blackbear reflects on drug use in "SWEAR TO GOD"

March 13, 2019

blackbear has just released his latest track “SWEAR TO GOD,” the third single from his highly anticipated upcoming album ANONYMOUS, out April 26. Sitting down with Zane Lowe, bear talks about how the song takes a more serious approach, reflecting on a time when he was struggling with drug use.

You can check out the full interview and stream the brand-new track below.

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“SWEAR TO GOD” is the powerful follow-up to blackbear’s previously released tracks, “1 SIDED LOVE” and “HIGH1X.”

The track reflects on bear’s struggle with drug use and a time when he found himself wanting to “be better and be healthier.”

“The whole song’s about, it’s a serious song,” bear tells Lowe. “A lot of my stuff is kind of like tongue in cheek, but this one’s a serious one, and it was about a time where I was struggling to stop doing drugs, and I was struggling to stop messing around with so many girls and be a better person and be a healthier person. And that’s where I was at making this. That’s where I was at making a lot of this whole album coming out in April. It’s called Anonymous.”

The latest project from bear is one that he hopes will find a deeper meaning within his fans.

“Honestly, it’s just like every album I’ve ever put out in my life. I think that there was a few songs where I was like, ‘Uh, I don’t know if this one’s gonna do well. I don’t know if this is all right.” I feel very confident for the first time in my life that this album will speak to people on a deeper level, and I think the fans have grown up with me a lot, and it’s a whole album about growing up and kind of adulting. I ordered a decaf coffee the other night, and I was like, ‘Holy crap, I’m an adult.'”

An adult who’s now sitting in a healthier, happier place, coming from the other side of a struggle with drug use.

“I mean, that was an exhausting period, for sure, and I was literally just doing anything I could to get through the touring and stuff like that. I don’t think I knew how to handle it at that point, but now I’m at my physical peak. I’m in the gym every day, so I’m super…it’s just life’s a lot easier today.”

You can check out “SWEAR TO GOD” below!

And there’s plenty more where that came from…

“Every other week we’re dropping,” he says. “It’s been two so far. This will be the third, which is awesome. We have two videos coming out for each one of them too, which is different from what I’m normally doing. Usually I’m trying to be super anonymous, and with this one it’s a contrary action.”

blackbear’s album ANONYMOUS is slated to drop April 26, and we honestly cannot wait, especially after listening to bear’s explanation for the project’s title.

“I mean, it’s a search for anonymity because sometimes it feels like you have yourself all figured out, and really you realize wow I kind of like the anonymous version of myself better. You know? I took a nice eight-month break to work on this album, and I needed that big time. You know, some of my favorite quotes in the world have been by anonymous, and nobody knows who they are, so I wanted to just take the sense of self out this album and just make something that I would love and everybody else would love.”

Check out blackbear’s full interview with Lowe below!