The Family (Brockhampton album)

The Family is the seventh studio album by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton. It was released on November 17, 2022, through RCA and Question Everything.^[12] The release of a final album during 2022 was announced during the band's performance at the 2022 Coachella festival.^[13] The Family was thought to be Brockhampton's final studio album, and was advertised as such, until the announcement of a subsequent album, TM, in a promo image released alongside The Family.^[14]

The Family
Studio album by Brockhampton
Released	November 17, 2022 (2022-11-17)
Length	35:24
Label	RCA Question Everything
Producer	Bearface Boylife Nick Velez
Brockhampton chronology
Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine (2021) The Family (2022) TM (2022)
Singles from The Family
"Big Pussy" Released: November 4, 2022 "The Ending" Released: November 11, 2022

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.4/10^[1]
Metacritic	79/100^[2]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Clash	9/10^[4]
The Daily Telegraph	^[5]
DIY	^[6]
The Line of Best Fit	8/10^[7]
NME	^[8]
Pitchfork	7.2/10^[9]
Rolling Stone	^[10]
Slant Magazine	^[11]

Although it is credited to the band as a whole, only two members of Brockhampton feature on the album: Bearface, who contributed to production, and Kevin Abstract, who solely provided vocals. Romil Hemnani is also credited as a writer on multiple tracks. Bearface and external collaborator Boylife are credited as executive producers, making this one of two Brockhampton albums (along with TM) where Kevin Abstract is not credited as an executive producer or creative director, and the only Brockhampton album to be executively produced by an outside collaborator.

Background

In January 2022, Brockhampton announced their disbandment via social media, which was to follow their scheduled performances at O₂ Academy Brixton and Coachella.^[15] During their performance at Coachella on April 16, 2022, they announced a then unnamed final album, to be released in the same year. Two days later, the video projected during the performance would be released to their YouTube page, titled "Message from Brockhampton".^[16]

Promotion

In October 2022, Brockhampton created a private Instagram user named @imissthebandalready. An image of the unfollowed state of this page would be reposted on the band's official Instagram page's story in the latter half of October.

On October 27, 2022, Brockhampton posted a one-minute video titled "I Miss the Band Already" to their YouTube and Instagram pages, teasing a final album announcement.^[17] In the comments of the Instagram video, Kevin Abstract stated that there would be a follow-up in "one hour..." As such, an hour later, an album teaser for The Family was released to their YouTube and Instagram pages, announcing a release date of November 17, 2022, and the album cover was posted to their various social media accounts.^[18][19]

On November 4, 2022, "Big Pussy" was released as the first single from The Family. On November 11, "The Ending" was released as the second single from the album.

On November 16, 2022, Brockhampton posted a final teaser for the album titled "It All Comes Out In The Wash" to their YouTube and Instagram pages.^[20] One day later, on November 17, 2022, the album released alongside a music video for "RZA."^[21]

Track listing

The Family track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Take It Back"	Ian Simpson Romil Hemnani Nick Velez Ciarán McDonald Raymond A. Myles	Nick Velez	2:17
2.	"RZA"	Simpson Hemnani McDonald Bruce Belland Glen A. Larson	Bearface	2:12
3.	"Gold Teeth"	Simpson Hemnani McDonald	Bearface	1:46
4.	"Big Pussy"	Simpson McDonald Velez Bobby Pyn Smoothe Da Hustler DR Period Mario Candido Rusca Pat Smear William A. Keyes	Bearface Velez	2:20
5.	"All That"	Simpson Hemnani McDonald Lisa Lopes Arnold Hennings	Bearface	2:46
6.	"(Back From The) Road"	Simpson Ryan Yoo	boylife	1:34
7.	"Basement"	Simpson Yoo	boylife	1:13
8.	"Southside"	Simpson Yoo Ammasu Akapoma Group	boylife	1:21
9.	"Good Time"	Simpson Yoo Thomas Lee Barett	boylife	1:51
10.	"37th"	Simpson McDonald Chips Moman Dan Penn	Bearface	2:15
11.	"Boyband"	Simpson McDonald Yoo John W. Hason	boylife	1:44
12.	"Any Way You Want Me"	Simpson Yoo	boylife	1:31
13.	"The Family"	Simpson Hemnani McDonald Velez Yoo Donald Breedlove Napoleon Crayton Al Dubin Harry Warren	Velez	2:55
14.	"Prayer"	Simpson Yoo	boylife	1:45
15.	"My American Life"	Simpson Yoo McDonald	boylife, Bearface	1:27
16.	"The Ending"	Simpson Yoo Willie Hutch	boylife	1:48
17.	"Brockhampton"	Simpson Hemnani McDonald Betty Thompson Jerry Middleton Marvin Thompson Stanley Shulman David Thompson	boylife, Bearface	4:32
Total length:				35:17

Samples

• "Take It Back" contains excerpts from "Miracle", written by Raymond A. Myles.^[22]
• "RZA" contains excerpts from "The Big Draft", written by Bruce Belland and Glen Larson.
• "Big Pussy" contains excerpts from "Victim", performed by The Germs, "Bluan", written by Mario Candido Rusca, "Love Is the Reason", written by William A. Keyes and samples from "Hustlin", performed by Smoothe Da Hustler.
• "All That" contains interpolation from "All That", written by Lisa Lopes and Arnold Hennings.
• "Southside" contains excerpts from "You Are So Brave (Funeral Dirge)".
• "Good Time" contains a sample of the recording "Jesus Is the World to Me", performed by Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth For Christ Choir.
• "37th" contains excerpts from "The Dark End of the Street", written by Chips Moman and Dan Penn.
• "Boyband" contains excerpts from "In God's Own Time (My Change Will Come)", written by John W. Hason.
• "The Family" contains excerpts from "New Day", written by Donald Breedlove and Napoleon Crayton, "September in the Rain", written by Al Dubin and Harry Warren, and samples from "New Day" by Band Of Thieves.
• "The Ending" contains excerpts from "Let Me Be the One Baby", performed by Willie Hutch.
• "Brockhampton" contains excerpts from "I Can't Fake It Anymore", performed by Ruby Winters.^[23]

Personnel

Production and arrangement Bearface – production (2–5, 10, 15, 17), additional production (1), executive production Boylife – production (6–9, 11–12, 14–17), additional production (1, 13), executive production Nick Velez – production (1, 4, 13), additional production (2–3, 14) Musicians Kevin Abstract – lead vocals Bearface – additional vocals (13, 15), background vocals (11) Boylife – additional vocals (1, 6, 13, 16) RZA – additional vocals (2, 11) Caitlyn Harris – additional vocals (2, 5) No Rome – additional vocals (5) Vanessa "Nettie" Wood – additional vocals (9) Erik Shiboski – upright bass (4) "Robot" Scott Carter – piano (13), programming (13)

Technical personnel Bearface – recording (1–5, 10, 17) Boylife – recording (6–9, 11–16) Bob Power – mixing Honey Canin – mixing assistant Heba Kadry – mastering Design No Tricks – art direction, design Chris Albo – art direction, design Zhoutong Lesley Qi – art direction, design Amanda Alborano – art direction, design

Charts

Chart performance for The Family

Chart (2022)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[24]	90
Scottish Albums (OCC)^[25]	49
UK Albums (OCC)^[26]	98
UK R&B Albums (OCC)^[27]	3
US Billboard 200^[28]	15
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[29]	7

References

1. "The Family by Brockhampton reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
2. "Critic Reviews for The Family". Metacritic. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
3. Yeung, Neil Z. "Brockhampton – The Family". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
4. Mellen, James (November 17, 2022). "Brockhampton – The Family". Clash. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
5. Shutler, Ali (November 18, 2022). "Weyes Blood is the voice of her generation, Nickelback sound heinous – the week's albums". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
6. Watson, Elly (November 17, 2022). "Album Review: Brockhampton – The Family". DIY. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
7. Taylor, Ims (November 17, 2022). "On The Family, BROCKHAMPTON take a victory lap at their slick, self-referential best". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
8. Moore, Sam (November 18, 2022). "Brockhampton – The Family review: recollections and regrets as prolific group bow out". NME. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
9. Tosiello, Pete (November 22, 2022). "Brockhampton: The Family". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
10. Braboy, Mark (November 18, 2022). "Brockhampton Look Inward as They Say Goodbye on The Family". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
11. Erickson, Steve (November 17, 2022). "Brockhampton The Family Review: An Odd Duck of a Swan Song". Slant Magazine. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
12. "Brockhampton – Official Site". brckhmptn.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
13. Campbell, Erica (April 17, 2022). "Brockhampton announce final album during Coachella 2022 set". NME. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
14. "Brockhampton Releasing Another New Album, TM, Tonight". Pitchfork. November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
15. Brockhampton [@brckhmptn] (January 14, 2022). "Brockhampton's upcoming shows at the O2 Academy Brixton in London and at Coachella will be our final performances as a group. All other tour dates are canceled, effective immediately. Refunds for all tickets and VIP packages will be available at the point of purchase.
    Following these four performances, we will be taking an indefinite hiatus as a group" (Tweet). Retrieved November 8, 2022 – via Twitter.
16. "Message from Brockhampton". Retrieved October 30, 2022 – via YouTube.
17. I Miss the Band Already – Brockhampton, retrieved October 30, 2022 – via YouTube
18. "The Family (Album Teaser) - Brockhampton". Retrieved October 30, 2022 – via YouTube.
19. Brockhampton [@brckhmptn] (October 27, 2022). "Brockhampton - The Family November 17th" (Tweet). Retrieved November 8, 2022 – via Twitter.
20. It All Comes Out In The Wash - Brockhampton, retrieved November 16, 2022 – via YouTube
21. RZA - BROCKHAMPTON, retrieved November 17, 2022 – via YouTube
22. "BROCKHAMPTON – Official Site".
23. "Credits / The Family". November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
24. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 28 November 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1708. Australian Recording Industry Association. November 28, 2022. p. 6.
25. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
26. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
27. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
28. "Brockhampton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
29. "Brockhampton Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.