Despite coming out the gate as a good Canadian boy, The Weeknd quickly found himself drawn to the high-class lifestyle of the often debaucherous Los Angeles elite. Before long, the After Hours singer was getting romantically involved with the likes of Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez, injecting his music with enough subs and subtle references to make Taylor Swift proud. Still, Weeknd has always remained rock-solid in realizing his artistic vision, which has gone a long way in cementing him as one of the game's most appreciated tortured souls.
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While his latest album -- itself a dark and hazy odyssey through his mind -- is only hours young, many have already named the lengthy epic "Escape From LA" to be an easy highlight. With production from Metro Boomin, Illangelo, and Abel himself, the melancholic track puts LA's hollow-eyed lifestyle on trial; evidently, Weekend is content to play both prosecutor and defendant. Laying down lyrics borne of sun-soaked hangovers and passionate breakup sex, some fans have even suggested lowkey references to exes like the aforementioned Gomez and Hadid -- particularly present during the climactic verse.
Check out the sexually-charged (yet somehow emotionally devastating) ballad now, and sound off in the comments -- did The Weeknd deliver one of the best albums of the year so far with After Hours?
QUOTABLE LYRICS
She a cold-hearted bitch with no shame
But her throat too fire
She got Chrome Hearts hanging from her neck
And them shits going wild
When she ride, she hold tight
She gon ride til sweat fall down her spine
She's all mine for the night
She's all mine until he calls her line