See the complete list of featured artists:
* Gwen Stefani
* Christina Aguilera
* Mary J. Blige
* Bono
* Backstreet Boys
* Destiny's Child
* P. Diddy
* Jermaine Dupri (producer)
* Fred Durst
* Eve
* Perry Farrell
* Nelly Furtado
* Nona Gaye
* Darren Hayes
* Ja Rule
* Jagged Edge
* Alicia Keys
* Lil Kim
* Aaron Lewis of Staind
* Jennifer Lopez
* Chris Martin
* Patrick Monahan of Train
* Monica
* Mýa
* Nas
* Nelly
* *NSYNC
* Britney Spears
* Michael Stipe
* T Boz and Chili from TLC
* Shashi Tharoor
* Usher
* Scott Weiland
What's Going On?
Artists Against AIDS Worldwide Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
what's going on
Jermaine Dupri
Tell me
P. Diddy
People dying
Lord help us
Bono
Mother, Mother
There's too many of you crying
Gwen Stefani
Oh,, brother, brother, brother
There's far to many of you dying
JD
Thats right
Aaron Lewis
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin here today
Nona Gaye
Oh my father, father
We don't need to escalate
Backstreet Boys
You see war is not the answer
Nona /Backstreet Boys
For only love can conquer hate
Christina Aguilera
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin here today
Britney spears
Barricades can't block our way
J-Lo
Don't punish me with brutality
Destiny's Child
Talk to me
So you can see
Destiny's Child/Britney spears
(first chorus)
Oh what's going on
whats going on
yeah what's going on
Ah what's goign on
Ja rule
What's going on in a world filled with pain
Where's the love for which we pray
What's going on
When our children can't play
Homeless can't eat
There's got to be a better way
What's going on
When we politically blind
Can't see the signs of endangered times
What's going on
Nelly Furtado
Ah tell me
What's going on in the world today
I'd rather be dead
Then turn my head away
we got this first world vesion too comfy to lift our
Hands in the air and cry for a swtich
Michael Stipe
Father ,father
P.Diddy
Father help us, come on
Michael Stipe
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Alicia Keys
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Together we can all be strong
P. Diddy
united we stand, divided we fall
*Nsync
Oh you know we've got to find a way
Mary J.
To bring some understanding here today
*Nsync
Barricades can't block our way
Darren Hayes
Don't Punish me with brutality
*Nsync
baby talk to me
So you can see
(second chorus)
Yeah, what's going on
Hey, what's going on
Somebody tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on on-uh
Nelly
What's going on 'cross seas
every minute a child dies by this disease
In record numbers indeed
Got mommas cryign out please
My baby hold on
My child aint done nothing wrong
Still i want to holler
Ask them why they don't bother
Oh no, Oh no
Make me turn to my father
And ask him why they all got trapped soul
Nas
I can feel what was bothering Marvin
Why has the words forever remain
Dealing with these modern day problems
'Cause of ignorance surrounding me and my constituents
Too many infected
Too many lives diminishing
Nobody say protestants, jews, blacks, whites,
Latinos, and asians
Pray together
less fight
We better unite
As genocide chemical war
And the rich and the poor
Know that God delivers a cure
Eve
It's a shame our reality is devastating
People praying for a cure
Dying while they're waiting
Ask the lord for the confort and strength to face it
All the kids with dreams
Won't get the chance to chase it
Makes me sad
Think about the lives they would've had
Think about the orphan babies got no moms and dads
How can we sit back and not try to make it right
We gotta come togetehr
We gotta fight for life
Fred Durst
Somebody tell me what's going on
(what's going on )
We got human beings using humans for a bomb
but everyone wanna live
Don't nobody really want to die
you feeling me right
I can't be watching people die
(die)
And watching people cry
Let me break it down for a minute
If there's enough room here for you and me
There's plenty of room for some humanity
Do doo do
some body tell me
what's going on
“What's Going On” is a song originally performed by Marvin Gaye in 1971 that speaks about the war in Vietnam and social injustice. In 2001, various artists joined together and rerecorded the song to raise funds for AIDS prevention and research. The song starts with P. Diddy and Jermaine Dupri asking the question, “What’s going on?” which sets the tone for the rest of the song.
The lyrics of the song speak to the various issues that are happening in the world, such as war, poverty, and disease. The artists in the song call for unity and love as the only way to conquer hate, instead of violence and destruction. The song also references Marvin Gaye directly, as Nas raps about his song, “What’s Happening Brother” from the same record.
Despite being a cover, the song features the fresh talents of various artists who bring their own styles and genres to the table. Each artist contributes a unique vocal performance that sets them apart, yet they weave their voices together to create a cohesive sound that is both powerful and meaningful.
Line by Line Meaning
P. Diddy
Asking what is currently happening in the world
Jermaine Dupri
Requesting for someone to give them an insight into what is going on
P. Diddy
The public is losing their lives to various illnesses and many others are in tears grieving them away. They need divine intervention.
Bono
The world is overwhelmed with mothers crying for their dead ones.
Gwen Stefani
There is an increasing number of brothers dying every day.
JD
Expressing agreement to what Gwen Stefani said
Aaron Lewis
As a community, they need to find means to spread love and alleviate the sorrow that fills the world.
Nona Gaye
She is calling on her father in heaven to intercede because they do not need to continue living in a state of escalated aggression.
Backstreet Boys
War is not a solution to the problems plaguing the world.
Nona /Backstreet Boys
Love is the only force that can conquer hate
Christina Aguilera
As a people, they need to spread love throughout the world to reduce the rate of death and tears
Britney spears
Barriers cannot deprive them of their right to live and love one another.
J-Lo
They do not need to be punished with cruelty for seeking justice
Destiny's Child
They need someone to speak to and reason with to see the current situation in the world.
Destiny's Child/Britney spears
Asking what is happening in the world repeatedly to show their pain and confusion about the current happenings
Ja rule
The world is filled with pain, and nobody seems to care. It is time to do something about the world's problems
Nelly Furtado
She needs someone to explain the current happenings in the world because she would instead die than turn away.
Michael Stipe
They need help from a higher power.
P. Diddy
Unaware of why everyone sees them as being wrong.
Michael Stipe
Questioning everyone who believes that they are either right or wrong.
Alicia Keys
They should not judge them because they can all be strong.
P. Diddy
United, they stand, and they will fall divided.
*Nsync
As a people, they need to find ways to reduce the rate of death and improve understanding.
Mary J.
They need to come to a better understanding of the world and its problems.
*Nsync
Barriers will not stop them from coming together.
Darren Hayes
They do not deserve to be punished for seeking justice.
*Nsync
They need to talk about the world's problems to better understand them.
Nelly
Asking about the happenings around the world and the increasing rate of death among children.
Nas
People need to focus on coming together to pray, regardless of race or religion. They all need to unite against the dangers facing the world.
Eve
Their reality is devastating; they need to pray for a cure and strength to face the losses.
Fred Durst
He is asking what is happening and notes that humans turning against one another are unacceptable. Everyone deserves to live, and there is enough room for all to coexist.
Contributed by Nathaniel I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@bobryt
Single official versions:
1 What's Going On (Jermaine Dupri's Original Version)
2 What's Going On (The London Version)
3 What's Going On (Moby's Version)
4 What's Going On (Fred Durst Rock Version)
5 What's Going On (Mangini/PopRox Mix)
6 What's Going On (Mick Guzauski Pop Mix)
7 What's Going On (Dupri R&B Mix)
8 What's Going On (MK Mix)
9 What's Going On (Junior Vasquez Remix)
@vk88864
This song is more relevant today than it ever was. Marvin knew.
@daluxe2000
This should be the song for the future!
@SDRFAB98
Marvin Gaye was so in touch with the truth and he said in his music its your choose, choose your path!
@ideenkopf
Great video and Music. 🤘
@terry2588
Amazing 💯⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👍🏽👍🏽
@bobryt
Single official versions:
1 What's Going On (Jermaine Dupri's Original Version)
2 What's Going On (The London Version)
3 What's Going On (Moby's Version)
4 What's Going On (Fred Durst Rock Version)
5 What's Going On (Mangini/PopRox Mix)
6 What's Going On (Mick Guzauski Pop Mix)
7 What's Going On (Dupri R&B Mix)
8 What's Going On (MK Mix)
9 What's Going On (Junior Vasquez Remix)
@SDRFAB98
debt brings the truth to the top! always!
@ongogoblogian1343
Bro the fact they all looked so serious as Fred durst starts singing made me laugh at a song which is no laughing matter or is it.
@sTaLLoNeFrEdWeS
3:56 HELL YEAH ! ! ! ! ! MR. DURST
@bookreaderson
Holy 2000s. Before the world went to shit.