Since 2004 Baba has toured his award-winning hip-hop theatre show, "The Rap Canterbury Tales", to dozens of cities around the world, including two tours of Australia, three critically-acclaimed runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, several college campus tours of the USA, including Harvard, and frequent returns to the UK and Europe. His rap adaptations are now used in hundreds of classrooms around the world.
In 2007, Baba founded the indie record label Lit Fuse Records, and released the debut album "Butterfly Man" from up-and-coming Vancouver singer/songwriter Aaron Nazrul. The lead single "When the Night" was recently featured on network television on 90210, and the video enjoyed Top Ten rotation on Much Music.
In 2008, Baba joined forces with UK BBC Slam Champion MC Dizraeli to form the hip-hop group Mud Sun, and they co-wrote and released two albums, including "The Rebel Cell", a hip-hop play that was one of the biggest critical successes of the Edinburgh Fringe, winning the "Spirit of the Fringe Award".
Baba's latest project, "The Rap Guide to Evolution" won the prestigious Scotsman Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2009, and went on to tour the UK and USA, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin.
Baba is currently working with Brighton-based DJ/producer Mr. Simmonds on two new shows (and CDs) for the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe, a sequel to the Evolution show entitled "The Rap Guide to Human Nature" about the science of human behaviour, and a new rap storytelling show, "Rapconteur", which will feature adaptations of Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and the Finnish Kalevala.
When he is not touring, Baba Brinkman resides in Vancouver.
-Bio from his website, http://www.babasword.com
INSOMNIA
Baba Brinkman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Awake overnight, a glorified insomniac
I wait for the morning light to make contact
It’s a glorious sight for sore eyes; as dawn cracks
I’m ignoring it; why? My vision’s gone black
It’s time for a long nap, and I’m ready to be
Settled deep in steady sleep; nestled in feather sheets
I’m already intrigued by what I see ahead of me
A phosphorescent sea stirred by a western breeze
That carries a pleasant tune with a resonant beat
From the direction of desert dunes, as I begin to creep
To a crest where a vision looms: I can see seven priests
And a collection of ruins where earth and heaven meet
Sacred temples and tombs where spirits live and breathe
Their holy breath in the rooms, and I watch expectantly
As a ritual resumes; but the head priest removes
His headpiece and beckons to me impatiently
As a second priest prepares a place for me next to his seat
And I obey his decree on shaky feet breathlessly
And leave the safety of the beach in a state of ecstasy
And proceed to the left of the priest and then stare
As the high priestess descends the temple stairs
And she’s dressed in expensive layers
From her knees to her chest and I freeze; in her hair
Is a bee’s nest; it’s the headpiece she wears
That keeps the rest of them all meek and scared
I try to be prepared, unaware that she wasn’t
Even comin’ for me, and I would be spared
Then I’m on my feet runnin’, surrounded by bees buzzin’
I can see the priests covered in about three-dozen
Apiece, with the priestess standin’ above ‘em
Lookin’ like she’s lovin’ every minute of it
For a moment the image hovered in my vision and doubled
And then the next thing I know I’m back under my covers
Smothered with sunlight streaming through the shutters
In Baba Brinkman's song Insomnia, the singer describes their struggle with sleeplessness, yet manages to find solace in a vivid dream. The singer describes the beauty and peace of the dawn but chooses to ignore it as they desire to sleep after being awake all night, however, their vision goes black soon after. The dream that follows is described in detail, which includes an iridescent beach, a crescent peach moon, a phosphorescent sea stirred by a western breeze, desert dunes, seven priests, and a collection of ruins. The singer watches as a ritual resumes and the high priestess descends the temple stairs, dressed in expensive layers, and a bee's nest headpiece. Suddenly, the dream sequence ends abruptly, and the singer finds themselves back under the covers, smothered with sunlight streaming through the shutters.
The song Insomnia explores the theme of the importance of having rest. The singer has been awake all night, and although they experience the beauty of the dawn, they are still in need of rest. The dream sequence is a manifestation of their desire for better sleep. The description of the dream is symbolic of the unconscious mind, which can be a source of inspiration, knowledge, and creativity yet is often difficult to access. The image of the high priestess and the bees headpiece, in particular, can be interpreted as a representation of how external factors can affect one's psyche and sleep quality.
Line by Line Meaning
It’s 4:45 and I’m fortified and on track
It's the early hours of the morning and despite being awake, I feel like I can take on the world
Awake overnight, a glorified insomniac
I have insomnia and I'm trying to turn it into a positive thing
I wait for the morning light to make contact
I'm eagerly waiting for the sun to rise and start a new day
It’s a glorious sight for sore eyes; as dawn cracks
Watching the sunrise is beautiful and feels like a refreshing start to the day
I’m ignoring it; why? My vision’s gone black
Despite the beautiful sunrise, I can't help but feel tired and want to go back to sleep
It’s time for a long nap, and I’m ready to be
I'm ready to finally get some restful sleep
Settled deep in steady sleep; nestled in feather sheets
I'm looking forward to being comfortable in my bed and drifting off to sleep
I’m already intrigued by what I see ahead of me
I'm starting to dream and excited to see what my subconscious has in store
An iridescent beach, a crescent peach moon
The dream setting is a beautiful beach with a stunning moon
A phosphorescent sea stirred by a western breeze
The ocean is glowing and the wind is blowing in from the west
That carries a pleasant tune with a resonant beat
The wind is creating a peaceful sound that is pleasant to listen to
From the direction of desert dunes, as I begin to creep
The dream setting is transitioning to a desert area and I'm cautiously making my way there
To a crest where a vision looms: I can see seven priests
At the top of a hill, I see a group of seven priests
And a collection of ruins where earth and heaven meet
There are old ruins at the top of the hill that represent the intersection of the physical and spiritual worlds
Sacred temples and tombs where spirits live and breathe
The ruins are a spiritual place where the dead are laid to rest and souls reside
Their holy breath in the rooms, and I watch expectantly
The spirits are present in the rooms and I'm eagerly observing
As a ritual resumes; but the head priest removes
A religious ceremony is taking place, but the leader stops to approach me
His headpiece and beckons to me impatiently
The priest takes off his ceremonial hat and signals for me to come quickly
As a second priest prepares a place for me next to his seat
Another priest is preparing a spot for me to sit next to the leader of the ceremony
And I obey his decree on shaky feet breathlessly
I follow the leader's command, but I'm nervous and out of breath
And leave the safety of the beach in a state of ecstasy
I'm leaving the peaceful beach from earlier, but I feel excited and exhilarated
And proceed to the left of the priest and then stare
I walk to the left of the leader and then start staring
As the high priestess descends the temple stairs
The female leader of the ceremony is coming down the stairs
And she’s dressed in expensive layers
The priestess is wearing luxurious clothing
From her knees to her chest and I freeze; in her hair
She's dressed in clothing that covers most of her body and I'm mesmerized by the headpiece in her hair
Is a bee’s nest; it’s the headpiece she wears
The headpiece is made from a bee's nest
That keeps the rest of them all meek and scared
The headpiece has a calming effect on the other people in the ceremony
I try to be prepared, unaware that she wasn’t
I'm mentally preparing myself for what's about to happen, but I'm not aware of what that is
Even comin’ for me, and I would be spared
I realize that the priestess isn't coming for me and I'm relieved
Then I’m on my feet runnin’, surrounded by bees buzzin’
Suddenly, I find myself running from a swarm of bees
I can see the priests covered in about three-dozen
The other people in the ceremony are also being attacked by bees
Apiece, with the priestess standin’ above ‘em
The priestess is observing the chaos from a higher vantage point
Lookin’ like she’s lovin’ every minute of it
She appears to be enjoying the chaos and panic caused by the bees
For a moment the image hovered in my vision and doubled
The dream image of the bee attack becomes more vivid and intense
And then the next thing I know I’m back under my covers
Suddenly, I'm back in my bed and the dream is over
Smothered with sunlight streaming through the shutters
The morning sunlight is shining through the window and warming my face
Contributed by Avery S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.