Braintax originally performed as a duo, but former member DJ T.E.S.T. left in the mid-1990s. T.E.S.T. only appeared on one official Braintax release - the 1992 debut EP, Fat Head. Christie retained the recording name and it has since become synonymous with him as a solo artist.
Though Christie had been involved in the underground breakdancing and rapping scenes for a number of years, his career effectively started with the release of the Fat Head EP. Perhaps most noted was track 5, "Talk About The Future," sampling Quincy Jones's "Summer In The City." The sample was used in response to American hip hop act The Pharcyde's use of it in its track "Passin Me By," from album Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. Braintax's lyrics reflected a maturity beyond his years and this track in particular was a sign of what was to come.
Throughout his career, Braintax's lyrics have been thoughful, hard hitting and reflective, ranging from politics to spirituality and the state of hip hop music to the war in Iraq. Decrying the fake posturing and the laziness of UK hip hop acts, Braintax, along with a slew of cohorts such as Blade, Harry Love and Lewis Parker, triggered a renaissance in the UK hip hop scene, both setting the pace and paving the way for new artists and labels. As well as the variation in production styles, the depth and complexity of Braintax's lyrics are a clue to his success. Though he may not like it, philosophical musings, such as those on "Oceans" (Biro Funk, 2001), on the essence of contentment and the struggle to find peace in the modern world, appeal to a wide audience and, significantly, a middle class audience. In any case, Braintax has been a pioneer of the renaissance in UK hip hop and remains heavily involved, constantly pushing the music forward: "If there is a point it should be that we benefit more from music we relate to than from that we just listen to."
Joe Christie has also recorded or appeared under the pseudonyms Brando Flux and Joey Brains.
Riviera hustle
Braintax Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down and out in San Marino on a roulette binge
Im trying not to cringe watch em tow the Bentley off
6 AM cold, yawn and gently cough
Never been a toff, self-made
Double 0 style gambling habit got played
I watch the sun rise, park bench thoughts
From San Moritz via Cannes, left my yacht in the port
Shit! I fled, 39 steps, I hope hes not dead
Jehst:
From cream tea at 3 oclock with the Duke of York
To my photo-fit picture on the news report
Whod have thought ? I caught glares true to form
On a nudist resort selling shares in porn
Brando Flux:
And I was stepping out casinos like The worlds now mine!
And now Im sitting in the sun with my cardboard sign
And weak pleas, and all day looking at knees
And me and Jehst rifle restaurant bins for free cheese
Jehst:
Sipping on vino, flicking through a copy of the Beano
Me and my amigo Joe in the casino
With only 5 bucks in my snow white tux
Most times I rock a t-shirt that says Life sucks!
Brando Flux:
We went from hotel to motel to sleeping on the beach
drinking cheap wine laughing at you slurring your speech
Jehst:
Pop the cork fill a glass, Anthill Mob with the illest cars
Still doing bank jobs in a gorilla mask
So I can buy my other half a chinchilla scarf
Chilling with my honey-dip in a vanilla bath
How you like me now ?
Im off to hustle in the sun if Im down and out
Play the gent, tell lies cos Im Brando Flux
Till the heat dies down well be down on our luck
How you like me now ?
Im off to hustle in the sun if Im down and out
Quick change, switch names, now Im Brando Flux
Low Lifes sport a tux when were down on our luck
Brando Flux:
The jewel thieves know me at the Intercontinental
Knowing that Im just down on my luck and not mental
Its a funny scene: me and the gang with Peter Sellers
eating breakfast at the beach with a Swiss bank teller
Jehst:
Its that fella sucking ash out of last nights lagers
In my flip-flops and pyjamas
Stranded somewhere off the coast of the Bahamas
The bandit with banana clips and balaclavas
Brando Flux:
Riviera Joey Brains steps credit card flex
Bad scam, high society discovered who I am
They got suspicious when I passed on the ham
At the buffet in Cannes, with Prince Albert of Monaco at the soire
Damn!
Jehst:
I wanna parlay man, yeah you know those cats
that rock black suits and bowler hats
Playing Jack Jones tracks in our stolen Jags
Holding stacks of ice like the polar caps
A new night another heist better guard your stash
Run upon Guy Ritchie for his cards and cash
Thats the snatch! Paparazzi cant relax
Al Fayed wont rest till my yards been trashed
Ive been drinking all day but Im hardly smashed
On safari, asking where the partys at
Brando Flux:
Im coming with a box of stones
The Pink Panther does the picking and he spots the clones
Im like amazed, give him props and accept the cash
Im off to hustle through the Alps on a ski resort dash
Watch the name splash: Howard Marks, deposit box, same bank
Say thanks security the safe cracks open, last bash
Now Im stood looking at my last cash
And Im considering the options I could load some hash
In Morocco at the stash by the customs check
I thought Yasser paid em off but Im a nervous wreck
I take a valium or two and we relax, sail back
Juggle tourism and rap and make money in the gaps.....
The lyrics of "Riviera Hustle" by Braintax are a combination of both Brando Flux's and Jehst's verses talking about their luxurious and eventual downfall lifestyle while living in the Riviera. The song starts with Brando Flux talking about his gambling habit and how he lost his Bentley to a casino. He then explains his journey from San Moritz via Cannes and leaving his yacht at the port. Flux also talks about harbour master strangulation and fleeing a crime scene. Jehst then comes in and talks about how he went from cream tea with the Duke of York to his photo-fit on a news report. The verse talked about Jehst selling shares in pornographic material on a nudist resort. The next verse sees Flux and Jehst stepping out of Casinos with all the money in their hands, but they end up begging for cheese by rifling through restaurant bins. The song then continues with Flux talking about how the police know him as Joey Brains, and how he got into a fix at a buffet in Cannes. Meanwhile, Jehst talks about wanting to rob Guy Ritchie and how Al Fayed won't rest until his yard has been trashed.
Overall, the song is an account of the downfall of the luxurious lifestyle that both of the rappers experienced while living in the Riviera. They were once at the top, enjoying the best of life and living a life of extravagance but their fortunes took a turn for the worse, and they found themselves down on their luck.
Line by Line Meaning
Down and out in San Marino on a roulette binge
I was in San Marino, gambling recklessly
Im trying not to cringe watch em tow the Bentley off
I watched as they towed away my luxury car and tried to hide my embarrassment
6 AM cold, yawn and gently cough
It was early morning and I was cold and trying to suppress a yawn and cough
Never been a toff, self-made
I wasn't born into wealth, but worked hard for my fortune
Double 0 style gambling habit got played
My gambling habit, in the style of James Bond, ended up being a mistake
I watch the sun rise, park bench thoughts
I sat on a park bench and watched the sunrise, deep in thought
From San Moritz via Cannes, left my yacht in the port
I had traveled from San Moritz to Cannes and left my yacht in the port
Got a ticket, harbour master strangulation left him in the shed
I got a ticket for the harbor, but had to leave due to an incident where I had caused harm to the harbor master and had to leave him in the shed
Shit! I fled, 39 steps, I hope hes not dead
I left quickly and hoped that the harbor master was not badly hurt
To my photo-fit picture on the news report
My picture was on the news as a suspect
Whod have thought ? I caught glares true to form
It isn't surprising that people accused me, given my past behavior
On a nudist resort selling shares in porn
I was selling porn shares on a nudist resort
And I was stepping out casinos like The worlds now mine!
I was winning big at casinos and felt invincible
And now Im sitting in the sun with my cardboard sign
Now I'm homeless and begging on the streets
And weak pleas, and all day looking at knees
I spent my days begging and watching people's knees as they walked by
And me and Jehst rifle restaurant bins for free cheese
Jehst and I searched restaurant trash cans for free cheese
Me and my amigo Joe in the casino
I was with my friend Joe at the casino
Most times I rock a t-shirt that says Life sucks!
I often wear a shirt that expresses my negative outlook on life
We went from hotel to motel to sleeping on the beach
We went from staying in hotels and motels to sleeping on the beach
Drinking cheap wine laughing at you slurring your speech
We drank cheap wine and laughed at someone who was slurring their speech
Pop the cork fill a glass, Anthill Mob with the illest cars
We popped a bottle of wine and admired the cars of the Anthill Mob
Still doing bank jobs in a gorilla mask
The Anthill Mob still committed bank robberies while wearing gorilla masks
So I can buy my other half a chinchilla scarf
I robbed banks to be able to buy my significant other an expensive fur scarf
Chilling with my honey-dip in a vanilla bath
I was relaxing in a bath with my significant other
The jewel thieves know me at the Intercontinental
I have made connections with jewel thieves at the Intercontinental hotel
Knowing that Im just down on my luck and not mental
They know that my current situation is due to bad luck, not insanity
Its a funny scene: me and the gang with Peter Sellers
It was an amusing sight to see me and my group with Peter Sellers
In my flip-flops and pajamas
I was wearing comfortable clothing, like flip-flops and pajamas
The bandit with banana clips and balaclavas
I was a bandit, armed with banana clips and wearing a balaclava
Riviera Joey Brains steps credit card flex
I alerted the Riviera socialites of my presence by flaunting my credit cards
Bad scam, high society discovered who I am
I was discovered to be a fraud by high society
They got suspicious when I passed on the ham
They became suspicious of me when I didn't eat any ham at a buffet
At the buffet in Cannes, with Prince Albert of Monaco at the soire
I was at a buffet in Cannes with Prince Albert of Monaco
I wanna parlay man, yeah you know those cats
I want to make quick money, like those who rob banks
Playing Jack Jones tracks in our stolen Jags
We drove around in stolen Jaguars while listening to Jack Jones
Holding stacks of ice like the polar caps
We had a lot of diamonds, like the polar ice caps
A new night another heist better guard your stash
I was planning my next robbery and warning others to guard their belongings
Run upon Guy Ritchie for his cards and cash
I was planning to rob Guy Ritchie for his money and credit cards
Paparazzi cant relax Al Fayed wont rest till my yards been trashed
The paparazzi were after me and I was worried that Al Fayed would seek revenge on me
On safari, asking where the partys at
I was on a safari, looking for a good party
Im coming with a box of stones
I was carrying a box of valuable stones
The Pink Panther does the picking and he spots the clones
The Pink Panther, a skilled thief, helped me identify fakes among the real stones
Im like amazed, give him props and accept the cash
I was impressed with the Pink Panther and accepted the money he offered me
Im off to hustle through the Alps on a ski resort dash
I was leaving to go to a ski resort for another money-making scheme
Watch the name splash: Howard Marks, deposit box, same bank
I wanted my name, Howard Marks, to be known for my deposit box at the same bank
Say thanks security the safe cracks open, last bash
I was grateful to the security for opening the safe and knew it was my last opportunity
Now Im stood looking at my last cash
I was standing with my last bit of cash
And Im considering the options I could load some hash
I was thinking about how I could make more money, possibly by smuggling hash
In Morocco at the stash by the customs check
I was planning on smuggling hash in Morocco and hiding it at the customs check
I thought Yasser paid em off but Im a nervous wreck
I was unsure if Yasser had paid off the authorities and was feeling anxious
I take a valium or two and we relax, sail back
I took some valium to calm down and then sailed back
Juggle tourism and rap and make money in the gaps.....
I was planning to combine tourism and my music career to make more money
Contributed by Miles F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ollie wright
hotel to motel to sleeping on the beach drinking cheap wine laughing at you sluring your speach - DOPE
Dman FormulaOne
LOL growing up in Torquay this was my anthem :)
Jaysus FPV
Most definitely a Tq anthem lol
Padmatic
Fucking TRACK! Classic shit
Ezek Goro
Brutal
Craig17g
Ukhh in its prime
Dogfartface
Nah. High Focus are the prime now.
Jordan Price
@Dogfartface High Focus and some of Blah Records
Jared_Slouch
God damn....