Logic’s Everybody — A track analysis on peace, love, and positivity

Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, otherwise known as Logic, has been in the music industry for the past seven years. It was only recently that most people began to learn his name after the release of his latest album “Everybody.” This album focuses on the core issues of today’s society like anxiety, racism, and suicide, causing it to sound like no other album before it. Each track takes the listeners through a different perspective, story, and time period.

1. Hallelujah

The opening song of the album wishes for everyone to open their minds and remain unbiased to what Logic addresses in the album. “Hallelujah” is based off “The Egg” written by Andy Weir. Weir’s short story is the conversation between a deceased man and God (which is expressed more in “The Waiting Room”). In this song, Logic stresses that music is about soul, not the color of one’s skin or the religion a person preaches

2.  Everybody

        “Everybody” is about everyone in the United States and how we are treated. Logic highlights that the United States makes their citizens feel large and empowered, but in reality our minds are focused on little things such as money. The hook concentrates on unity; we all bleed, want love, need something, and are people.

3.   Confess (ft. Killer Mike)

“Confess” is based on the perspective of a colored atheist man who goes into a church late at night, repenting and praying. The song itself is the thoughts of the man as he does this action. He considers what life would be like somewhere else as someone else. His whole life he has been told that “everything will be alright,” but events like being refused a job because of the color of his skin make it difficult for him to have a positive outlook. He inquires if anybody is there or can hear him, and the listener can conclude he is looking above and to the light. However, once Killer Mike comes onto the track, he raps what the man actually says: he questions why God has put African Americans in the position they are in, where they have to betray each other in order to move up in society.  

4.  Killing Spree (ft. Ansel Elgort)

“Killing Spree” reflects on aspects of society we glorify and focus on, specifically social media. In today’s generation, living life through a cell phone screen has become normal. Social media has caused people especially teenagers, to look at others like a model, rapper, or celebrity and fuels a desire to create the same life, even though the viewer most likely never sees the negative parts of such a life. World problems are not being discussed like they should be. We have to go on Twitter or Instagram in order to see the destruction of the world, but in reality we are probably only seeing one fourth of the problems that occur every day. Logic also brings up that if one person does something careless, everybody in that race or religion is blamed. In an interview with Genius, he shares “a guy who is [angry] and Muslim and has no true affiliation to ISIS goes and does something dumb and everybody blames Muslims.”

5.     Take It Back

“Take It Back” shares the perspective of Logic’s life. Born from a biracial family, Logic has faced criticism from both sides of his family. Ever since he was a child, he experienced people telling him what race he actually is. He mentions how everybody around him when he was younger lied to him. For example, his white mother always told him that everyone is equal, while shouting racial slurs towards him and his black father. Logic, who refers to himself in third person, makes a speech about how he always saw life from two sides and that everyone was born equally.

6.     America (ft. No I.D, Black Thought, Chuck D, Big Lenbo)

Each person on this track shares different perspectives on the United States of America. Logic raises the issues of today’s politics and mentions Donald Trump. He refers to the infamous slogan “Make America Great Again,” but emphasizes that it is actually doing the opposite. The lyrics reflect how political views that may be blurred in government causes hatred, racism, and discrimination to be more prevalent than ever. Logic compares our current president to George W. Bush, who was accused of racism during Hurricane Katrina. Logic believes that instead of people taking their anger about Trump out on each other, they should fight back against their president.

7.   Ink Blot (Juicy J)

“Ink Blot” focuses on the perspective of a materialistic rapper, who is only creating this lifestyle for money, thus leading to an inner-conflict with him. He knows he is fraudulent, but he still uses music for monetary gain. The rapper creates a conflict with him, realizing he actually is not himself, but what people want him to be.  

8.    Mos Definitely

“Mos Definitely” is one of the upbeat and positive songs featured on the album. With a fast rhythm, Logic creates a sound that is for everyone. The main purpose and idea of this song is for people to fight. Everyone needs to fight for themselves, their rights and what they believe in. Everybody is beautiful and amazing; therefore, racism should not be happening in 2017.

9.    Waiting Room

        “Waiting Room” is a skit on the album, based on the theory in “The Egg”. In the song of just speaking, God explains to Adam that he is every person who has lived and how he will be reincarnated.  From different life journeys like being a Chinese woman to Brian Fairfax, the 8th Lord Fairfax of Cameron. Asking why God created this place, Adam learns that the meaning of life and the place he is in is to mature. God reveals that Adam is the only person to ever exist, meaning every act of hatred and violence was against him. Every act of kindness and love was extended unto himself. The purpose of walking life in the shoes of every race, sexual orientation, religion, and gender is to truly understand how precious life is.

10.    1-800-273-8255 (ft. Alessia Cara, Khalid)

For the title of this track, Logic uses the number of the suicide prevention line. The beginning of the song reflects on a person contemplating suicide who feels that life is not worth it anymore. Logic reveals how today’s society treats depression and suicide; people can say they are willing to help others with this common problem; however, people will not actually put their words into action. The song shows the progression of the dark period, from the time when somebody questions the value of their life, to almost doing it, and then later on in their life when they are happier than ever before. The message of the song is to show how life does get better, no matter what one may be going through. If you or someone you know are in currently experiencing a dark period in life, take action and call 1-800-273-8255, because everybody deserves to live

    11.   Anziety (ft. Lucy Rose)

Logic uses his third to last song to share his experience of anxiety recalling the first time he faced anxiety. In the song, he mentions that “it was December of 2015 in sunny Los Angeles, California in the heart of Hollywood, I stood next to my wife in a line surrounded by hundreds of other people on our way to watch Star Wars, when suddenly I was engulfed with fear and panic.” After going to the hospital and having the doctors declare it was in fact anxiety, Logic faced confusion, perplexity in the fact that anxiety is what caused him to feel off balance and on the brink of death. At the end of the song, he explains the reason why he wrote this song: “I have anxiety, Just like you, the person I wrote this for, And together we will overcome this feeling, We will remember despite the attacks and constant feeling of our mind and body being on the edge, That we are alive, We will accept our anxiety and strive for the betterment of ourselves, Starting with mental health.”

12.  Black Spiderman (ft. Damian Lemar Hudson)

Diversity is the focal point of this song. In the beginning of song, the first chorus is a culmination of all the perspectives featured on the record. Switching between two perspectives throughout the song, Logic shows how to accept diversity through a gay man and black woman. In the song, his family and society has not accepted a gay man, resulting in his substance abuseto cope with the problems he is facing. Logic changes perspective later on to a strong, black woman trying to find love with an abundant amount of men, but realizing she will only ever need her son. He mentions that everyone should accept each other no matter the skin color, sexual orientation, or religion. The song addresses the relevant topic of racism running through, and it is depicting what is, what should, or should not be.

13.  AfricAryaN (ft. Neil deGrasse Tyson)

        On “AfricAryaN,” Logic talks again about his biracial background and the impact it created on his life. Neil deGrasse Tyson comes in to remind everyone that they are material objects and to worry about the days ahead, not the ones behind them. As deGrasse Tyson says, “No matter how big your bank account is, your grave is six feet under just like everyone else’s. Remember that right here in this moment is all you are guaranteed, and the fact that you are living is what life is all about. So live your life to the fullest, according to your happiness and the betterment of all.”

        Logic made an impact on society in the past year with this album. It started conversations and to help people bond with each other over the same issues discussed on “Everybody.” One powerful moment waswas at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards where he performed his song “1-800-273-8355” along with Alessia Cara and Khalid. With over 5.68 million people watching on television and 7.8 millions views on YouTube, Logic shared his message in a powerful way by having suicide survivors up on stage along with him. This performance caused a fifty percent increase in the number of calls at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

It is said that this is Logic’s last album, but hopefully not; he is one of the only rappers that addresses topics the mainstream media will not touch.