"FILM THE POLICE," has quickly become an anthem for the #Occupy generation, and shows no signs of slowing it's spread.
B. Dolan began performing in 1999 in the heart of the spoken word scene; New York City's famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe, where he developed his chops quickly. An 18 year old Dolan arrived for the first time as part of HBO's Def Poetry Series in 2002, and the respect earned with numerous performance poetry championships in the two years that followed.
2003 also saw the first release of "The Failure," [at the time] a two-disc, homegrown demo full of Dolan's earliest work.
After this self-release, Dolan disappeared from the poetry scene to pursue more overtly musical projects, as well as his own contribution to the struggle against social injustice.
In the midst of inventing the ragged, breakdown aesthetic of his later work, Dolan also dug in his activist roots by creating and co-founding the Knowmore.org website with former slam teammate and friend Sage Francis.
B. Dolan joined Francis on The Knowmore.org Tour in support of the project, which is when Francis expressed interest in releasing a revised version of "The Failure" on Strange Famous Records.
2008 brought about the official re-release of "The Failure" lp, which was trimmed down by a disc, and was critically acclaimed as a genre-defying, unheralded classic. It also earned a legion of die hard fans for Dolan's spoken word pieces, who've stuck around since to watch this unique artist's continual reinvention.
In 2009 he released House of Bees vol. 1, a full length mixtape that served to build momentum toward his 2010 release. Then, in 2010, "Fallen House, Sunken City" hit. Dolan's decidedly hip-hop sophomore lp was hailed by rap legends, critics and fans as a massive success. Alternative Press called the album "proof that underground hip hop still has bite," and The Onion's A.V. Club named it "One of the best albums of 2010." "Earthmovers," the album's first video, also became an MTVu Freshman of the Week and was entered into rotation on MTV2.
Since his signing to SFR, Dolan has toured exhaustively and internationally, most notably as part of the Paid Dues, SXSW 09, Soundset, and Rock the Bells festivals.
In addition to his partner and frequent collaborator Sage Francis, Dolan has also toured with the likes of Buck 65, Alias, Sole, Solilaquests of Sound, Prolyphic, Dan le sac vs. Scroobius Pip, Grand Buffet and others.
The Devil Is Alive
B. Dolan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like where the fuck you wanna go?
우리는 같다고 곧 죽을 거예요
악마는 예뻐요
I'm tepid, stepping in snow
Don't fucking tell me you know
You should've left it alone
요즘은 창문 봐서
사는 재밌지 않아요
I live unfaithfully, but still I go
I walk so graciously, I have no woes
No fucking saving me, emotions stowed
I don't need that shit to keep me at it
So I see past shit, makes me erratic
I don't really need status, all I want is practice to fucking learn how to combat this
잘 지내세요?
Like where the fuck you wanna go?
우리는 같다고 곧 죽을 거예요
악마는 예뻐요
I'm tepid, stepping in snow
Don't fucking tell me you know
You should've left it alone
요즘은 창문 봐서
All the sorrow that surrounds my heart
Melts away when I begin to restart
I'm way too thorough on my own,
I don't really need your remark
Save it for someone else (yeah)
Cause I'll see you in hell (yeah)
I do not need to dwell (no)
I no longer feel unwell
Pull up, 잘 지내세요?
Like where the fuck you wanna go?
우리는 같다고 곧 죽을 거예요
악마는 예뻐요
I'm tepid, stepping in snow
Don't fucking tell me you know
You should've left it alone
요즘은 창문 봐서
잘 지내세요?
Like where the fuck you wanna go?
우리는 같다고 곧 죽을 거예요
악마는 예뻐요
I'm tepid, stepping in snow
Don't fucking tell me you know
You should've left it alone
요즘은 창문 봐서
Don't fucking tell me you know
Don't fucking tell me you know
요즘은 창문 봐서
요즘은 창문 봐서
B. Dolan's song "The Devil Is Alive" features lyrics that are dense and can be interpreted in many ways. The song opens with the lines "Pull up, 잘 지내세요?" which translates to "pull up, how are you?" in Korean. The use of Korean in the song could be seen as a nod to B. Dolan's appreciation for Korean culture or as a commentary on cultural appropriation in hip-hop.
The following line, "우리는 같다고 곧 죽을 거예요" translates to "we will die soon because we are the same." This line could be interpreted as a reflection on mortality and the fact that, despite our differences, we all share the same fate. The line "악마는 예뻐요" translates to "the devil is beautiful." This could be interpreted as a commentary on the seductiveness of evil or as a critique of societal perceptions of beauty.
The second verse features the lines "All the sorrow that surrounds my heart / Melts away when I begin to restart." These lines suggest that the singer is going through a difficult time but is able to find solace in starting anew. The line "Cause I'll see you in hell" suggests a resentment towards someone who has wronged the singer. The overall message of the song seems to be about resilience in the face of adversity and the ability to find strength in oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Pull up, 잘 지내세요?
Why are you approaching me, how are you doing?
Like where the fuck you wanna go?
Why are you bothering me with nonsense questions?
우리는 같다고 곧 죽을 거예요
We will die soon, as equals
악마는 예뻐요
The devil is beautiful
I'm tepid, stepping in snow
I'm cautiously moving on unfamiliar ground
Don't fucking tell me you know
Don't act like you understand me
You should've left it alone
You should have not started this conversation
요즘은 창문 봐서
These days, I just look out the window
사는 재밌지 않아요
Living is not fun for me
I live unfaithfully, but still I go
I don't live according to societal norms, but I still carry on
I walk so graciously, I have no woes
I move through life with confidence and ease
No fucking saving me, emotions stowed
There's no way to help me, I suppress my feelings
I don't need that shit to keep me at it
I don't rely on external factors to motivate me
So I see past shit, makes me erratic
I can see through superficial things, which sometimes makes me unpredictable
I don't really need status, all I want is practice to fucking learn how to combat this
I don't care about social status, I just want to keep working to learn how to deal with my problems
All the sorrow that surrounds my heart
I carry a lot of sadness within me
Melts away when I begin to restart
But it fades away when I start anew
I'm way too thorough on my own
I'm very self-sufficient and independent
I don't really need your remark
I don't care about your opinion
Save it for someone else (yeah)
Tell it to someone who cares (sarcastic)
Cause I'll see you in hell (yeah)
I don't like you and we will meet in a negative situation
I do not need to dwell (no)
I don't need to focus on something negative
I no longer feel unwell
I am feeling better now
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Brandon Zeimet
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Myke C-Town
This was fucking incredible. I love MCs who actually bother to put some time, depth and knowledge into their music. This has all of those things. Props to B. Dolan!
South Town
I wish this would get in mainstream rotation
Mark Swift
+Myke C-Town He put together a history lesson for those that don't know or bother to research, past or current events.
Kagedaasen
@Myke C-Town +1 ;)
Steven Kelly
@Myke C-Town You guys should do a review on DEHH of Dolan's stuff; dude is the truth!
Kevin Anglade
Awesome!! Great post Myke!!
Roger mucroy
Probably the most accurate, scathing and real diss in Hip Hop history.
Gabar Saint
THIS IS SOME OF THE REALEST HIP HOP I'VE HEARD IN A LONG TIME!!
McT4v15h Gaming
B.DOLAN murdered Rick Ross and Jay-Z on their own beat.. Definitely got my head nodding.. Keep hitting em with reality checks.
Roger mucroy
Fuck them both.