I gotta geek out over the NF EP release FEAR happening next Friday…
It’s not just that it’s NF and I’ve been a fan of his for 10 years, it’s the artistry, mastery, genius, and arc that has me beyond hyped.
Follow along for the ride.
First, the artwork.
But if you know NF, you know his layers have got layers.
To any average NF fan, the connection is immediate.
The Mansion is burning down.
Rewind to ten years ago.
The 1st hint
Mansion ft. Fleurie.
Check out the highlighted lyrics.
Easy connection to make. Just the start.
10 years ago, he wishes he could burn this whole room to the ground. (Whose room? 😳)
He then says “I think I’ma burn this room right now.”
10 years ago.
Now we have an entire mansion burning.
But Mansion isn’t the entire picture.
Because 8 years ago, NF drops this track…
Intro III -
Opening line “What, are you scared of me?”
NF and Fear in a back and forth.
The references to fear are plenty.
Fear clearly has a room in the mansion.
There’s even the double-meaning of “I’m flattered you put me in Mansion”
Not done yet…
There’s another thread developing here in regards to the basement.
NF and Fear had it all mapped out in the basement.
It’s a nod to the architecture connecting Mansion to Intro III
And now in 2025, there’s more than we saw 8 and 10 years ago.
Here’s the next development…
In Mansion, NF says “You might get a glimpse of how I cope with all this anger in me” before the lyrics I highlighted before
On a purely psychological level, there’s no surprise fear and anger are connected.
On an artistic level, NF dropped a hint…
When he’s talking to Fear in Intro III, he says, “I wrote a song for Johnny without you.”
And then “I wish I was buryin’ anger, but both of us know I’ma need him for that song, he still lives in the basement.”
This gets even deeper still when you remember these lyrics…
“Then took me downstairs and beat me 'til I screamed and I cried
Congratulations, you'll always have a room in my mind”
The connection between anger and fear insinuating abuse. Johnny being the perpetrator of that abuse.
NF wrote a song for Johnny without Fear, but he needs…
Anger to be able to write that song.
“But both of us know l'ma need him for that song (that song), he still lives in the basement”
It’s hard to guess from the track list where the Anger theme is going to develop, but the connection between mansion, fear, and anger is there…
And lastly,
Fear
Home
Who I Was
If that doesn’t tell you NF is an architect after everything I just shared, I don’t know what will.
Again, the layering is going to be incredible.
I’m done rambling now.
Shoutout to @nfrealmusic for being a lyrical genius and musical mastermind.
Can’t wait for this EP.
@nfrealmusic @threadreaderapp unroll.
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