Richard Terfry, better known as Buck 65, is a Canadian hip hop artist, MC a… Read Full Bio ↴Richard Terfry, better known as Buck 65, is a Canadian hip hop artist, MC and turntablist. However he has recently moved away from hip hop in a stylistic context, and is moving closer to blues, country, rock, folk and avant-garde genres. That said, his new direction is seemingly still underpinned by an extensive background in abstract hip hop, his trademark rhyme-phrasing and lyrical aspiration evident in the altered timbre vocal delivery displayed in his more recent releases.

Terfry is also a host at CBC Radio 3, with hosting a program on the CBC Radio 3 website's web radio station during weekdays. In addition, he will be the host of the weekday 3-6pm CBC Radio 2 show beginning in the fall of 2008.

Early career and influences

Terfry was born in 1972 and raised in Mount Uniacke, a rural community outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was first exposed to rap music in the mid-1980s while listening to CBC Radio's late night show Brave New Waves, and then by listening to Halifax campus community radio station CKDU. CKDU then broadcast at only 33 watts, and he had to climb a tree in his yard to hear the station's hip hop show on his cheap transistor radio. Fascinated by hip hop, the young Terfry taught himself how to rap, DJ, and, later, to produce records. His musical influences include MC Shan, David Lynch, Gitche Manitou, and Kool Keith.

Using the moniker DJ Critical, he later hosted a hip-hop show on CKDU called "The Bassment" (later renamed "The Treatment Program", when he assumed the stage name Jesus Murphy), which aired for several years. This period overlapped with many of his non-major-label releases.

Stage Names

Buck 65 has also used a number of other stage names including Johnny Rockwell, Stinkin' Rich, Haslam, and Uncle Climax. These pseudonyms typically represent different characters in his raps (as in Uncle Climax, Johnny Rockwell and Stinkin' Rich) or different aspects of Buck's creativity (as noted above, DJ Critical was his DJ name on CKDU.) Rumours abound that Buck 65's alias comes from his childhood nickname of Buck and his weight of 165 pounds; possibly the pseudonym comes from the weight of the first buck he shot or the $1.65 standard bus fare for Halifax Regional Municipality riders. He has been known to say on stage, "They call me Buck 65... I don't know why." Buck 65's website mentioned previously that he was named after his uncle's 1965 Buick automobile ("'65 Buick" is a track on the Synesthesia album); he performed a show under that name but the promoter mistakenly wrote the name as it is now spelled.

Recently Buck 65 has recorded an EP under the name of Dirk Thornton alongside Irishman DJ Flip, it was scheduled for release early 2007 but the date was not set.

The first release under Dirk Thornton will be a 7" single with the tracks "Yesterday's News" and "Catwalk".

He is also involved in an online collaboration with "Greetings From Tuskan" auteur Joëlle Phuong Minh Lê, as Bike For Three, though a release is yet unforthcoming.

Early releases

In 1993, he released his first cassette of rap tunes while performing under the alias Stinkin' Rich on the Halifax label No Records. The five song cassette was titled Chin Music, which was a reference to his past interest in baseball. The release brought Stinkin' Rich to the attention of members of Halifax alternative rock band Sloan. Sloan signed him to their independent record label Murderecords and released a 7" single and a full length cassette called Game Tight, again featuring a reference to baseball. (Terfry has often stated in interviews that in his teens he had been scouted to play for the New York Yankees but that the death of the talent scout coupled with an injury had caused the deal to fall through)

After a brief break, Terfry returned reconstituted as Buck 65, releasing Language Arts on cassette and the 12" single Wildlife Trilogy, followed by Vertex, which included his popular song "The Centaur." He recorded Sebutonedef (released in 1996 by Funtrip Records) as a collaboration with fellow Halifax artist Sixtoo. Other releases by the duo, known as the Sebutones, are Psoriasis and 50/50 Where It Counts. While still far from mainstream success, he received several odd jobs in Canada's entertainment industry, including making soundtrack music and providing narration for a TV commercial for NBA apparel, and song lyrics for the popular children's program Sesame Street. During a live performance Buck 65 told a story in which he attributed why he was chosen for Sesame Street to three things; his upstanding lifestyle of not drinking, smoking, or doing drugs, his intelligence that wasn't too intelligent for the kids, and Sesame Street's assumption that he was a virgin.

Man Overboard, originally released on the anticon. label, was a significant turning point in his career. The record, and the entire anticon. collective (of which Sixtoo was also a part), were considered hallmarks of a new avant-garde movement in underground hip hop. It was at this time that Buck met Cincinnati DJ Mr. Dibbs who inducted him into the 1200 Hobos, a loosely-knit hip-hop collective named for their proficiency in manipulating the Technics 1200 turntable.

Critical Acclaim

Many of his early projects attracted attention after they were re-released, first on the independent Metaforensics label and subsequently by Warner Music Canada. While Buck 65 has gained critical acclaim and worldwide exposure through his major label deal, commercial success has escaped him. Although Warner's worldwide affiliates distribute his records, Warner USA does not. After a deal was signed with V2 USA, This Right Here Is Buck 65 was released in the States, a sort of "Best of" that was marketed as an introduction to his work. However after V2 chose not to release his next effort, Secret House Against the World, the deal was amicably dissolved. Since then Buck 65 was signed onto Strange Famous Records where he's planning on taking over hip-hop with Sage Francis. His latest release is titled "Situation".

Buck's most recent albums have gradually moved away from his original 'pure' hip-hop sound into territory influenced by folk, blues and electronica, with some even comparing elements of his sound to Tom Waits. Some of Buck 65's music is used on the Canadian show Trailer Park Boys, frequently in the character Julian's car. He gained additional recognition in 2006 when he appeared at the national Juno Awards with Pamela Anderson.

Kerrang! “Controversy”

In August 2004, he sparked controversy in the underground hip-hop world over comments he made to an interviewer in Kerrang! magazine. Buck was quoted as saying:
“I now hate hip hop, the more I’ve educated myself about music, the more I’ve grown to hate it. I don’t use that word lightly, either.”
In response, former anticon. label-mate Sage Francis (in a post on his website) stated that
"Buck has had his head up his arse for many years now."
Buck later wrote in a letter to Exclaim!:
“I’m apologizing for all that. I lost my cool on tape which is never good. The journalist was provoking me, calling me a sell-out and a whore. I was trying to make a point by playing devil’s advocate, but I went way overboard. No hint of irony or role-playing or intelligence came across in the story. Now I just look like an idiot. I take it back. I don’t really believe any of that. I don’t think being able to read music is a concern. Most of my favourite music was made by non-educated musicians. It doesn’t matter. I still have heavy criticisms of most hip hop, but I really didn’t make them well on this particular day. I put my foot in my mouth and I’m apologizing for that."

Dirty Work

Buck 65 released a 5 song digital EP called "Dirty Work". It was released over a month long campaign, adding one song per week for free download via his MySpace page. All five tracks are still available for download on his official website. The EP comes with artwork drawn by Buck himself, and the tracks are all b-sides from the full length record 'Situation'.

Situation to present

Buck 65 released the album Situation on October 30th, 2007, on Strange Famous Records in the US and Warner Music worldwide. The album is a concept album based around the year 1957, and is a return to a more 'pure' hip-hop sound than the previous blues, country and avant-garde influences in Secret House Against the World. It was produced by fellow Halifax DJ Skratch Bastid, aimed at making a "classic hip-hop record that pulses with joy and clarity of purpose".

Buck 65 is currently working on a new album which, judging from live material, will feature much more prominent electronic beats than before. Additionally, Buck 65's collaboration project with "Greetings From Tuskan" auteur Joëlle Phuong Minh Lê, Bike for Three!, has its debut album completed for release in early 2009.

He has been a host of CBC Radio 3's web radio for the past year, and recently accepted daily hosting duties on CBC Radio 2's national radio beginning fall 2008.

The Blues
Buck 65 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A game worth winnin' from the beginnin' of the first inning.
An essential day off since it's provincial playoffs,
And I'm playin' shortstop, batting fourth in the line-up,
The opposing pitcher's a right-hander with an unorthodox wind-up.
And a good move to first, throws a curve, and changes speeds.
Can be wild at times and known to blow the strangest leads.
Like the last time we faced him, he turned one savage
Lead into a loss for his team, and inflated his earned run average.

But today he seems focused and we were stuck out to dry
In the top of the first 'cause he struck out the side.
But in the bottom half, the bad guys came out swingin'.
A lot of coaches like to choose takin' the same route,
Bringing the big hitters to the plate, and players that are purely speed,
And try to manufacture runs and jump out to an early lead.
And this time it worked, so we were gonna need a hero,
'cause after one complete, the score's already 3 to 0.
Leadin' off the second, I swung at the first pitch.
No wonder the center fielder back-peddled to the track and settled under it.
0 for 1 and can't get goin'.
The ball's thrown around the horn and back to the pitcher now.
And all is going good for the bad guys, but not so hot for the visitors.
The big right-hander is takin' no prisoners.
He seems to have us figured out, the question is, can we compete?
He's pitching perfect after 3 complete and has a 3-1 lead.

top of the fourth and our lead-off hitter makes it to first base.
And here we go, it's the worst-case
Scenario for any opposing pitcher because he got a reckon
That the first chance he gets, he's gonna try to steal second,
Which he does. so for the first time during the mission,
We've got nobody out and a man in scoring position.
The next batter flies out to right, but yo word,
That's still only one out and a runner on third.
So then the number 3 hitter steps up to the conventional talk,
Showin' where he'll hit, but draws the intentional walk.
It's an old maneuver they made 'cause trouble may follow
Unless they get the double play from the clean-up hitter and that's me.
The infielder's set up a double play depth when they're ready,
But I smack a line drive into left-center for a double, bringing two across,
Which just leaves it up to me to do the damage in the clean-up spot,
'cause now the score was 3 to 2.
The score remained the same through five past hits to pretense.
We kept it close with a dazzling display of defense.
We had to pull the starting pitcher, the one that was left handed.
The story of the sixth inning was base runners left stranded
And bullpen activity. but still the job is gettin' it done
After a perfectly executed hit and run

And what may later prove to be the ultimate game-winning catch.
We got a tie game going into the seventh inning stretch.

Overall Meaning

In Buck 65's song, "The Blues in 2-3," he tells the story of a baseball game from the perspective of a player on one of the teams. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the game's progression, from the tense beginning to the climactic moment where the singer hits a double that brings two players to home base, bringing the score to 3-2. The song's lyrics are full of baseball terminology and imagery, reflecting Buck 65's love for the sport. The lyrics also highlight the strategy and psychology involved in baseball, as well as the emotional highs and lows that come with the game.

Throughout the song, Buck 65 describes the opposing pitcher as a formidable opponent, with an unorthodox wind-up and a knack for throwing curveballs and changing speeds. The game starts off rough for the singer's team, with the opposing team jumping ahead to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. But in the fourth inning, the singer's team manages to score two runs, thanks in part to the singer's double. The game remains tied until the seventh inning, where the singer makes a game-winning catch, securing the victory for his team.

Overall, "The Blues in 2-3" is a clever and engaging song that captures the excitement and drama of a baseball game. Buck 65's lyrics showcase his ability to tell a compelling story and capture the emotional resonance of a specific moment in time.

Line by Line Meaning

A game worth winnin' from the beginnin' of the first inning.
The game is important and we should aim to win right from the beginning.

An essential day off since it's provincial playoffs,
It's an important game and it's good to have a day off before it.

And I'm playin' shortstop, batting fourth in the line-up,
I'm playing in a defensive position and batting fourth in the team lineup.

The opposing pitcher's a right-hander with an unorthodox wind-up.
The pitcher who is playing against us is right-handed and has an unusual pitching style.

And a good move to first, throws a curve, and changes speeds.
The pitcher has a good technique of throwing curveballs and varying the speed of the pitch.

Can be wild at times and known to blow the strangest leads.
The pitcher has a tendency to become wild at times and lose leads in unexpected ways.

Like the last time we faced him, he turned one savage
In the previous game against him, he turned a strong lead into a loss for his team.

Lead into a loss for his team, and inflated his earned run average.
His performance in the previous game caused his earned run average to increase.

But today he seems focused and we were stuck out to dry
In this game, the pitcher seems more focused and we struggled against him in the beginning.

In the top of the first 'cause he struck out the side.
The pitcher struck out all three batters in the first inning.

But in the bottom half, the bad guys came out swingin'.
The opposing team started the bottom half of the inning with strong hits and swings.

A lot of coaches like to choose takin' the same route,
Many coaches prefer to bring in big hitters and fast runners in order to score runs early in the game.

Bringing the big hitters to the plate, and players that are purely speed,
They bring in players who have power and others who are fast runners to try and score runs early.

And try to manufacture runs and jump out to an early lead.
They try to make runs happen by taking advantage of different opportunities to give their team an early lead.

And this time it worked, so we were gonna need a hero,
The opposing team successfully scored runs early, placing pressure on us to make a comeback.

'cause after one complete, the score's already 3 to 0.
By the end of the first inning, the other team had scored three runs and we had not scored any.

Leadin' off the second, I swung at the first pitch.
At the start of the second inning, I decided to swing at the first pitch.

No wonder the center fielder back-peddled to the track and settled under it.
My hit was strong which made the center fielder move backwards to catch it.

0 for 1 and can't get goin'.
I made one unsuccessful hit and have not been able to get into a rhythm.

The ball's thrown around the horn and back to the pitcher now.
After my hit, the ball was passed around the infield and then returned to the pitcher.

And all is going good for the bad guys, but not so hot for the visitors.
The opposing team is doing well, while our team is struggling to make progress.

The big right-hander is takin' no prisoners.
The pitcher from the other team is pitching strongly and not giving our hitters any opportunity to succeed.

He seems to have us figured out, the question is, can we compete?
We feel like the other team's pitcher has an idea of our strategy and we're unsure if we can overcome him.

He's pitching perfect after 3 complete and has a 3-1 lead.
Three innings have passed and the other team's pitcher has not allowed any runs, while their team has scored three. Our team has only scored once.

top of the fourth and our lead-off hitter makes it to first base.
At the start of the fourth inning, our first batter makes it safely to first base.

And here we go, it's the worst-case
This situation is the worst-case scenario for the opposing pitcher.

Scenario for any opposing pitcher because he got a reckon
This is a difficult situation for the other team's pitcher because he has to face a strong hitter with a runner in scoring position.

That the first chance he gets, he's gonna try to steal second,
Our runner on first base is looking for an opportunity to steal second base.

Which he does. so for the first time during the mission,
Our runner successfully steals second base for the first time this game.

We've got nobody out and a man in scoring position.
Our team has no outs and a runner in a position to score a run.

The next batter flies out to right, but yo word,
The next batter hits a fly ball to right field, but it doesn't result in a hit.

That's still only one out and a runner on third.
We still have one opportunity to score and our runner is in position on third base.

So then the number 3 hitter steps up to the conventional talk,
Our third-best hitter comes up to bat and the opposing team tells their pitcher where to throw the ball.

Showin' where he'll hit, but draws the intentional walk.
The other team decides not to pitch to our best hitters and instead gives them a free walk to first base.

It's an old maneuver they made 'cause trouble may follow
This is a common tactic because if they pitched to our best hitters, they could end up in trouble.

Unless they get the double play from the clean-up hitter and that's me.
The only hope for the other team is to get a double play by getting me out since I'm the fourth hitter in our lineup.

The infielder's set up a double play depth when they're ready,
The other team adjusts the infield to be in a position to make a double play if they can get me out.

But I smack a line drive into left-center for a double, bringing two across,
I hit a strong line drive that lands in left-center field for a double, scoring two runs for our team.

Which just leaves it up to me to do the damage in the clean-up spot,
As the clean-up hitter, it's my responsibility to make sure our team scores runs and wins the game.

'cause now the score was 3 to 2.
After scoring two runs, the score is now 3-2 in favor of the other team.

The score remained the same through five past hits to pretense.
The score did not change for the next five innings despite efforts from both teams to score.

We kept it close with a dazzling display of defense.
Our team maintained a close score by playing strong defense and preventing the other team from scoring runs.

We had to pull the starting pitcher, the one that was left handed.
We decided to switch our pitcher from the starting position to try and gain an advantage.

The story of the sixth inning was base runners left stranded
In the sixth inning, both teams had runners on base but were unable to score them.

And bullpen activity. but still the job is gettin' it done
Both teams were using different pitchers from their bullpens and trying to get their job done of preventing runs.

After a perfectly executed hit and run
Our team successfully implemented a hit and run strategy, resulting in a hit and our runner advancing to third base.

And what may later prove to be the ultimate game-winning catch.
One player made a crucial catch that could have ultimately led to our team winning the game.

We got a tie game going into the seventh inning stretch.
At the beginning of the seventh inning, the score was tied and the teams had a break to stretch.

Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing
Written by: RICHARD TERFRY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS