The hip-hop boy band Brockhampton recently released their fourth studio album, iridescence, the first in their newest trilogy, “The Best Years of Our Lives”. The album brings a distinct new sense of the band, without giving up the production value or personability that BROCKHAMPTON is known for.  

One influential song was WEIGHT, which goes into the members’ experience with pressure, drugs, and even self-harm as their lives gained publicity. While the music industry has always struggled with issues surrounding drugs, recently these problems seem to have become more abundant; from the death of artists like Lil Peep and Mac Miller. The song’s use of adlibs like “scared” and “pressure” portray how the members truly feel about their lives as they’ve merged into the mainstream. Before WEIGHT’s release, few people knew of the band‘s history of drug usage, but WEIGHT showcased their heavy consumption.

Listening to WEIGHT truly presents the rise and downfall of real people with real problems, constant issues that they have to deal with, and an overall insight into the lives of people that you would think have it all planned out.

This is Brockhampton’s first album since their $15 million deal with RCA Records, a label with many profound artists such as David Bowie, Justin Timberlake, and many A$AP Mob members, among others. Another first for the group- iridescence is the first album released not featuring Ameer Vann, who has disappeared from the public eye. Previously one of their best and most notable rappers, Vann was removed from the bandright at the group’s peak as a result of sexual assault allegations.

The allegations began with the #MeToo movement on social media, where some celebrities have been put in the spotlight for their past and recent accounts of sexual misconduct. The tag itself, #MeToo, is meant to bring support to survivors of sexual misconduct, and show that cases are common, and the community supports each other. #MeToo has been a showcase of people coming together to remove predators from the industry, like in the case of Ameer Vann.

While iridescence doesn’t specifically speak on Ameer’s role or how his departure from the band has affected their dynamic, his removal has become a chance for other members to come into the spotlight.

Even with the rough year BROCKHAMPTON has had, iridescence managed to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart within the first week. Since then, however, the album’s success has only declined.The album is a powerful piece on how they sustain their popularity and welcome new fans even though they know that fame comes with a toll.