Released: 2022 • Features: Morgan Wallen
In “Broadway Girls” by Lil Durk featuring Morgan Wallen, the tune operates on the intersection of hip hop and country music, telling a tale of fleeting attraction, false promises, night life, and the lure and pitfalls of fame. It’s a cautionary allegory about the Broadway girls, representing the women they encounter in their careers – those primarily interested in their success and fame rather than who they are as individuals.
The first verse sets the stage with Morgan Wallen meeting a girl at a bar, “Aldean’s,” presumably a popular joint on the Broadway. The girl shows immediate interest, but also shows signs of being superficial – she says she doesn’t like his dancing and draws attention to his fame. His response, “You don’t have to join in,” underscores the detachment between them; it’s a dance of attraction, but ultimately hollow.
The hook then reinforces this message: “Oh, there’s two things that you’re gonna find out: They don’t love you, and they only love you right now.” The phrase “right now” signifies the temporary nature of the attraction these “Broadway girls” have for them. It’s a stark revelation that if he was “smarter,” he’d avoid these women, but the allure is too strong to resist.
Lil Durk’s verse plays brilliantly off Wallen’s, offering a hip-hop lens to the same narrative. In Durk’s world, the “Broadway girls” are out to “finesse” him – that is, manipulate or trick him for personal gain. His statement, “They see me with Morgan and know that I rap,” elucidates the girls’ motives; they’re interested in his status, not him. Symbolically, he reflects the intersectionality of their genres and cultures with lines like “My horse is Porsches,” revealing the amalgamation of country and hip-hop elements – the horse from the country side and the Porsche representing the urban scene.
The chorus is repeated a couple more times, reinforcing the central theme. Towards the end, we get an inkling of desire for something more genuine: “Oh-whoa, think I oughta settle down and find me somethin’ I can take back to my hometown.” But again, the narrative circles back to the inescapable trap of the Broadway girls, concluding on a melancholic note – a seeming endless cycle of hollow encounters.
In sum, “Broadway Girls,” is a vivid portrayal of the fleeting and often superficial connections that can come with fame, serving as both an existential reflection and a warning to those who might find themselves in similar positions.
