Music Review: Afrojack & Chris Brown "As Your Friend"

Afrojack & Chris Brown

As Your Friend

Album: N/A

Year: 2013

           Chris Brown unloads his ex-girlfriend on someone else in the heinous “As Your Friend.”

            A pealing synth opens the single, setting an abrasive tone.  She has to know that there isn’t anything between them anymore. Once he received the text from her asking to meet him to talk, he realized it was time to stop avoiding her. On the drive to the restaurant, he plans how he’ll spin it. When he walks in, he sees her, sipping on her drink, looking at him with wounded eyes. He gets to the table, sits down and immediately starts to speak before she can say anything. He tells him the guilt has been eating at him. They need to break up. He fell out of love with her and that’s all she needs to know. (“I just can't live anymore like this /My heart just opened up the door again/Just watch me fly as I spread my wings /Don't ask me why 'cause there are too many things. “)

            In the pre-chorus, their relationship has gone through a lot of drama.  She’s forgiven him numerous times.  It has to be acknowledged. (“And now we're standing on the edge/Looking like here we go again /I used to /Be your man but today/I woke up as your friend.”)

            In the chorus, Brown thought she deserved to have him say it and repeats it several times, letting her know there is zero chance of them getting back together.  (“As your friend, as your friend, as your friend/I woke up as your friend,/As your friend, as your friend/I woke up as your friend.”)

            From her sour expression, he can tell she’s going to tell him off. She’s been dragging him down a long time with her self-righteous attitude. She’s also been stressed out with school, worried about her passing her final in her economics class (which is on Monday). Whatever.  He’ll let her play the victim this time. (“Oh lil’ mama/I can feel your fire/You poisonous lady/Let me take you higher/And I don’t care if it’s a bad time/Just label me the bad guy tonight.”)

                   The pre-chorus is sung again.
 
                   In the bridge, he decides to take her to a party he was invited to by one his DJ friends. He says the DJ likes her and she should go out with him instead. He continues to point him out to her and lead her in his direction.  If they start going out tonight, it would be even better. Then, he won’t to worry about any “I still love you” texts and phone calls he’ll receive from her. She’ll have somebody else.  (“I came to party hoping you would fall in love/Don’t mean to no pressure on you/Everybody loving madly/And the DJ’s he’s getting drunk/Trying to get next to you.”)

            The pre-chorus is sung again.

              The chorus is sung twice.

             Afrojack adds he’s going to sleep with her. (“(I’ma fuck that *****/ I’ma fuck that *****/)) x3

                  The pre-chorus is sung again.

            Afrojack repeats “I’ma fuck that *****” five times to end the single.
 

          Brown’s chipper, polite vocals have had a flaky glaze applied to them, a sticky strip of fudge sauce and entirely covered in sprinkles. Inside, though, is a bitter cream that causes bouts of nausea afterwards. There are several common Brown offenses that happen in single: not providing an explanation when one should be given, minimizing the girl’s feelings and insulting her once she has a justified angry reaction. However, by shoving her into another guy’s face who only intends to use her for sex as a means to get rid of her is monstrous. He could be an unsub in a CBS crime procedural.  

         Afrojack’s aggressive arrangement emits loud, out of focused beeps, causing disorientation at the slightest movement.

           The cruel “As Your Friend” lurks in the corner, waiting for the victim to be in vulnerable position and snatch them.