Released: 2020
Boasting a lush, cinematic production by Hit-Boy, “One Way Flight” by Benny The Butcher, featuring rap heavyweight Freddie Gibbs aims to dissect the troubling dynamics of material success, the relentless pursuit of it, and its impact on personal relationships. This gritty street anthem comes soaked in the harsh realities of hustling and the relentless grind, taking you deep into the trenches of their collective experiences.
The song begins with Benny inviting us to stop questioning and just listen, taking us on a journey through his past. The line “She catch a one-way flight to kick it wherever I’m at / So if she want to stay, then the bitch’ll never come back” aptly portrays the transient nature of relationships in a life as unpredictable as his. He talks about his ascension in the rap game, making it clear in lines like “This year three in the beginning of a ten-year run” that he’s in for the long haul.
Symbolic lines like “What’s more important, the flower or the soil that grow it?” center the discourse around the struggle and the process more than the success itself. He smartly reminds his listeners not to get lost in the ephemeral victories, or else they might end up back to their old habits.
The hook, “Phone so burnt, I need my pager back / Trips with that work, my baby made it back / I fuck with them hoes, I know she hated that / You gon’ cry in that Toyota or this Maybach?” essentially captures the dichotomy of the street life – the trials but also the luxuries it affords them.
Midway through the song, Freddie Gibbs delivers a hard-hitting verse in his signature form. He talks about controlling his girl’s OnlyFans, a nod to the modern trend and potentially a commentary on how he’s mastered the game in every aspect. The line “Butcher and the Rabbit, got damn it, check our credentials / Hoes get fucked and sent home early just like the Clippers” carries a clever basketball reference, asserting their dominance and comparing their dismissal of women to the LA Clippers’ early playoff exit.
In summary, “One Way Flight” is a compelling narrative of two rap titans reflecting on their trials, tribulations, and triumphs, positioned in a reality that is far removed from the glitzy lights of mainstream success. It’s a raw, unfiltered slice of their lives, served on a chilling, atmospheric beat-four minutes of genuine, unapologetic street tales.
