What's The Real Meaning Of Rebound By Jennifer Lopez?

Jennifer Lopez's new album "This is Me ... Now" delves into all the ups and downs that go with falling in and out of love over the years, so it's no surprise that one of the tracks on the album is titled "Rebound." Take a wild guess as to what this one's about!

Speaking to "The View," Lopez made a point of noting that not everything on the track list is autobiographical. However, she also pointed out that with the project, she wanted to show the progression of how her own love life unfolded over the years. "It's more about, like, the kind of journey. Like, 'How did I get from here to there?' And you know what? It wasn't easy," she explained. Again, given that reasoning, it only makes sense that "Rebound" is included on the album. 

That said, just what aspects of a rebound relationship does the song go into? Everything from looking for love with someone new during a difficult time, to the understanding that there's a real chance for everyone involved getting hurt. The mixed feelings, coupled with the otherwise enchanting, dream-like music, creates a little bit of a rollercoaster. Isn't that exactly what a rebound is, though? As she sings in the chorus, "We go up, and down/We get lost, and found/We go round, and round/We fall in, and out" (via AZ). 

It's pretty clear that the person rebounding in, well, "Rebound" is Jennifer Lopez herself. After all, the pre-chorus begins with her singing, "Ran into your arms while runnin' from the pain." There's also the chorus itself, which sees Lopez croon, "Got me on that rebound, rebound, rebound." And then, of course, there's her revelation in the second verse: "I can't force a love when I'm only thinkin' of him." 

That said, Lopez also seems to hint at both herself and the object of her rebound being aware of the situation and going through with the ill-fated romance anyway. The song opens with her declaring, "We don't have to lie, we know this is wrong." The second verse points to them seeming to skirt around the issue despite knowing full well that the relationship is doomed, with Lopez making the point, "Out here playin' a game that can't neither one of us win/We're just shootin' shots that ain't even touchin' the rim." 

As for who exactly Lopez is referring to rebounding with in the song, this is one of the instances where she has admitted to there being a very autobiographical aspect to it. However, don't expect her to name names. Speaking to Zane Lowe for Apple Music, she admitted that it was based on multiple experiences she'd had over the years. "It wasn't one time I did it, I did it several times," she laughed. Honesty is the best policy! 

Getting into a cycle of rebounding is toxic in its own right, but it's pretty clear "Rebound" hints at something more sinister. We're talking about lyrics like "Ran past all the signs lookin' for somethin' safe/Let you take advantage so I could fill that space."

Without going into too much detail, Jennifer Lopez opened up about what exactly that meant in her interview with Apple Music. Speaking to Zane Lowe, she explained that throughout her life, she's tended to repeat a cycle of staying with men whose actions didn't sit well with her, or where she felt like something was off. In fact, she shared how her therapist described it: "Sliding under men ... and not being in my full voice and in my full power all the time." Lopez didn't open up as to what that entailed in real life, but the video sequence from the "This is Me ... Now" film depicts the partner in question as being abusive.

Whether or not that particular detail was autobiographical, by the outro of the song, it's clear Lopez has opted to let go of the relationship. Moreover, it seems as though she's reminding the partner that she was upfront about where she stood from the start. "Don't sit over there lookin' like a victim/You knew what it was/You grown, you made your choice," she says. 

While the blurred lines between IRL events and creative license mean it's not easy to pinpoint the full extent of the toxicity described in "Rebound," for the most part, this song is a very straightforward one. So much so, in fact, that some critics have slammed it for being too basic. However, Jennifer Lopez is well aware that it's fairly well spelled out. In fact, that's one of the things she loves most about it. 

Speaking of its simple yet relatable message with Apple Music, she laughed, "It's such a perfectly, for me, written song. Like, you hear it, and you understand, 'Yup, that's what it is, that's exactly what it is.'" Lopez also shared the part of the song that she personally resonated with the most. "Ran into your arms, running from the pain," she grimaced into the distance, still chuckling. 

It's precisely that acknowledgment that makes the final line of the song so fitting. "It is what it is," Lopez concludes as the music ends. "Rebound" is a simple song, with lyrics that are admittedly controversial yet easy to understand and relatable to many. It might not describe the greatest of situations, but at the end of the day, when both parties know what's going on, it is what it is.