In a new profile, Brockhampton frontman Kevin Abstract said he doesn’t think the group gets enough respect in the world of hip-hop despite all their success.
Throughout the group’s career, the members have maintained that they’re a boy band. They’ve experimented with a number of disparate approaches and frequently played around with genre, but in proudly calling themselves a boy band there’s perhaps been some expectations placed upon them.
Speaking with GQ, Kevin suggested that the “all-American boy band” tag could have impacted how some rap fans perceive Brockhampton.
“My goal for us was to be a rap group who called themselves a boy band," said Kevin, who just recently released his solo single "Slugger" featuring SNOT and Slowthai. “But now a lot of rap fans look at us like a boy band—or like soft music—so they write us off. We're always overlooked in that way. And I want to be respected in the rap world more, 'cause that's the shit I listen to. It's made me feel like, ‘Damn, people still don't really view us as true MCs. True rappers.’”
Brockhampton released Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine earlier this year to critical acclaim, and the group is gearing up to drop its last studio album later in 2021. On the decision to call it quits, member Bearface added, “We didn’t have that many more albums in us.”
Back in March, Kevin revealed to fans that the two albums from BH this year will be their last. Producer Romil Hemnani said that it feels like a good time to close the book on Brockhampton, although it definitely won’t be the last we’ll be hearing from all the members.
"Everybody's given their life for the last 10 years,” said Romil. “And at a certain point, people deserve to give their lives to themselves. So it feels like it's time to let everyone just spread their wings and do the things that they want to do. Being in a group, I love it so much, but there's also compromise. And I think everyone kind of deserves the shot to do what they want—no compromises.”
