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.
Robespierre
Billy Woods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pulled out the womb under blood moon
Everything to follow is assumed
Medicine measured in bitter spoons
Former presidents exhumed
New king built his own tomb certain doom
Bleeding out offscreen the villain's goons
Humming a tune
It's only one way out the saloon
Gather the baboons
Toweled door of midtown hotel cocooned
‘06 sex like incense, purple her perfume
Called down, pushed checkout to noon
Pepe Le Pew Skunk #1 stunk
Showered with the blunt, you only live once
A thousand deaths beat 'em to the punch
She went in his phone, mostly off a hunch
I am who I pretend to be
Here and now there's no rememberin'
But you niggas gonna remember me
Even if it's burnin' in effigy
I am who I pretend to be
Here and now there's no rememberin'
But you niggas gonna remember me
Even if it's burnin' in effigy
Broke down side of Mutare Road
Sun sliding down slow
I assumed there was nothing dad didn't know
Till the light got real low
Night fell, you should see my light bill
Biggest house on the biggest hill
Bristling Brutalist atop a landfill
Part of him still in the hole at Fishkill
Crusaders come home on they shields
Redolent of sweet poppy fields
Popping pain pills
Watching that high school highlight reel
I am who I pretend to be
Here and now there's no rememberin'
But you niggas gonna remember me
Even if it's burnin' in effigy
I am who I pretend to be
Here and now there's no rememberin'
But you niggas gonna remember me
Even if it's burnin' in effigy
I am not who I pretend to be
Here and now no dissemblin'
You prolly won't remember me
Not less I'm burnin' in effigy
I am not who I pretend to be
Here and now no dissemblin'
You prolly won't remember me
Not less I'm burnin' in effigy
Memoria memoria
Memoria and I swear that I don't have a gun
No, I don't have a gun
No, I don't have a gun memoria
Memoria memoria
And I don't have a gun
In this song, Billy Woods touches on various themes and topics, using vivid imagery and wordplay. The opening lines reference a birth under a blood moon, symbolizing a dark and foreboding beginning. The subsequent lines speak to the uncertainty and challenges faced in life, with medicine being bitter and former presidents being exhumed, signifying a sense of upheaval and the overturning of established norms. The mention of a new king building his own tomb suggests a self-destructive path to certain doom.
The lyrics then shift to references of being alone and dying in a lonely place, like the utility rooms of the Death Star, which is a metaphor for isolation and insignificance. The line "humming a tune" can be seen as a coping mechanism or a distraction amidst the struggles of life. The mention of baboons and a hotel cocooned in midtown suggests a chaotic and confining environment.
The song also explores identity and the act of pretending. The repeated line "I am who I pretend to be" reflects a sense of uncertainty and the blurring of lines between authenticity and performance. The lyrics highlight a desire to be remembered, even if it means being remembered in a negative way, symbolized by burning in effigy. This can be interpreted as a desire for significance and leaving a lasting impact.
Overall, "Robespierre" addresses themes of uncertainty, isolation, identity, and the human desire for recognition and remembrance.
Line by Line Meaning
Good clean fun you said it brother
This experience was meant to be enjoyable and harmless, as you proclaimed
Pulled out the womb under blood moon
My birth occurred in a circumstance of darkness and uncertainty
Everything to follow is assumed
All that unfolds afterwards is taken to be true without questioning
Medicine measured in bitter spoons
The remedies administered are laced with bitterness and unpleasantness
Former presidents exhumed
Previous leaders brought back to light and scrutiny
New king built his own tomb certain doom
The newly empowered figure constructs their own demise with inevitability
Bleeding out offscreen the villain's goons
The antagonistic forces inflict harm discreetly and without attention
Dying alone in Death Star utility rooms
Meeting one's demise in isolation, hidden away like an insignificant space within a larger structure
Humming a tune
Repeating a melody to find solace or distract oneself
It's only one way out the saloon
There is only a single path of escape from this establishment
Gather the baboons
Assemble the foolish and unwise individuals
Toweled door of midtown hotel cocooned
Seeking refuge and seclusion behind a cloth-covered entrance in a city hotel
‘06 sex like incense, purple her perfume
Engaging in intimate relationships in the year 2006 with an atmosphere of heavenly aroma and her distinct fragrance
Called down, pushed checkout to noon
Contacted reception, extending the time of departure to the following day
Pepe Le Pew Skunk #1 stunk
Similar to the odor emitted by the renowned cartoon character, the marijuana strain called Skunk #1 had a strong and pungent scent
Showered with the blunt, you only live once
Bathing in the smoke of the marijuana joint, emphasizing the briefness and preciousness of life
A thousand deaths beat 'em to the punch
Enduring countless hardships and near-death experiences before others could harm or defeat me
She went in his phone, mostly off a hunch
Out of a strong suspicion, she invaded his private messages and information on his mobile device
I am who I pretend to be
My true identity aligns with the character I feign
Here and now there's no rememberin'
In this present moment, recalling the past is irrelevant
But you niggas gonna remember me
However, you individuals will definitely retain memories of me
Even if it's burnin' in effigy
Even if those memories manifest as a symbolic burning of my image
Broke down side of Mutare Road
Stranded and abandoned on the edge of Mutare Road
Sun sliding down slow
The sun descending gradually and unhurriedly
I assumed there was nothing dad didn't know
I believed my father possessed knowledge on every subject
Till the light got real low
Until the illumination diminished significantly
Night fell, you should see my light bill
Darkness arrived, and my electricity expenses increased significantly
Biggest house on the biggest hill
Residing in the largest dwelling atop the highest peak
Bristling Brutalist atop a landfill
Constructed with aggressive and austere architecture on top of a site for waste disposal
Part of him still in the hole at Fishkill
A portion of his being remains stuck in a difficult situation at Fishkill
Crusaders come home on they shields
Those who embark on zealous missions return carrying their shields symbolizing their struggles
Redolent of sweet poppy fields
Evoking the fragrant essence of pleasant opium fields
Popping pain pills
Consuming pills to alleviate physical discomfort
Watching that high school highlight reel
Observing a compilation of memorable moments from one's teenage years
I am not who I pretend to be
Contrary to my outward projection, I am not the person I claim to be
Here and now no dissemblin'
In this present moment, I am not deceiving or concealing anything
You prolly won't remember me
It's likely that you will not retain memories of me
Not less I'm burnin' in effigy
Unless my image is symbolically set on fire
Memoria memoria
Repetition of the word 'memoria' as a reflection on memories
And I swear that I don't have a gun
I sincerely declare that I do not possess a firearm
No, I don't have a gun
Indeed, I do not own a gun
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind