From “The miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in 1998 to SZA’s ”Ctrl” in 2017, music has been the backbone for all women dealing with various types of issues such as heartbreak, drama, relationships, and hardships. Every year, there typically tends to be a certain piece of work from artists that really speak to students around my age. The project is usually relatable to the young adult/teen audiences and draws a lot of attention. This body of work that grabbed everyone by the heartstrings was Summer walkers “Over it”. The 23-year-old face tatted Atlanta native with London roots co-produced “Over it” alongside her award-winning boyfriend ”Londononthetrack”. When summer teased her tracklist that showed off features like Drake, Bryson Tiller, A Boogie, Jhene Aiko, 6LACK, Partynextdoor, and even Usher; fans everywhere immediately preordered the album and patiently waited.
Yes, you read it right, USHER!
This 18 track R&B inspired piece dropped on the first Friday of October and sent fans into a haze of soulful reality. This semester whether you just broke up with your boyfriend, missing your ex, or suffering from long-distance relationships; Summer has a message for you. Click off this article really quick and Stream “over it” as I take you through this roller coaster track by track.
Over it: 1
The first track on the album is named after the title and I think it really sets the mood for the rest of the tracks. “Am I really that much to handle?” Is the first verse we hear and instantly turn the volume all the way up. Summer is discussing how her personality, like every young girl, can get outta pocket. In this track, she’s asking for a man that can handle her when she gets outta line. Obviously not in a violent way, she clearly states “N**** Keep your hands off me!”. This tune is an ode to all the snappy, emotional, girls out there who want a masculine man who can handle their attitude but without getting too aggressive! As women, domestic violence is something we are more likely to experience and with it being domestic violence awareness month she dropped this right on time!
Body: 2
Summer claims this is her favorite track! Sampling 702’s nostalgic hit song from the 90s “Get it together” it’s foggy what Summer wants. She doesn’t really want to stay, and she really doesn’t want to go. Walker claims “I been all in my phone, I got options”; which is super relatable. Have you ever been looking at a bunch of guys blowing up your phone with hella attention, yet you’re stuck on a screen waiting for a guy to reply that left you on reading for 3 hours? Yeah me too girl it’s okay! Summer speaks normality into wanting someone who does you wrong and running back no matter what. Sometimes the person you want can be so toxic for you but things like loneliness, sex, previous feelings, and attachment keep you in that unstable environment. Syncing the heart, mind, and body is what this track is all about. Sometimes you gotta leave the body and heart out of it and use your mind!
Playing games extended : 3
Of course, it’s only 2 minutes *eye roll* Bryson Tiller was a must-have on this track as we needed the male perspective on this matter: showing off bae! Literally discussing how her fame gave her all the designer and luxurious things she’ll ever want; she doesn’t need a man for items! Yet she claims her man drapes her in the latest and spoils her but sometimes simply posting her on the gram makes her happier than any Chanel bag will. ”Did I ever ask you to take me to go shopping in Paris?” Summer ponders. No, she’s right all she ever asked was simply to “Pick up the phone when you alone” and “Show me some love, kisses, and hugs” . Sampling Destiny’s Child “Say my name” summer wants her man to do just that! “Say her name! Whether it’s through her twitter handle or Instagram @ she wants him to show her off. “Never wanted you to stay too long, Just wanted you to show me off” This matter is super relatable to all the couples in this digital age. Females would rather have you flex them on social media and give them attention than just low key sex and gifts! “Swear that you doing the most but we take a picture, can’t post it; How that work?” No really summer how does that work ??
Drunk dialing .. LODT: 4
“Too much patron will having you calling his phone,” I think summer said it best. Summer is calling out all the women who have gone through the “sip and dial” aka the “drunk text” . You know how feelings flare up when alcohol is involved! Summer is addressing how liquor will literally having you calling up your super toxic ex when you know better ! Suddenly the song switches up to a poetic ballad. Summer claims how she loves a man who isn’t mature enough to be in a relationship. “Cause I love you, but I know I wouldn’t wanna wait for your heart to finally see me through”. She refuses to be loved incorrectly. His love isn’t even comparable to the feelings Summer has for him and who can’t relate? We’ve all been head over heels for a person who would switch up on us faster than this track did!
Come thru: 5
Who can get a feature from Usher Raymond? Boss. Usher literally dips back into his pot of 90s hits and samples his own track “you make me wanna”. How Iconic. This upbeat tune tells how a better relationship can be introduced and make you want to leave your current one. Summer has been treated so bad in previous relationships it’s weird being treated correctly “Got my feelings runnin’ on a loop , This ain’t what I’m really used to”. She’s so in love so much so she’d come through at the most insane time of night to be next to this guy. “You make me wanna come thru She’s so In love she’ll drop any guy for this guy! Usher also agrees as they join in for a duet on the chorus. This is definitely added to my boo’d up playlist.
Potential: 6
Standards are something summer is discussing in this piece. She craves a ride or dies that match her hectic life. There’s a man (londononthetrack) that she sees potential in being bae. But, she wants to make sure he really is a rider.”Tell me, baby, will you slide for me?
Keep the Glock 40, holding it down for me”. She adds “When I’m on the low, will you still cover for me?” We all crave a ride or die and summers making her standards known.
Fun girl: 7
Apparently Drake claims it’s his favorite and inspired him at 7:30 am to produce 2 new songs! Acoustic vibes are definitely present. It’s just summer and the guitar head to head. In this tune, she discusses issues about value. She claims she remembers what someone in her past described her as with was a “fun girl”. “I remember what you told me, Said I wasn’t made right, Said I wasn’t cut right, That’s why I’m so lonely, mm, Can’t turn a ho into a housewife That I was just a homie, a fun girl”. These are typically women who do what they want and are labeled as non-wifey types. Summer is not the typical submissive housewife, but she knows her worth. Summer says “’Cause I make my own money and my own moves? Love who I want and love who I choose to, Don’t take no mess and won’t be used” and if that makes her undesirable or unattractive who cares! She’s being her full self regardless. The message is just cause you can do what a man can doesn’t mean you aren’t wifeable! it means men need to accept the notion that women can be independent!
Tonight: 8
“I know it’s been too long, I’ve been on the road too much, Had to get back to ya, back to you, Can’t even play it cool, Thinkin’ of all the nights I would’ve rather been with you, Tonight, I wanna have some good fun tonight”. This track is about having fun and letting loose. We all get caught in our busy schedules and to make time and hang with friends is so important. Work hard, but play even harder. Make sure whatever you are involved in isn’t stressing you out to much. Summer wants us to have a night out and let loose.
Me: 9
“I would never shoot you, baby, Maybe just wave it around, All in your face, yeah” probably one of the most iconic lyrics from this whole album. Walker is discussing how sometimes relationships make us get out of character. Love is so strong of a drug it makes us do crazy things. Summer is talking about a guy that isn’t her first love but he has such a strong effect on her that she feels as if he is her first. How sweet, but wait it gets a little psycho. “Guess you get the best of me, yeah, Bring out the worst, You make a b**** have to go in her purse Or go in her trunk and pull out the strap”. Moral of the stories ladies, we know you love him but don’t let him make you act up!
Like it: 10
Oh yes, just what we needed! Two Atlanta natives go at it in this vibe. 6LACK steps in alongside Walker to talk about fulfilling sexual desires. “I’m so selfish, I can’t help it (No), I need you all to myself, Keep your focus (Yeah), The way I do it, Boy, you don’t need no one else ”. Sex can drive people to obsession, and summer is making it clear that her new lover has her being selfish.
Just might: 11
This one hit home for a lot of women on twitter “What am I missing?”. Summer goes through what every girl who has come and go relationships. You know the Toronto king PARTYNEXTDOOR had to jump on this track. Summer claims to love is a losing game because her relationships feel so temporary. She says she can only get love from men that are corrupted such as “sugar daddies” or “drug dealers”. Due to the fact that summer used to be a stripper, this one was very relatable. Once people label you as a “hoe” it’s hard to get that label off. Summer knows her worth but these relationships are making her question it.
Stretch you out: 12
“N**** be insecure, Claiming that you ain’t doing enough, Claiming that they need more”. Summer reminisces on the realness of destructive relationships. Even with women trying hard it men can make it feel like they aren’t doing enough. “Can’t you see I’m f****g trying? You want sex six times a week, And you never wanna clean up, And you talk to me like s**t, And you handle me too roughly, And at the end of the day, you got the nerve to bring up that b****” yet he claims shes the problem? Summer comes to the conclusion when A boogie hops on the track that the guy isn’t even worth it.
Off of you: 13
This track is exactly what we need this semester to end toxic relationships. “That I ain’t got the time no more, I ain’t gotta cry no more, Cause I’m off of you”. This is the perfect breakup song, honestly had me crying in the club at 2 am. Summer describes the stress of arguing “You won’t even listen, I ain’t even tripping, F*** it, keep it popping, sipping, I’m tired of talking, When our eyes ain’t even locking, Guess I finally got a feeling”. Summer is done with the BS and so should you!
Anna Mae: 14
This sultry tune is for the cheaters LOL! Summer is describing a guy that wants her in his life when he knows both of them are in relationships with other people. He wants her to act like they are together when they are both most definitely cuffed. But he wants to have cake and eat it too! “All alone, we turned off our phones all the way, Your girl drivin’ your a** insane, And you know my n**** don’t play s*** (Oh), I say, “Babe, what are we gonna do?” (Oh), And you say, “We’ll have our cake and eat it too”. Sadly some can relate!
I’ll kill you: 15
Psycho title? Duh, Jhene Aiko doesn’t hop on any track that’s less than that! The two baddies sing about being selfish with their men “Please forgive me, I know that I’m stingy, ‘Cause baby, I’m gang ’bout you, Ain’t playing no games ’bout you”. Summer says how she will literally drag anyone who gets in between the love that she went through hell to get! “I’ll go to Hell or jail ’bout you, boy,”. Imagine someone loving you this much?
Nobody else: 16
This track is one of the most beautiful songs on the track. Summer first teased the song via Twitter by sharing a snippet on the song on July 5th. Walker is expressing how her new relationship is so smooth. He’s perfect, he has the right amount of everything she needs. “Tell me what you see in me, Gotta be something different, You must be made for me, patience is everything”. She hopes to never fall out of love with him and were 100% sure this is about her new bae @Londononthetrack
In conclusion, summer has music for everyone this fall. Whatever you’re going through getting OVER IT!!!