Binary Star is back to change the game once again.
The duo of emcees One Be Lo and Senim Silla possess a lethal chemistry greater than the sum of its parts. Trading verses effortlessly, the two can create magic on the mic ranging from intricate storytelling to battle raps.
Hailing from Pontiac, Michigan – Lo and Senim originally met in high school and instantly developed a close friendship. However one poor decision that could have easily derailed their career, made the bond between them stronger and more focused. An armed robbery conviction landed them both in prison for a three-year sentence and during this time Binary Star officially came into existence in 1998.
Upon their release, Lo and Senim had grown more mature, focused, and immediately began recording what would evolve into Masters of the Universe and the classic song "Reality Check". Binary also had plenty of beats waiting from longtime friend Decompoze , who would co-produce a majority of the album.
After initially pressing up CD, vinyl, and tape copies – the Binary Star buzz earned the group a distribution deal that would convert music listeners into loyal fans with the release of M.O.T.U. in 2000. It went on to sell over 25,000 units and showed the viability of independent hip-hop during a time when major labels had begun the commercialization of rap music.
Shortly after recording the M.O.T.U. album, the two parted ways claiming creative differences. One Be Lo developed his own solo career by rocking shows across the country. In 2005 his solo debut S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. moved over 22,000 units on Fat Beats Records. Lo also kept fans happy with several releases on his own Subterraneous Records: Project: F.E.T.U.S., S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N., and The R.E.B.I.R.T.H.. This has set the foundation nicely for the highly anticipated B.A.B.Y.
They reunited briefly in 2002, doing a concert together at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, but they did not record any new material. Although there has inevitably been speculation about a reformation of Binary Star, One Be Lo has stated that this is unlikely. "I seriously doubt it", he said, proceeding to claim, "Artists are real, real picky and real, real closed minded. They can be real, real strongly opinionated. If there ain’t no real chemistry, it ain’t going to work."
In 2009, recently reuniting after a 10-year hiatus, Binary Star is back in the studio working on its long awaited follow-up to the classic debut album Masters Of The Universe (M.O.T.U.). Tentatively titled "Light Years Apart," the duo's EP serves as a mere prequel to a full-length LP.
On March 29, 2013, Binary Star released their first album in thirteen years, a self-titled EP, as a celebration of their 15th anniversary as a duo.
Indy 500
Binary Star Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(sample from the movie "They Live")
Thought you boys understood it's business? That's all it is
You still don't get it, do you boys? No more good guys!
They're running the whole show, they own everything
The whole damn planet, they can do whatever they want!
What's wrong with having it good for a change?
They're gonna leave us alone! Let us make some money!
You can have a little taste of that good life too
Now I know you want it, hell everybody does
You'd do it to your own kind
What's the threat? We all sell out everyday
Might as well be on the winnin team!
(Decompoze)
Yo, this is Decompoze, and I gotta say
we need to try to keep this music to ourselves
We sellin out this art, for some money
to a guy who don't care nothin about this music
We gotta keep it to ourselves, tryin to win the Indy 500
Like this, check it out, check it out, check it out
(Chorus x2)
All we need is beats and rhymes to go and spark it
As long we got the underground, yo we got a market
I don't need a major to tell me how to run it
Cause my goal's to win the Indy 500
(Decompoze)
Start your engines, mo' pole positions got me sittin
In the fifth row, you only go if your gassed like Citco
And since my, terrorist, car's brand new
My pit crew consists of me, and the Binary too
For your car, you got the luxuries of a star
You got a crew of two dozen plus an A&R
That's your axle and your ratchet man
Cause after he get rich, man
you skit out on the ditch and be abandoned, need refixin
You also got the pressure, first to second no lesser
If you don't, you think you'll drive again, you'd never
See, it's not about the car it's the way you drivin it
If you cats is lame, can't maintain than you won't survive in it
I'm revivin it, the record wreckage I steer though
Comin from behind, unseen by rear view
You sleep in your seat, don't even know what's the deal
No suggestions on directions, they're controllin your wheel
And if you ever finish first a platinum trophy is risen
Your prize money? Your staff of 2 dozen got dibs in
Know the cars, know the race, cause if you get outsmarted
It doesn't matter where you finish, you'll end up where you started
(Chorus x2)
(Hook)
My goal's to win the Indy 500
My goal's to win the Indy 500
My goal's to win the Indy 500
My goal's to win, my goal's to win, my goal's to win
(Decompoze)
It's the battle of Dave and Goliath, the big and small
We need to take control of this shit, and get it all
Expect these rec' execs to take a fall
I came to collect my checks and that's my call
Don't confuse it, they pay your dumb ass, to abuse it
To get rich they use it, then they call it nigga music
You lose it, you're sold for some crumbs and promo
But if you really want the dough bro, you would go solo
You put food on your table playin the game wrong
While you dialing that fast food, they eat filet mignon
They applied the pressure, so you gave 'em a song
And if that shit don't hit, the next day you're gone
My copyrights are exclusive, for my uses
They make you a public nuisance, every unit you get two cents
I got influenced, the underground, the X factor
Record deals' slavery, so when you sign say, "Yes master"
(Chorus x2)
(Hook x2)
(Chorus)
(Ad-libs to fade)
The song Indy 500 by Binary Star featuring Decompoze is a commentary on the music industry and the struggle for artistic integrity. The sample from the movie "They Live" sets the tone for the discussion about the power structures at play, with the idea that the powers that be control everything and that we are all just pawns in their game. The chorus emphasizes the importance of keeping the music underground, away from the major labels, and staying true to our own artistic goals. The song references the famous Indianapolis 500 auto race, using it as a metaphor for the music industry and the need to stay focused on one's own journey to success.
Decompoze brings his own unique perspective to the song, championing the idea that artists need to take control of their music and not let the record labels control them. He points out that the record labels pay us to abuse our music for their profits, and that artists need to stay true to their own artistic visions instead of selling out for financial gain. He stresses that the underground scene is where true artistic freedom exists, and that it’s where the real market is.
Line by Line Meaning
Thought you boys understood it's business? That's all it is
The powerful people don't care about the art and consider only profit to be important.
You still don't get it, do you boys? No more good guys!
The powerful people have taken over and there is no one left to stand up for the art and artists.
They're running the whole show, they own everything
The powerful people have complete control over the industry and exist to make money.
The whole damn planet, they can do whatever they want!
The powerful people have all the control and will do as they please with the industry, regardless of the opinions of anyone else.
What's wrong with having it good for a change?
The artist wants to be successful and make money, like everyone else.
And they're gonna let us have it good if we just help 'em
The powerful people will give the artist success and money if they comply with their demands and play by their rules.
They're gonna leave us alone! Let us make some money!
The powerful people will allow the artist to be successful and make money as long as they continue to do things their way and sell out.
You can have a little taste of that good life too
The powerful people offer the artist a chance for success and financial stability.
Now I know you want it, hell everybody does
The artist desires success and everyone wants that for themselves, but at what cost?
You'd do it to your own kind
The artist will sell out and do whatever it takes to be successful, even if it means hurting other artists.
What's the threat? We all sell out everyday
Selling out has become the norm and is expected in the industry.
Might as well be on the winnin team!
It's better to sell out and be successful than to stand by the art and not make any money.
All we need is beats and rhymes to go and spark it
The power of the art and music will help to ignite a movement.
As long we got the underground, yo we got a market
Even without the mainstream industry, the underground movement can still sustain and grow the music market.
I don't need a major to tell me how to run it
The artist doesn't want to be told how to create and market their music by a major recording company.
Cause my goal's to win the Indy 500
The artist desires success and sees it as a race to the finish line.
You only go if your gassed like Citco
In order to be successful in the industry, an artist needs to have the resources and backing of powerful companies like Citco.
If you don't, you think you'll drive again, you'd never
If an artist isn't successful, they might not be given another chance to make it in the industry.
It's not about the car it's the way you drivin it
Success in the music industry doesn't depend on the resources or finances an artist has, but rather on how they utilize what they have available to them.
Record deals' slavery, so when you sign say, "Yes master"
The exploitation of artists via record deals is modern-day slavery, where the artists will be forced to comply with the demands of the recording company and the powerful people.
My goal's to win the Indy 500
The artist desires success and sees it as a race to the finish line.
Contributed by Stella K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.