A wish to play instrumental hip-hop in a band context brought the group together, with Tackett alongside drummer Josh "Wallet" Cohen, reed player Geoff "Double G" Gallegos, trumpeters Todd Simon and Paul Vargas, trombone player Dan Osterman, keyboard player Carlos Guaico, percussionist Davy Chegwidden, guitarist Dan Ubick, and vocalists Sol Sista DeMya and Mixmaster Wolf. Their club night, Root Down, brought in crowds, along with the cream of the rap underground (Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, Company Flow, DJ Shadow, Freestyle Fellowship), and their first single, "Getcho Soul Togetha," appeared on Stones Throw in 1999.
That year also brought an intriguing demo called The Live Mix Tape -- including Breakestra covers of a host of deep funk classics -- but an official release (as The Live Mix, Pt. 1) waited until 2001 and only appeared in Japan. The second volume followed later that year, and was released on Stones Throw. In 2005 Breakestra recorded a single, Family Rap, featuring Chali 2na and Soup from Jurassic 5 and Double K from People Under the Stairs, and also released their third studio album, Hit the Floor, on Ubiquity Records, with a nearly entirely different lineup.
Cramp Your Style
Breakestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes you treat me bad
Sometimes you make me happy
Sometimes you make me sad
But you do me wrong, baby
You treat me like a child
Well if you don't get yourself together
Hey
Baby, sometimes you make me smile
Sometimes you make me cry
Sometimes you treat me like an old worn out shoe
I don't even understand why
But you do me wrong, baby
And you treat me like a child
Well if you don't get yourself together
I'm gonna have to cramp your style
Hey
I said if you don't get yourself together
I'm gonna have to cramp your style
The lyrics to Breakestra's "Cramp Your Style" outline the ups and downs of a relationship, with the singer expressing frustration at their partner's inconsistency. The opening lines acknowledge the mixed treatment they receive in the relationship, where sometimes they feel happy and loved, and other times they feel sad and mistreated. The second verse goes further in this duality, with the singer noting that they can be made to feel like an old, worn-out shoe despite not understanding why their partner treats them this way.
But it's the chorus where the singer's anger and threatened actions come to the forefront. With "But you do me wrong, baby / You treat me like a child", they communicate the sense of disrespect and lack of equality in the relationship. They then warn their partner that if they don't change their ways, the singer will "cramp [their] style". This phrase has a couple of connotations - it could mean that the singer will disrupt their partner's usual way of doing things, or it could mean that the singer will limit their partner's options and opportunities. Regardless of the interpretation, it's a clear sign that the singer is ready to take action if necessary.
In terms of the musicality of the song, "Cramp Your Style" is a funk classic, incorporating thumping bass, tight drums, and lively horns. The repetitive nature of the music lends itself well to the cyclical nature of the lyrics, with the chorus in particular being catchy and memorable. The song was released on Breakestra's debut album, "Hit the Floor", in 2005, but the song itself is a cover of a 1969 track by All the People.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, sometimes you treat me good
Sometimes you treat me well and with kindness
Sometimes you treat me bad
Other times, you treat me poorly and with nastiness
Sometimes you make me happy
You bring joy into my life on occasion
Sometimes you make me sad
You make me feel down and unhappy at times
But you do me wrong, baby
Despite these ups and downs, you still mistreat me
You treat me like a child
You don't treat me as an equal, but instead as someone inferior
Well if you don't get yourself together
If you don't improve your behavior
I'm gonna have to cramp your style
I will have to ruin or put a stop to your negative behavior
Baby, sometimes you make me smile
You make me happy and bring a smile to my face sometimes
Sometimes you make me cry
Other times, you make me sad enough to cry
Sometimes you treat me like an old worn out shoe
At times, you treat me as if I am unimportant or easily replaceable
I don't even understand why
I can't comprehend why you treat me this way
I said if you don't get yourself together
I have already warned you that if you don't improve your behavior
I'm gonna have to cramp your style
I will have to ruin or put a stop to your negative behavior
Contributed by Dylan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lenny121
you just cant resist breaking out and dancing to this song
@DJMikDeez
Love their deep funk
@miker1271
Amazing cover. Whoop Whoop!!!
@JeruDaDamaja187
najzwerskejší funk štýl aký som kedy počul ;)
@bboyteuz
alot of new artist took the intro, this is the 1st version. the best one... KEEP IT FUNKY!!!!!
@benshaw6609
Sorry, its not
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY26KNRhbOA
@afroboy389
I agree. These trash talkers don't understand the pure talent put into this music, plus the fact that you can break dance to this. Go breakestra!!!
@patricko365
I jam so much to this song and it just ends so abruptly = /
@eliromero2303
I know its been 2 years, But look up the Breakestra live mix vol 2, then go to around 27 minutes l, The song continues!!
@lisa1gas
fabulous! 5+