Busdriver guested on upward of 20 singles, and by 2001 he could no longer be contained by guest spots, releasing his first full-length, Memoirs of the Elephant Man (1999). There were just as many detractors as supporters for his singular style, which was so densely packed it made his chosen name seem a reference for multiple-personality disorder, and the lo-fi production also left more listeners scratching heads than nodding them.
His next album, This Machine Kills Fashion Tips (2002), continued in a similar manner before being trumped by better production and more focused rhymes on Temporary Forever the same year. Joined by another West Coast avant-garde MC, Radioinactive, and the breezy, fractured pop of electronic producer Daedelus, Busdriver released yet another odd puzzle piece in 2003, The Weather. Fear of a Black Tangent followed on Mush in 2005. After moving to Anti-/Epitaph, the rapper issued RoadKillOvercoat, which featured production from Nobody and Boom Bip. His second Anti- release, Jhelli Beam, appeared in 2009. In 2010 he put out a full-length mixtape of unreleased gems and illegal remixes called Computer Cooties. It was released as a free album. 2010 saw Bus toiling over a new album that will shock fans and confuse the unconverted into unwilling servitude. It is called Beaus$Eros and was released on February 21, 2012 on Fake Four. Beaus$Eros forgoes the lightening-speed rhyming that defined his style in favor of a diverse, off-kilter brand of pop and post-hip-hop.
Unemployed Black Astronaut
Busdriver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To walk the bare moon, from my air balloon
I am the first black astronaut
To walk the bare moon... (Or possibly, one of the great all-time bus-drivers.)
It's the resurgence of the happy black rappers
But our African medallions are handicap placards.
I am alphabetized in the "modernized retro"
Why don't you shape me? I'm malleable flesh and putty
and a salad bowl with ??? dressing
and assimilated into urban fuel testing
Dress and doggy are coveted by a sexy bunny
afraid I'll add her to my burlesque show.
Who's slipping the ring finger of the lead singer ??? fresh bowl.
All the bitches rule with bee stingers but I'm refreshed though.
It's home of the black speed reader.
Perplexed or blurb stretched
Dude suggests that I'm spacy but the bird's nest is low.
Which means I'm commonplace.
Til the boy and me traveled the country in wooden spaceships
On the phone cursing at de-booking agents.
I wield words and pilfer the country with the underground who's-who
But I feel like I've been sodomized with a billiards pool cue.
I am the first black astronaut
To walk the bare moon, from my air balloon.
Pound my beliefs into the desired shape
And put them sound asleep in the fireplace.
I am the first black astronaut
To walk the bare moon, from my air balloon.
Pound my beliefs into the desired shape
And put them sound asleep in the fireplace.
It's the return of the all popular dope rappers
Who retreat through holes in the sky, climbing up rope-ladders
And I will sell you a silver disc soaked in laughter,
Cause you've been brainwashed. Out of your ears leaks soap lather
Why don't you deify me? I'm Buckaroo Banzai.
Don't know what to do, I'm the wrong guy.
I touch crews like Krush Groove on DVD
And I kinda started doing songs with CVE?
But now you're like (Chillin' Villain who? Project what?)
Persona Non Grata with the wrist-band in front of Popsicle stick man.
He's a wall of hot lava. Drip crayons on your clipped glands.
So I found the top dollar. Twist trends to enrich fans.
But there's not a lotta offers that give grants to kitsch bands.
And I water lawns for the ADD D&D role-players
And we got along, so we formed a commonwealth
And you hear me through random sightings and file-sharing
And you tell me that song writing's like child bearing
No it's not, it's self indulgence
Elven culprits watch their egos melt in charcoal pits.
I am the first black astronaut
To walk the bare moon, from my air balloon.
Pound my beliefs into the desired shape
And put them sound asleep in the fireplace.
I am the first black astronaut
To walk the bare moon, from my air balloon.
Pound my beliefs into the desired shape
And put them sound asleep in the fireplace.
Oh my. Sorry I left my acceptance speech in the back of the private car
And I re-wrote the Hollywood ending, fluxed the motion-picture screen
Made it so the black guy doesn't die by the opening scene.
Oh my. Sorry I left my acceptance speech in the back of the private car
And I re-wrote the Hollywood ending, fluxed the motion-picture screen
Made it so the black guy doesn't die by the opening scene.
Yeah! This is the climate of cathartic writer
That enables whos-who in the market they lifer.
I've been out-sold and my styles are old and lame
I'll spark a lighter to the carpet fiber 'cause I'm not a household name.
I'm a tax write-off, I signed a deal with no exit clause.
My label's like Ms. Santa Clause on menopause, so I'm banging on padded walls.
So I'm trying to make hits, but I keep hitting pop flies
I don't eat out any more, I'm thawing chicken pot pies
But I used to be in the list of the top five
Fresh hip-hop guys.
I am the first black astronaut
To walk the bare moon, from my air balloon.
Pound my beliefs into the desired shape
And put them sound asleep in the fireplace.
I am the first black astronaut
To walk the bare moon, from my air balloon.
Busdriver's song Unemployed Black Astronaut lyrically tackles issues faced by black artists in the music industry. The first verse mentions being the first black astronaut to walk on the moon. The idea of going to space is used as a metaphor for breaking new ground in the industry, but as an unemployed artist, the singer is still struggling to make a name for himself despite his talent. The line about his press photos being wallet-sized and his rent being low further emphasizes his low profile and lack of success. The second verse talks about the return of happy black rappers, and the singer's feelings of not fitting in. He mocks the idea of deifying him, and calls himself the wrong guy - someone who isn't part of the mainstream. He mentions being out-sold, hitting pop flies, and trying to make hits, highlighting the pressure faced by artists to produce commercially successful music.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the first black astronaut
To walk the bare moon, from my air balloon
I am the first black astronaut
To walk the bare moon...
Busdriver feels that he is a pioneer in his field and perhaps even in his generation. He may be one of the best rappers of all time and compares himself to the first black astronaut to walk on the moon.
It's the resurgence of the happy black rappers
But our African medallions are handicap placards.
Busdriver sees a trend where more black rappers are appearing in the industry, but he believes that their message is disingenuous and lacks substance. He also believes that the symbols they wear don't have any real significance or meaning.
I am alphabetized in the "modernized retro"
And my press photos are wallet sized. My rent's low.
Busdriver sees himself as a unique artist who is able to incorporate both modern and old-school elements into his music. He lives a frugal lifestyle and does not have a lot of money despite his success.
Why don't you shape me? I'm malleable flesh and putty
and a salad bowl with??? dressing
and assimilated into urban fuel testing
Dress and doggy are coveted by a sexy bunny
afraid I'll add her to my burlesque show.
Busdriver is willing to adapt and change to fit into the music industry, which he sees as an urban fuel testing ground. He is also aware that some women are attracted to his style but is hesitant to become involved with them.
Who's slipping the ring finger of the lead singer??? fresh bowl.
All the bitches rule with bee stingers but I'm refreshed though.
Busdriver sees that other musicians and people in the industry are trying to take advantage of him for their own gain. He remains unshaken and confident despite their attempts to hurt him.
It's home of the black speed reader.
Perplexed or blurb stretched
Dude suggests that I'm spacy but the bird's nest is low.
Which means I'm commonplace.
Busdriver is part of a movement toward faster-paced and more complex music but sees himself as second-rate within that movement.
Til the boy and me traveled the country in wooden spaceships
On the phone cursing at de-booking agents.
I wield words and pilfer the country with the underground who's-who
But I feel like I've been sodomized with a billiards pool cue.
Busdriver has spent a lot of time touring the country and building his fan base. Despite his success, he feels violated and abused by people in the industry.
Oh my. Sorry I left my acceptance speech in the back of the private car
And I re-wrote the Hollywood ending, fluxed the motion-picture screen
Made it so the black guy doesn't die by the opening scene.
Busdriver is frustrated by the lack of representation and opportunities for black artists in Hollywood, so he imagines rewriting the ending of a movie to be more inclusive.
Yeah! This is the climate of cathartic writer
That enables whos-who in the market they lifer.
I've been out-sold and my styles are old and lame
I'll spark a lighter to the carpet fiber 'cause I'm not a household name.
Busdriver sees the music industry as one where only certain types of artists are allowed to succeed. He feels like his music is being overlooked and that he is not popular enough to be a household name.
I'm a tax write-off, I signed a deal with no exit clause.
My label's like Ms. Santa Clause on menopause, so I'm banging on padded walls.
So I'm trying to make hits, but I keep hitting pop flies
I don't eat out any more, I'm thawing chicken pot pies
But I used to be in the list of the top five
Fresh hip-hop guys.
Busdriver feels trapped by his record label and is struggling to make hits despite his past success. He has had to cut back on expenses but remains hopeful for a resurgence of his reputation as a top hip-hop artist.
Contributed by Brayden N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Raath Gharr
This guy is metaphorically INCREDIBLE. Kudos sir!
Raath Gharr
flow sick too, and the beats
Street Sweeper
This guy is underrated... His music needs a million views
Stephen 7-12
Always loved this jam. But now that I understand the hidden meaning in the chorus I love it that much more.
MisterUrbanWorld🤠
Whats the hidden message?
TheNkui
Saw this guy before Aesop Rock it was amazing to see Busdriver operate the sampler while rapping obscenely fast.
gineriella
I am not a rap/hip-hop fan by any means, I mostly listen to classic rock, but this guy has a wonderful sound to him. Busdriver is the man!
Kiefer Hyder
Folks trip on his actually skill set as far as rhymes goes... but does anybody really trip on his writing?? Dude is fucking genius!
Mishima
Kiefer Hyder Hotep
Gavin Knight Jackson
This dude is super underrated .