Hip-Hop Star Brooklyn Queen Reveals the Deeper Meaning Behind ‘Crop ’em Out’

16-year-old hip-hop prodigy Brooklyn Queen has to be one of our favorite young artists in the genre, and she's only getting better with each and every release.

Her latest single, "Crop 'em Out," hit last month, and with its sleek sound, impeccable rhymes and confident message, it's one we haven't stopped listening to. In the song, Brooklyn Queen repeats the line, "All these randoms hopping in my pics, had to crop 'em out," but the song is about a lot more than photo editing. We got the chance to ask Brooklyn what "Crop 'em Out" really means to her, and the new direction of her music.

(Photo credit: Dove Clark)

Sweety High: What was the songwriting process of "Crop 'em Out"?

Brooklyn Queen: I first heard the beat from Jupyter. It gave me Detroit vibes. I knew I was going to be rapping on the song as soon as I heard the beat.

 

SH: What specific feelings did you want to channel in the track, and what does the song mean to you?

BQ: Honestly, I just love music and the way it makes me feel. The song means a lot because it's my hometown vibe and sound.

 

SH: Is the song based on a true story?

BQ: I mean someone did randomly jump in one of my pictures. However, the big picture of the meaning "all these randoms hopping in my pics, had to crop 'em out" is a way of me saying people hopping in your life or your world with negative energy sometimes you have to crop them out. There's a deeper meaning—I crop people out every day whether it's in my comments, in my life or in a picture.

 

SH: Do you often feel like people are trying to ride on your fame along with you? How do you root out the real friends from the fakes?

BQ: Honestly, I don't let too many people get close to me. There are only a few people that are in my inner circle. I feel you can't see who's fake from real until they do something to make you realize it. Most of the people who aren't real or don't have good intentions disappear, anyway.

 

SH: What's your favorite lyric from the song? Why?

BQ: "Never pressed, I'm applying all the pressure," is definitely my favorite line. I'm literally never pressed and I'm always applying pressure. I encourage everyone to keep pushing forward and apply the pressure.

 

SH: How is this song different from what you've released in the past? Do you feel like your music is moving in a new direction?

BQ: All my songs are different from one another. I have similar sounding songs to "Crop 'em Out," but I feel like my music is heading in a new direction. I'm growing and maturing as an artist and so is my sound.

 

If hip-hop was your most-listened genre on your Spotify Wrapped this year, click HERE to read our interview with The Rap Game's Nia Kay.