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.
Run Mi Down
Beenie Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dem bwoy they really serious
Yo how you fi nuh have a gal man you like god know
Keep you hand pon your pocket
Any man nuh have a gal
Have mi cyan tell supm serious
Yo
Any bwoy nuh have nuh gal go sup-sup-sup-
Support yourself and go get a baby madda
Big man a fatty and know you are no fadda
Likkle much fat sexy gal inna jamaica
Let mi see some trigga finga from every gangsta
Now seh you a gallis beat you chest and gi mi di ansa
Yes so you know seh gal alone you sponsor
Every where mi go inna jamaica
()
A pure gal a run mi down
Bleach out and bore dem tongue
Gal weh wine up and go dung
Mek dem bumpa touch di ground
Cock it up and mek it boom
Mi waan fi beat it like a drum
Har guitar mi waan fi strum
All a mi guinness and mi rum
Pure gal a run mi down
Gal weh old and gal weh young
Gal weh wine up and go dung
Mek dem bumpa touch di ground
Cock it up and mek it boom
Waan fi beat it like a drum
Har guitar mi waan fi strum
All a mi guinness and mi rum
(verse 2)
How much gal mi have
Miss january february to december
Fix di gal dem propa that alone a mi agenda
Likkle how much gal rope around mi likkle finga
Have di gal dem heart because mi ease than casanova
Bed haffi tun ova
Dont come mi haffi linga
Teeth haffi a knock up and gal dem haffi snap finga
Straight hot hot like a pepper wid di ginger
You nah have no gal mi nah haffi wonda
()
A pure gal a run mi down
Bleach out and bore dem tongue
Gal weh wine up and go dung
Mek dem bumpa touch di ground
Cock it up and mek it boom
Mi waan fi beat it like a drum
Har guitar mi waan fi strum
All a mi guinness and mi rum
Pure gal a run mi down
Gal weh old and gal weh young
Gal weh wine up and go dung
Mek dem bumpa touch di ground
Cock it up and mek it boom
Waan fi beat it like a drum
Har guitar mi waan fi strum
All a mi guinness and mi rum
(verse 3)
Yes
If you nah have a gal a fi your own business
That cah mi nuh inna fi your zone memba dat
Anywhere mi go gal a seh beenie hot
How da gal deh fat hey
Come hold mi back
Gal mi waan you rope dung mi trace, hold mi back
Wine pon mi frontline and then you wine guh dung come up back
Gal please dont stop
Then touch mi neck back
Why some bwoy a go back
()
A pure gal a run mi down
Bleach out and bore dem tongue
Gal weh wine up and go dung
Mek dem bumpa touch di ground
Cock it up and mek it boom
Mi waan fi beat it like a drum
Har guitar mi waan fi strum
All a mi guinness and mi rum
Pure gal a run mi down
Gal weh old and gal weh young
Gal weh wine up and go dung
Mek dem bumpa touch di ground
Cock it up and mek it boom
Waan fi beat it like a drum
Har guitar mi waan fi strum
All a mi guinness and mi rum
The lyrics to Beenie Man's song Run Mi Down seem to be about the artist's desire for women and his disregard for the idea of commitment. In the song, he questions how a man could not have a woman and encourages them to go out and find a "baby madda." He boasts of his own success with women, claiming to have so many that he needs to keep track of them by month. The chorus repeats the phrase "pure gal a run mi down" while he lists different types of women and how he desires to be intimate with them.
The verses continue with similar themes, with Beenie Man describing himself as a "gallis" or ladies man and how women are drawn to him. He mentions that he has "rope[s] around his little finger" and that his heart is more accommodating than that of "Casanova." Despite the fact that he has many women, he still desires more and won't settle for just one.
Overall, the song seems to be promoting the idea of casual relationships and the freedom that comes with being unattached, particularly in regards to sexual relationships. It also plays into gender stereotypes with Beenie Man portraying himself as a dominant, desirable male figure.
Line by Line Meaning
Genius mi cyan aks you a question
I'm intelligent enough to ask you a question
Dem bwoy they really serious
These guys are really serious
Yo how you fi nuh have a gal man you like god know
How can you not have a girlfriend, man? It's like God knows
Keep you hand pon your pocket
Keep your hand on your pocket
Any man nuh have a gal
Any man without a girlfriend
Have mi cyan tell supm serious
Let me tell you something serious
Any bwoy nuh have nuh gal go sup-sup-sup-
Any guy without a girlfriend, go support yourself and get a baby mama
Support yourself and go get a baby madda
Support yourself and get a woman pregnant
Big man a fatty and know you are no fadda
You're not a father, just a big, fat man
Likkle much fat sexy gal inna jamaica
There are many small, curvy, sexy women in Jamaica
Let mi see some trigga finga from every gangsta
Let me see trigger fingers from every gangster
Now seh you a gallis beat you chest and gi mi di ansa
Now you say you're a player, beat your chest and give me the answer
Yes so you know seh gal alone you sponsor
So you know that you only support women
Every where mi go inna jamaica
Everywhere I go in Jamaica
A pure gal a run mi down
A lot of women are chasing me
Bleach out and bore dem tongue
Bleached out and bored them with their tongues
Gal weh wine up and go dung
Women who are moving their bodies and going down low
Mek dem bumpa touch di ground
Make their butts touch the ground
Cock it up and mek it boom
Lift it up and make it bounce
Mi waan fi beat it like a drum
I want to bang it like a drum
Har guitar mi waan fi strum
I want to play her like a guitar
All a mi guinness and mi rum
All of my Guinness and rum
Gal weh old and gal weh young
Women who are old and women who are young
How much gal mi have
How many women do I have
Miss january february to december
From January to December
Fix di gal dem propa that alone a mi agenda
Taking care of women is my agenda
Likkle how much gal rope around mi likkle finga
I have a few women wrapped around my finger
Have di gal dem heart because mi ease than casanova
I have the hearts of women because I'm smoother than Casanova
Bed haffi tun ova
The bed has to turn over
Dont come mi haffi linga
Don't come, I have to stay longer
Teeth haffi a knock up and gal dem haffi snap finga
Teeth have to be clashing and women have to snap their fingers
Straight hot hot like a pepper wid di ginger
Straight hot like a pepper with ginger
You nah have no gal mi nah haffi wonda
If you don't have a girlfriend, I don't have to wonder why
If you nah have a gal a fi your own business
If you don't have a girlfriend, it's your own business
That cah mi nuh inna fi your zone memba dat
That’s because I don't care about your zone, remember that
Anywhere mi go gal a seh beenie hot
Everywhere I go, women say I'm hot
How da gal deh fat hey
How is that woman fat?
Come hold mi back
Come hold me back
Gal mi waan you rope dung mi trace, hold mi back
I want you to wrap yourself around me and hold me back
Wine pon mi frontline and then you wine guh dung come up back
Dance close to me and then move away and come right back
Gal please dont stop
Don't stop, woman
Then touch mi neck back
Then touch my neck again
Why some bwoy a go back
Why are some guys going back?
Writer(s): Stephen Mcgregor Copyright: Emi Music Publishing Ltd., Chase Mountain Music Inc.
Contributed by London L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Boogaloo Mel
Time to dance! Ragga time :) liebe dieses Lied!
DJ Bojack
STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPHEN DI GENIUS MAKE DI TING TUN UP!!!!!!!!!
Tisha Jordan
This shit is sick!!!!!
arielle hamilton
hes bad i love his music
daclansh
cause beenie fans still waan hear him!
Yair Segura
i like it
Zahid B
Tooo sick
aaron lawerence
maddd song thtas all i got to say
blondieinheaven
daaannnceeehaaaalll <3
Britney Says
gwarn.! boyyass tune <3