Intro

TheWeeknd, also known as Abel Tesfaye, is debatably one of the best artists in the world right now. He is known for his alternative R&B, pop, and hip-hop. He is mostly known for having dark themes in his songs talking about his early life while being homeless, using heavy drugs, and his love twisted love life. This song comes from the album “Starboy” which was known as his comeback album as he reached the beginning of his peak.

Song Review

This song begins by talking about how one of his old producers, Jeremy “Zodiac” Rose, claimed to have made TheWeeknd for producing the songs that rose him to fame, “What You Need”, “The Morning”, and “Loft Music”. TheWeeknd takes a direct hit towards Jeremy stating “Well, if they really made me, then replace me”. The song starts by showcasing a beautiful-sounding guitar that gets you feeling groovy. He talks about his early career as a teenager living in Canada using “sidewalks” as a metaphor to represent his journey. He continues to rap about growing up with no father which is mentioned at different times in his music. When the chorus hits you can’t help but sing along with “Sidewalks saved my life, They don’t ever lie”. Every time it replays, the more catchier it gets. Then Kendrick Lamar comes in rapping adding a good contrast from TheWeeknds soft voice. Kendrick talks about his life experiences, gold diggers, and the “Starboy” lifestyle. He starts to go off with bar after bar talking both TheWeeknds dark journey and his own story.

Final Thoughts

The first time listening to this, I wasn’t an initial fan of Kendricks feature on this song. I thought it was a little too intense with how hard he went off but it was also the fact that I didn’t know who he was at the time. This was back in 2017 when I barely listened to music so I had no idea who he was but after time has passed I’ve grown to like it. Once I realized that this was a reflection of both their lives with high amounts of fame, it gave the song a different vibe. The production on not only this track but the entire album is amazing. The song has a hint of classic blues with the guitar and the combination of modern sounds is perfect. A song that recaps TheWeeknds life from poverty to fame, walking through the sidewalks.

My score: 8.7/10

Let us know your thoughts of the song and the review in the comments.

GENRE: HipHop
ARTIST: TheWeeknd
Song Link: https://youtu.be/sK-T-cmznY8?si=v9gKbXGq__3URuyt