After releasing a pair of albums with the Freestyle Fellowship, To Whom it May Concern... and Innercity Griots, Acey signed to Capitol Records and released his highly acclaimed solo debut, All Balls Don't Bounce, in 1995. He returned three years later with his second album, A Book of Human Language, a collaboration with producer Mumbles.
Acey returned solo again in 2001 with his third solo album, Accepted Eclectic. In 2002, the Freestyle Fellowship returned after 9 years for the release of their third group album, Shockadoom. 2002 and 2003 saw two more solo releases, Hip Hop and the World We Live In and Love & Hate and another A-Team album ('Lab Down Under'). In 2006, Aceyalone released two more solo projects, first, Magnificent City, a collaboration with producer RJD2, followed by Grand Imperial. 2007 sees Acey releasing the first in his planned explorations of world musics, Lightining Stikes.
Widely recognized as one of the more lyrically gifted in the history of emceeing, Aceyalone embodies the sophisticated west coast style that is showcased in other indie artists such as Blackalicious and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien.
All For U
Aceyalone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah! Ace One!
Yeah, and you know what I told you
I don't do this for myself
I do this strictly one hundred percent for you
[Chorus]
Yeah, I do it all for you, I do it all for you
They put me on the wrong world, yes they did
Star on my forehead bless this kid
They threw me in headfirst, blind in the dark
In the alligator pit with the rest of the sharks
All I could think about was how they set me apart
I never knew a killer whale who had so much bark
The heart of a lion, I'm sharp as a dart
And it took me a long while to master the art
You know why?
[Chorus]
I'm Aceyalone, how can I be of service?
What else do you need besides superb wordage?
Man I stay heated like a burner from the furnace
My shoes always brown, same color as my shirt is
I write authentic, always all in it
Outside the law, raw, never fall timid
Always ahead of myself, pushin past the limit
We taught the world to freestyle now it's a epidemic
Yeahhhh! Woo!
[Chorus]
I walked the long mile just because I had to
I'll be glad to add to the pile if I have to
Ain't a situation on earth that I can't adapt to
I do what I got to, {?} to
I am what I am but that ain't all I can be
Spend a lifetime tryin to big up the family
I leave 'em with they eyes open wider than Bambi
They don't understand me, that's why they abandon me
Yeah! Yes man!
[Chorus]
I'm always on next and ready to bust it up
Work hard, play hard, never a customer
Skills stay hardy at the party for sustenance
Man I'm on the grind, I'm a non-stop hustler
I'll fight the fight that nobody will fight though
Spite those fools that be tryin' to bite dope
I'm like no other MC on the mi-cro
I might go psycho, keepin' it tight though
One two! Yeah yeah, yeah yeah!
[Chorus]
No guts, no glory, it's the same ol' story for
I'm out with my nightstick, cruisin' the corridor
They always wanna ask why you swingin' that sword of yours
Because I'm a warrior, killin' them more and more
Who you gonna call when there's so many to choose from
You win some, lose some, now who wanna do some
A new somebody who be tryin' to prove some'
Now I gotta move some, and give you a new sum
Woo-coo-coo-coo! Yeah!
[Chorus]
Yeah I'll put a fire to the house that Jack built
I rose from the grave for the people that crack killed
My name on my buckle when I'm wearin' my black belt
I gave you half the world now tell me how that felt
Cause anywhere you go, I'll be right behind you
And if you don't know, then I gotta remind you
Hold on to your parachute and jump when it's time to
Cause I was designed to have the people to rhyme to
No shit! Yeah, didn't you know?
[Chorus]
In the song "All For You" by Aceyalone and RJD2, the lyrics express the artist's dedication to their listeners. The artist claims that they don't create music for themselves, but for the audience. The chorus repeats the phrase "I do it all for you" to emphasize this point. The verse describes the artist's journey and the hardships they had to overcome to make it to where they are. The artist mentions the struggles of being different and having to fight off the competition to make a name in the industry. Despite the challenges, they persist and continue to create art for their fans. The artist's commitment to their audience reflects the crucial role the fans play in sustaining the artist's career and their artistic vision.
The song's production features a jazzy, soulful beat with boom-bap drums, and samples from different recordings such as the "Yama Yama" by Yamasuki Singers, which is a popular Japanese folk accordion sound, "Do It All For You" by Alan Parsons, and "Funky Duck" by the George Duke Orchestra. RJD2 provides the perfect backdrop for Aceyalone to deliver his message with his unique flow and wordplay.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah! Wooh
Expressing enthusiasm
Yeah! Ace One!
Acknowledging himself as Aceyalone (the artist)
Yeah, and you know what I told you
Referring to a previous conversation or statement
I don't do this for myself
Stating that his music is not solely for his own benefit
I do this strictly one hundred percent for you
Emphasizing that his music is made for his audience
Yeah, I do it all for you, I do it all for you
Repeating the message of creating music for his fans
They put me on the wrong world, yes they did
Feeling out of place or misunderstood
Star on my forehead bless this kid
Symbolizing his talent and potential
They threw me in headfirst, blind in the dark
Thrown into a difficult situation without guidance or support
In the alligator pit with the rest of the sharks
Competing with others for success and survival
All I could think about was how they set me apart
Feeling different or unique from others
I never knew a killer whale who had so much bark
Being surprised by someone or something out of the ordinary
The heart of a lion, I'm sharp as a dart
Comparing himself to a powerful and skilled animal
And it took me a long while to master the art
Acknowledging the time and effort it took to achieve success
You know why?
Asking a rhetorical question to emphasize a point
I'm Aceyalone, how can I be of service?
Introducing himself and offering his talents
What else do you need besides superb wordage?
Asking what else is required aside from his excellent lyrical skills
Man I stay heated like a burner from the furnace
Eager and passionate about his craft
My shoes always brown, same color as my shirt is
Making a fashion statement
I write authentic, always all in it
Creating music that is genuine and true to himself
Outside the law, raw, never fall timid
Challenging societal norms and expectations
Always ahead of myself, pushin past the limit
Continuously striving for improvement and progress
We taught the world to freestyle now it's a epidemic
Proudly taking credit for popularizing a style of music
I walked the long mile just because I had to
Enduring a difficult journey because it was necessary to achieve success
I'll be glad to add to the pile if I have to
Willing to work hard and contribute to the greater good
Ain't a situation on earth that I can't adapt to
Confident in his ability to handle any challenge
I do what I got to, {*} to
Using any means necessary to achieve his goals
I am what I am but that ain't all I can be
Recognizing his own potential and capacity for growth
Spend a lifetime tryin to big up the family
Dedicating his life to supporting and promoting his community
I leave 'em with they eyes open wider than Bambi
Impressing and surprising his audience
They don't understand me, that's why they abandon me
Feeling misunderstood and rejected by some people
I'm always on next and ready to bust it up
Always prepared and motivated to create music
Work hard, play hard, never a customer
Balancing work and leisure without being taken advantage of
Skills stay hardy at the party for sustenance
Maintaining his talents while entertaining others
Man I'm on the grind, I'm a non-stop hustler
Working tirelessly to achieve success
I'll fight the fight that nobody will fight though
Tackling difficult challenges that others may avoid
Spite those fools that be tryin' to bite dope
Jealous of others who may try to copy his style or success
I'm like no other MC on the mi-cro
Being unique and different from other artists
I might go psycho, keepin' it tight though
Being unpredictable and unconventional, but staying focused and consistent
No guts, no glory, it's the same ol' story for
No reward without risk or determination
I'm out with my nightstick, cruisin' the corridor
Taking charge and asserting his authority
They always wanna ask why you swingin' that sword of yours
Questioning his actions or motives
Because I'm a warrior, killin' them more and more
Being a fierce competitor and succeeding against all odds
Who you gonna call when there's so many to choose from
Being the clear and obvious choice for support or assistance
You win some, lose some, now who wanna do some
Accepting the ups and downs of life, and remaining ready to take action
A new somebody who be tryin' to prove some'
Newcomers or challengers attempting to succeed
Now I gotta move some, and give you a new sum
Continuing to work hard and create something fresh and original
Yeah I'll put a fire to the house that Jack built
Being destructive to something built on a faulty foundation
I rose from the grave for the people that crack killed
Overcoming adversity and tragedy to help others
My name on my buckle when I'm wearin' my black belt
Being proud of his achievements and skills
I gave you half the world now tell me how that felt
Contributing to society and hoping to make a positive impact
Cause anywhere you go, I'll be right behind you
Providing support and guidance to others
And if you don't know, then I gotta remind you
Reminding others of his presence and willingness to help
Hold on to your parachute and jump when it's time to
Being prepared and brave enough to take risks
Cause I was designed to have the people to rhyme to
Being born with a talent and purpose to create music
No shit! Yeah, didn't you know?
Exclaiming in surprise or incredulity
Yeah, I do it all for you, I do it all for you
Repeating the message of creating music for his fans
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: FERNANDO LAMAS SAUNDERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@erlong73
Just found this! Loving it!
@20thCenturySir
How tf does this only have 100K views!? This song is straight fire
@frontliner2
lack of exposure
@mikemiddaugh7610
You all are both on point, couldn't agree more. Was listening to this in the early 2000s all day. Might wanna check out the aggressive rollerblading scene. They were one of the first to promote underground hip-hop.
@WootforSharpies
I wish more people knew of rjd2. they are so talented:]
@csablan3829
It's one dude.
@2menace
just a grandious beat! gotta love it
@JoeBernard10
This album is 10 years old today!! Fuck ya Aceyalone. Glad I found this on release day! It's one of those albums that started my trip down conscious hip-hop.
@dabeastproductionsofficial771
Love this. Need more like this.
@smythet5112
Fuggin amazing. When I heard it I stopped what I was doing, put on my aviators and just started strutting out the house to the beat.. cuz I could!!!! Daaamn Aceyalone - maximum eargasm