PHOTO CREDIT: Brayten Bowers
Halloween has sadly come and gone, but the spirit of the season lives on as genre-bending rapper and songwriter Ryan Oakes joins us this week to unpack all twelve songs on his catchy yet eerie new album, Scary Stories After Dark! Additionally, we asked the undeniably prolific artist to provide the ultimate horror movie pairings to accompany each track.
It's only fitting, considering Scary Stories After Dark is, in many ways, an ode to Ryan Oakes' lifelong passion for horror, the supernatural, and all things strange and unusual. While Ryan Oakes initially cut his teeth penning heartfelt and lyrically direct hip-hop anthems, leading to over half a billion streams and tours around the world, Scary Stories After Dark is a bold artistic statement for Oakes, who not only enters the darkest territory of his career thus far but also expands further into the worlds of rock, punk, and beyond. In other words, each track on Scary Stories After Dark can firmly stand on its own, with not an ounce of filler in sight.
Fans eager to experience the new songs from Scary Stories After Dark in a live setting won't need to wait long, as Ryan Oakes is set to kick off the Scary Stories After Dark Tour: Prologue this December in select cities, and you won't want to miss out. Tickets are on-sale now here.
Read below as Ryan Oakes unpacks each song on Scary Stories After Dark and the ultimate horror movie pairings to go along with each track!
"Slow Motion"
Horror Pairing: Jacob's Ladder
"Slow Motion" is about the strange feeling of a dissociative episode, how you can sometimes feel like a stranger in your skin, or like you’re not even there at all. It feels like time moves too fast, but in slow motion at the same time, which is where the lyrics "on a roller coaster stuck in slow motion" come from. It’s a hard place to get out of, and that's what the song explains.
"TRU$T"
Horror Pairing: The Thing
"TRU$T" is about the paranoia that comes from being burned by people you once believed in. The song lives in that uncomfortable realization that the same people smiling in your face might be the ones waiting for you to fall. It explores betrayal, fake loyalty, and the pressure of feeling like everyone around you has an angle. As the walls close in, the line between friend and enemy starts to disappear, leaving you stuck questioning every conversation and every motive. At its core, it’s about what happens when trust breaks down completely and you’re forced to rely on yourself because you don’t know who’s real anymore.
"Lights Out"
Horror Pairing: Resident Evil
"Lights Out" is a high-intensity, confrontational track about taking control and making sure everyone knows the stakes. It’s about showing up, standing your ground, and dealing with anyone who crosses the line without hesitation. The song mixes tension, swagger, and danger, painting a picture of someone who is calculated, unstoppable, and not afraid to assert dominance. At its core, it is about power, presence, and the thrill of walking into a situation where you set the rules and the consequences are unavoidable.
"Hey Now"
Horror Pairing: The Babadook
"Hey Now" is about growing up with pain you never really learned how to process. It reflects on childhood trauma, isolation, and the long-term effects it leaves behind. The song moves through memories of feeling alone, misunderstood, and carrying more than a kid should have to carry. As time passes, the noise in your head never fully goes away, and music becomes the one place where everything finally quiets down. At its core, it’s about trying to outrun those voices and finding brief relief in turning the volume up loud enough to drown them out.
"Supernatural"
Horror Pairing: The Grudge
"Supernatural" is about facing your demons. The reference to the supernatural comes from exactly that. Mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and the uncertainty of chasing your dreams can all accumulate to a place that feels hard to escape, especially when it starts to feel like you’re stuck in a loop or unable to break the patterns that are the primary cause of the issues. Sometimes it’s self-inflicted, and sometimes it’s your environment, but no matter what the cause is, digging yourself out of it always seems to be more difficult.
"Shin Splints"
Horror Pairing: Black Swan
"Shin Splints" is about pushing yourself harder than you can handle and feeling the toll it takes on your mind and body. It captures the grind of chasing everything you want while knowing it’s burning you out, the frustration of never slowing down, and the exhaustion that comes with constant motion. The song is raw, relentless, and honest about sacrifice, showing the pain, the pressure, and the emptiness that comes from giving everything without pause. At its core, it is about the struggle to keep moving even when you feel like you have nothing left.
"Lifestyle"
Horror Pairing: Bodies Bodies Bodies
"Lifestyle" is about living fast, unapologetically, and on your own terms. It’s a mix of reckless energy, bold choices, and the thrill of chaos, where every action has weight and consequences are just part of the game. The track captures that feeling of being untouchable in your own world while everyone else tries to catch up, testing loyalty, strength, and courage along the way. At its core, it’s about embracing the grind, the danger, and the adrenaline because this is how life is lived when you make your own rules.
"This Life or the Next"
Horror Pairing: Jennifer's Body
"This Life or the Next" is about living fully in the intensity of desire and passion without holding back. It captures the mix of danger, obsession, and raw attraction, where love and lust feel like adrenaline and risk rolled into one. The song is unapologetic and immersive, exploring the thrill of giving yourself over completely, the push and pull of control and surrender, and the way connection can feel urgent and all-consuming. At its core, it is about chasing intensity in the moment and making every touch, every feeling, and every choice unforgettable.
"Superhero"
Horror Pairing: Candyman
"Superhero" is about humanizing yourself in the music industry. The amount of criticism an artist faces, especially online in the era of TikTok and Instagram promotion, can really get to you and affect your mental health. People telling you daily that you’ll never make it or that you suck can really strike a nerve and have you doubting yourself at times. I wrote "Superhero" to reflect exactly that with lyrics like "I just want to bleed like everyone," because people online act like the things they say couldn’t possibly have consequences.
"Eyelids"
Horror Pairing: Smile 2
"Eyelids" is about the chaos and emptiness that come with fame, nightlife, and feeling trapped in your own mind. It captures the tension between the thrill of parties and the crushing isolation when the lights go down, showing how quickly excitement can turn into anxiety and self-doubt. The song explores over-attachment, inner demons, and the violence that comes from silence, painting a picture of someone haunted by their past and insecurities even when surrounded by people and lights. At its core, it is raw, dark, and introspective, a look at the struggle to stay grounded when the world around you never stops moving.
"Scared 2 Death"
Horror Pairing: The Shining
"Scared 2 Death" dives into the chaos of overthinking, self-doubt, and the ways we try to escape our own minds. It is about being trapped in cycles of regret, using distractions like alcohol to cope, and feeling haunted by every choice and every thought. The song captures the tension between wanting control and knowing you are spiraling, the fear of confronting yourself head-on, and the weight of unresolved trauma. At its core, it is raw, introspective, and honest, an unfiltered look at being scared of yourself and the voices that never quiet down.
"Mr Reaper"
Horror Pairing: The Crow
"Mr Reaper" is pure confidence and swagger wrapped in a story of coming up from nothing. It’s about turning pain, small-town limits, and being underestimated into fuel to dominate your own lane. The track balances braggadocio with ambition, showing someone who doesn’t just survive; they carve their name out and make sure everyone remembers it. At its core, it’s a mix of defiance, hustle, and unapologetic self-assurance, the anthem of someone who turns every challenge into a spotlight.
"Crashing the Party"
Horror Pairing: The Invitation
"Crashing the Party" is about that mix of regret and determination after losing someone you really care about. It’s the rush of seeing them again and wanting a second chance, feeling every memory, every laugh, and every lost moment come rushing back. The song captures that tension between nostalgia and bold action, showing up, apologizing, and trying to reclaim what was once yours. At its heart, it’s about chasing love, owning your mistakes, and daring to fight for forever even when the odds feel stacked against you.
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