Since stepping out onto the dancehall scene in 2003, Busy Signal's undeniable talent and lyrical dexterity has taken him quickly to the front of the pack. Busy's breakout hit single - "Step Out" - was one of dancehall's hottest songs for 2005 and with a thugged-out video to match, it signalled the arrival of dancehall's next superstar.
Busy Signal, an alias given to him by a friend because of his constantly busy persona, has always approached his craft from a different perspective, not trodding the usual road of trying to voice on every rhythm out there to try and catch a break. Instead, Busy chose to record songs with concepts attached to them on purpose-built rhythms. The first such track to catch the attention of a wider audience was "Born and Raised", a song in which Busy Signal reps his birthplace and narrates the gritty realities of Jamaica.
"Even though I was an unknown artist and there was no-one else on the riddim," says Busy, "the track got good airtime which encouraged me to keep doing what I was doing. Producers don't want to give young artists a break more time, so young artists can get stifled. I just work hard on putting creative flows and melodies together and so far people have been feeling it." Already with a big following worldwide, Busy doesn't see his music as stopping in Jamaica. A slew of Busy Signal mix CDs flooded the streets from Halfway Tree to Brixton to Flatbush and beyond, creating and spreading the hype that lead to Busy being the strongest young artist to emerge from 2005.
Busy's self-production and businesslike approach to the industry has seen him already launch his own label, Network Records. The first releases, "Tell Santa Dis" and "Where I'm From" are distributed worldwide and are selling well.
Although Busy didn't rely on familiar rhythms and producers for a break, he has no problem recording for other labels, such as Renaissance, for whom Busy recorded "Not Going Down," showcasing his singing and deejaying abilities. Other tracks from Busy include "Because of You," with Tami Chin on the Throwback Giggy beat, "That Bad," and "Pharmacy" for Don Corleon, "Fade Away" for John John and "Too Much Gun," which sees Busy in explosive form, delivering rapid fire lyrics atop the reworked Man Fi Dead (Petty Thief) soundbed.
The end of 2005 saw Busy Signal garner immense critical success from show-stealing appearances on all the major stage shows across Jamaica, including the Smirnoff Experience alongside Sean Paul, Bobby Valentino and others, as well as Island Explosion, Camp Fire and West Kingston Jamboree. And of course there was the already-legendary debut appearance at 6.45am on the toughest stage in the world - the infamous Sting reggae concert. Busy stepped out in the rising sun adorned in full black and underlined why he is here to stay.
2006 has seen no ease up in Busy's momentum, with a headline grabbing performance at Reggae Sumfest 2006, where he performed solo on Dancehall Night and was also called up by G Unit on International Night. With successful tours of the UK, the Caribbean and Japan already knocked down and with Step Out breaking new ground on the esteemed Billboard chart, Busy is already being heralded as a new icon in the business.
Face Life
Busy Signal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It harder.hey Zum(Zum)
Things get sticky inna earth
Cyan buy a pants and we cyan buy a shirt(buy a shirt)
Man a search and cyan get no work
What Im gonna do, what I my to do(do)
Things get hard inna earth
Cyan even find di offerin fi gi curch
What we gonna do, what we gonna do
Life hard we affi face it(face it)
A nuff youth deh out a road a waste it
Nowadays it′s all about survival
A when dem youth ya make it mi affi rate it(rate it)
Things no stay like one time again
When u coulda call pon a real good friend
A bare hand-to-mouth cyan borrow cyan lend
Ah problem when youths waan money fi spend
Cause right now
Things get sticky inna earth
Cyan buy a pants and we cyan buy a shirt(buy a shirt)
Man a search and cyan get no work
What im gonna do, what I my to do(do)
Things get hard inna earth
Nuff time me see mama bawl cah she hurt
Cyan even find di offerin fi gi curch
What we gonna do, what we gonna do
Give thanks fi di likkle weh u got my youth
And if one dumplin inna yuh pot my youth(my youth)
Try no sell out, keep yuh heads up
And give thanks nuh matta how the food min-ute
Some a look a fast cars so dem get a fast wuk
Cyan mek dem drive or nuh get caught up
Some a watch people things and a pree
Some a dem tun dem back some go down pon knee
Yuh know seh
Things get sticky inna earth
Cyan buy a pants and we cyan buy a shirt(buy a shirt)
Man a search and cyan get no work
What Im gonna do, what I my to do(do)
Things get hard inna earth
Nuff time me see mama bawl cah she hurt
Cyan even find di offerin fi gi curch
What we gonna do, what we gonna do
Life(life) life life
Nowadays inna life, life
It harder
What we gonna do
The song Face Life by Jamaican dancehall artist Busy Signal is a poignant reflection on the harsh realities of life, and how difficult it can be to make ends meet in a world that seems to value material possessions over everything else. The lyrics paint a picture of a world in which people struggle to find work, put food on the table and provide for their families. The chorus repeats the line "Life, life, life, nowadays inna life, life it harder", emphasising the idea that things are much tougher now than they used to be.
The first verse describes the difficulties faced by many people who find themselves unable to make ends meet. People are unable to afford basic necessities like clothing and are struggling to find work. Even those who do find work are often caught in a cycle of poverty, barely able to make ends meet. The second verse highlights the emotional toll that poverty can take on individuals and families, with the artist noting how he has seen his own mother cry because of the hardships she has experienced.
The song's lyrics offer a powerful commentary on the socio-economic realities of life in Jamaica and other developing countries. It highlights the struggles that people face in trying to provide for themselves and their families, and the importance of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity. Despite the difficulties that people face, the song's message is one of hope and determination, encouraging people to keep their heads up and continue fighting to make their lives better.
Line by Line Meaning
Life, life, life, nowadays inna life, life
Life has become more difficult in today's world
Things get sticky inna earth
Life on this planet can be challenging and unpredictable
Cyan buy a pants and we cyan buy a shirt(buy a shirt)
We can't even afford basic necessities like clothing
Man a search and cyan get no work
We are searching for employment but can't find any
What Im gonna do, what I my to do(do)
We're stuck trying to figure out our next move
Nuff time me see mama bawl cah she hurt
I often see my mother cry because of the hardships we face
Cyan even find di offerin fi gi curch
We don't have enough money to give offerings to the church
Life hard we affi face it(face it)
We have to accept and deal with the difficulties of life
A nuff youth deh out a road a waste it
Many young people are wasting their lives away on the streets
Nowadays it′s all about survival
In today's world, it's all about trying to survive
A when dem youth ya make it mi affi rate it(rate it)
I have to give respect to those who manage to succeed despite the odds
Things no stay like one time again
Things are not the way they used to be
When u coulda call pon a real good friend
When you could rely on your friends for help
A bare hand-to-mouth cyan borrow cyan lend
Nowadays, it's difficult to lend or borrow money
Ah problem when youths waan money fi spend
It's a problem when young people want money to spend
Give thanks fi di likkle weh u got my youth
Be grateful for what you have, no matter how little it may seem
And if one dumplin inna yuh pot my youth(my youth)
Even if you only have one meal, be thankful for it
Try no sell out, keep yuh heads up
Don't give in to temptation, stay true to yourself and stay positive
And give thanks nuh matta how the food min-ute
Always give thanks, no matter how small the blessing
Some a look a fast cars so dem get a fast wuk
Some people are more concerned with material possessions than finding honest work
Cyan mek dem drive or nuh get caught up
Don't let material things control your life and influence your decisions
Some a watch people things and a pree
Some people are too busy watching and envying others instead of focusing on their own lives
Some a dem tun dem back some go down pon knee
Some people turn their backs on others while some choose to pray and seek divine intervention
What we gonna do, what we gonna do
We are still unsure of how to overcome the hardships and challenges of life
Life(life) life life
Life is an ongoing cycle of ups and downs
It harder
Life has become more difficult to navigate and overcome
Writer(s): Collin Demar Edwards, Reanno Devon Gordon
Contributed by Isaac V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ProdigalSonAD70
Time flies...those days. DeMarco always used a specific beat/sound when making his riddims. Thought he owned Star kutt records but was just another label he produced for etc john John, baby G, juukebox, nylong riddim, gang war, shootout, mission riddim , warning riddim. Fallen Angel's was how many years ago.
@chacecross1517
Still listening in 2018 n beyond!!
@lyriccoke
Chune...and still ah bump it Inna the moment...
@Grewsome6ixEnt
still sick af in 2018/19
@ghostni99a74
Still Bumping She!!!
@XxFReaaKX
Biiigggg tune !!
@lenzphillz1897
Dem tune forever
@daseca19
2022! This will never age.
@henrymartinez8819
mad tune
@sumitkerai3585
🔥