The Rise and Fall of BROCKHAMPTON: A Timeline

BROCKHAMPTON at their home in South Central, Los Angeles in 2017. Photo by Ashlan Grey

Any BROCKHAMPTON fan could see the group’s end on the horizon. The announcement, like all their others, came suddenly. The infamous “Ameer is no longer in BROCKHAMPTON” tweet sent shockwaves throughout the music community. Founding member Ameer Vann’s ex-girlfriend brought allegations of abuse against him and it was later revealed by Dom, another member of BROCKHAMPTON, that Ameer set up one of his friends to be robbed. While this was a huge blow to the group given Ameer’s strong presence on their immaculate SATURATION trilogy, this was not the only factor that led to their eventual downfall. They constantly broke promises, they delayed album releases, teased music that would never see an official release, and lacked transparency. This led a good portion of the fandom to turn away from the group. Besides their complicated relationship with fans, internal turmoil also caused the breakup. According to Nate Dae, fellow artist and friend of the group, “people grow up [and] apart,” which summarizes recent developments regarding the group quite well. While BROCKHAMPTON has had a turbulent career, it is worth looking back to their inception to analyze their rise to fame, to show just how impactful the group was, and to understand how they wasted their potential.

BROCKHAMPTON wasn’t always known as BROCKHAMPTON. The group was founded as AliveSinceForever after de facto leader Kevin Abstract made a post asking people to form a band with him on the Kanye West forum KanyeToThe in 2011. Together with high school friends from The Woodlands, Texas and his new internet friends from across the country, AliveSinceForever would go on to release a few projects over the next few years, notably The Compilation and The ASF EP. The group eventually dissolved in 2014 and changed their name to BROCKHAMPTON, a reference to the street Abstract grew up on in Corpus Christi. Most of the 30-something members of AliveSinceForever went their separate ways, but many stayed, and were even joined by new members from the KanyeToThe thread.

Cover of The ASF EP from their Bandcamp page

2015 was the first year that BROCKHAMPTON released music under the new name. January saw the release of their debut single “BET I,” an off-the-wall yet unpolished banger. In June, they released their second single, “HERO.” In August, after winning VFILES LOUD!, a competition for up-and-coming artists, they released “Dirt,” alongside their first professional music video. Their debut singles served as a good baseline for what would come next.

Their debut mixtape, ALL-AMERICAN TRASH, was released for free in March 2016. A significant step up from their first three singles, AAT saw the group starting to find their distinctive sound. Although the album is praiseworthy, it is still a mixed bag in terms of quality, simultaneously containing some of their best songs alongside some of their worst. After the release of AAT, members Rodney Tenor and Albert Gordon left the group due to creative differences.

Cover of BROCKHAMPTON’s debut mixtape ALL-AMERICAN TRASH

2017 was a major turning point for BROCKHAMPTON. After releasing the promising single “CANNON” in January, the group put the hip-hop scene in a chokehold for the second half of the year. Starting their three album run in June with SATURATION, the group’s energetic, honest music and DIY aesthetic captivated listeners worldwide. Completely reinventing their sound, the group improved exponentially after they moved from Texas to South Central L.A. They knew that as hungry artists, they had to make SATURATION work. Some members dropped out of college to pursue their dreams in music and others considered quitting their day jobs. Filled with bops alongside personal, intimate songs, BROCKHAMPTON proved that there was room for vulnerability and authenticity in rap.

All fourteen members lived together in a small house they dubbed the “BROCKHAMPTON Factory.” The little house in the sketchy Historic South Central neighborhood would become a creative hub for the group. Someone was always working on something, and songs would develop spontaneously, with members hopping on tracks just moments after entering a room. They wrote lyrics on whiteboards, held meetings, and shot low-budget music videos right in their neighborhood (which angered their neighbors). As a result, they were incredibly prolific and their music was genuine, explaining their wide appeal.

Covers of the SATURATION Trilogy

After the success of SATURATION, they moved to the Van Nuys neighborhood of L.A. and their upward trend would continue into the creation of SATURATION II, released merely two months after SATURATION. Considered by many to be their best album, the second installment brought the same energy as the first but refined their sound. They also changed it up enough to satisfy the fans and keep things interesting.

SATURATION III was announced three days before SATURATION II even released. Abstract eagerly took to Twitter to announce that “SATURATION IS A TRILOGY.” The album was formally announced as December started, but the Twitter photo was subtitled “THE LAST STUDIO ALBUM BY BROCKHAMPTON,” scaring fans. The fans didn’t know it then, but this was just the beginning of a long and frustrating journey in terms of dealing with the group’s (mainly Kevin’s) lies. Abstract went on to clarify that this wasn’t BROCKHAMPTON’s final album in an interview with Zane Lowe. What he did make clear, though, was that “we do whatever we want in the moment.”

On December 14th, a day before SATURATION III dropped, BROCKHAMPTON announced their fourth album, TEAM EFFORT, set to release in 2018. After more critical acclaim and a successful tour, the group’s upward momentum seemed unstoppable. Fast forward to March 20th, 2018, and BROCKHAMPTON had seemingly hit their first ever speed bump towards stardom. They took to Twitter yet again, announcing the following: “TEAM EFFORT was scheduled to be released next week but we spoke to God and she told us to save the album for another time.” This didn’t seem to matter, though, as later that same day they announced another album—PUPPY—slated to release in the summer. At the time, though, the group was on top of the world. Only ten days later, they announced that they had signed a 15 million dollar deal with RCA Records. Everything was going well, until a few months later, it happened.

TEAM EFFORT announcement TEAM EFFORT delay announcement PUPPY announcement

“Ameer is no longer in BROCKHAMPTON.” It came out of nowhere, given the group’s reputation as creators of a safe space for marginalized people. Ameer walked off, and the group had to cancel their remaining tour dates to regroup. From then on, things were never quite the same. While their next three singles had similar vibes to their SATURATION work, it was later revealed that these songs were meant for PUPPY, and one was supposed to have a verse from Ameer before his departure caused its removal. Ameer leaving the group caused much debate over whether he was kicked out or if he left on his own volition. The group’s morals were up in the air. There was also speculation surrounding whether some members wanted Ameer to stay.

Official announcement regarding Ameer’s departure via Twitter

Around the time they released their experimental major label debut iridescence, they released a documentary titled The Longest Summer in America, where they addressed what happened with Ameer in a roundabout way in the context of them signing with RCA and the creation of iridescence. The group’s failure to be transparent led to further confusion among fans, but they did take into consideration their need for privacy during this tumultuous time.

Iridescence debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, but dropped to #88 the next week, suffering the fourth largest drop from number one in Billboard history. This encapsulates how BROCKHAMPTON’s popularity crashed among the general public. Right when they seemed destined for stardom they hit a ceiling. 

Cover of iridescence BROCKHAMPTON in 2018 during the I’ll Be There tour. Photo by Ashlan Grey

While in my opinion their later music was comparable with their previous work, people online seemed to think that they fell off after Ameer left. This sentiment among listeners extended into their subsequent release, 2019’s subdued GINGER. This album found the group in a pensive mood, and it is where we can see the first explicit mention of what contributed to Ameer’s departure. Dom McLennon’s verse on “DEARLY DEPARTED” directly addresses how Ameer set up his friend to be robbed and his subsequent dishonesty. 

Although GINGER was a somber release for the group in many ways, it was also a rebound for them. “SUGAR” ended up becoming a viral sensation on TikTok, netting them their first appearance on the Billboard 100 at #66, and their first platinum record.

Cover of GINGER BROCKHAMPTON performing at Governors Ball 2019

Due to the fact that they were back in the public eye, they were scrutinized just as much, if not more than when the Ameer situation transpired. From 2019 to 2020, allegations against various members slowly made the rounds on Twitter individually, and in the summer of 2020, a Google doc was released by a Twitter user that compiled all of the allegations against the group. The allegations ranged from more trivial issues such as Bearface mouthing the r-slur while singing along to the Pop Smoke song “Welcome to the Party” during a Twitch stream to more serious allegations such as accusing Merlyn of preying on underage girls. These allegations made BROCKHAMPTON’s reputation even worse than it already was at this point, with people characterizing the entire group as pedophiles and rapists. However, the vast majority of these allegations, mostly the serious ones that included accusations of predatory behavior and manipulation, did not have any solid evidence whatsoever, mainly resorting to hearsay to make these claims. Despite the fact that many of these allegations did not have legitimate evidence, they were deeply disappointing as a fan of the group, mainly due to the uncertainty surrounding the situation. Many people called for the group to at least address the allegations, whether that be to debunk them or to acknowledge the smaller ones that were true. They could have used this as an opportunity to grow as people and save their reputation, perhaps. None of this ever happened though, as the group remained largely inactive on social media, something that became commonplace for them after the release of iridescence. The allegations have yet to blow over, with people still making TikToks and Tweets calling the group abusers.

Their 2020 wasn’t all drama, though. The COVID lockdown in the early to mid part of the year reinvigorated them creatively. They began a series of secret Twitch streams called Technical Difficulties in May in which they would stream DJ sets and premiere new music at the end. Producer Romil Hemnani told i-D Magazine that the creation of Technical Difficulties “stemmed from our urge to make something, rather than for any particular album cycle or roll out. As artists, we felt drawn to it.” 

Every week they would release two or three songs on their YouTube channel and would take them down the next week to coincide with the release of the next batch of songs. Talking about the creative process during this time, Romil said that “we produced a mix that sounded bad, like an old bootleg, listened to it on speakers and in the car, and then thought, ‘Okay let’s put it on YouTube!’. That was it.” Despite the fact that this process sounds rushed and low-quality, this era produced some of the best and most energetic music they have ever released. The creative process surrounding these nine singles was reminiscent of that of the SATURATION era, which was why this period of time was so magical for both the group and its fans.

Covers of three of the nine songs they released during the Technical Difficulties era (baby bull, chain on/hold me, and fishbone)

However, around this time was when the group (mainly Kevin) decided to start teasing their next studio album, Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine, at the time known to fans simply as RR. This teasing on Kevin’s private Instagram account, screenshots of which were spread on Reddit and Twitter, would be the beginning of an excruciating album rollout process. With multiple pictures referencing RR and the “new era” being posted along with a promise that the album would be released within the year, fans got excited, naturally. The year ended, though, and there was no sign of the album in sight.

They did release a trailer for the album on January 2nd, and afterward came some strange choices for an album rollout, including two separate emails that were sent to only one person after inputting one’s email on the BROCKHAMPTON website. These emails contained different videos that also served as teasers of sorts, but this kind of rollout only caused frustration among fans rather than building hype. They finally released singles for Roadrunner on March 24th and April 2nd, with the album releasing on April 9th, 2021. 

While many fans were annoyed at the delayed and annoying rollout, after the album was released, it became apparent why they had to push it back. The lyrics reveal that singer/rapper Joba’s father tragically took his own life in 2020. His father’s unfortunate and traumatic passing caused the group to take a new sonic direction, creating what they eventually released. In fact, in an interview with The Guardian, Kevin said they recorded three different versions of the album, with the original vision for the project being a pop album. Exploring themes of life and death, mental health, sexuality, and more, BROCKHAMPTON again showed their vulnerability and musical talent, although the record received both mixed and positive reviews.

Cover of Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine BROCKHAMPTON during the Roadrunner era. Photo by Conor Cunningham

Not much has happened with BROCKHAMPTON musically since the release of Roadrunner besides the fact that they released a deluxe version of Roadrunner with four extra tracks in June and that they appeared on the Space Jam: A New Legacy soundtrack, released in July. Despite the lack of new music, more outlandish promises kept coming from Kevin via Twitter. Besides teasing his upcoming solo album, he repeatedly suggested that he wanted to release PUPPY, the album that was supposed to drop after SATURATION III. Additionally, he said he wanted to clear all of the samples that appeared on the Technical Difficulties songs so that they could be put on streaming services. Recently, Kevin has called off the PUPPY project, citing the fact that quite a bit of it has either leaked or been repurposed on other songs in addition to it not being as good as people think, according to him. He actually apologized for his unrealistic teasing of the album, which was certainly a step in the right direction. The Technical Difficulties sample clearance issue is still up in the air, but it seems unlikely the songs will ever come to streaming due to the sheer amount of samples they used. 

On January 14th, 2022, they dropped another bombshell on fans via Twitter: “BROCKHAMPTON’s upcoming shows at the O2 Academy Brixton in London and at Coachella will be our final performances as a group. All other tour dates are canceled, effective immediately[...]Following these four performances, we will be taking an indefinite hiatus as a group.” Once again they dropped an announcement out of nowhere that led to tour dates getting canceled and the trajectory of the group changing forever. Well, I can’t say that it truly came out of nowhere, as Kevin had stated multiple times before that BROCKHAMPTON was going to end after the release of their upcoming final album. It’s just that nobody expected the group to end in this manner. At this point, it seemed like the group was destined to simply fizzle out after Coachella, with the final album seemingly canceled as well.

Official announcement of the group’s indefinite hiatus via Twitter

However, something special happened after their weekend one performance on April 16th. A trailer played on the screens, showing the group huddled together at Shangri-La Studio, where they recorded Ginger. Kevin explained that he went to New York and put together a group album and as he gets up to play it for everyone, the screen cuts to a black background with white text reading “THE FINAL ALBUM 2022.” 

We will see soon enough if the group will release this last album. Kevin stated on Twitter that the album would come later this year and that it is in fact finished, so I am hopeful despite his awful track record when it comes to delivering promises.

This is just one reason why BROCKHAMPTON went out the way they did. In terms of their relationship with their fans and maintaining relevance, they (again, mostly Kevin) broke promises, killed hype for their music, and simply lacked transparency overall. It’s really hard keeping up with everything they say and do, to be quite honest with you. Nonetheless, let it be known that I don’t hate Kevin for his shenanigans over the years, despite my previous statements. He is genuinely always full of great ideas and they just ooze out of him and onto his phone, ready to be sent to the world. However, it would be nice if he could filter what he puts out at least a little bit, in order to keep expectations reasonable.

In regard to why they actually broke up earlier than expected, something serious must have happened behind the scenes. They were clearly already drifting apart by the time the announcement came around, so some unknown event must have been the breaking point. We may never know what the full story is, but that just seems fitting. It is the most BROCKHAMPTON thing I can imagine, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.