2. MC from Portland, Oregon.
3. Hardcore band, probably active in the 90's.
4. A hardcore punk band from Philadelphia, PA that has been active since 2012. http://braillephiladelphia.bandcamp.com/
1) As the house-oriented solo project of Praveen Sharma (see Sepalcure, Praveen, and Praveen & Benoit), Braille combines classic chicago house vocals with deep, dubby melodic elements, all under the pulse of post-dubstep-influenced, sub-dominating bass. His debut EP, The Year 3000, is slated for a May, 2011 release on Rush Hour.
2) Always on a musical mission, BRAILLE has become one of rap’s best-kept secrets. He has released three solo albums, performed throughout the U.S., Europe and Japan with artists like the late James Brown, De La Soul and others, been named one of the “Next 100” by URB magazine and collaborated with rap heavyweights such as 9th Wonder, CunninLyguists, and Pigeon John. All of these accomplishments set the stage for Braille’s fourth album, the splendid The IV Edition (Syntax Records).
In addition to being his fourth album, the title represents three other things. Braille wants the album to serve as an IV to distribute musical medicine for social illnesses directly into the veins of the society. IV also stands for “International Vision” (becoming more aware of what's going on in the world around us) and “International Version” (the album is made for an international audience and features German, French, Finish and Australian producers like M-Phazes, Aetoms, Staffro, etc).
The album’s title song serves as an ode to Braille’s rap roots. Produced by Marco Polo and featuring scratches from Rob Swift, the energetic, drum-driven tune is a lyrical showcase that caters to rap’s tremendous subterranean following. “The underground hip-hop base is a lot bigger than people think it is,” Braille reveals. “Sometimes when people think of the word underground, they think of basement albums that just get dubbed on tape. So I’m sticking to my roots. I believe that the audience for lyricism and good hip-hop is much larger than most people assume. I wanted to start with the hip-hop base and take it from there.”
Elsewhere, Braille acknowledges his personal and artistic history on “Remember Your Path” and channels the energy of music icon James Brown on “Main Squeeze,” with whom Braille toured as an opening act during 2005 and 2006. Then on “Calculated Risk” Braille gets personal by examining his decision to pursue and create lyric and beat-drive rap music with spiritual overtones. It’s been a full time mission since 1999. “This could really end up being really detrimental to my career. I understand the risk of doing what I’ve done thus far. I understand the risk that I might not make it, that people might not buy my records. I understand those risks, but it’s still worth it to me to put everything into a making a record the way I want it to sound and not worry about what’s going on in the industry and on the radio.”
Braille was attracted to hip-hop at a young age. Hearing the variety of different styles and artists that existed during the early- to mid-‘90s, Braille was inspired by the idea that he could write songs based on his own personal experiences and that he didn't have to fit into any specific stereotypes. One group that was fundamental in Braille's development at the time was A Tribe Called Quest, who changed his outlook on music with its landmark 1993 album Midnight Marauders. Rap was in the midst of a gangster rap renaissance at the time and the album’s uplifting, positive vibe gave the then teen-aged Braille a boost. “Hearing people talk from different perspectives, I started to realize, ‘Hey, I could make music and still be myself,’” the Portland-raised rapper recalls today. “It was fine that I grew up where I grew up. My size, stature and my personality are all attributes. They’re not negatives. That’s just who I am, so I felt that if I embraced those things, then I could do whatever I wanted with it.”
Growing up, Braille had more to worry about than music. Born in Portland, he and his family relocated to New Jersey when he was in high school. During his stay on the east coast, his family went bankrupt and returned to Portland to live with Braille’s grandmother. However, Braille enjoyed being close to Philadelphia and New York and decided to stay by himself on the East Coast. In 1999, when he was 17, independent startup ESWP music released his first album, Lifefirst: Half The Battle.
The battle to survive proved too tough, so Braille moved back to Portland only to find out there was no room in the house for him. He took a bus to Los Angeles in order to pursue a career in music. After a year in LA, he went back to Oregon and met the woman that would eventually become his wife. With music dreams, no high school diploma and newfound responsibility, Braille and his future wife started a business cleaning out repossessed homes.
That wasn’t the work Braille wanted to do, so he and his wife moved out of their place, put their stuff in storage and lived out of their van while they toured around the United States doing concerts. They didn’t ask for payment at shows. With no bills, they sold merchandise to pay for gas and food. “I didn't have many career options because I spent most of my teenage years working on music,” Braille says. “That’s where I invested all of my time, so I was willing to make some sacrifices in order to continue pursuing it.”
Fortunately, the more Braille pursued his dream of making a living making music, the more real that dream became. He buckled down and in 2004 released his second album, Shades of Grey. The collection featured collaborations with 9th Wonder (Jay-Z, Destiny’s Child) and Rob Swift and laid the foundation for a successful career. Thanks to such powerful, politically minded songs as “Keep On,” it was easy for URB magazine to tap Braille one of their “Next 100.”
The following year, Braille’s newly formed label Hiphop IS Music released his third album, Box of Rhymes. Following the album’s release he would experience the joy of becoming a father as well as the pain of loosing one. The IV Edition deals with these issues and provides an outlook compromising of social change, spiritual beliefs, confidence and the ability to carry on.
Though he did not grow up in a spiritual household, Braille found the spiritual references he encountered in rap encouraging and decided to act upon them. “I believed there was something out there,” Braille says, “and I started out trying to be a positive person. I felt a gut on my heart and I eventually ended up meeting this other artist, Trust One, and when we got together, I thought we were going to talk about hip-hop. He told me more about God and I started on my path as a follower of Christ. That had a big impact on the direction I took in life and as an artist"
3) No info about them, released a demo tape.
4) Four Adult Males from Philadelphia. 90s-influenced hardcore punk with its own unique twist. Sean, Dustin, Andrew, and John.
Get It Right
Braille Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How I wonder why I utter
Words so ugly, hear me stutter
If my mother heard me now
She might slap me, save me now
I'm a mad man in a dark room
Playing the piano, it's my heart's tune
And I want you so bad
You're no good, I'm no good either, you showed me the dark side, I followed the leader, losing my patience, try to gain composure, I can see the storm coming like my name's Noah, can't say I didn't warn you, who warned us? What are we supposed to do when the storm's us? Where are we supposed to run to? What can I say? I don't even know who I'm talking to, looking in the mirror I see unfamiliar shadows, looking in the galaxy I feel so shallow, my heart, like a black hole, wicked and deceitful, trying to do good, surrounded by evil
This time I will get it right, now's the time for me to step into the light
(repeat)
The light is so beautiful, I close my eyes,
I've been burned before, it happened many times,
I can be my own worst enemy or I can blame You for tempting me, I got good and bad tendencies, tenacious and habitual, with bad habits and rituals, worthy of ridicule, I got no excuses, I'm pitiful, I get stressed over miniscule little nothings, just a drop in the bucket, I see a way out but I'm so reluctant, it's time to swallow my pride, it's time to get my life right
All these thoughts, they drive me crazy
Some of them are now escaping
There's a spider in my head
And I'm afraid to go to bed
I'm a mad man and I've lost it
Won't You please help me find it?
Cause I need You so bad
Oh yes I need You so bad, You're so good
Your mercy is so good
Your blood, it covers me
It sounds a little dark
I'm walking in the light
In Braille's song Get it Right, the lyrics are a reflection of self-doubt, confusion, and the struggle to live a righteous life. The chorus starts off with a wonder of why the artist speaks words that are unattractive and stutters while speaking them. The artist fears what their mother would think if she heard them speak that way. The artist is in a dark room playing piano and wants someone so badly, which could be someone significant or something they have been aiming to achieve.
The next verse is contemplative and speaks to the influence of outside forces leading one down a dark path. The artist mentions the storm approaching and can see it coming like Noah. They question who warned them and what they are meant to do when the storm is them. The artist is lost and confused about their surroundings, feeling that they are surrounded by evil even when they wish to do good. However, the artist ultimately resolves to do better, saying that they will get it right this time.
The final verse reflects on the artist's internal conflict between good and bad tendencies, making them feel unworthy and pitiful. They have a fear of the creatures in their head, symbolized as spiders, and have lost themselves. They plead to the divine to help them get through these tough times and guide them towards the light. The artist understands that they made it through the rough patches before, but the struggle is not over. The song showcases the inner turmoil that we all face as we try to navigate through life and ultimately reach a better place.
Line by Line Meaning
How I wonder why I utter
Reflecting on my speech, filled with words I regret
Words so ugly, hear me stutter
My words are awkward as they escape my lips
If my mother heard me now
I fear disappointing those who care about me
She might slap me, save me now
I need guidance and a helping hand
I'm a mad man in a dark room
I feel lost in a confusing and uncertain world
Playing the piano, it's my heart's tune
Music is comforting and connects me to my emotions
And I want you so bad
I long for companionship and love
You're no good, I'm no good either, you showed me the dark side, I followed the leader, losing my patience, try to gain composure, I can see the storm coming like my name's Noah, can't say I didn't warn you, who warned us? What are we supposed to do when the storm's us? Where are we supposed to run to? What can I say? I don't even know who I'm talking to, looking in the mirror I see unfamiliar shadows, looking in the galaxy I feel so shallow, my heart, like a black hole, wicked and deceitful, trying to do good, surrounded by evil
We're both flawed individuals who were led down a destructive path. I'm struggling to keep calm as chaos approaches. Despite my attempts at warning, I don't know what to do. I'm lost in my own darkness and confusion, where even my own reflection looks strange. My good intentions are often overshadowed by the negativity around me.
This time I will get it right, now's the time for me to step into the light
I'm determined to make things right and move forward positively
The light is so beautiful, I close my eyes
I can finally see a way out of the darkness and it's a comforting feeling
I've been burned before, it happened many times
I've been hurt so many times that it's become a pattern
I can be my own worst enemy or I can blame You for tempting me, I got good and bad tendencies, tenacious and habitual, with bad habits and rituals, worthy of ridicule, I got no excuses, I'm pitiful, I get stressed over miniscule little nothings, just a drop in the bucket, I see a way out but I'm so reluctant, it's time to swallow my pride, it's time to get my life right
I'm conflicted about who or what to blame for my faults. I have both positive and negative tendencies and I'm struggling to break free from my bad habits. Despite my own shortcomings, I have to accept responsibility for my actions and start making positive changes in my life.
All these thoughts, they drive me crazy
My thoughts are overwhelming and causing distress
Some of them are now escaping
I'm struggling to keep my emotions in check
There's a spider in my head
My fears and anxieties are creeping into my mind
And I'm afraid to go to bed
I'm worried that my thoughts will haunt me in my sleep
I'm a mad man and I've lost it
I feel like I'm losing my grip on my own life
Won't You please help me find it?
I'm calling out for help and guidance
Cause I need You so bad
I need a source of strength to lean on
Oh yes I need You so bad, You're so good
I'm grateful for the goodness and mercy that surrounds me
Your mercy is so good
I'm reminded of the compassion that exists in the world
Your blood, it covers me
I find solace in my faith and feel protected by a higher power
It sounds a little dark
I acknowledge that my thoughts and feelings can be intense
I'm walking in the light
I'm on a path of self-improvement, moving away from negativity and towards positivity
Contributed by Brooklyn H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.