All Natural has independently dropped 3 12-inches and an album in under 2 years. During the past year alone the group has completed 3 European tours of The Netherlands, England, Scotland, Portugal, Sweden and France. All Natural's next release, "Ill Advisory" (featuring J.U.I.C.E.), hits stores March 2000. The group is currently in the studio working on their sophomore album "Second Nature" which drops May 2000 on All Natural, Inc. On "Second Nature" All Natural has teamed up with several groups and producers, including Lone Catalysts, J.U.I.C.E., Mr. GreenWeedz, The DailyPlannet, G(riot), Memo and Panik (creator of the All Natural classic "It's O.K.")
All Natural's first 12-inch, "50 Years," took the underground Hip-Hop scene by storm. Trace Magazine in London dubbed it, "One of the most beautiful Hip-Hop cuts you'll hear this year." All Natural followed up the success of "50 Years" with the 14-song album "No Additives, No Preservatives." Producers on the album include No I.D. (producer of the album Resurrection by Common), Andy C., G(riot), and Panik & Memo from The Molemen. "No Additives, No Preservatives" is sold with "Fresh Air," a 96-page book of essays, cartoons, lyrics and short stories. Available on CD, double-vinyl, & cassette, this first-of-its-kind project has received critical-acclaim around the globe.
Tone B. Nimble (Tony Fields) and capital D (David Kelly) first met at Homewood-Flossmoor High School in south suburban Chicago during 1985. The two became friends through DJing, each of them owned 1 turntable. As cap D turned towards rhyming and Tone's cutting skills began to shine, they decided to form a group around '87. Though each went away to separate colleges in 1988, they maintained the group. They coined the name All Natural in 1993 and the following year, signed a recording contract with Wild Pitch/EMI. However, shortly thereafter Wild Pitch fell through and All Natural was once again forced to do for self. After a couple years of saving money, they independently released the four-song 12-inch "50 Years" and launched their label All Natural, Inc. in 1998. In the tradition of the pioneers of the artform, All Natural continues to independently make 100% Pure Hip-Hop for the headz.
50 Years
All Natural Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fast forward to the future, the year, 2-0-4-4
And let me tell what's in store
Just so you won't be surprised when we blow up, before your eyes
And when you watch my kids grow up then, you'll realize
That my literary talent was genetic
Copacetic not pathetic, but poeticall prophetic
Now fifty years down the line, we gon' all look back
But then we gots it back on tracks
And by the year of 2000, the T-N-D was housin
Three slammin albums, the face is on the cover of Jet
And chillin like it wasn't no sweat
Production was fat, with lyrics that hit
Had niggaz steady shoutin, "Yo them kids the shit!
Man they new jam be flam, even fatter than the last one
And T-N-D see they'll never pull no fast one
They got skill, pure intellect
Remember back in ninety-eight when they dropped 'Cashin Checks'?
Yo word em up that was the summertime anthem"
I'll be playin checkers, drinkin Geritol and just lampin
Mackin to the biddies at the bingo game
'Cause even then I ain't gon' show no shame
See I'll be rockin rough in rhymes til I'm 70
In T-N-D we gots mad longevity
[Chorus]
"So fifty years down the line, yeah you can start this"
'Cause we'll be them old school artists
"Fifty years down the line"
Now fifty years down the line, see I'll be chillin
Like it ain't no thing, with little shorties on the swings
Talkin bout, "My granddaddy had MAD flow
He got some old school, year two-thousand and ten tapes
When he was rockin the shows, and keepin it true
Takin out your granddaddy and his punk ass crew"
Your kid'll get mad, but Wilt didn't run
But what can you say, it's like father like son
And so I'm maxin in a rockin chair, readin the funnies
Shorties runnin up askin they grandpop for money
So I whip out a wad, and slide the brother some ends
And tell him, "Stay away from danger, strangers and skins"
They say, "Sure," bust a smile real quick
Think that grandpa's dumb, lil' dudes ain't slick
'Cause I was their age once, and so I know whassup
I remember back then when I ain't want to grow up
I used to kick it with my crew like twenty-fo'/seven
And Writer's Block rocked and all became legends
In the hip-hop field, now they names is known
The All-Star Durah, Atomic Ganz and Tone
Green Weez, Rashid and The Architects
Never heard of us then, but I was full in effect
We would ? and attack, to bring back the flow
I ain't dreamin I ain't braggin I just know what I know
[Chorus]
The hip-hop group All Natural's "50 Years" is an ode to the future of the genre. They fast forward to the year 2044 to paint a picture of the legacy they will leave behind. The lyrics are an expression of their literary talent, as well as their confidence in hip-hop's staying power. They predict that fifty years down the line, hip-hop lovers will look back at 1995 and call it wack, but will praise All Natural for bringing it back on track. The group envisions themselves as old school artists, still rocking rough in rhymes until they're 70, with mad longevity.
The song is a reflection on the cyclical nature of hip-hop, with periods of innovation and stagnation. All Natural's vision for the future is characterized by continued growth and expansion. They claim that their literary talent is genetic, not pathetic, and that they are poetic and prophetic. They acknowledge the skill and intellect of their contemporaries, stating that T-N-D will never pull a fast one. Their production is fat, with lyrics that hit, and they anticipate being remembered for dropping anthems like "Cashin Checks."
In conclusion, All Natural's "50 Years" is a powerful statement about the future of hip-hop. The group envisions a future where they still have an active impact on the genre, even as they age. Their lyrics are both confident and prophetic, expressing their faith in the lasting power of hip-hop music.
Line by Line Meaning
Now everybody
Attention everyone
Fast forward to the future, the year, 2-0-4-4
Imagine the year 2044
And let me tell what's in store
I will tell you what will happen then
Just so you won't be surprised when we blow up, before your eyes
So you won't be shocked when we become successful
And when you watch my kids grow up then, you'll realize
You will understand later that my talent runs in the family
That my literary talent was genetic
My writing skills were inherited
Copacetic not pathetic, but poeticall prophetic
I am confident, not weak, but also able to predict the future in my writing
Now fifty years down the line, we gon' all look back
In 50 years, we will reflect on the past
And say that hip-hop, in 1995 was wack
We will believe that hip-hop in 1995 was not good
But then we gots it back on tracks
We brought hip-hop back to its roots
And by the year of 2000, the T-N-D was housin
In 2000, T-N-D was leading the music industry
Three slammin albums, the face is on the cover of Jet
We released three great albums and were on the cover of Jet magazine
And chillin like it wasn't no sweat
We were relaxed and confident
Production was fat, with lyrics that hit
We produced great music with impactful lyrics
Had niggaz steady shoutin, "Yo them kids the shit!
People were impressed with our music and praised us
Man they new jam be flam, even fatter than the last one
Our new song was amazing, even better than the previous one
And T-N-D see they'll never pull no fast one
T-N-D will always be honest and genuine in their music
They got skill, pure intellect
We were talented and intelligent with our music
Remember back in ninety-eight when they dropped 'Cashin Checks'?
Do you recall when we released 'Cashin Checks' in 1998?
Yo word em up that was the summertime anthem"
It was the popular song of the summer
I'll be playin checkers, drinkin Geritol and just lampin
In the future, I will be relaxing and enjoying my old age
Mackin to the biddies at the bingo game
Flirting with the ladies at the bingo game
'Cause even then I ain't gon' show no shame
I won't be embarrassed about my old age
See I'll be rockin rough in rhymes til I'm 70
I will continue to make music until I am 70 years old
In T-N-D we gots mad longevity
We have a long-lasting career in T-N-D
So fifty years down the line, yeah you can start this"
In fifty years, we can reminisce about our music
'Cause we'll be them old school artists
We will be the old school musicians
Now fifty years down the line, see I'll be chillin
In fifty years, I will be relaxed
Like it ain't no thing, with little shorties on the swings
I will be relaxed while watching kids play
Talkin bout, "My granddaddy had MAD flow
Kids will talk about my amazing skills
He got some old school, year two-thousand and ten tapes
They will listen to my old music from 2010
When he was rockin the shows, and keepin it true
When I performed live and stayed true to my music
Takin out your granddaddy and his punk ass crew"
My music will be better than your grandpa's and his friends'
Your kid'll get mad, but Wilt didn't run
Your child will be upset, but even the great Wilt Chamberlain didn't run away from challenges
But what can you say, it's like father like son
Children will inherit some traits from their parents
And so I'm maxin in a rockin chair, readin the funnies
I will relax in a rocking chair and read the comics
Shorties runnin up askin they grandpop for money
Kids will ask me, their grandpa, for money
So I whip out a wad, and slide the brother some ends
I will give them some money
And tell him, "Stay away from danger, strangers and skins"
I will give them advice on how to be safe
They say, "Sure," bust a smile real quick
They agree and smile
Think that grandpa's dumb, lil' dudes ain't slick
They may think I'm not smart, but they're not clever either
'Cause I was their age once, and so I know whassup
I remember what it was like to be their age
I used to kick it with my crew like twenty-fo'/seven
I used to hang out with my friends all the time
And Writer's Block rocked and all became legends
Writer's Block made great music and became famous
In the hip-hop field, now they names is known
They are now known in the hip-hop industry
The All-Star Durah, Atomic Ganz and Tone
The musicians' names are All-Star Durah, Atomic Ganz, and Tone
Green Weez, Rashid and The Architects
Other musicians are Green Weez, Rashid, and The Architects
Never heard of us then, but I was full in effect
People didn't know us then, but we were making great music
We would ? and attack, to bring back the flow
We would be aggressive to restore the original sound of hip-hop
I ain't dreamin I ain't braggin I just know what I know
I am not exaggerating, I just have confidence in my music
[Chorus]
Repeats the chorus
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
GM S
One of the best Hip Hop songs ever made.
Worn out Testicles
One of the finest hip hop songs in history - the very definition of prophetic. The only anomaly is the line claiming we'll look back in the future and think "Hip Hop in 1995 was wack", because as the years progress, 1995 is generally regarded as the single greatest year of the 90s golden era.
jmrms
Be in my top 5 hip hop singles. The sample is quality
JahdahKaleem
amen
bsommer
agreed :)
Jose Gonzalez
One of the most underrated Chicago emcees, capital d!
Mike Spex
One of the most underrated emcees period! He has always been one of my top 10 easily
Gottago Getit
Its 2020 and I'm still bumping this! Till the world blow up we have the best emcees here in Chicago
David Reina
20 years later still sounds fresh.
Name One
STILL gives me chills to this day! ✊