8rae - loves me (not)
Before we get started, it's pronounced Brae (good time to get familiar with that). 8rae brings his soothing voice over some of the catchiest beats I’ve heard. After about a year since his self-titled project “Who TF Is 8rae?”, the Orange County hero adds his fourth single of the year under his belt with “loves me (not)”.
If there’s one thing I can say for certain, it's that this man knows how to slide on any type of beat. 8rae doesn’t hesitate when it comes to creating a catchy hook followed by some of the most well-timed vocal chops in the underground. With such talent, there’s no surprise that Genius drafted the young Filipino-American, onto their distribution roster.
Off of first listen, “loves me (not)” puts us in the perspective of our protagonist who’s moving on to bigger and better opportunities in life, while simultaneously trying to make a smooth departure from his old self. As 8rae enters a new stage in his life, he attempts to ease a past lover’s emotions by giving their story a happy ending instead of an abrupt cancellation. The lyrics set the tone of leaving nothing unsaid before the distance grows between them. As we hear the chorus, it makes you think... if your lover can’t let you go (grow), do they truly love you? While the lyrics carry a heavy weight, the light-hearted instrumental shows us that this is just the end of a chapter in the long series of stories that is “8rae."