The music of $uicideBoy$ varies between different sub-genres of rap; while some songs have melancholy tones with lyrical content that focuses on subjects such as depression and suicidal ideation (topics not widely exposed in rap music), others are wildly aggressive, with themes of violence and sexual content. Some of their music is based around life growing up in New Orleans; song titles such as Audubon, Tulane, Elysian Fields and St. Bernard reflect streets and neighborhoods that influenced the life of Arceneaux and Petrou. A large portion of their music focuses on depression and its symptoms, an angle not often received in mainstream hip hop; Arceneaux elaborated on this in an interview with Mass Appeal, stating, “A lot of people take it as emo, or depressed music, or negative music... it’s really just connecting. It’s therapy, through music". Excluding occasional guest producers, the entirety of Suicideboys' discography is self-produced, mainly by Arceneaux under his pseudonym Budd Dwyer (an homage to the former politician of the same name).
$crim was born Scott Arceneaux Jr. on April 11, 1989 in Marrero, Louisiana. Arceneaux originally was inspired by T-Pain and Kanye West to produce music, buying his first laptop which he used to start DJing with money gained from selling drugs. Arceneaux's passion for DJing extended when he started to attend Delgado Community College, where he was hired to DJ parties. He also worked selling used furniture, getting fired for his new hand tattoos after three years.
Ruby da Cherry was born Aristos Petrou (Αρίστος Πέτρου) on April 22, 1990 to an American mother and Greek Cypriot father. Raised in Metairie, Louisiana, Petrou's interest in music began when he was seven, playing violin and then drums when he was ten, eventually joining bands in middle school. He worked at his father's restaurant as a waiter, a job he held until 2015. His experience with the punk rock scene continued as he joined the band Vapo-Rats as its drummer; however, disillusioned with the apathy his bandmates showed towards the future of the band, Petrou left in order to pursue a career in hip-hop with Arceneaux.
Arceneaux and Petrou are cousins, and as such shared a close relationship growing up. Realising that both were interested in taking a musical career seriously, and both dissatisfied with the direction of their lives, the two formed Suicideboys, making a pact that if their musical career didn’t work out, they would both commit suicide. Elaborating on this in an interview with Mass Appeal, Arceneaux states that, “it was pretty much like cutting the hand, bleeding, and making a pact that there’s no plan B, that if this doesn’t happen by the time we’re 30, I’m blowing my head off”.
The duo's first project together, a three-track EP named Kill Yourself Part I: The $uicide $aga, was released in June 2014 on SoundCloud and Bandcamp, attracting attention for their collaboration with notable underground rapper Bones. In the following months, the duo released a further nine iterations of the Kill Yourself series. After a number of collaboration EPs with fellow underground artist Black Smurf, their first full length project titled Gray/Grey was released on March 3, 2015.
Suicideboys' underground breakthrough came with the release of 2015 EP $outh $ide $uicide, a collaboration with established South Florida rapper Pouya, which thrust the duo into the underground rap spotlight. Other 2015 releases include 7th or St. Tammany, YUNGDEATHLILLIFE, High Tide in the Snake's Nest, Grey Sheep EP, I No Longer Fear The Razor Guarding My Heel (part I and II), My Liver Will Handle What My Heart Can't, Now The Moon's Rising and G.R.E.Y.G.O.D.S. with fellow g59 rapper RAMIREZ.
The duo's first foray onto the mainstream musical charts came with the release of Radical $uicide in the summer of 2016. The five-track EP, produced by EDM musician Getter, peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Rap charts. Other 2016 releases include Dark Side of the Clouds, Grey Sheep II, Eternal Grey, I No Longer Fear The Razor Guarding My Heel (part III), G.R.E.Y.G.O.D.S.I.I. with [artis]RAMIREZ, DIRTYNASTY$UICIDE with GERM, and Black $uicide Side C with Black Smurf.
In 2017 the boys released another 10 iterations of the Kill Yourself series, they also dropped DIRTIERNASTIER$UICIDE, with GERM.
On September 7, 2018, their debut studio album I Want to Die in New Orleans was released. A statement posted by the duo's official Instagram account stated, "We started recording this album in the beginning of 2017. Initially we wanted to write about our experiences on the road and express how our lives had become slightly more extravagant."
In late 2018, a rumor arose that the group had broken up following a series of ominous tweets. However, they soon clarified that the tweets were in relation to "personal issues" facing Arceneaux, and that they had in fact not broken up.
AITE BET.
$uicideboy$ Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Latin texts found under Rome
Swarming storms
I′m forming horns
I'm pouring O′s in styrofoam
Ignoring hoes I might go home
Torn in two the guts get thrown
Them blunts get blown
Spend some money now I'm broke
I ain't worried bout it though
I′ll get some later down the road
Root of all that′s evil i know
666 times for my soul
Slit my wrist I'm sinking low
Lit my list i′m burning slow
Wish for bliss and turn to stone
One time for the projects
Two times for the 7th Ward
3's up for the misfits
$uicide we can′t be ignored
Smoke I be blowing put holes in the ozone
Ruby times $lick we smoke out to the O gone
Couple xanbars got me calling to post pone
This bitch who wanna fuck but I can't cuz I′m so gone
Unknown to the world you see
Praised to by the 6 feet deep
Run up if you wanna
Keep a weapon on me
Looking for the right one
I'm the one you seek
Slash, slash
Cut, cut
Cock back
Buck Buck
Claim that you was rough but now you all shot up
Said that you was tough but now you all roughed up
Triple 6 killers and they all fuck ups
The lyrics of "$uicideboy$" in their song AITE BET are intriguing, full of anxiety, and very dark. While listening to the song, it seems that the words express a scenario where the vocalist is in distress and conflict within themselves. The words, "Clouds approach as I move through towns and quote Latin texts found under Rome, Swarming storms. I′m forming horns," give a picture of someone moving from place to place, trying to find solace from their inner storms. However, things seem to be getting worse, as the singer's emotions are evident from lines like "Slit my wrist. I'm sinking low," suggesting they are in a bad headspace and perhaps dealing with some form of mental health issues.
The lyrics depict the singer dealing with life's challenges alone. They feel isolated and as if no one can understand what they are going through. They make reference to the "Root of all that′s evil," which they know, suggesting that maybe this person who is having an internal conflict has lost track of what is right from wrong. Furthermore, they say "666 times for my soul," which depicts a person who is at an extreme in darkness and trying to cope with their afflictions as they struggle with their internal demons.
Line by Line Meaning
Clouds approach as i move through towns and quote
As I travel, ominous signs like clouds start appearing in my surroundings, and I speak cryptic phrases that carry dark meanings.
Latin texts found under Rome
Old, mysterious scripts uncovered in the ancient city of Rome.
Swarming storms
Violent storms attacking my surroundings.
I'm forming horns
I'm becoming increasingly devilish and aggressive.
I'm pouring O′s in styrofoam
I'm filling up styrofoam cups with liquid (possibly codeine) that resembles the letter 'O.'
Ignoring hoes I might go home
I'm avoiding women who are trying to get my attention because I want to focus on my own things.
Torn in two the guts get thrown
My insides are being ripped apart and thrown out of my body, possibly referring to drug-induced vomiting or internal turmoil.
Them blunts get blown
We're smoking marijuana excessively.
Afford it on my own
I'm able to pay for my lifestyle without the help of others.
Spend some money now I'm broke
I've spent all my money and now I don't have any left.
I ain't worried bout it though
Despite my financial struggles, I'm not concerned about my future or well-being.
I'll get some later down the road
I'm confident that I'll be able to access money or resources in the future.
Root of all that′s evil i know
I'm aware of what causes evil actions or intentions to exist.
666 times for my soul
I've sold my soul to the devil, represented by the number 666 for its association with Satan.
Slit my wrist I'm sinking low
I'm at my lowest point, represented by the act of cutting my own wrist.
Lit my list i'm burning slow
I'm slowly destroying a list of things that cause me pain, anger, or other emotions.
Wish for bliss and turn to stone
I want to experience happiness, but I'm unable to feel anything, as if turned to stone.
One time for the projects
A shoutout to urban areas with public housing and low-income residents.
Two times for the 7th Ward
Another shoutout, this time to a specific neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana.
3's up for the misfits
A reference to a sign made with a hand gesture, symbolizing those who are different and don't fit in.
$uicide we can′t be ignored
Our music and message cannot be overlooked or dismissed.
Smoke I be blowing put holes in the ozone
The amount of smoke I exhale is causing environmental damage, represented by the depletion of the ozone layer.
Ruby times $lick we smoke out to the O gone
Both Ruby and $lick are smoking so much weed that they've smoked it all, hence smoking out to the point of being 'O gone.'
Couple xanbars got me calling to post pone
The effects of taking Xanax pills are causing me to put off or delay something.
This bitch who wanna fuck but I can't cuz I′m so gone
Even though a woman wants to have sex with me, I'm too intoxicated to be able to perform.
Unknown to the world you see
People are unaware of my existence or my true self.
Praised to by the 6 feet deep
People only appreciate or acknowledge me when I'm dead and buried six feet underground.
Run up if you wanna
People can try to confront me if they want to.
Keep a weapon on me
I carry a weapon for protection or for violent purposes.
Looking for the right one
I'm searching for the right person to fulfill my desires or interests.
I'm the one you seek
I'm the person who can give someone what they're looking for.
Slash, slash
The sound of a sharp object cutting through something.
Cut, cut
The sound of another cut or slice.
Cock back
To pull back the hammer of a gun before firing.
Buck Buck
The sound of multiple gunshots.
Claim that you was rough but now you all shot up
Someone who claimed to be tough is now injured or killed by a gunshot.
Said that you was tough but now you all roughed up
Someone who claimed to be tough is now injured or physically beaten up by someone else.
Triple 6 killers and they all fuck ups
People who associate with the number 666 are often dangerous and make poor life choices.
Writer(s): Scott Anthony Arceneaux Jr, Aristos Petrou
Contributed by Julia V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Analena Hosack
on For The Last Time
life is hard. i am a 14 y/o struggling with depression. i don't want attention. i don't want anything, i just want to feel better. $uicideboy$ music is the only thing that i can very much relate to, they speak words that i am too afraid to speak. i live in a household of people who don't give a fuck about my mental health. they don't take my words into consideration, so whats the point of going on..."Fuck, I don't see what's the point of going on, no"-...and to those i love, thanks for sticking around. it may sound stupid or cliche that i used that lyric but its true. I'm going through so much and as of right now my life is shit i might be put into a foster home because the legal guardian i am living with dose not want to deal with me anymore. i just want to be back with my biological dad...my bio mom is fighting for custody of me and my twin sister but she abused us for 8 years of our life, "Don't wanna do it again got shit i'm not tryna relive." i have the choice to live with my mom but whats the point there's shit i'm not tryna relive, i'm not tryna be abused again...that's me digging my own grave...literally. but anyways i wanted to say that people who are clinically depressed aren't looking for attention when they post comments about there depression, they just don't know who to speak to about it or maybe they have no one to talk to about it....so think about that next time your going to be mean to someone who is simply trying to get some help. i know I've learned from that mistake because i know so many kids who think its cute, quirky or just simply fun to claim that they are depressed, and those are the people who i'm not okay with because they don't really know how it feels to be so goddamn sad all the fucking time. I've tried committing suicide twice already, and i just simply don't know what to do anymore.