The Canadian musical star Jessie Reyez has announced her first studio album ‘Before Love Came to Kill Us’ and this is a long-awaited project. On the tracklist of the album are two features; rappers 6lakc and Eminem. The collaboration with Eminem is titled “Coffin.”
This is not the first time Jessie Reyez has worked with Eminem. The two of them worked together on Eminem’s 2018 album ‘Kamikaze.’ Eminem recruited Jessie Reyez for not one, but two tracks on the album, titled “Nice Guy” and “Good Guy.” The latter eventually got a music video with both artists in it.
Listen to “Coffin” by Jessie Reyez Ft. Eminem
“Coffin” Lyrics Meaning & Song Review
Intro
At the beginning of the track, Jessie Reyez talks about a fight she had with her partner. It was an all-nighter and she cannot sleep while her partner is. Many monstrous thoughts bubble up in her head thinking about the argument they just had. He had said that he wishes “that you were dead,” out of anger. But it cut her deeper than just words. So now she pens this suicidal track.
Bridge
These lyrics describe the whole premise of the song. Jessie Reyez sings how much of a fool she is in this relationship. Love has made her lose her grip over reality. The sad part is that she knows she is a fool for his love and she cannot even help it.
Verse 1
Jessie Reyez sings of a moment of suicide, possibly a thought that has crossed her mind. She says a prayer and leaps off the edge of their apartment building. She fantasizes that her partner would catch her from their room on the fifth floor. But it was never meant to be.
The next lyrics; “But you ran past me instead / And hit the ground before I cared,” plays along with the theme of suicide by jumping off the building. But it also could mean that this guy ran past her emotions and feelings and hit a new low in their relationship.
Chorus
The chorus of the song suggests that both of them have committed suicide. The guy before Jessie, possibly. And since Jessie loves him to death, she sees no other recourse than joining him–just like a fool!
Jessie Reyez brings in Buddhist philosophy here to say that they might be together in their next life. The Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, has preached that when a person dies, they are reborn into a next life, and whatever karma you accumulate is carried on to the next life and so on. The only way to break this cycle is to attain enlightenment.
Hook
Eminem jumps on the track for the first time here. He narrates his thoughts on how he does not want to keep on fighting like this. But he knows this is an act going on pretending to be so in love. He namedrops his mega-hit “Love the Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna to emphasize the message. Maybe Eminem is tired of living this lie too.
Verse 2
Eminem goes on to talk about their love-hate relationship. It’s passion-fueled with rage and hatred and deceit all bundled up into a mess. Every day is a struggle to hold on at the end of his wits and strength. Love does not have to be this hard.
It looks as if there are enough words of love and loyalty being thrown around in this relationship. But a very few actions actually follow the course. Eminem says that she pledges loyalty to him to treat him like a king and then screws him up royally.
Eminem is tired of trying to salvage this relationship. He is glad that he did not have a child with this woman. So it gets to a point where this drama is too much to handle for Em. He takes the elevator up to the rooftop. Jessie Reyez screams that she would follow him if he jumps. Doubt that is going to stop Eminem because neither of them has anything to lose now. So it’s just a matter of designing a ‘coffin for two.’
“Coffin” by Jessie Reyez and Eminem details a love-hate relationship that neither of them can stand anymore. What do you think about this collaboration? Drop a comment below.
Check out the complete lyrics and further meaning breakdown on Genius.