After dropping one full-length album (Blue Scholars LP, 2005) and an EP (The Long March, 2005) the Blue Scholars have emerged as the latest in a long line of torchbearers for Seattle and greater Pacific Northwest hip-hop scene. The duo formed in early 2002 after ciphers and sessions in a makeshift attic-bedroom-studio in Seattle's University District, where emcee Geologic and DJ/producer Sabzi came from vastly different musical approaches to collide. One a distinguished battle emcee and poet, the other a former punk/ska drummer and jazz-trained pianist, the duo's backgrounds laid the foundation for a versatile combination of beats and rhymes at once political and personal.
Since 2002, the duo has become renowned live show veterans, rocking nearly 200 shows with the likes of De La Soul, Immortal Technique, The Coup, Zion I, One Be Lo, Soul Position, Slick Rick, and Spearhead. The mass appeal of their live show has brought them to many diverse venues - from labor organizing conferences and youth-run community center shows to playing the main stage at Sasquatch! (2006) and Bumbershoot (2006).
In June 2006, Blue Scholars joined forces with Common Market (emcee RA Scion and DJ Sabzi) and emcee Gabriel Teodros (of Abyssinian Creole) to launch MASS LINE MEDIA, a new artist-run independent record label.
Year Formed: 2002
Second Chapter
Blue Scholars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Here we are)
(Here we are)
Now from the longest to the shortest 24 in a year,
From the verses to the chorus you've been longing to hear
The talk, story transmitted through verses, we persevered
We the presently last and future first from the spear
We stand over the plan to hold the weapon with the fist and heal it with an open hand
Feelin' focused on the promise of a liberated land and I'm just a simple man
Gettin' caught crossin' the fire,
More often than not the fire crosses us,
And the cross is on fire
We martyrs it's not enough it's been time to dig and find the diamonds in the rough
And then refine them into weapons to cut up the belly open 'til we all fall out
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now
It's a great leap forward kinda different from Mao
Still drop it on the one like elevators to the ground
Now it's the turning of the page to the second chapter
A tragedy and comedy so cue the blood and the laughter
To survivors of economic and natural disasters livin' for the right here and not the here after
A handful of tracks each a snapshot to capture the trials and tribulations
And smiles since you've been waiting a while
We graduated in style, congratulations people of the word gather
Thank you all for your patience
In Blue Scholars's song Second Chapter, the lyrics are a combination of reflection on the past and a nod to the future. The repetition of "here we are" emphasizes the present moment and the importance of being in the now. The opening lines use the contrast of the longest and shortest amount of time in a year to set up the idea that life is both fleeting and enduring. The verses and chorus that the listener has been eagerly anticipating refer to the storytelling aspect of the song and the importance of oral transmission in passing on knowledge and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Now from the longest to the shortest 24 in a year,
From the beginning to the end, all 24 seasons of the year
From the verses to the chorus you've been longing to hear
The parts of the song that you've been waiting to hear
The talk, story transmitted through verses, we persevered
The story told through the song that we worked hard to create
We the presently last and future first from the spear
Currently in last place, but aiming to be first in the future
To the slingshot, we rock upon the solid rock of granite
We use our resources wisely and stand strong on a solid foundation
We stand over the plan to hold the weapon with the fist and heal it with an open hand
We use our strength to hold onto our plan and be compassionate at the same time
Feelin' focused on the promise of a liberated land and I'm just a simple man
We are hopeful for liberation, and all we are is a simple group of people
Gettin' caught crossin' the fire,
Getting stuck in the middle of a dangerous situation
More often than not the fire crosses us,
We tend to get caught up in problems that we didn't create
And the cross is on fire
Even our beliefs and values are in danger of being destroyed
We martyrs it's not enough it's been time to dig and find the diamonds in the rough
We have sacrificed a lot, but it's time to find hidden potential and opportunities
And then refine them into weapons to cut up the belly open 'til we all fall out
We will use these opportunities to create change and expose the problem until it's fixed
'Cause the end of what it was is what it is right now
The present is a result of past actions and circumstances
It's a great leap forward kinda different from Mao
We are making significant progress, but not necessarily in the same way Mao did
Still drop it on the one like elevators to the ground
We are still delivering our message with the same style and rhythm as before
Now it's the turning of the page to the second chapter
We are moving forward to the next phase of our story
A tragedy and comedy so cue the blood and the laughter
Life is both sad and funny, so be prepared for both
To survivors of economic and natural disasters livin' for the right here and not the here after
For those who have suffered from financial and environmental hardships, we are focusing on the present
A handful of tracks each a snapshot to capture the trials and tribulations
These songs are a snapshot of our experiences and challenges
And smiles since you've been waiting a while
We are happy to make our fans happy after a long wait
We graduated in style, congratulations people of the word gather
We successfully completed this project and we hope everyone enjoys it
Thank you all for your patience
Thank you for waiting and supporting us
Contributed by Julia Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@thuggymcbattle
Holy shit, people are still watching this video! This was done as a class project YEARS ago. After Effects wouldn't stop crashing at the time, so I lost some of my progress and ended up redoing the bulk of this video the night before it was due 😠Unfortunately, some of the sync issues and typos are here to stay. Maybe a new version is long overdue 🤔
@cockboy12
this song is so insane. geo is the most inspiring hip hop artist i have ever listed to. he doesn't just speak truths, he does it in a way that's simply beautiful. i love blue scholars and i am so happy i don't listen to mainstream music so i can hear this. has changed my life and forever will.Â
@TheEbonyqueen18
Still relevant in 2014, blue scholars are underrated
@sikkkeee
This song gives me chills still 2 years after hearing it for the first time. Much love to Geo and Szabs. Keep preaching!
@jseidl21
This is the coolest "assignment" a teacher could ever give.
@us2lach
Personally I like the editing and would like to see more of my favourite hip hop/rap songs done in this fashion :)
@ALovinHouseWife
this song bumps. so pure!
@ChristopherReidATLRockies
awesome kinetic typography. I'm a graphic design student at AIAD and ive been dying to learn how to do this. well done bro.
@younisel-helo8191
Awesome song
@MrBleibold
Good music needs to be heard.