Brandy Rayana Norwood, better known by her mononym Brandy, is an American s… Read Full Bio ↴Brandy Rayana Norwood, better known by her mononym Brandy, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and model. She is known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, voice-layering, and intricate riffs, which has earned her the title of "the Vocal Bible". As of August 2020, she has sold over 40 million records worldwide, with approximately 8.62 million albums sold in the United States alone. Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award and an American Music Award.

Born in McComb, Mississippi, Norwood was raised in Carson, California, beginning her career as a backing vocalist for teen groups. After signing with Atlantic Records in 1993, she released her self-titled debut album, Brandy, the following year, which sold six million copies worldwide. Norwood ventured into acting with the UPN sitcom Moesha (1996–2001), which won her an NAACP Image Award, and resulted in numerous other roles, such as the titular character in the television film Cinderella (1997) and Karla Wilson in the slasher film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998). Her musical breakthrough came with the wildly successful single "The Boy Is Mine" (1998), a duet with fellow R&B contemporary Monica, which went on to become one of the best selling female duets of all time. Her second album, Never Say Never, won Norwood her first Grammy Award. In 2002, Norwood starred in the reality series Brandy: Special Delivery, documenting the birth of her daughter. Her third and fourth albums, Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), were released to critical success.

Norwood served as a judge on the first season of America's Got Talent before being involved in a heavily publicized car accident in 2006. Norwood's fifth album, Human (2008), was released to positive reviews, although it was a commercial failure. In 2010, she returned to television as a contestant on the eleventh season of Dancing with the Stars and starred in the reality series Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business. She was a series regular in the BET series The Game (2012–2015) and released her sixth album Two Eleven (2012) thereafter, both earning her critical praise. In April 2015, Norwood made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago. She starred in and executive produced a sitcom titled Zoe Ever After on BET which premiered in January 2016. In July 2020, Norwood released her seventh studio album, B7, also her first project as an independent artist, to critical acclaim. In 2021, Norwood starred alongside Naturi Naughton, Eve and Nadine Velazquez in American Broadcasting Company's music drama series Queens to critical acclaim.

In June 2022, Norwood announced her major label return after signing with Motown Records under which she is expected to preprare her eighth studio album.

Can You Feel
Brandy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yo
I still have dreams of being on top
But I'm from where bottom is
I'm really the mother of this and
I even gotta kid
Yeah, I bag groceries and
I ain't really proud of it
But I chose silence over violence

And that was the consequence
Ain't wanna get into it
That's why I got out of it
I got a pile of talent but the game is all politics
I don't honor it, I'm positive
'Bout what the problem is
The music biz is ran by some
Narcissistic misogynists
And I'm the opposite
Very low tolerance
I been spurring these girls since the 90s
Gregg Popovich
If I'm all about my biz
Then they say that I'mma bitch
I would tell what you did
But I'm really not a snitch
It's obvious
Who's the queen and who the coward is
It's no stopping this
See my tone is really ominous
Dominant
Put you where the Garbage is
Hit you where ya Wallet is
Your pockets is and I ain't with the talkin' so

'Cause I don't give a damn what they say
'Cause I see you for who you are
Taking your place upon the throne
I need you to see it because I believe it
'Cause if they only knew
All of the things that we been through
They don't want you to win
But they can't stop you from winning, nah, nah

They, they can't stop me (nah nah)
They, they can't stop me (nah nah)
They, they can't stop
(But they can't stop you from winning, nah nah)

Now, now, now
Now there's some issues with the industry
It's official it isn't me
I seen the lies and realized
How they depicted me
Was all a facade, a mirage
A mystery
Now it's time for her story to change history
Explicit sent for me
I had an epiphany
I could see it vividly
Me having the victory
20 years later still keeping the same energy
And if it's meant to be
I'll get what is meant for me
Can't mention female rap and don't mention me
Over charge for the Cold Crush and what they did to me
Was livin' in infamy
I'm a woman if dignity
Hold the torch for all my girls
Lady liberty, now
I'm a different Z
Y'all don't even exist to me
Mentally, emotionally and physically
Only goofy I'll ever watch is on Disney
I don't give a damn what they say ain't even listenin'

'Cause I don't give a damn what they say
'Cause I see you for who you are
Taking your place upon the throne
I need you to see it because I believe it
'Cause if they only knew
All of the things that we been through
They don't want you to win
But they can't stop you from winning, nah, nah

They, they can't stop me (nah nah)
They, they can't stop me (nah nah)

They, they can't stop
(But they can't stop you from winning, nah nah)

Overall Meaning

In Brandy's song Can You Feel, the lyrics discuss the challenges of being a female rapper and navigating the music industry. The singer reflects on their dreams of being on top but acknowledges that they come from the bottom. The singer reveals that they have a child and bag groceries for a living, but still have a pile of talent. Despite this, the singer feels that the music industry is all about politics and that it is run by narcissistic misogynists. The singer refuses to be silenced and is determined to make her mark.

The lyrics go on to discuss how the singer has realized that the music industry has depicted her in a false light, and it is time for her story to change history. The singer is confident in her skills and has the same energy as she did 20 years ago. The singer acknowledges the injustices faced by female rappers in the industry and holds the torch for all the girls. The singer refuses to listen to what others say about her and is determined to win despite the obstacles in her path.

Brandy's song Can You Feel is an empowering anthem for anyone who has faced obstacles and challenges in their life. It is a reminder to keep pushing and that no one can stop you from winning. The song is a reflection of Brandy's personal experiences and her journey in the music industry. It is a powerful statement about the power of determination and empowerment.

Line by Line Meaning

Yo
Hey, listen up

I still have dreams of being on top
Despite my current situation, I have aspirations of achieving success

But I'm from where bottom is
I come from a place where poverty is common

I'm really the mother of this and I even gotta kid
I'm a mother and I also have responsibilities beyond music

Yeah, I bag groceries and I ain't really proud of it
I have a job that I'm not necessarily proud of, but I'm willing to do what it takes to make ends meet

But I chose silence over violence and that was the consequence
I decided to avoid conflict and that led to my current situation

Ain't wanna get into it, that's why I got out of it
I didn't want to get involved in negative situations, so I removed myself from them

I got a pile of talent but the game is all politics
I have a lot of talent, but the music industry is primarily controlled by political maneuvering

I don't honor it, I'm positive 'bout what the problem is
I recognize the issues within the industry and remain optimistic despite them

The music biz is ran by some narcissistic misogynists
The industry is run by individuals who are highly self-centered and sexist

And I'm the opposite, very low tolerance
I'm the opposite of these individuals and have a low tolerance for their behavior

I been spurring these girls since the 90s, Gregg Popovich
I have been supporting and motivating women in the industry since the 90s, similar to how coach Gregg Popovich motivates his basketball players

If I'm all about my biz then they say that I'mma bitch
If I focus on my music and promoting myself, some people will label me negatively

I would tell what you did, but I'm really not a snitch
Although I know some people's true intentions, I'm not the type of person to betray them

It's obvious who's the queen and who the coward is
It's clear who is talented and deserving of respect and who is not

It's no stopping this, see my tone is really ominous
My impact on the industry is undeniable and my tone is threatening to those who oppose me

Dominant, put you where the garbage is, hit you where ya wallet is, your pockets is
I'm in control and I can make sure that those who oppose me suffer financially

And I ain't with the talkin' so
I don't waste my time talking about my intentions, I take action

'Cause I don't give a damn what they say
I don't care about others' negative opinions of me

'Cause I see you for who you are
I see past others' facades and recognize their true intentions

Taking your place upon the throne, I need you to see it because I believe it
I am destined for greatness and I want others to recognize that as well

'Cause if they only knew all of the things that we been through
If others truly knew my struggles and hardships, they would have more respect for me

They don't want you to win, but they can't stop you from winning, nah, nah
Others may try to block my success, but they can't actually prevent me from achieving it

They, they can't stop me (nah nah)
Those who oppose me cannot prevent me from achieving greatness

Now there's some issues with the industry
The music industry has several problems

It's official it isn't me
The issues within the industry are not due to my own shortcomings

I seen the lies and realized how they depicted me
I recognize the misleading information that has been spread about me

Was all a facade, a mirage, a mystery
All of the negative information about me was false and misleading

Now it's time for her story to change history
It's time for the truth about me to be recognized and for my accomplishments to be celebrated

Explicit sent for me, I had an epiphany
An explicit message sparked a realization within me

I could see it vividly, me having the victory
I can clearly envision my eventual success

20 years later still keeping the same energy
Even after more than two decades in the industry, I have not lost my motivation or drive

And if it's meant to be I'll get what is meant for me
If success is truly in my destiny, then I will achieve it

Can't mention female rap and don't mention me
I am a significant figure in the female rap genre and cannot be ignored

Over charge for the Cold Crush and what they did to me
Others have taken advantage of my accomplishments and success without giving me the recognition or compensation that I deserve

Was livin' in infamy, I'm a woman of dignity
I was previously known for my negative history, but I now carry myself with respect and dignity

Hold the torch for all my girls, Lady Liberty, now
I represent and empower women through my music, similar to the Statue of Liberty

I'm a different Z, y'all don't even exist to me
I have evolved and grown beyond past perceptions of me and others' negative opinions no longer faze me

Mentally, emotionally and physically
I have developed into a strong and resilient person in all aspects of my being

Only goofy I'll ever watch is on Disney
I have no interest in negative or harmful content and prefer to watch lighthearted entertainment

I don't give a damn what they say ain't even listenin'
I am not affected by others' negative opinions and don't even pay attention to them

But they can't stop you from winning, nah nah
Others may try to block my success, but they cannot actually prevent me from achieving it

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Avery Chambliss, David Bowen-Petterson, Deleno Sean Matthews, Kaseem Dean, Mackie Remy

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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