He was booed off stage at a show celebrating the visit of Nelson Mandela. In 1993 at the very popular show Sting he accused fellow deejay Bounty Killer that the elder artist had stolen his catchphrase, "people dead". This triggered a lyrical battle which continued on the air with each artist counteracting the other's songs. Finally, in 1995, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer settled their differences on the air by actually signing a peace treaty and the two recorded an album together, Guns Out. This was followed by a single, "No Mama No Cry", a rehash of the Bob Marley classic "No Woman No Cry", speaking out against violence and inspired by the murder of Pan Head, another popular Deejay.
Partially as a result of prodding from his producers, Sly and Robbie, Beenie Man soon converted to the Rastafari movement.
In 1994, he was signed by Island Records and released the critically acclaimed album Blessed.
In 1995, Beenie Man released a remix of Barrington Levy's "Under Mi Sensi" in the United Kingdom, and collaborated with Dennis Brown and Triston Palma to release Three Against War and Lt. Stitchie on Mad Cobra Meets Lt. Stitchie & Beenie Man. He took another step up the ladder in 1996, releasing the seminal Maestro, produced by Patrick Roberts and shot him to UK fame. During the period from the mid to late '90s, Beenie Man dominated the Jamaican charts to the extent that he perhaps had a good claim to the crown of "Dancehall King", a title only bestowed previously on Yellowman in the early 1980s.
In 1998, Beenie Man signed to Virgin Records to release albums in the United States. His first American offering was The Doctor (1998). In 2000, Beenie Man teamed up with Arturo Sandoval and Wyclef Jean (The Fugees) to release The Art & Life. During the late 1990s, Beenie Man began his conquest of America with the hits, "Romie", "Who Am I" and "Girls Dem Sugar", which featured American R&B singer, Mya.
In 2002, he had a sizeable hit with a duet with Janet Jackson called "Feel It Boy", but his biggest break in America came in early 2004 with the release of a remix of "Dude", featuring guest vocals by fellow Jamaican Ms. Thing, as well as rhymes by Shawnna.
One Big Road
Beenie Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cho, life is one big road, with a lot a sign
Youthman growing up pon di border line
Better yu live in love and nuh commit nuh crime
Oh venders beenie man a sey is your time again
Life is one big road, with a lot of sign
Youthman growing up pon di border line
Better yu live in love and nuh commit nuh crime
How comes the babylon a talk bout all the gun things
Fi down
When dem a stop the hustling and mek nuh dollars nah run
Di youth dem have a tendacy fi tun to dem gun
Fi tie up mr. chin and all bruck him place down
Well dem haffi wear the latest brand wey come down
Ghetto boys and ghetto girls dem just want to have fun
To big up all the people who sell a arcade
Most a dem a ghetto people and dem people dem nuh fraid
But wha happen to the youths dem wey can't buy nuh stall
Wey string up pon di side walk and mek a one call
Government nuh matter bout dem people deh a tall
Dem only cater fi di people who a mek dem tax tall
[Chorus]
This is the love I'm preaching and teaching
To all my brethren I have to big up all my sistren still
Woh deh deh lord all bad man listen woh naah.
Long time ago back in a kingston city
Life was hard but now the life silly
Mi hear sey billy shot afta barry, fi wha
Di two a dem a par and di two a dem a natty
Out a tastee one go buy a little patty
Di other locks a hallah fi a yatty.
[Chorus]
Wan know how di ghetto youths dem a live
Police a beat vendors and a treat dem like pig
All di youth dem wey live in a di village
Woh a afta paper dem live some all a wipe car glass
Man a laugh and have big talk
All ghetto youth a fi unoo time now fi talk
Step up inna life and mek di government see
All the things dem doing to we, but hear mi sing
Life is love, life is livety, life is loveliness,
Life is harnony, life is freedom, life is long love
Give thanks to on to halli silassie but cho.
Repeat chorus then go from top.
The lyrics of Beenie Man's song One Big Road speak about the struggles of life and growing up in the border line. The chorus emphasizes that life is one big road with lots of signs, and it's better to live in love and not commit any crime. Beenie Man also touches on the issue of gun violence, and how it's often a result of youth living in poverty and being unable to make a living through legal means. Instead, they turn to illegal activities, such as tying up storeowners and breaking into their places.
The song also speaks to how the government prioritizes those who pay the most taxes, instead of the people in the ghetto who need help the most. Beenie Man encourages the youth to step up and make the government see what they're doing, to fight for what is right and to work hard to achieve their dreams.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was released in 1999 as part of Beenie Man's album "Y2K: The Millennium Bug." The song became a huge hit in Jamaica and made Beenie Man one of the most popular dancehall artists of the time. Another interesting fact is that the music video for the song was filmed in the Tivoli Gardens neighborhood of Kingston, Jamaica, which is known for its connection to the Jamaican drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke.
Line by Line Meaning
Cho, life is one big road, with a lot a sign
Life is a journey full of choices and uncertainty
Youthman growing up pon di border line
Young people grow up on the boundary of good and evil
Better yu live in love and nuh commit nuh crime
It's best to live a life of love and avoid criminal activities
Oh venders beenie man a sey is your time again
The artist calls for support of street vendors
How comes the babylon a talk bout all the gun things Fi down
Why are authorities focused on guns when they should address economic issues
When dem a stop the hustling and mek nuh dollars nah run
Authorities should help stop illegal activities by creating viable economic opportunities
Di youth dem have a tendacy fi tun to dem gun Fi tie up mr. chin and all bruck him place down
Young people lean towards violence and target small business owners
Well dem haffi wear the latest brand wey come down Ghetto boys and ghetto girls dem just want to have fun
People in poverty desire material goods and entertainment like everyone else
To big up all the people who sell a arcade Most a dem a ghetto people and dem people dem nuh fraid
Appreciation for brave street vendors who work in poverty-stricken areas
But wha happen to the youths dem wey can't buy nuh stall Wey string up pon di side walk and mek a one call Government nuh matter bout dem people deh a tall Dem only cater fi di people who a mek dem tax tall
The government doesn't cater to poor youths without a means of income, only to those who can contribute to their tax revenue
This is the love I'm preaching and teaching To all my brethren I have to big up all my sistren still Woh deh deh lord all bad man listen woh naah.
The singer preaches love and supports all people, even women
Long time ago back in a kingston city Life was hard but now the life silly Mi hear sey billy shot afta barry, fi wha Di two a dem a par and di two a dem a natty Out a tastee one go buy a little patty Di other locks a hallah fi a yatty.
Life in Kingston used to be challenging, but has now become easier. There was a recent violent incident between two individuals who were friends
Wan know how di ghetto youths dem a live Police a beat vendors and a treat dem like pig All di youth dem wey live in a di village Woh a afta paper dem live some all a wipe car glass Man a laugh and have big talk All ghetto youth a fi unoo time now fi talk Step up inna life and mek di government see All the things dem doing to we, but hear mi sing
Police mistreat street vendors and youth in poverty. People in the ghetto should speak up and demand change from the government
Life is love, life is livety, life is loveliness, Life is harnony, life is freedom, life is long love Give thanks to on to halli silassie but cho.
Life is about love, happiness, freedom, and harmony and should be celebrated with thanks to a higher power
Repeat chorus then go from top.
Reiterating that life is a journey with many paths, repeating the chorus
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MOSES ANTHONY DAVIS, STEPHEN JOHN MARSDEN, PATRICK ROBERTS, ANDREW THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind