Album: Insomnia (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the opening track from Tottenham MCs Skepta and Chip and D-Block Europe's Yung Adz joint album Insomnia. The record originated with a project that that Clip and Adz were working on, and gained further momentum when Skepta signed on. "It was all in one room, sleeping on the floor, waking up, like proper work," Chip told Apple Music. "It was straight, organic. Sometimes you might even just run in there and put something down first. Just straight bouncing off each other, whatever works best for the track."
  • Skepta also produced the track. It was the first beat that Skepta sent to Chip, and the rap veteran thought it was something Adz would like to jump on. Chip recalled to Apple Music that at that point Skepta and Adz had never met and this was the first song the three did together. "Adz went in, we just kept going back to back, off the back of it," he said. "And after the first song we had a chat. 'You all right, mate? How are you doing?' They're both more…anti. I'm the middle generation that connects them both."
  • "Mains" is the name of Skepta's streetwear brand. Young Adz references it in his verse.

    Got a gun in my brother's crib
    And if we see 'em on the mains, that's fire on the mains
    Got a little three-two concealed in my boxers, call that fire in the mains


    Mains boxer shorts are one of the primary items from Skepta's range of clothing.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes

Chris Robinson of The Black CrowesSongwriter Interviews

"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin Popoff

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.

Second Wind Songs

Second Wind SongsSong Writing

Some songs get a second life when they find a new audience through a movie, commercial, TV show, or even the Internet.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.

Bible Lyrics

Bible LyricsMusic Quiz

Rockers, rappers and pop stars have been known to quote the Bible in their songs. See if you match the artist to the biblical lyric.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.