Bilal's classical training at the Mannes Music Conservatory in New York was instrumental to his conversance with Jazz, voice, and big band arrangements. It has also been reported that he is capable of performing opera in seven languages and writes both music and lyrics.
In 1995, Bilal encountered Faulu Mtume, and his brother, Damu Mtume (sons to James Mtume and founders of Moyo Entertainment) at a barber's shop in Philadelphia. His plans to produce film scores was shelved after he handed the brothers a demo recording; they were so impressed that they successfully convinced him to record commercially.
Bilal has also frequently collaborated and performed with several neo-soul and alternative hip hop artists, including Common, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, and The Roots. He also covered Radiohead's "High & Dry" for the 2006 Radiohead tribute, Exit Music: Songs With Radio Heads. Bilal appears in Dave Chappelle's Block Party.
His sophomore full-length recording, Love for Sale is rumored to have been shelved after being leaked on the internet. Despite no official release as of yet, Love for Sale has become an underground classic.
In 2010, Bilal released his sophomore album, Airtight's Revenge, 9 years after his debut album. The album was well-received, critics praised his lyrical substance and experimental sound.
Bilal is set to release his 3rd album, A Love Surreal, on February 26, 2013. Bilal explains that the album has a warmer, more acoustic sound compared to his previous works. He released a mixtape leading up to the release in late 2012 called Retrospective of the Man Called Bilal. 6 days after the mixtape was released, he took the wraps off his first single for A Love Surreal, "Back To Love". A video was released the next month. So far, reviews for A Love Surreal are positive, praising Bilal's natural singing talent and lyrics.
Flying
Bilal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't buy no gifts that she ain't got
(Before)
She's been 'round playin' this all her life, you know
She say her daddy raised her right
He caught a serious bit when she was 6 years old
The biggest old dealer like to sell your soul
He liked to dress her up like a China doll
Now when the Feds bust in shootin' rounds
He said, "Everybody in the house, hit the ground"
And it all went up in a cloud of coke
And mamma lay dyin' there on the ground
When the smoke disappeared
She flew away
That's what they say
The poor little girl is a foster child
Led to the streets to run a-wild
Yeah, so it goes
Of the agony, all the pain
The worst thing she didn't choose the road
Though it's safe to stay on the railroad
But it's never ever wrong to take her home
She's flying
She's flying, yeah
She's flying
She's flying, yeah
There was some love she loved long ago
She gave that man her heart
(And soul)
He was the one that made her blood run cold
Another bad time in her life
He had her walkin' the town sellin' her ass
They was makin' money till she broke her back
One day, how you do that?
Upside down on a bow when you're smokin' crack
Somebody yelled from the back
Somebody get this hoe up off the floor
And [Incomprehensible] called the fuckin' ambulance
Now here we go
With the black top
Could've been a star
But you know how it is
You can't do shit when you're injured
Plus these hoes out here is younger every day
Plus when he left, that was that
Never even noticed that he never came back
So fucked up from prescription pills
She'll never trust the man again
No, now she's crying
She's flying
She's flying, yeah
The lyrics to Bilal's song "Flying" are about a woman who has endured a lot of pain and trauma in her life. The opening lines reflect the fact that she has heard empty promises and insubstantial words from others many times before. The singer goes on to say that she cannot buy her trust or loyalty with gifts, because she has already seen and experienced so much. The woman in the song grew up in a life of privilege but was thrown into chaos when her father, a drug dealer, was arrested. The Feds rushed in with guns blazing, and her mother was killed in the chaos.
Despite this, the chorus of the song emphasizes that she is "flying." It is not clear whether this is meant literally or metaphorically, but it seems to suggest that she has transcended the difficulties of her life and has found a way to rise above it all. Later in the song, we learn that she was forced into prostitution by another man, who also deserted her when she was injured. But again, the chorus reaffirms that she is "flying" in some way.
Overall, the song communicates a sense of resilience and endurance despite tremendous adversity. The lyrics suggest that the woman in the song has been hurt in many ways but is continuing to find a way to rise above it all and keep going, even when things seem impossible.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't say no shit that she ain't heard before
She's familiar with all kinds of talk, so don't try to impress her with clichés.
Can't buy no gifts that she ain't got
You can't buy her love with material things, because she's already seen it all.
She's been 'round playin' this all her life, you know
She's been surviving in this tough world for a long time, and she knows how to play the game.
She say her daddy raised her right
Despite all the difficult situations she's faced, she was raised with good values by her father.
He caught a serious bit when she was 6 years old
Her father was arrested for a serious crime when she was just a child.
The biggest old dealer like to sell your soul
The man who put her father in jail was a ruthless drug dealer who cared only for money and power.
He kept his daughter in a paradise
Despite his criminal life, the father wanted to provide his daughter with a happy and safe environment.
He liked to dress her up like a China doll
He loved his daughter and treated her like a precious doll, protecting her from the harsh reality of the world.
Now when the Feds bust in shootin' rounds
The authorities raided the house with gunfire and force.
He said, "Everybody in the house, hit the ground"
Her father commanded everyone to get down to the floor to avoid getting hit by bullets.
And it all went up in a cloud of coke
The criminal activities in the house involved a lot of drug use, which got destroyed in the commotion.
And mamma lay dyin' there on the ground
Her mother was killed during the raid.
When the smoke disappeared
After the chaos calmed down.
She flew away
Her mother passed away and left this world.
That's what they say
This is what people talk about in the neighborhood, spreading rumors about what happened.
The poor little girl is a foster child
She became a foster child after losing her parents.
Led to the streets to run a-wild
Growing up without parents and proper guidance, she had to fend for herself and ended up living a chaotic life.
Yeah, so it goes
This is just the way events unfolded, without much control over the outcome.
Of the agony, all the pain
She's experienced a lot of physical, emotional, and mental pain in her life so far.
The worst thing she didn't choose the road
The hardest part is that she didn't have control over her life situation and had to make difficult choices to survive.
Though it's safe to stay on the railroad
Sometimes following a safe and predictable path is the better choice.
But it's never ever wrong to take her home
Despite everything she's been through, she deserves a safe and loving home to come back to.
She's flying
She's moving on and letting go of the pain from her past, spreading her wings like a bird.
She's flying, yeah
She's embracing the freedom and independence that comes with leaving the past behind.
There was some love she loved long ago
She experienced love in the past, but it didn't last.
She gave that man her heart
She gave her all to the person she loved and trusted.
He was the one that made her blood run cold
But he turned out to be someone who hurt and betrayed her deeply.
Another bad time in her life
Another painful and traumatic experience that left her broken and lost.
He had her walkin' the town sellin' her ass
He forced her into prostitution, making her sell her body to make money.
They was makin' money till she broke her back
They were making a lot of money from her prostitution until she got injured and couldn't work anymore.
One day, how you do that?
Someone asked how she got injured and she couldn't answer, realizing how trapped and helpless she was in that situation.
Upside down on a bow when you're smokin' crack
She got injured while being in a dangerous and humiliating position, smoking crack upside down.
Somebody yelled from the back
Someone behind her spoke up and tried to help her.
Somebody get this hoe up off the floor
They called her a derogatory name and demanded that she be helped off the ground.
And [Incomprehensible] called the fuckin' ambulance
They eventually called an ambulance to help her get medical attention.
Now here we go
And so another chapter of her rough life begins.
With the black top
She was lying on the pavement, surrounded by strangers.
Could've been a star
She had potential and dreams when she was younger, but life took her in a different direction.
But you know how it is
But as we know, life can be unpredictable and cruel.
You can't do shit when you're injured
Being injured meant that she was unable to do anything about her situation or control her own life.
Plus these hoes out here is younger every day
She realized that she was getting older and that there were always younger women coming into the same difficult situations she was in.
Plus when he left, that was that
Her partner abandoned her in her time of need, without a second thought or care for her wellbeing.
Never even noticed that he never came back
She was so hurt and broken that she didn't even realize he wasn't coming back.
So fucked up from prescription pills
She turned to drugs to numb the pain, and got addicted to prescription pills.
She'll never trust the man again
She's been through too much betrayal and pain to ever trust another man in her life.
No, now she's crying
Despite her attempts to move on and fly away from the pain, she still can't help but cry and feel the sadness deep inside.
She's flying
But she's still trying to fly away and leave the past behind her.
She's flying, yeah
She's holding on to the hope and promise of a better future, despite all that she's been through.
Contributed by Declan M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
cokoqt81
I love everything Bilal does. Im in love with this album! Im so glad Bilal is back! Real music is back!
jermaine davis
Jezzy/cole/Kendrick plus this incredible composition = fire
Shouts to bilal
EMMA LEE M.C.
SO SLEPT ON is bilal. legendary artistry 🙏🏿
Eccentric1990
I am in love with Bilal! If he sang the alphabet I would love it!
Rock Steady
WISH THIS SONG CAME TO MY EARS IN 2007 🙈‼️
kelvin88keyes
the story is crazy tho! like on some bad luck, Precious type s**t! but Genius! much props Bilal!
EARTHTONE LYRIX
i feel you im a soul artist on the come up i met bilal along with anthony david and algebra here in atlanta where im from at one of bilals shows which turned into a jam session because it got rained out and turns out there nothing but singers and musicians in the house that night so of course i grabbed my axe and got up on that stage with him and just sang some random cool shit lol i write sing play produce check me out some day female artist on the come up support
itsNazKhalid
Bilal you will be in Indy soon... can't wait! #fellowvocalist
Neil DeGrasse Titan
🦁👏👏👏👏
Laurin Robinson
YOU BETTA SANG BILAL