You ever feel like you're winning on paper but losing in your head? That’s the core of New Chains, Same Shackles lyrics. It's a heavy, visceral track from the New Orleans duo $uicideboy$, and honestly, it’s one of those songs that defines an entire era of underground rap. Released back in May 2017 as part of KILL YOURSELF Part XIII: The Atlantis Saga, the song isn't just about the music. It’s a mood. It’s a specific kind of darkness that Ruby da Cherry and $crim (aka Scott Arceneaux Jr. and Aristos Petrou) have mastered better than almost anyone else in the game.
The title itself is a gut punch. "New Chains, Same Shackles." Think about that. You get the money, you get the fame—the "new chains"—but the mental health struggles, the addiction, and the self-loathing? Those are the "same shackles." It’s the paradox of success when your brain is still your own worst enemy.
What the Lyrics are Actually Saying
The song kicks off with $crim's verse, and it doesn't waste time being "radio-friendly." He’s talking about wasting breath and escaping death while inhaling. It’s literal and metaphorical at the same time. You’ve got this guy who’s built an empire with G59 Records, yet he’s rapping about his lungs failing and his "list of regrets."
It’s raw.
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One of the most haunting lines is: "I know I’m wasting my breath as I inhale / I know I’m escaping my death as I inhale." There is this constant tug-of-war between wanting to survive and the slow-motion self-destruction of substance use. It captures that feeling of being stuck in a loop—promising yourself that "day after next" you’ll make arrangements to change, but knowing deep down you’re probably just lying to yourself. We've all been there, right? Procrastinating on being a better person because the current version of you is easier to handle, even if it's killing you.
Breaking Down Ruby's Verse
Then Ruby comes in. If $crim is the grounded, gritty reality, Ruby is the chaotic, swirling emotion. He talks about stepping into the mind of a "cutthroat." The imagery is bleak—empty streets, cold weather, blackness, and "grey air." It sounds like a scene from a horror movie, but for a lot of people dealing with severe depression, that’s just a Tuesday.
- Isolation: Ruby mentions being followed by crows and his call list overflowing with hotlines. It’s a stark contrast to the "rockstar" lifestyle people imagine.
- The "Fried" Mind: He says his "pride fried" and describes "mental suicide."
- The Disconnect: He wants to kill everyone in sight, then immediately talks about decomposing. It’s that erratic, "don't touch me" energy that comes from being completely burnt out on life.
The Production: That Budd Dwyer Sound
You can't talk about New Chains, Same Shackles lyrics without talking about the beat. Produced by $crim under his Budd Dwyer alias, the production is melodic yet incredibly distorted. It’s got that signature $uicideboy$ haze. The beat feels like it’s underwater, which fits perfectly with The Atlantis Saga theme.
The tempo is slow. It’s dragging. It makes you feel the weight of the lyrics. When the bass hits, it doesn't feel like a club banger; it feels like a heartbeat skipping. This isn't music you put on to get hyped for the gym. It’s music you put on when you’re driving alone at 2:00 AM and the streetlights are starting to look like blurry streaks of gold.
Why Does This Song Still Matter in 2026?
It’s been years since this dropped, yet it’s a staple in their live sets. Why? Because the "SoundCloud Rap" era might have evolved, but the feelings hasn't. People are still lonely. People are still struggling with the same demons.
The Boy$ were some of the first to really vocalize this specific type of existential dread without wrapping it in a "don't worry, it gets better" bow. Sometimes it doesn't get better right away. Sometimes you just have to sit in the dirt for a while. That honesty is why they have such a cult-like following. They aren't preaching; they're just venting.
Common Misconceptions
A lot of critics back in the day dismissed tracks like this as "edgy" or "glorifying" mental illness. Honestly, if you actually listen to the words, it’s the opposite. There’s no glory in "hotlines" and "suffocating." It’s a documentary of a mental state. They aren't saying it's cool to feel this way; they're saying this is how it is.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Creators
If you’re dissecting these lyrics because you’re a fan or a songwriter, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Vulnerability is Currency: The reason this song has tens of millions of streams isn't just the beat. It’s the fact that they said the things most people are too embarrassed to admit to their friends. If you're writing, don't be afraid to be "too much."
- Consistency in Theme: Notice how the title, the lyrics, and the production all point to the same feeling of being trapped. Every element of the song serves the core idea of "same shackles."
- Context Matters: To really "get" this song, you have to look at where the duo was in 2017. They were blowing up, but they were still heavily in the grip of the issues they were rapping about. It wasn't "artistic license"—it was their life.
If you’re feeling the weight of the "same shackles" yourself, remember that even the guys who wrote this song have found ways to evolve and get sober over the years. The lyrics are a snapshot in time, not a life sentence.
To dig deeper into their discography, check out the rest of the Kill Yourself sagas. They function like a diary of the duo's headspace from 2014 to 2017. Pay close attention to how the "shackles" theme evolves into their later work like New World Depression, where the struggle is still there, but the perspective has shifted from drowning to trying to stay afloat.