His mother was an English literature professor from Jamaica. His father was a Ph.D. Marxist writer, active in the Zimbabwe War of Liberation and then a member of the government in Zimbabwe. In 1980, the family moved to Zimbabwe. After the death of Woods' father, they returned to the United States in 1989. Woods briefly attended Howard University before getting involved in New York City's hip-hop scene. He started making music in the late 1990s. He wrote his "first real rhyme" at a laundromat in Kennebunk, Maine in 1997.
Billy Woods released his debut solo album, Camouflage, on his record label Backwoodz Studioz in 2003. In 2012, he released History Will Absolve Me. In 2013, he released Dour Candy, which was entirely produced by Blockhead. In 2017, he released Known Unknowns. It was included on Rolling Stone's "15 Great Albums You Probably Didn't Hear in 2017" list. In 2019, he released a collaborative album with producer Kenny Segal, titled Hiding Places, and a solo album, Terror Management. 2020 brought Brass, a collaborative album with Moor Mother. Woods released Aethiopes and Church in 2022. On May 5th 2023 Woods released Maps , second collaborative album with producer Kenny Segal.
Bigfakelaugh
Billy Woods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No n-words, no Irish
Shopkeeper pointing to the signage
Work sets you free on the gate, to the gate
Everything in there is stretch measured, wait
Pay for a plate, window 'round the side
Nodded when the brother ladled extra into mines
It was divine, right there in the Bible
All-caps, STICK WITH YOUR OWN KIND
Kaffir lime on large French '75, ordered in the dive
Smile taped under, murder in the eyes
She said, "You try working a nine-to-five, I got half a mind"
And that, was the end of our time
I find it has a tendency to fly, time to ask Tyrone, do he drive?
You can't eat pride, you can try
Social worker said, "Close your eyes
Tell me where you see yourself in five
Then write it down
Come on guys, it's just a thought exercise"
She walked down the road, she had thick thighs
Big hips, ass kinda flat, but that's fine
Covered my answer 'cause fuck these other mugs (Fuck 'em)
Before the jigs up, need every red cent, and more than a few dimes
'Fore they dig him up, need a lawyer and an alibi
Before we pull the jux, let 'em know I'm camera-shy
Rooms full of books, used to wonder what's inside
Run my hands down the spine, now I sit sad at night
I got a letter from my insurer the other day
Opened and read it ("This has gotta be good news")
Said that the treatment wasn't covered
Turned to the family like, "I guess just forget it" ("Just forget it")
Big fake laugh ("Ah ha ha ha ha ha!")
This ain't a Denzel movie, don't try to think fast
Don't start changing lanes, get yourself whiplashed
Oh look, got yourself a shit bag ("Oh, waddya know?")
'Fore they dig him up, need a lawyer and an alibi
'Fore we cook, jux, let 'em know I'm camera-shy
Room full of books, used to wonder what's inside
That was before now out of sight, out of mind, and I don't mind
Really wanna keep it a secret? Hide it from yourself (Out of mind)
Hid it as a child, now his arms too big to reach it
Took the baby out of arms, wading at the deep end
Waited for dad to come home, turned to evening
Tree limbs skimmed the water, the dark deepen
The car swerve, rainy season
The regime purge, leaking
Cold, teeth chattering, that's life leaving
The demi-urge well beyond reason
The urn Greecian, this is just book keeping
It's no bottom like crooked policemen
Water unseasonably warm for the long weekend
My father prepared a place and waited in the storm for spirits
We was delivered
My father's house has many rooms
Mr. Biz washed at the bend in the river
Swimming now, you was born knowing
Born with the call, all eyes opened
My mother made me promise to bring her body to the ocean
Not here, but warm Caribbean waters
In Africa you leave twins in the forest
My sister had the courage to pay for us
Before they set us up, need a lawyer and an alibi
Before we do the gig, let him know I'm camera-shy
Shelves full of books, it's a secret passageway on the other side
Surprise, surprise
Before they set us up, need a lawyer and a- (Surprise, surprise)
Let 'em know (Surprise, surprise)
I'm camera-shy (Surprise, surprise)
The opening lines of "Bigfakelaugh" by Billy Woods describe a scene that seems to take place in a store where the shopkeeper is enforcing discriminatory policies. The mention of "No n-words, no Irish" on the signage is a clear nod to the history of racism and discrimination that has plagued the United States, particularly in the South. The use of the phrase "Work sets you free on the gate, to the gate" is particularly striking as it borrows from the infamous slogan used by the Nazis over the entrance of many concentration camps, which translates to "Arbeit macht frei" or "work sets you free." The suggestion that there may be similarities between the two situations is unsettling.
The narrative then shifts to a meal being served in a prison where one of the inmates nods to the singer and adds extra food onto his plate. This intimate detail hints at a deeper connection between the two, perhaps even as fellow inmates who have bonded over being incarcerated. The lyrical description of the meal is particularly vivid, using phrases like "squatted in eight lard biscuits, fried hog rind" to convey a sense of the prison's bleakness and the prisoners' experience of making the best of what little they have by indulging in simple pleasures.
As the song progresses, it weaves together different images and snippets of experiences that range from disturbing to beautiful. The haunting lyric "Before they dig him up, need a lawyer and an alibi" suggests a sense of paranoia and danger that the singer and those around him are experiencing. The mention of books and reading throughout the song hint at a love of learning and exploration, even in the midst of harsh conditions, and the final lines about a secret passageway offer a tantalizing hint of escape.
Line by Line Meaning
You mean today?
Asking if something is going to happen today.
No n-words, no Irish
Signage in a store that prohibits certain ethnic groups.
Shopkeeper pointing to the signage
The shopkeeper is pointing to a sign that excludes certain people from entering.
Work sets you free on the gate, to the gate
A reference to the deceptive sign at the entrance to a Nazi concentration camp.
Everything in there is stretch measured, wait
The food portions in the shop are measured and calculated, and customers have to wait.
Pay for a plate, window 'round the side
Customers pay for their food, and there is a separate window to collect the food.
Nodded when the brother ladled extra into mines
The customer received a little extra food, and he acknowledged the server.
Squatted in eight lard biscuits, fried hog rind
The customer enjoyed some food that is considered unhealthy.
It was divine, right there in the Bible
The food was so good that it felt like a religious experience.
All-caps, STICK WITH YOUR OWN KIND
A racist message written in all capitals.
Kaffir lime on large French '75, ordered in the dive
The customer ordered a fancy drink in a low-class bar.
Smile taped under, murder in the eyes
Someone is forcing a fake smile while feeling angry inside.
She said, "You try working a nine-to-five, I got half a mind"
Someone is frustrated with their job and feels like they are losing their mind.
And that, was the end of our time
The conversation or interaction ended.
I find it has a tendency to fly, time to ask Tyrone, do he drive?
Time seems to pass quickly, and the person is asking someone named Tyrone if he drives.
You can't eat pride, you can try
One cannot survive on pride alone.
Social worker said, "Close your eyes
A social worker asked someone to close their eyes to visualize their future.
Tell me where you see yourself in five
The social worker asked the person to envision their future in five years.
Then write it down
The social worker asked the person to write down their vision of the future.
Come on guys, it's just a thought exercise"
The social worker wanted the person to think about their future as an exercise.
She walked down the road, she had thick thighs
Someone is describing a woman who is walking on the road and has thick thighs.
Big hips, ass kinda flat, but that's fine
The woman has a big hips and flat butt, but it's still okay.
Covered my answer 'cause fuck these other mugs (Fuck 'em)
The person kept their answer to themselves and didn't care about others' opinions.
Before the jigs up, need every red cent, and more than a few dimes
The person needs to collect as much money as they can before they get caught doing something illegal.
'Fore they dig him up, need a lawyer and an alibi
The person needs a lawyer and an alibi to avoid getting caught for something they did.
Before we pull the jux, let 'em know I'm camera-shy
The person wants to inform everyone that they don't want to be filmed during their illegal activity.
Rooms full of books, used to wonder what's inside
The person used to be curious about the content of books in rooms, but they are no longer interested.
Run my hands down the spine, now I sit sad at night
The person used to touch the spines of books but now feels sad at night.
I got a letter from my insurer the other day
The person got a letter regarding their insurance recently.
Opened and read it ("This has gotta be good news")
The person opened and read the letter, hoping for good news.
Said that the treatment wasn't covered
The letter informed the person that their treatment is not covered by insurance.
Turned to the family like, "I guess just forget it" ("Just forget it")
The person gave up on getting treatment since it is not covered by insurance.
Big fake laugh ("Ah ha ha ha ha ha!")
The person laughed insincerely to hide their disappointment or frustration.
This ain't a Denzel movie, don't try to think fast
Life is not like a Denzel Washington movie, so one shouldn't hope to solve problems quickly.
Don't start changing lanes, get yourself whiplashed
One shouldn't change course abruptly and risk getting into an accident.
Oh look, got yourself a shit bag ("Oh, waddya know?")
The person is making fun of someone who walked into dog poop.
'Fore we cook, jux, let 'em know I'm camera-shy
The person doesn't want to be filmed before they commit a crime.
Shelves full of books, it's a secret passageway on the other side
The books on the shelves might conceal a hidden passage.
Surprise, surprise
Sarcastic phrase used to indicate a lack of surprise.
I'm camera-shy (Surprise, surprise)
The person doesn't want to be filmed, and it's not surprising.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Billy Woods, Kenny Adam Segal
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind