Posted by It’s one of the viral songs you heard on TikTok in the second half of 2023, but it’s actually from some years ago. Brutus has fascinated many viewers with its eerie atmosphere, especially in the snippet heavily reused by TikTok creators. The song is very peculiar: it was released by the American rapper The Buttress in 2016, and the lyrics have a specific, historical meaning. Let’s discover it together.
You can find the full version and original video for The Buttress’ Brutus at the end of this article, with its complete lyrics.
Brutus, the viral song on TikTok: the lyrics & meaning
The song’s snippet you heard on TikTok is the atmospheric intro for the track: it doesn’t have official lyrics, but it creates a dark, ghostly mood for the beginning of the music. The actual lyrics, in Brutus, come later, and they have an interesting meaning: they represent Brutus’ feelings towards Julius Caesar before he assassinated him in 44 BC. Julius Caesar was the dictator of the Roman Republic, whereas Brutus was one of his senators, leading the conspiracy against him.
It’s one of the most important events in the history of the Roman Empire, and those who want to explore the full story in more detail can find a complete overview here on Wikipedia. What The Buttress did with her Brutus is recreating the symbolic relationship between Brutus and Julius Caesar: in the song’s lyrics, the female rapper plays the part of Brutus, expressing his love & hate towards Julius Caesar.
I hate the air he breathes, his foolish decrees, his words so contrived
And I hate the way the townspeople gather outside
Oh it’s not true, I don’t wish harm upon you
from birth we’ve been like brothers, of different mothers, within the spirit of the same womb
The relationship between Brutus and Julius Caesar was indeed controversial. Brutus served Pompey in Greece for a short period, but when Caesar defeated Pompey in 48 BC, Brutus was captured. However, Caesar pardoned him, and he soon appointed Brutus as governor. When Julius Caesar made himself perpetual dictator in 44 BC, Brutus started leading the conspiracy that would result in his assassination.
In the song by The Buttress, Brutus is guided by his hatred toward Julius Caesar: the lyrics are full of meaning, and especially at the ending, Brutus explains that Julius Caesar has always been “a teacher and friend to me.” Nevertheless, Brutus’s actions are inevitable. He acts according to his destiny, and his role will change the course of history.
My whole life you were a teacher and friend to me
Please know my actions are not motivated only by envy
I too have a destiny
This death will be art
The people will speak of this day from near and afar
This event will be history
And I’ll be great too
As a musician and host of her passionate Phenomenology Club, Buttress has proven her ability to produce unique forms of art over the years. The recent success of her Brutus led her to release a second part of the song, Brutus II, available on Youtube since 2023. You can find it here.
Read other popular song lyrics and their meaning on Auralcrave
The official video and the complete lyrics
I’ve been watching him for my entire life
I hate the air he breathes, his foolish decrees, his words so contrived
& I hate the way the townspeople gather outside
they hang on every breath, cling to his chest, home to his heart full of pride
the oracle told him to beware the ides
& I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t wishing for untimely death or demise
or am I just wishing I could be like you?
that the people would see me too as a poet
and not just the muse
Oh it’s not true, I don’t wish harm upon you
from birth we’ve been like brothers, of different mothers, within the spirit of the same womb
may the gods strike me down if I forsake you
frater meus
you’re beautifully made & to you I’m forever grateful
I’ll never forget that you showed me to make art
and I know the love you showed me came from a pure & noble heart
I love you & if you want I’ll call you king
but why do I lie awake each night thinking
instead of you, it should be me?
Something wicked this way comes
& as I set to face it I’m unsure should I embrace it, should I run?
what motivates me – hatred or is it love?
what’s more wrong – that I too wish to be great or my mother wished she’d had a son?
and even if I can’t be the one, maybe I could at least help make way for him until the day that he comes
maybe my name could also be known –
that I helped return good to the people
and restored greatness to Rome
BRUTUS, BRUTUS, BRUTUS, BRUTUS
My name is brutus and my name means heavy
so with a heavy heart I’ll guide this dagger into the heart of my enemy
my whole life you were a teacher and friend to me
please know my actions are not motivated only by envy
I too have a destiny
this death will be art
the people will speak of this day from near and afar
this event will be history
& I’ll be great too
I don’t want what you have
I wanna be you
I always knew I could be the one
though I feel the endless pain of being & I am scorched by the sun
of humble origins and born of the cursed sex
my name is Brutus but the people will call me Rex
