Released: 2018
With “BAD!” by XXXTENTACION, we’re diving into a track that expounds on the artist’s relationship with a lady who loves his bad boy vibes. This joint dives deep into the pull-and-push dynamic in their relationship, showing us the highs and lows, the twists and turns of their connection, all while celebrating the emotional intensity it carries.
Let’s kick this breakdown off with the opening lines “Shawty heard you bad, word, so profane / Something like a bad word, want your love / Call me when you can.” Here, X is, metaphorically speaking, comparing himself to a “bad word,” conjuring up that toxic, yet irresistible image. Shawty (a term of endearment referring to a young woman) has heard about his bad-boy rep, and she’s drawn to it. Why? ‘Cause bad can sometimes mean intriguing and tantalizing in the twisted dance of romance. The “call me when you can” bit? That’s him inviting her into his world, showing her the door, but letting her pull the handle.
Like a beat that keeps coming back, X repeats the line “Girl, going up, going down / In and out, turn around,” here painting a picture of the rollercoaster-like nature of their relationship. These lines ain’t just about physical intimacy, nah. They’re about emotional highs and lows, the ecstasy and the agony, how love can lift you up one moment and slam you down the next.
Your attention gotta be caught by this part, “I might be insane, yeah / But I love the pain, yeah / Feel it in my brain, yeah, oh.” This is an admission from X about how he might be a little twisted for enjoying the pain that comes with love. This thrill of living on the edge, feeling the sting in his brain, it’s all part of the addictive cycle of a love that’s both healing and destructive.
It’s crucial to note when X spits “Real life, she just wanna heal right / ‘Cause I give them chills, right.” He’s acknowledging that their relationship is not a fantasy, but a part of their real lives. She’s looking for healing, but he’s aware that his bad-boy aura gives her those irresistible chills. It’s like he knows he’s the poison and the antidote at once, and she can’t get enough of it.
With “BAD!” XXXTENTACION serves us an evocative exploration of a love laced with danger and allure. The repetition of the chorus contributes to the hypnotic dance of their wild romance, illustrating that intoxicating loop of falling in love with the bad boy, embracing the pain that comes with it, and turning around to do it all over again.
