Braintax is the recording name of Joseph Christie (born 1973), one of the m… Read Full Bio ↴Braintax is the recording name of Joseph Christie (born 1973), one of the most important and influential British hip hop artists of the second generation. He hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, but now lives in London. He is founder (with Breaking the Illusion) and owner of Low Life Records, the longest running UK hip hop record label to consistently release records. Stylistically, Braintax is much closer to East Coast hip hop than to the hardcore rap of earlier British rappers like Hijack and Gunshot. He is also well known for his business savvy and prominent crow's feet, which he says adds an air of distinction to his face.

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.

The Grip
Braintax Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Braintax:)
From the furthest point East to the wildest West
Powers travelled round the planet on a bloody conquest
European kings and priests with omnipotence
Soldiers freakin out in foreign lands killing citizens
And worse still spreading germs and plagues
Now is so much a result of those bad old days
From the town hall, to inner-city architecture

From the money in Surrey to sweatshops up in Leicester
Casino alcholics in the Mid-West,
junkies in Brazil feel the effects of mass death
The urge to learn killed by a greed for piles of gold
And churches justifying lives being sold
Though the culprits change, control rarely shifts
Only China comes close to even f#@*^!g with this
This world we call Earth and the system I dis
A lifestyle full of work where we barely exist
Look at Chile now - decimated native populations held down
The rich, white powers holding on
With British backing like Malaysia's arms buying
The same gang's running the show
And I'm trying to see through this and not become a lone hitman
Out to kill that bitch Maggie Thatcher with a sick plan
Sick bitch, supporting Pinochet in extradition
On telly, she put my brain into a strange position
So do you come to terms with devilish ways?
Or do you try to escape, run away or start to pray ?
I try to think about the positive things
One Love, no queen, one god, no king

I wish I had the will to fight back
Be at the World Trade Centre all dressed in black
Me and an angry pack
Instead I just rap and give back
And see a rich life and think..I still want to live that
It's so subtle how they muddle us
Now life is so complex we let the small things trouble us
And revolution ? Forget that for the one fact
We don't have the arms to even try to compete
It's even easier to keep your head down and stay asleep
And while you're lying there counting see your face in them sheep
And that's deep but not as deep as losing a child,
Seeing his teeth crushed by the rifle butt by your village hut
Pure grief, thanks to far away beef
Fried in messed-up religion half-baked in belief
So I won't stop rappimg till you get my drift
That we're held in the Grip getting sorely dissed
Capitalists are we, we pretend we're not
Buying better trainers each year, connecting dots
We go from first job to next job, to mortgage to kids
Make it harder to be happy 9-to-5in' to live
Me I'm striving to give but I'll hustle like mad
Just to get ahead in life
I need money so bad, yeah I'm pissed now
So do you get my gist now ?
If hell existed, half the world's already in the lift down...

In the Grip...

Overall Meaning

In this song, Braintax is critiquing the pervasive grip of the capitalist system on our lives and the ways in which this system perpetuates inequality and exploitation. He begins by tracing the legacy of colonialism and imperialism, highlighting the violence and suffering inflicted by European powers on people across the world. He connects this history to present-day issues like sweatshops, addiction, and environmental degradation. Throughout the song, Braintax suggests that many people have become complacent within the system, allowing themselves to be "muddled" and distracted by small concerns. He argues that this passivity is itself a form of complicity and that we must strive to "escape" or "fight back" against the poisonous grip of capitalism.

Line by Line Meaning

From the furthest point East to the wildest West
The influence of power has been widespread across the globe

Powers travelled round the planet on a bloody conquest
Countries have expanded through violent means

European kings and priests with omnipotence
European leaders and religious figures held immense power

Soldiers freakin out in foreign lands killing citizens
Military forces causing harm to civilians

And worse still spreading germs and plagues
The spread of diseases due to colonialism

Now is so much a result of those bad old days
Current issues can be traced back to past actions

From the town hall, to inner-city architecture
Institutions and structures within society are impacted

From the money in Surrey to sweatshops up in Leicester
Economic inequality is present within and between countries

Casino alcholics in the Mid-West,
Gambling addiction in the United States

junkies in Brazil feel the effects of mass death
Drug addiction and death in Brazil, possibly due to drug trafficking

The urge to learn killed by a greed for piles of gold
Money-driven motivations can hinder education

And churches justifying lives being sold
The role of religion in justifying historical atrocities

Though the culprits change, control rarely shifts
The dynamics of power remain the same even if individuals change

Only China comes close to even f#@*^!g with this
China is currently a major world power

This world we call Earth and the system I dis
The singer has issues with the current societal system

A lifestyle full of work where we barely exist
Work dominating people's lives to the point of not truly living

Look at Chile now - decimated native populations held down
The history of colonialism and oppression in Chile

The rich, white powers holding on
The power dynamic between wealthy, predominantly white countries and others

With British backing like Malaysia's arms buying
The singer is critical of British military arms sales to countries like Malaysia

The same gang's running the show
The same group of people continue to hold power

And I'm trying to see through this and not become a lone hitman
The artist wants to resist oppressive systems without resorting to violence

Out to kill that bitch Maggie Thatcher with a sick plan
The artist does not condone violence, but holds a grudge against a former British prime minister

Sick bitch, supporting Pinochet in extradition
A critique of Margaret Thatcher's support of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet

On telly, she put my brain into a strange position
The power of media to affect people's thoughts and beliefs

So do you come to terms with devilish ways?
The moral dilemma of accepting or resisting oppressive systems

Or do you try to escape, run away or start to pray ?
Different paths people can take when faced with oppression

I try to think about the positive things
The singer focuses on positive aspects of life despite the negativity

One Love, no queen, one god, no king
Desire for a more equal, non-hierarchical society

I wish I had the will to fight back
The desire for resistance but feeling powerless

Be at the World Trade Centre all dressed in black
A reference to a potential act of resistance, but may also refer to the 9/11 terrorist attacks

Me and an angry pack
The idea of collective action

Instead I just rap and give back
Using music as a form of resistance and giving back to the community

And see a rich life and think..I still want to live that
The allure of material wealth despite criticism of capitalism

It's so subtle how they muddle us
The ways in which people are manipulated without realizing it

Now life is so complex we let the small things trouble us
Societal issues can be overwhelming, causing people to focus on minor problems instead

And revolution ? Forget that for the one fact
Resistance may be difficult due to lack of resources

We don't have the arms to even try to compete
Lack of military power as a barrier to resistance

It's even easier to keep your head down and stay asleep
It is sometimes easier to ignore societal issues and go along with the status quo

And while you're lying there counting see your face in them sheep
A metaphor for following societal norms without questioning them

And that's deep but not as deep as losing a child
The tragedy of losing a child outweighs other issues

Seeing his teeth crushed by the rifle butt by your village hut
Violent imagery of a child being killed by military force

Pure grief, thanks to far away beef
The impact of world events on people's personal lives

Fried in messed-up religion half-baked in belief
Religion being used to justify violence and oppression

So I won't stop rappimg till you get my drift
The importance of spreading awareness through music

That we're held in the Grip getting sorely dissed
Oppressive systems have a tight grip on society

Capitalists are we, we pretend we're not
Criticism of capitalism and the ways in which people participate in it despite disliking it

Buying better trainers each year, connecting dots
Consumerism and the focus on material possessions

We go from first job to next job, to mortgage to kids
The cyclical nature of the societal expectation to work and have children

Make it harder to be happy 9-to-5in' to live
The impact of work on people's ability to live fulfilling lives

Me I'm striving to give but I'll hustle like mad
The desire to give back to the community while also needing to work hard to make a living

Just to get ahead in life
The need to work hard to achieve success

I need money so bad, yeah I'm pissed now
The stress and frustration of needing money to survive

So do you get my gist now ?
The artist wants to ensure their message is understood

If hell existed, half the world's already in the lift down...
The idea that many people are currently in a state of suffering and struggle due to societal issues

In the Grip...
The oppressive grip of systemic issues on society

Contributed by Evelyn O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS