pick up the phone

"Pick Up the Phone" is a comprehensive exploration of the modern trap lifestyle, characterized by hedonism, wealth, and complex relationships. The central, recurring plea, "Pick up the phone, baby," functions as a multi-faceted request. On one level, it's a straightforward call to a romantic interest, expressing a desire for connection and intimacy. However, it also encapsulates a broader sense of urgency prevalent in the artists' world, be it for business dealings or instant gratification.

The lyrics are rich with imagery of opulence and indulgence. Phrases like "pour a four up" and references to "Actavis" (a brand of codeine syrup) allude to the recreational use of lean, a common motif in trap music representing a life of excess. This is juxtaposed with boasts of financial success, such as winning a "Super Bowl ring with big-body Benz" and "blowin' a bag on you," which frame wealth as a measure of success and a tool for expressing affection and loyalty.

Beyond the materialism, the song touches on themes of loyalty and relationship dynamics. Lines like "Never will I cheat on you, never will I commit treason" are presented as earnest promises, even within a lifestyle that appears chaotic and non-monogamous. Travis Scott's verse reflects on personal growth, admitting, "I thought I was right / Then I had to man up, I was wrong," adding a layer of introspection. The song ultimately portrays a world where love, loyalty, and hedonism are intertwined, painting a vivid picture of the highs and emotional complexities of life in the fast lane.

The narrative of "pick up the phone" unfolds as a multi-layered portrayal of the modern trap lifestyle, weaving together themes of desire, materialism, hedonism, and complicated relationships. The song is a collaborative effort, with each artist—Travis Scott, Young Thug, and Quavo—contributing a verse that offers a distinct yet cohesive perspective on this world.

The song opens with Travis Scott establishing a scene of casual indulgence and fleeting connections. He describes actions like pouring a 'four' (a reference to drinking lean, a concoction of codeine cough syrup and soda), and casually calling up a woman. This isn't a call of deep romantic yearning, but one rooted in a transactional, pleasure-seeking moment. His repeated plea, "Pick up the phone, baby," serves as the song's central hook, an urgent demand for connection amidst a lifestyle that often feels disconnected. He admits he's "in the zone," a state of mind fueled by substances and success. Following this, he offers assurances of loyalty—"Never will I cheat on you, never will I commit treason"—and demonstrates his affection through lavish spending, like buying a Rolex, highlighting how material wealth is used as a language of love and commitment in this context.

Young Thug's verse delves deeper into the specifics of this opulent and drug-fueled existence. He directly references "Actavis," a specific brand of cough syrup used to make lean, even drawing a startling comparison to his grandmother's habits, suggesting a generational or inherited pattern of substance use. He equates his success in the rap game to winning a "Super Bowl ring with big body Benz," a powerful metaphor for achieving the pinnacle of his profession. Thugger's lyrics are a whirlwind of boasts about wealth ("I'm fucking this cash, I'm not celibate"), responsibility (paying his sister's tuition), and a philosophical reflection passed down from his mother: not to hate on law enforcement because everyone is just trying to make a living and become a star. This provides a moment of surprising social commentary within the track.

Quavo, from the group Migos, delivers the final verse, continuing the themes of wealth and romantic entanglement. He juxtaposes a lover's quarrel ("I hate when we fight") with more hedonistic imagery ("She in love with the pipe," a double entendre for drug use and sex). His verse is peppered with clever, pop-culture-laced boasts, like feeling "Home Alone" like Macaulay Culkin when his calls go unanswered. He also famously coins the word "discriminize" while boasting about loving all races, a quirky and memorable line. His reference to "Birds in the trap sing Brian McKnight" is particularly noteworthy as it inspired the title of Travis Scott's album, linking the street life ('the trap') with the smooth, romantic feel of R&B, encapsulating the song's blend of grit and melody.

Ultimately, the song is a vivid snapshot. The recurring plea to "pick up the phone" acts as a central motif, a desire for immediate gratification and confirmation, whether from a romantic partner or a business associate. It's a call that echoes through a world of excess, where emotional connection is sought through grand material gestures and amidst the haze of intoxication. The artists paint a picture of a life that is simultaneously glamorous and precarious, filled with luxury but underpinned by a constant hustle and the potential for disconnection.

The creation of "Pick Up the Phone" was a complex and somewhat contentious process. The song was officially released on June 3, 2016, as a joint single by Young Thug and Travis Scott, featuring Quavo. It served as the lead single for Young Thug's mixtape Jeffery and the second single for Travis Scott's album Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight.

The track's origins, however, were different from its final version. It began as a collaboration between Young Thug and songwriter Starrah, who originally sang the hook. Travis Scott was present during the recording session and contributed to the bridge that Young Thug sings. Subsequently, Travis Scott began playing a version of the song in clubs where he had replaced Starrah's vocals with his own and added his own verse, framing it as a single for his own album.

This led to a period of conflict, as Young Thug's camp, including his sister, publicly expressed frustration, accusing Travis of leaking the song and claiming it was originally Thug's track. The labels involved—300 Entertainment (Thug's label), Epic Records, and Atlantic Records—were initially hesitant to release the song. Frustrated by the delay, Travis Scott eventually leaked the final version on his SoundCloud. Following the leak and an intervention from music executive Lyor Cohen, an agreement was reached to release the song officially on iTunes as a joint single, crediting both Young Thug and Travis Scott as lead artists. The production was a collaborative effort by Vinylz, Frank Dukes, Allen Ritter, and Mike Dean.

The lyrics of "Pick Up the Phone" are replete with symbolism and metaphors that paint a vivid picture of the trap lifestyle.

• Pouring a 'Four' / Actavis: The repeated references to pouring a "four" of "Actavis" are a direct symbol of the hedonistic and often self-destructive indulgence associated with drinking lean. It's a status symbol within the culture, signifying access and a carefree attitude, but it also hints at addiction, as Young Thug explicitly mentions his "granny did" it, suggesting a cyclical nature.
• Super Bowl Ring with Big-Body Benz: This metaphor used by Young Thug equates his success in the music and street world to winning the highest prize in American sports. It symbolizes achieving the absolute peak of his profession, complete with the ultimate trophies of success: championship-level jewelry and a luxury car.
• Birds in the Trap Sing Brian McKnight: This iconic line from Quavo is a powerful metaphor that encapsulates the song's entire mood. 'Birds' can be a slang term for kilograms of cocaine, and 'the trap' is the environment of selling drugs. The line juxtaposes this gritty reality with the smooth, romantic R&B music of Brian McKnight, symbolizing the blend of street danger with melodic, often romantic, expression. It so effectively captured the album's theme that Travis Scott named his project after it.
• "I'ma pull up and murk too": This line symbolizes a readiness for conflict and violence, a constant undertone in the precarious world being described. It speaks to the need to be prepared for anything, reinforcing the danger that coexists with the glamour.

The emotional atmosphere of "Pick Up the Phone" is a complex mixture of upbeat energy and an underlying sense of longing and desire. The bright, tropical-sounding steel drum instrumental creates a feel-good, celebratory mood on the surface. This gives the song an immediate, infectious energy that makes it suitable for parties and clubs.

However, this vibrant soundscape is layered with lyrics that convey a sense of urgency, and at times, frustration. The central plea to "pick up the phone" carries a weight of longing for connection, a desire for a response that isn't guaranteed. There's a tension between the artists' boasts of success and control and the vulnerability of being ignored by a lover. This creates a bittersweet emotional quality. The themes of hedonism and drug use, while presented in a celebratory light, also hint at a deeper emotional landscape of escapism. The overall emotional background is therefore mixed: it's a song that sounds joyful and carefree but is lyrically grounded in the more complicated emotions of longing, transactional affection, and the anxieties of a fast-paced, high-stakes lifestyle.

"Pick Up the Phone" had a significant cultural impact upon its release and is considered a landmark collaboration of the 2010s trap era. The song was a commercial success, peaking at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, which at the time was one of the highest-charting songs for both Young Thug and Travis Scott, and Quavo's highest as a solo feature. The track was certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA, signifying its immense popularity and widespread play.

It is frequently cited as a fan favorite and a quintessential track in the discographies of both Young Thug and Travis Scott. The song's unique blend of a tropical, melodic beat with hard-hitting trap drums was influential, showcasing a new potential direction for the sound of trap music. The tumultuous story behind its creation and release, involving disputes between the artists and labels, became a well-known piece of hip-hop lore.

The track was a highlight on two major 2016 projects, Young Thug's Jeffery and Travis Scott's Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight, solidifying the potent creative chemistry between the two artists. Quavo's line "Birds in the trap sing Brian McKnight" directly inspired Scott's album title, demonstrating the song's foundational role in that project's conception. To this day, it is remembered as a defining summer anthem of 2016 and a high point for melodic trap music.

The rhyme and rhythm in "Pick Up the Phone" are central to its trap aesthetic, combining conversational flows with intricate rhythmic patterns.

The overall rhyme scheme is loose and fluid, characteristic of the genre, prioritizing flow and delivery over strict, traditional structures. The artists often use internal rhymes and slant rhymes to create a more natural, spoken feel. For example, in Young Thug's verse, lines like "I stack it up now I'm just better livin' / Got screws in my mouth, I'm just preppin' it" create a rhythmic continuity without relying on perfect end rhymes.

The rhythmic structure is built on a 4/4 time signature with a tempo of approximately 137 BPM. This upbeat tempo, driven by the prominent trap snares and hi-hats, gives the song its energetic feel. The artists' lyrical rhythms play dynamically against this beat. Quavo, in particular, utilizes the Migos-popularized triplet flow (or 'Migos flow'), where he fits three syllables into the space of a single beat, creating a rolling, complex cadence. Travis Scott and Young Thug use more varied and idiosyncratic flows, often stretching or compressing their words to fit the beat in unexpected ways, contributing to the song's slightly chaotic yet controlled energy. The interplay between the bright, melodic steel drum loop and the hard-hitting trap percussion creates a unique rhythmic bed for the vocal performances.

"Pick Up the Phone" is notable for its unique blend of musical and literary techniques that define its sound and impact.

• Musical Production: The production, handled by Vinylz, Frank Dukes, Allen Ritter, and Mike Dean, is built around a distinctive and catchy Caribbean-influenced steel drum melody. This tropical, upbeat sound provides a stark contrast to the often dark lyrical themes of trapping and drug use, creating the song's signature melodic and dramatic feel. The tempo is set at a vibrant 137 BPM, and the song is composed in the key of G Minor.
• Vocal Delivery: The song showcases the distinct vocal styles of its three artists. Young Thug employs his famously eccentric, unpredictable flow and high-pitched ad-libs. Travis Scott delivers the hook and his verse with his signature auto-tuned, atmospheric style, punctuated by his iconic "It's lit!" and "Straight up!" ad-libs. Quavo contributes a more structured, triplet-flow verse characteristic of Migos, adding another textural layer.
• Ad-libs as Rhythm: Travis Scott's ad-lib "(Like, brrt)" before the chorus mimics the sound of a phone ringing, serving as a rhythmic and thematic element that reinforces the song's central motif.
• Repetitive Hook: The chorus is a simple, repetitive, and highly memorable hook. Its repetition makes it an infectious earworm and drives home the song's central theme of urgently needing a response.