1) 108 is a New York City metalcore band founded in 1991. Their music refle… Read Full Bio ↴1) 108 is a New York City metalcore band founded in 1991. Their music reflects the Hare Krishna faith of the band members. Their name comes from the number of beads on the japamala, a rosary commonly used in Hinduism for spiritual activity. Vraja Kishordas (AKA Vic DiCara) had previously played with Zack De La Rocha in the hardcore band Inside Out. Their first records were released on Equal Vision Records. These releases were followed by their participation in two documentary films, '108: The Final Tour' and 'N.Y.H.C.'.

2) 108 was a short lived jazzy hip-hop project from California, built around rappers Encore and Grand The Visitor (of Homeliss Derelix) and composer Sedric Edwards. They released one LP entitled "Mission Infinite" in 1996.
Mission Infinite Lp has been reissued on NBN Records, released December 6, 2019

I Am Not
108 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You try to shoot me down
Your mouth is like a loaded gun
A million cries of a billion lies
That's your ammunition
Miconception

Dissemination of false information
Stereotyped

Perceptions

But I am not as you portray me
The pictures you paint of my face
The images don't convey me

Obscuration

The confusion you usher I prolongs
This dark age's ignorant duration

Overall Meaning

In 108's song "I Am Not," the lyrics focus on the toxic behavior and manipulation present in some interpersonal relationships. The first two lines, "You try to shoot me down / Your mouth is like a loaded gun," serve as a metaphor for the verbal attacks directed towards the singer. The subsequent lines, "A million cries of a billion lies / That's your ammunition / Misconception," further emphasize the deceitful and malicious intent behind the attacker's words.

The following stanza, "Dissemination of false information / Stereotyped / Perceptions," delves into the harmful effects of spreading falsehoods and preconceived notions. Yet, the chorus bravely states that the singer is not as the attacker portrays them to be. The descriptions and images the attacker conjures in their mind are not accurate representations of the singer. The phrase "obscuration" reinforces the idea that intentional falsehoods are used to cloud the truth from those around them.

The final lines "The confusion you usher I prolongs / This dark age's ignorant duration" suggest that the attacker's manipulative behavior is keeping the singer and those around them in a state of confusion and ignorance. The song poignantly highlights the importance of recognizing and breaking free from toxic relationships that seek to harm and misrepresent individuals.

Line by Line Meaning

You try to shoot me down
You attempt to bring me down or defeat me.

Your mouth is like a loaded gun
Your words are dangerous and harmful, like a loaded weapon.

A million cries of a billion lies
There are countless false statements and cries creating chaos.

That's your ammunition
Those false statements and cries are your weapon.

Misconception
A mistaken belief or idea about something.

Dissemination of false information
Spreading of untrue and fabricated details.

Stereotyped perceptions
Having a set view of someone based on preconceived notions.

But I am not as you portray me
I am not how you perceive or depict me.

The pictures you paint of my face
The mental images or ideas you hold about me.

The images don't convey me
Those images or ideas do not represent me accurately or completely.

Obscuration
The act of hiding or making unclear.