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.
The Things They Carried
Billy Woods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Carried: duct tapes, thirty-eights
And nigga merry
To the toast, they that close
But now he ghost slow with the steel
Scully ran from the blood spilled
A pocket of crumpled bills
Sock full of crills
The number of a girl named Paula
Written on back of a dollar
She still waiting for him to call
Met her at the mall
She had on her favorite lipstick
She got two babies
Little boy is six, baby girl always sick
Never seen her father
She used to visit but why bother
He caught a big case
Remember when boo got shot in the face
The same cat
Feds hit his place, the kid had a key a base
Six stolen guns
Time he got tons, clock creep concurrent
Home made hot plate
Of new burners, shoes with no laces
Pictures of faraway faces
Dog-eared over the years, counting
Your shoe pillow, Voice tears
A BGS spare for some kings
On the tear, New Years, Pre-nup prepared
No hope, no fear, neither belonging here
Letter from his mama
They just run into each other
His cellmate nickname Butta
Talk with a stutter, so he mutter
Got a little brother out in Brooklyn
Used to watch Butta get coke cooking
Now he g'd up, in and out central booking
Didn't no one notice them cats looking
‘bout to get his work tooken
Step to ‘em on that note
Little bro tried to go in his coat
First shot hit him in the throat
They stripped his chain
Couldn't find the coke
And these are the things he carried
And these are the things he carried
To all my peoples, you know what I'm saying
Going in the streets man, it's me next
You know what I'm saying, spitamatics
Ashford Hill, Georgia Forest
Weston, Euclid Street, North West DC
Fuck is you talking ‘bout
BK's 150th and 7th Ave nigga, we here now
In Billy Woods's song "The Things They Carried," the lyrics depict the burdens and struggles faced by individuals living in marginalized communities. The song explores the lives of various characters, highlighting the items they carry as metaphors for their struggles and aspirations.
The list of items, such as duct tapes, thirty-eights, and drugs, reflects the harsh realities of their environment. These objects represent the means by which they navigate their circumstances and protect themselves. The mention of "nigga merry" alludes to the precariousness of their existence, with "toasting" indicating their close proximity to danger and violence.
The singer, Scully, is haunted by the consequences of his actions. He carries the weight of the steel, symbolizing the burden of the violence he has witnessed or committed. The crumpled bills and sock filled with drugs represent Scully's dreams of a better life, of a house on the hill. The dollar with Paula's number written on it symbolizes a connection to hope and the possibility of a better future. However, Scully's obligations and mistakes prevent him from reaching out to her.
The song also delves into the lives of other characters, such as a woman named Paula with two children. Her situation highlights the cycle of struggle and hardship within the community. The lyrics touch on themes of absent fathers, broken relationships, and the challenges faced by those trapped in systemic violence and poverty.
Line by Line Meaning
These are the things they
These are the belongings that they carried
Carried: duct tapes, thirty-eights
They carried items such as duct tapes and .38 caliber firearms
And nigga merry
And they carried a sense of happiness and celebration
To the toast, they that close
They carried the closeness and loyalty to their friends
But now he ghost slow with the steel
But now he moves slowly and cautiously with his firearm
Scully ran from the blood spilled
Scully escaped from the aftermath of a violent incident
A pocket of crumpled bills
They carried a pocket filled with wrinkled money
Sock full of crills
They carried a sock filled with drugs in small quantities
Dreams of a house on the hill
They carried aspirations of living in a luxurious house on an elevated location
The number of a girl named Paula
They carried a written contact number of a girl named Paula
Written on back of a dollar
The contact number was written on the reverse side of a dollar bill
She still waiting for him to call
Paula is still eagerly waiting for him to contact her
Met her at the mall
They first met each other at a shopping mall
She had on her favorite lipstick
Paula was wearing her preferred lipstick during their meeting
She got two babies
Paula has two children
Little boy is six, baby girl always sick
Her son is six years old, while her daughter is frequently unwell
Never seen her father
The children have never met their father
She used to visit but why bother
She used to visit him, but eventually stopped as she saw no reason to continue
He caught a big case
He got involved in a significant criminal legal situation
Remember when boo got shot in the face
They remember a past incident where someone named Boo was shot in the face
The same cat
Referring to the same individual
Feds hit his place, the kid had a key a base
The federal authorities raided his location, where the young person had access to a narcotics stash
Six stolen guns
They carried six firearms that were unlawfully taken
Time he got tons, clock creep concurrent
Over time, he acquired a large amount of drugs, and the clock continues to move forward
Home made hot plate
They carried a hot plate made at home for cooking
Of new burners, shoes with no laces
They carried new guns (burners) and shoes without any shoelaces
Pictures of faraway faces
They carried photographs of people from distant places
Dog-eared over the years, counting
The pictures have become worn and folded after being kept for many years, used for counting
Your shoe pillow, Voice tears
They carried their shoes as a makeshift pillow, and their emotions were expressed through crying
A BGS spare for some kings
They carried a spare weapon (BGS) for certain influential individuals
On the tear, New Years, Pre-nup prepared
They carried a controlled substance, anticipated the arrival of the New Year, and had a prenuptial agreement ready
No hope, no fear, neither belonging here
They carried a sense of hopelessness, fearlessness, and a feeling of not fitting in
Letter from his mama
They carried a letter received from his mother
They just run into each other
They randomly encountered each other
His cellmate nickname Butta
His fellow inmate is nicknamed Butta
Talk with a stutter, so he mutter
Butta speaks with a stutter, causing him to mumble
Got a little brother out in Brooklyn
He has a younger brother living in Brooklyn
Used to watch Butta get coke cooking
They used to observe Butta preparing cocaine
Now he g'd up, in and out central booking
His younger brother has become involved in criminal activities and frequently goes in and out of the central booking facility
Didn't no one notice them cats looking
No one noticed when those individuals were being observed
‘bout to get his work tooken
He is about to have his drugs stolen
Step to ‘em on that note
He approached them regarding that matter
Little bro tried to go in his coat
His younger brother attempted to reach into his jacket
First shot hit him in the throat
The initial gunshot struck him in the throat
They stripped his chain
They forcibly took his necklace
Couldn't find the coke
They couldn't locate the cocaine
And these are the things he carried
These are the possessions that he brought along with him
And these are the things he carried
These are the belongings that he brought along with him
To all my peoples, you know what I'm saying
This is a message to all the people listening, emphasizing understanding
Going in the streets man, it's me next
In the context of street life, the singer suggests they will be the next to face challenges
You know what I'm saying, spitamatics
The singer addresses their audience, referring to their verbal skills
Ashford Hill, Georgia Forest
Referring to specific geographical locations
Weston, Euclid Street, North West DC
Mentioning specific street names in Washington DC
Fuck is you talking ‘bout
The singer questions the relevance or validity of the listener's statement
BK's 150th and 7th Ave nigga, we here now
Referring to a specific location in Brooklyn, New York, and asserting their presence
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