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.
Gilgamesh
Billy Woods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just flew into the city what's up with you?
Expectations was barely hardly so when
She actually came through?
Pleasantly surprised like moms gave
Me the car keys stiff drinks
Back to my place, garnish the parsley
Laughed when she saw that same old room
But I could tell she's playin' so
I sang my same old tune no shame in her game
Told me the wedding's in June
Gone at first light connecting flight
She made the plane
I'm left thinking like Osama in Khartoum
Your whole neighborhood on stage
Excessively mean muggin'
Still managed to sound weak
Coming out the speakers
Far be it from me though cousin
I ain't James Brown neither
Found in the wild half docile
Gazelles with the finest features
Retired to the boudoir with
A long legged sativa fell out
Road to Damascus status, I'm a believer
Had to disconnect the receiver on that
Solid gold telephone fulgencio Batista
El Jefe, Rafael Trujillo
Came through on her wedding night
Groom peeping through the keyhole
Tears in his eyes lights off mijo
All you heard was rattling medals
She left disheveled
Merrily dug his own grave
Whistling as he shoveled
It's increasingly clear
These walls is fucking closing in
Last year I pretended to care
Right now can't spare the oxygen
Feet up on the Ottoman empire
A two block radius at best
But the peasants still call him sire
Hold his marijuana and shoot
When he says fire no rest, for the wicked
Steady hand, on the spigot
Velvet glove, iron fingers
Greek myth, fire bringer, Helen of Troy
Perfume linger
Even vacuum sealed, green apples wild ginger
Spinning woods till hands got splinters
So much hash the weed can't finish
And she lying there wide open
Like Congo at Independence
That 70s era Dino De Laurentiis
Lush production
Red rope, hope your name's on the list
Angels on the pen, blunts in the fist
Good luck is a couple seeds in the brick
But you fucked up and seeded the bitch
Stolen whips
Sitting in Dulles Airport long-term parking
That's cash in escrow
Rap like I'm reading off of parchments
Old school, fleece is golden wool
For a few pieces of silver
They overlooked the Golden Rule
Acapulco Gold and it all reeks of jet fuel
In the first paragraph of "Gilgamesh," Billy Woods describes receiving a surprising call from someone he hadn't expected to hear from. This person tells him that she has arrived in the city and asks if they can meet up. The expectations he had for this encounter were low, but he ended up being pleasantly surprised when she actually showed up. They spend time together, possibly drinking, before going back to his place. His room seemingly hasn't changed since the last time she saw it, and she asks him if he has ever changed for an old flame. However, he can sense that she is playing games, so he responds by singing his usual tune without feeling any shame. She then informs him that her wedding will take place in June and leaves on the first flight in the morning, while he is left contemplating her departure.
In the second paragraph, Billy Woods shifts his attention to a neighborhood or community where people appear tough and mean-mugging. Despite their intimidating demeanor, their voices lack strength when they come out of the singers. He acknowledges that he is no different, not as influential as James Brown. He compares himself to a gazelle found in the wild, partly domesticated, with the finest attributes. There is mention of retiring to the boudoir with a long-legged sativa, referring to indulging in intimate moments with a marijuana strain. This experience has a transformative power on him, a "Road to Damascus status," as he becomes a believer in the effects of the weed. He had to disconnect from someone speaking to him through a solid gold telephone, reminiscent of the lavish lifestyles of historical figures like Fulgencio Batista and Rafael Trujillo. On her wedding night, this woman from earlier returns, and Billy Woods suggests that she disheveledly leaves her husband and engages in an affair with him. The groom, with tears in his eyes, quietly witnesses their encounter while holding back.
In the third paragraph, Billy Woods expresses a feeling of suffocation and claustrophobia. He mentions pretending to care the previous year, but now he can't spare the oxygen. This could mean that he has grown apathetic or numb to certain emotions or social responsibilities. He describes his current position as being like an Ottoman empire, powerful in a small radius but still called "sire" by the lower classes. He possesses marijuana and commands others to shoot when he says "fire" (a double entendre referencing both gunshots and smoking weed). Billy Woods depicts himself with a steady hand on the figurative spigot, suggesting he has control over the flow of something valuable (possibly music or drugs). He combines imagery from Greek mythology (the fire bringer Prometheus and the beauty of Helen of Troy) with the scent of perfume and the taste of hash and ginger. The stanza culminates with him spinning an abundance of records ("woods"), even to the point where his hands get splinters, highlighting his dedication to his craft.
In the fourth and final paragraph, Billy Woods continues with his lyrical imagery. He references the movie production company Dino De Laurentiis's work in the 1970s and his characteristic lavish productions. He compares this opulence to the experience of being in a high-end establishment with red ropes, hoping his name is on the guest list. He mentions angels writing with pens and holding blunts in their fists, possibly alluding to himself and others like him who write music and smoke marijuana. He mentions that good luck only requires a few seeds, but he had made a mistake by impregnating a woman, resulting in undesirable consequences. There is a transition to a scene at Dulles Airport's long-term parking, where Billy Woods alludes to stolen cars awaiting their owners' return. He compares his rap style to reading off old parchments, emphasizing his adherence to traditional rap aesthetics. The final lines merge the iconic image of Judas receiving silver for betraying Jesus with the disregard for morals by those willing to overlook the "Golden Rule" in their pursuit of wealth and success. The stanza concludes by mentioning the strong aroma of marijuana that permeates the air, reminiscent of the smell of jet fuel.
Line by Line Meaning
Got a call out the blue like
Received an unexpected phone call
I just flew into the city what's up with you?
Just arrived in the city, what's happening?
Expectations was barely hardly so when
Didn't have high expectations
She actually came through?
She actually showed up?
Pleasantly surprised like moms gave
Feeling happy and surprised, like receiving a gift from your mother
Me the car keys stiff drinks
Like being handed the keys to a car and having strong drinks
Back to my place, garnish the parsley
Went back to my home and decorated with parsley
Laughed when she saw that same old room
She laughed when she saw my unchanged room
Asked if I'd ever change for an old flame
Inquired if I would change myself for a past romantic partner
But I could tell she's playin' so
But I could tell she's being insincere
I sang my same old tune no shame in her game
I sang my usual song without feeling embarrassed, while she had no shame in her intentions
Told me the wedding's in June
Informed me that her wedding will take place in June
Gone at first light connecting flight
Left early in the morning on a connecting flight
She made the plane
She successfully boarded the aircraft
I'm left thinking like Osama in Khartoum
I'm left contemplating like Osama bin Laden hiding in Khartoum
Your whole neighborhood on stage
Your entire community is performing or presenting themselves
Excessively mean muggin'
Excessively giving intimidating looks
Still managed to sound weak
Still managed to come across as feeble or lacking power
Coming out the speakers
Being played through the singers
Far be it from me though cousin
However, I'm not the one to judge, my friend
I ain't James Brown neither
I'm not like James Brown either
Found in the wild half docile
Found in the wild, somewhat tame or submissive
Gazelles with the finest features
Beautiful gazelles with exceptional attributes
Retired to the boudoir with
Went to the bedroom with
A long legged sativa fell out
A tall, cannabis strain fell out
Road to Damascus status, I'm a believer
Reached a transformative state like the road to Damascus, now I'm a believer
Had to disconnect the receiver on that
Had to end the call on that
Solid gold telephone fulgencio Batista
Luxurious gold telephone, reminiscent of Fulgencio Batista's regime
El Jefe, Rafael Trujillo
Boss, referring to Rafael Trujillo
Came through on her wedding night
Arrived on her wedding night
Groom peeping through the keyhole
The groom secretly looking through the keyhole
Tears in his eyes lights off mijo
With tears in his eyes, son, in the darkness
All you heard was rattling medals
All that could be heard were the sounds of shaking medals
She left disheveled
She departed looking untidy or disarranged
Merrily dug his own grave
Happily dug his own grave
Whistling as he shoveled
Whistling while he was moving the dirt with a shovel
It's increasingly clear
It's becoming more and more evident
These walls is fucking closing in
These walls are rapidly coming closer
Last year I pretended to care
Last year, I faked being concerned
Right now can't spare the oxygen
At this moment, I can't waste the energy
Feet up on the Ottoman empire
Relaxing with my feet up, like the Ottoman empire
A two block radius at best
Maybe a distance of only two blocks
But the peasants still call him sire
But the common people still address him as 'sire'
Hold his marijuana and shoot
Hold his cannabis and smoke
When he says fire no rest, for the wicked
When he gives the order to smoke, there's no break for the sinful
Steady hand, on the spigot
Having a steady hand on the faucet
Velvet glove, iron fingers
Soft exterior, but tough and forceful inside
Greek myth, fire bringer, Helen of Troy
Referring to Prometheus, the bringer of fire in Greek mythology, and the association with Helen of Troy
Perfume linger
The smell of perfume remains in the air
Even vacuum sealed, green apples wild ginger
Even when perfectly sealed, the aroma of green apples and wild ginger is strong
Spinning woods till hands got splinters
Twisting and rolling cannabis until my hands feel sore
So much hash the weed can't finish
Having an excessive amount of concentrated cannabis that can't be consumed
And she lying there wide open
And she's laying there fully exposed or vulnerable
Like Congo at Independence
Similar to the Congo during its period of independence
That 70s era Dino De Laurentiis
In the style of films produced by Dino De Laurentiis during the 70s
Lush production
Rich and elaborate production
Red rope, hope your name's on the list
Exclusive access, hoping your name is on the guest list
Angels on the pen, blunts in the fist
Poetic and talented writers, with marijuana blunts in their hand
Good luck is a couple seeds in the brick
Good luck is having a few marijuana seeds in a block of cannabis
But you fucked up and seeded the bitch
But you made a mistake and impregnated the female plant
Stolen whips
Stolen cars
Sitting in Dulles Airport long-term parking
Parkers in the long-term parking lot of Dulles Airport
That's cash in escrow
That's money held in trust
Rap like I'm reading off of parchments
Rap as if I'm reciting from ancient scrolls
Old school, fleece is golden wool
Classic style, luxury and valuable clothing
For a few pieces of silver
For a small amount of money
They overlooked the Golden Rule
They disregarded the principle of treating others as you wish to be treated
Acapulco Gold and it all reeks of jet fuel
High-quality cannabis strain and it all smells strongly of aviation fuel
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@junclassic
Honored To Have Been A Part Of This Visual Experience. billy woods Is One Of The Illest Spitting Right Now. Shout Out To Backwoodz Studios!
@OswaldBatesIIIEsq
Much respect to you.
@readgrasstouchbooks
How does Blockhead manage to find such a heart-rending piano sample? He has an amazing ear for haunting, memorable sounds.
@billholb1974
because he is a genius
@richardphilipps6032
Check out Tumbleweed feat. Aesop Rock
@jasonbrown6686
Sooftah I think the pianos are from this https://youtu.be/yMZnflkwI0o
@theneedledrop
king billy
@KayButtonJay
theneedledrop I bet you thought no one noticed
@DANtheRAPPER
damn, im lurkin - btw you do any sort of thing where youre followers can try and get our own original music reviewed? ive been rappin 13 yrs, from jerz but livign in aus on a label down here Wet Knuckles, - be nuts to get your opinion on my stuff
@AES1R98
Here from your recommendation from the earl whole world review