Home (with Machine Gun Kelly, X Ambassadors & Bebe Rexha)

"Home" is a powerful and introspective anthem about the universal human longing for a place of safety, belonging, and emotional refuge. The song transcends the literal definition of a home as a physical dwelling, defining it instead as a state of mind, a person, or a dream where one can unburden themselves from life's struggles. The core message revolves around the search for solace amidst chaos, pain, and disillusionment. Each artist brings a unique perspective to this central theme. The chorus, delivered with soulful intensity by Bebe Rexha and X Ambassadors, is a direct plea for this sanctuary. Machine Gun Kelly's verses add a narrative of personal struggle, referencing his fight to stay true to his vision despite setbacks and the emotional toll of his journey. He touches on themes of resilience, the pain of seeing dreams turn into nightmares, and the feeling of isolation even in a crowded world. The song suggests that this “home” isn’t a pre-existing place but something one must strive to find, often by looking inward and following one's own feelings.

The song opens with a powerful and universal plea for “home,” not necessarily a physical place, but a state of being where one can release their burdens and feel a sense of peace. The chorus, carried by the emotive vocals of Bebe Rexha and Sam Harris of X Ambassadors, establishes this central theme of seeking refuge and a place to “take this off my shoulders.” It’s a cry for relief from the pressures and pains of the world.

Machine Gun Kelly’s first verse introduces a narrative of struggle and resilience. He reflects on his difficult journey, marked by “miles, feet, inches,” emphasizing the immense effort and distance he has traveled. He asserts that despite the hardships and the constant fight to maintain his position and vision, he won’t be knocked down by minor troubles. There’s a sense of exhaustion and a fading faith, as he admits to aching from the effort of keeping pace and asks for a sign. This verse sets up a conflict between perseverance and the encroaching feeling of despair.

The pre-chorus deepens this internal conflict, posing a rhetorical question about how his dreams have devolved into nightmares and how he lost his grip just when success seemed within reach. This feeling of being so far from his goals that everything seems to have shattered is coupled with a frustration at the inherent unfairness of the world, reinforcing his desperate search for the solace of “home.”

In his second verse, MGK delves deeper into his emotional turmoil, describing the difficulty of maintaining a positive facade when his mind is plagued by “madness.” He acknowledges that the “home” he seeks isn't a tangible location on a map but rather an internal state that must be discovered by following his feelings. He calls for memories to hold onto, hoping to ensure his final days are better. In a moment of defiant prayer, he asks for the strength to face his enemies, personified as “the devil,” and to make it back to his sanctuary safely. This verse highlights the internal and spiritual nature of his quest.

The bridge, a poignant duet between Rexha and Harris, brings the feeling of desolation to a peak. They express a profound sense of loneliness and a sickness for which they have found no cure. The imagery of “crowded streets but I'm all alone” powerfully conveys a feeling of isolation amidst a sea of people, emphasizing that physical proximity does not equate to a sense of belonging. Nothing in their current environment feels like home, intensifying the longing expressed throughout the song. The track culminates in a powerful, layered vocal outro, with all artists repeating the plea to be taken “home,” creating a gospel-like crescendo of raw emotion and shared yearning.

"Home" was created for the soundtrack of the 2017 Netflix original film Bright, a fantasy action movie directed by David Ayer. The song was released on November 16, 2017, and sent to radio on December 5, 2017, as a single from Bright: The Album. It was written by a team including Machine Gun Kelly (Colson Baker), Sam Harris of X Ambassadors, Bebe Rexha, and producers David Pramik and D Phelps, among others. A deeply personal event significantly influenced MGK's lyrics: he wrote his verses on the day he learned of the death of his friend and idol, Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, with whom he was about to tour. Kelly stated that his initial drafts were too dark due to his emotional state, leading him to rewrite his verses 13 times to get them right. The collaboration came together with a shared emotional goal, with all artists recording their parts from a place of genuine feeling. The music video, also directed by David Ayer, was filmed in South Central Los Angeles and incorporates the movie's universe of humans, orcs, and elves to visually represent themes of alienation and solidarity.

The song's rhythmic and rhyming structure mirrors its thematic duality of struggle and release. MGK's verses are delivered with a driving, insistent rhythm that pushes the narrative forward. He employs a mix of perfect and near rhymes, often in couplets, to give his lines a hard-hitting, percussive feel (e.g., "position"/"vision", "witnessed"/"decisions"/"inches"/"distance"). This steady rap flow contrasts with the more fluid, melodic rhythm of the chorus sung by Rexha and Harris. The chorus has a slower, more deliberate pace, with elongated notes on the word "home," emphasizing its significance and the feeling of longing. The overall tempo is moderate, but the perceived energy shifts dramatically between the verses and the chorus, a technique that builds tension and release. The interplay between the sharp, rhythmic verses and the soaring, legato chorus creates the song's signature emotional arc, moving from frantic struggle to a heartfelt plea for peace.

"Home" achieves its powerful emotional impact through a blend of musical and literary techniques. Musically, the song is structured as a pop-rap ballad, built on a prominent, piano-laden melody that provides a somber yet hopeful foundation. It employs a dynamic arrangement, starting with a gentle piano and building to a full, soaring chorus with powerful vocals from Bebe Rexha and Sam Harris, whose soulful, riffing back-and-forth ad-libs in the song's climax create a gospel-like intensity. MGK's vocal delivery shifts between aggressive, rhythmic rapping in his verses—conveying struggle and defiance—and a more melodic, sung delivery in the pre-chorus, reflecting his vulnerability. Lyrically, the song uses direct address and rhetorical questions ("Now tell me: how did all my dreams turn to nightmares?") to create a sense of intimacy and introspection. MGK uses imagery of struggle and perseverance, such as not letting "a little trouble knock me out of my position," and contrasts it with feelings of despair, like "starting to lose faith." The collaboration itself is a key stylistic choice, merging the grit of hip-hop with the anthemic, emotional pull of alternative rock and pop.

"Home" was released as a key single from the soundtrack for the Netflix film Bright, embedding it within the cultural context of the movie's launch. The music video, directed by the film's director David Ayer, further cemented this connection by featuring scenes and characters from the Bright universe, and has garnered over 232 million views on YouTube as of early 2025. The song achieved moderate chart success, peaking at number 90 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and charting in several other countries, including Canada and Australia. The song's creation was notably impacted by the death of Linkin Park's Chester Bennington, which deeply affected MGK's lyrical contribution and infused the track with a poignant, real-world emotional weight that resonated with listeners. It represents a significant moment in MGK's career, showcasing his ability to blend hip-hop with alternative rock and pop sensibilities, a crossover style he would explore further in later albums.

The central and most powerful symbol in the song is "home." It's used not as a literal house, but as a metaphor for a sanctuary of peace, safety, and self-acceptance. This "home" is a place to "take this off my shoulders," symbolizing a release from emotional and psychological burdens. MGK's lyrics employ the metaphor of a physical journey—"all these miles, feet, inches"—to represent the long, arduous path of his life and career, a distance that can't be measured physically but is felt emotionally. His rhetorical question, "how did all my dreams turn to nightmares?" serves as a metaphor for disillusionment and the painful realization that achieving one's goals doesn't always bring happiness. Furthermore, his line about home not being "on the map" and needing to "follow what I'm feeling" reinforces the idea that this sanctuary is an internal state, not an external destination. The "devil" he must face is a metaphor for his personal demons, enemies, and the obstacles he must overcome to find peace.

The most significant recurring motif is the word and concept of "home." Its repetition in the chorus, "Someone take me home," acts as the song's central plea and thematic anchor. This phrase is not just a lyric but an emotional hook that encapsulates the song's entire meaning of searching for refuge. Another key recurring phrase is the rhetorical question in the pre-chorus: "Now tell me: how did all my dreams turn to nightmares? How did I lose it when I was right there?" This repetition highlights a cycle of confusion and disillusionment, a core part of the struggle the song narrates. The musical motif of the piano melody is also crucial, providing a consistent, melancholic yet hopeful atmosphere that ties the different sections and vocal styles of the song together. The powerful vocal ad-libs of "take me home" in the final section of the song serve as a culminating motif, layering the plea with increasing desperation and passion.