In September, Futuristiks: Mike & Keys released their song titled "She Lost".
Song breakdown
In the chorus, which is transcribed below and repeated three times throughout the song, "Huey Briss" tells of his own ambition and power. Or rather, he laments on how often he has to tell of his own bravado, "how many times I gotta tell". He and his crew are "like helicopters", and they aren't "the type that want to chill". The imagery of helicopters sticks out as intrusive and aggressive. I immediately think of the police helicopters hovering over the most recent protest I participated in, which centered around womens' reproductive rights. I am sure, however, that helicopters have played an implicitly threatening role in many other protests in recent history. Following up with telling the audience "we on top, you gotta deal with it" and saying 'no chill' in so many words cements the aggression and dominance inherent to the chorus. Even the end of the chorus, consisting of the refrain "get money", features another type of dominance and power imbalance, the financial kind. While the hyperfocus on monetary wealth may seem encouraging to young men who want to provide for themselves and others, it can also be perceived as threatening to people who have not traditionally been able to achieve high incomes. While people who suffer from disability or chronic illness come to mind, what also comes to mind is the women who sacrifice their own career ambitions for the sake of their family, acting as caretakers for the elderly, rearing children, and maintaining a home. The financial power imbalance between men and women can be harmful, in a frighteningly intimate way.
[Chorus (Huey Briss)]
How many times I gotta tell, tell,
like helicopters, but we built different, built different
we on top, you gotta deal with it, deal with it,
we ain't the type that want to chill,
we want the meal tickets
How many times I gotta to tell
get money, get money, money
How many times I gotta to tell
I'm trying to get money, get money, money
Hearing the hook, which tells a woman that she is "lost" and "needing someone to call", comes across as a non-sequiter to some extent. However, one might consider that these two topics are related. First, the male-vocalist dominated song builds up the male persona, transforming it into something superhuman. (Pretty much "I identify as an attack helicopter"). Then, in the hook, the woman is told that she is low and in need. Finally, the hook ends with the aside, "but I can't get too involved", implying the woman will be abandoned by the male speakers.
[Hook (Watr?)]
Lost, now you're lost,
now you're lost and now you're needing someone to call,
Now you're lost, needing someone to call,
but I can't get too involved
[Hook Outro (Watr?)]
she's lost x7
One could reason that the chorus and hook were written independently, and indeed the hook seems to be delivered by someone other than Briss, however Briss's verse independently disrespects women to a notable degree. The verse uses the b-word five times and the word hoe twice, often for no linguistic purpose. More explicitly, Briss comments how he won't "give these women an inch" and how "she ain't perfect though". While these lyrics in isolation don't convey masochism, the context they appear in — a song about a woman who is supposedly lost — are a cause of concern.
Is she truly lost?
If I had to guess whether the subject of the song, the woman, is lost, I would say yes, but truly no.
First, yes, from the perspective of the speaker, she is lost. The speaker admits that he "can't get too involved", and one might guess that he is choosing not to "find" her. Perhaps the speaker has other options and focuses, but one would wonder why not write a song about them. The hook shows the man is still thinking about her, but is unable to get involved to find her, and thus he has lost her.
I have met a lot of women in my life, and I know very few who are truly lost. My guess is that the subject of the song knows exactly where she is and wants to be. While the song tells that she is lost, in her own true sense she may have found herself.
Feelings of inadequacy afflicting the speaker could perhaps explain the bravado and machismo that carries through Briss's words, as he brags about his callousness, ambivalence, and inflexibility toward women.
Aside on Cedxric's verse
Cedxric delivers the second verse of this song, and it doesn't seem to fit the same story as Briss's, but it does deliver its own fascinating details. The section beginning with "Lying sister's killers" and ending with "you know a gang with us" tours the listener through a whirlwind of emotions and relationships. Starting with a vengeful brother and his sister, quickly shifting to a father and abused daughter, then to a woman and her lover, finally to the whole gang. Interrupted by abuse, addiction, murder, and trauma, the subjects of these verses relate to each other in chaotic, violent, and unhealthy ways. The picture painted is intriguing and leaves a person pondering.
Full lyrics
[Chorus x1]
[Hook x1]
[Hook Outro x1]
[Verse 2 (Huey Briss)]
Little did you know I was him, hope it was worth it though
Wouldn't give these women an inch, don't take it personal
N*s runnin mouth for the b*, but she ain't perfect though
I went to pound town with the b*, I know XXX
N* palms itching but barely scratching the surface though
N* fake rich but when I seen him he wasn't working though
When shit popped off from the North, I was the first to know
My n* jumped off of the porch, before he learned to smoke
Got ten years for the case but he ain't crying though
teardrops all on his face, yeah we supplying those
n* pick locks for the safe, b* what you crying for?
Huey Briss when I'm on stage, but b* I'm Brian hoe.
if n* ain't talking about Ms, what you signing for, weirdo? [laughs]
n*s ain't living like them, 'cause b* we grinding hoe
[Chorus x1]
[Hook x1]
[Hook Outro x1]
[Verse 2 (Cedxric)]
They can't say I don't represent my city well
Compton on my back like a n* shell
My block in one hand, like a Philly shell
My n* doing pretty well, to come from where we live and dwell
Lying sister's killers tell, my angel told me give 'em hell
Heard daddy gave her angel dust, I know we should hang it up
I don't got free will, cause good pink will have you tangled up
A whole lotta pain with us, and you know a gang with us
You ain't caught a body, you can't hop inside this range with us
This ain't nothing strange to us, I'm telling the truth
And my n* brought some chains with us, we been in the booth
I can get a saucy way, I gotta live in the juice (XXX)
N*, water forever like infinity pools, I'm gone
[Chorus x1]
[Hook x1]