The haunting instrumental appearing in TikTok videos is \u201cBrutus (Instrumental)\u201d by The Buttress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the original song has a much more complicated story than its ominous music might suggest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBrutus\u201d is a dramatic retelling of the assassination of Julius Caesar, told from the perspective of Marcus Junius Brutus, one of the men responsible for killing him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The song explores jealousy, ambition, betrayal and the desire to become somebody else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The vocal version was released in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An instrumental version followed in 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, almost a decade later, the music is reaching another audience through short-form videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An October 2026 viral-song tracker identifies \u201cBrutus (Instrumental)\u201d among the recordings being reused in popular TikTok videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The original is an experimental hip-hop recording by The Buttress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It combines dramatic instrumental production with an intense spoken-rap performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The music has an ominous, almost cinematic atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That makes it particularly suitable for videos involving:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
dramatic transformations, historical imagery, fictional villains, character edits and stories about betrayal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The instrumental version works especially well because it doesn’t dictate one specific narrative through lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Creators can use the music to make an ordinary scene feel threatening or important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the original composition provides another layer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The drama isn’t simply an aesthetic choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s connected with one of history’s most famous betrayals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Buttress is the stage name of American rapper and multidisciplinary artist Bethany Schmitt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her music draws from underground hip-hop, horrorcore and experimental performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rather than relying entirely on conventional rap subjects, she frequently explores unusual literary, historical and philosophical ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her work can feel theatrical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes disturbing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Frequently confrontational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBrutus\u201d became one of her most recognisable recordings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The song helped establish her reputation for creating music that functions almost like a dramatic monologue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The desire to replace somebody you admire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The narrator is Marcus Junius Brutus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Roman history, Brutus participated in the conspiracy to assassinate Julius Caesar in 44 BC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The song imagines his internal conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He admires Caesar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But that admiration becomes mixed with resentment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caesar possesses power, recognition and authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brutus wants those things too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eventually, admiration begins transforming into something much darker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The narrator doesn’t merely want Caesar’s position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He becomes consumed by the idea of surpassing him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That creates the central psychological tension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marcus Junius Brutus was a Roman politician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He became involved in the conspiracy against Julius Caesar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conspirators feared that Caesar’s growing power threatened the Roman Republic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caesar was assassinated on 15 March 44 BC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brutus became one of the most famous figures associated with the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His historical motivations remain debated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some interpretations emphasise his commitment to the Republic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Others focus on political ambition, personal relationships and the complex rivalries of Roman politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Buttress takes those historical events and creates a fictional psychological interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It isn’t intended as a complete historical account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because Brutus wasn’t simply an anonymous enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had a complicated personal and political relationship with Caesar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That makes his involvement in the assassination especially significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The song explores what happens when admiration becomes resentment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Somebody may begin by looking up to another person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They study their achievements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want their approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps even see them as a model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But eventually, admiration becomes uncomfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead of wanting to learn from the person, they begin wanting to replace them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That emotional transformation is the real story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s an artistic interpretation inspired by historical events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Buttress gives Brutus a dramatic internal voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She explores feelings that cannot be established with certainty from the historical record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is part of what makes the recording interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It combines recognisable historical figures with modern emotional language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The listener doesn’t need to understand every detail of Roman politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They only need to recognise jealousy, ambition and the desire for power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those emotions remain familiar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because the performance resembles a dramatic monologue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The narrator appears to be arguing with himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thoughts become increasingly intense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The instrumental creates an atmosphere of approaching disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The vocal delivery moves between controlled storytelling and emotional confrontation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That makes the recording feel closer to a short psychological drama than a conventional radio single.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The music supports the character’s deteriorating state of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s almost like hearing somebody persuade themselves to do something terrible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Buttress released a follow-up called \u201cRex \u2013 Brutus II\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The later recording explores the consequences of the original story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That makes it particularly interesting for listeners who enjoy narrative music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first song focuses on the internal conflict leading towards betrayal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The follow-up continues the story after the decisive action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Together, the recordings create a larger fictional interpretation of Brutus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sequel is a natural next listen once you’ve heard the original.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Latin word means king.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is significant because the Roman Republic had a complicated relationship with monarchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conspirators accused Caesar of concentrating too much power in his own hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The possibility of becoming king was politically explosive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word therefore carries considerable historical irony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brutus participates in destroying somebody whose power he fears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet the desire for authority remains part of the song’s psychological world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conflict doesn’t simply disappear when Caesar dies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because it creates immediate atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The recording sounds serious before the listener knows anything about the lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Its repetitive, ominous production is suitable for dramatic editing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A creator can place it beneath a historical montage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or a fictional character’s transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or an exaggerated joke about betrayal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The music gives the video emotional weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That versatility helps explain why an older instrumental can suddenly become useful again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The current social-media interest is documented by a tracker that analyses music appearing across thousands of popular TikTok posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Experimental hip-hop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Horrorcore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alternative rap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The production also contains cinematic and spoken-word qualities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Horrorcore is a style of hip-hop that frequently explores dark or unsettling themes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Buttress takes that tradition in a particularly theatrical direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her music often emphasises characters and unusual narratives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That makes it different from more conventional rap built around autobiography or everyday experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you enjoy its darker atmosphere, try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
clipping. \u2013 Nothing Is Safe<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Death Grips \u2013 Guillotine<\/p>\n\n\n\n
D\u00e4lek \u2013 Distorted Prose<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Backxwash \u2013 I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lingua Ignota \u2013 DO YOU DOUBT ME TRAITOR<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earl Sweatshirt \u2013 Grief<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Buttress \u2013 Rex \u2013 Brutus II<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These recordings explore different combinations of experimental hip-hop, dark storytelling and confrontational production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Begin with the instrumental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then play the original vocal version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The difference is enormous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without the words, the music simply sounds ominous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the vocal, that ominous atmosphere becomes attached to a recognisable character and historical story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then listen to \u201cRex \u2013 Brutus II\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You’ll begin hearing the music as part of a larger narrative rather than simply a soundtrack for TikTok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s about admiration turning into envy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Buttress uses Julius Caesar’s assassination to explore ambition, insecurity and betrayal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The instrumental version has now developed another life through social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the original recording contains an entire psychological drama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What sounds like background music for a dramatic edit is actually part of a story about somebody wanting to become the person they eventually destroy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The haunting instrumental appearing in TikTok videos is \u201cBrutus (Instrumental)\u201d by The Buttress. But the original song has a much more complicated story than its ominous music might suggest. \u201cBrutus\u201d is a dramatic retelling of the assassination of Julius Caesar, told from the perspective of Marcus Junius Brutus, one of the men responsible for killing him. The song explores jealousy, ambition, betrayal and the desire to become somebody else. The vocal version was released in 2016. An instrumental version followed in 2017. Now, almost a decade later, the music is reaching another audience through short-form videos. An October 2026 viral-song…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5446,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2148,3334,1419,3335],"coauthors":[2],"class_list":["post-5445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-explained","tag-the-buttress","tag-tiktok","tag-trend"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n