’t you know I did it all for us?”. This shows she made sacrifices for their relationship, including getting sober. She then repeats the chorus of contemplating punishing her ex, giving the song a cyclical, almost obsessive feel. It’s like she’s caught in an emotional loop, unable to escape her pain.
By the end of the song, the title “Kill Bill” takes on another layer of meaning. It references her desire to kill the memory of her ex (whose name could be Bill). She wants to erase the pain and sorrow he’s caused her, making the song a raw and emotional exploration of love, anger, and post-breakup carnage.
So, “Kill Bill” ain’t your typical love song. It’s SZA’s tour de force on heartbreak, a dark and twisted exploration of love, loss, jealousy, and revenge. It just goes to show how real SZA keeps it when it comes to expressing human emotions in their rawest form.
