Born in the garden parish of St Ann, Busy Signal - born Reanno Gordon - sta… Read Full Bio ↴Born in the garden parish of St Ann, Busy Signal - born Reanno Gordon - started singing hymns at his Mother's church, which is where he received his first encore. When church was over, Reanno would sit on the corner with his friends and flip the devotional lyrics, until his Mother's guiding hand cautioned him for altering the Lord's songs. Reanno continued performing at school, beating his fists in time on his desk and deejaying Bounty Killer's songs (he claims to know all of Bounty's lyrics) before progressing to his own material.

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.

People So Evil
Busy Signal Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[talks: Busy Signal]
Trouble again I nuh know
Who feels it knows it duh ya see some high grade some hennessy

[Verse 1:]
When the weeds smell suh stink and I tink what I tink when I use my instincts bad-mined people fe sink dem a try cutt we link push me over the brink caugh dem evil,
People so evil

[Verse 2:]
Dem smile when dem laugh while dem aim fe your heart
With them evil a start and dem launch and witchcraft nuh trus da shadow in a day much less afa dark caugh dem evil,
People so evil

[Verse 3:]
You rise 2 the top and dem want see you flop dem a pray every day sih down and a chat and a plot watch the food out ah yah plate and a search fi your pot caugh dem evil,
People so evil

[Verse 4:]
Put your self in my shoes you a look a job fe a food fe do we long interviews prepare your bills and your doose watch how your address and skin-colla dem no wah use caugh dem evil,
People so evil

[Verse 5:]
Politics full of tricks beer lies an promise see the poor stay poor an the rich get rich look from when we area waan fix dem tink we fool an a treat we like shit caugh dem evil, people so evil

[Verse 6:]
The systim a fight we we fighting the system we don't like police and police dem nuh like we babylon make de guns and turn us into victims dem evil,
People so evil

[Verse 7:]
Dem build up dem jail dem nuh build no school true dem waan we fi fail den dem tek wi fi fool dem a bawl bout crime rate wen a dem buill de tools caugh dem evil,
People so evil,

[Verse 8:]
Dem load up clips inna tech shoot up Virginia tech shot up de poor people inna dem face yet dem blame it pon di pills weh dem bwoy a tek what kina trend dis some bwoy dem a set dem evil, dem evil

[Verse 9:]
Deh bwoy arrange fi 70 grand fi clear it same 70 grand is like u buy a nadda one people wi need a nadda plan di system wrong, it so wrong, it so wrong, so evil, so evil

[Verse 10:]
Yuh bun a spliff hole a mince works so hard fi get yuh bread den di same fren yuh par wid him want yuh dead chew him know weh kina money yuh a wull him call ie pheds dem evil, so evil

[Verse 11:]
Some fight one a nadda, some fight genst dem bradda ah bring a barrel suh yuh rise an a pull u off a di ladda dem nuh want u sore to new hights like air Jamaica evil, dem evil

[Verse 12:]
Deh part yah fih di innocence youte dem inna di pen we naw si sunshine in a nassy road again duty judge an duty prosecuta mek yuh life end dem evil, dem evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil

[talks: Busy Signal]

Bad mind, people [laugh]
Trample dem fadda god

Overall Meaning

The song "People So Evil" by Busy Signal is a powerful critique of the wickedness and negativity that pervades society. The song begins with the singer reflecting on the difficulty of life and the need to use intuition and substances like marijuana and Hennessy to cope. He quickly moves on to denounce the evil and bad-minded people who seek to harm others through cutting off social links, spreading witchcraft, and plotting to undermine the successful. The lyrics also target corrupt politics, oppressive police, and inhumane criminal justice systems as examples of institutionalized evil.

One of the striking features of the song is its use of patois, a Jamaican creole language that mixes elements of English, African languages, and Spanish. The lyrics are rich in Jamaican slang and cultural references that may be hard to follow for non-native speakers. Yet, the song's message transcends language barriers and speaks to the universal experiences of people facing adversity, injustice and oppression. Busy Signal's performance is also noteworthy for its dynamic and tuneful delivery, which blends ragga, dancehall, and hip-hop styles.

Overall, "People So Evil" is a powerful social commentary that challenges listeners to confront and resist the forces of evil and negativity that threaten our collective wellbeing. The song's message resonates widely in today's world, where political and social division, economic inequality, and environmental degradation pose serious challenges to peace and justice.

Line by Line Meaning

When the weeds smell suh stink and I tink what I tink when I use my instincts bad-mined people fe sink dem a try cutt we link push me over the brink caugh dem evil,
I can smell the bad intentions of those around me, and I know that they're trying to break our bond and make me go crazy because they are evil.

Dem smile when dem laugh while dem aim fe your heart With them evil a start and dem launch and witchcraft nuh trus da shadow in a day much less afa dark caugh dem evil,
They pretend to be friendly and kind while secretly plotting to hurt me. They use magic and deceit, and you can't trust them in the light of day, let alone in the darkness, because they are evil.

You rise 2 the top and dem want see you flop dem a pray every day sih down and a chat and a plot watch the food out ah yah plate and a search fi your pot caugh dem evil,
When you succeed and become powerful, they want to see you fail. They're always whispering behind your back and trying to steal what you have. They're trying to ruin you because they are evil.

Put your self in my shoes you a look a job fe a food fe do we long interviews prepare your bills and your doose watch how your address and skin-colla dem no wah use caugh dem evil,
Imagine being in my position, where job hunting is a daily struggle just to put food on the table. They make you jump through hoops, and even judge you by your appearance and skin color. They don't want to help you because they are evil.

Politics full of tricks beer lies an promise see the poor stay poor an the rich get rich look from when we area waan fix dem tink we fool an a treat we like shit caugh dem evil,
The world of politics is full of deception, lies, and fake promises. Poor people stay poor, while the rich get richer, stealing everything we have. They think we're stupid and treat us like dirt because they are evil.

The systim a fight we we fighting the system we don't like police and police dem nuh like we babylon make de guns and turn us into victims dem evil,
The system is constantly trying to oppress us, but we're fighting back. The police don't like us, and they're only tools for the corrupt system that wants to turn us into helpless victims. They are evil.

Dem build up dem jail dem nuh build no school true dem waan we fi fail den dem tek wi fi fool dem a bawl bout crime rate wen a dem buill de tools caugh dem evil,
They build more and more prisons instead of schools to keep us uneducated and powerless. They want us to fail, and they trick us into thinking that we're responsible for the high crime rate, when in reality, they're the ones who manufacture the weapons. They are evil.

Dem load up clips inna tech shoot up Virginia tech shot up de poor people inna dem face yet dem blame it pon di pills weh dem bwoy a tek what kina trend dis some bwoy dem a set dem evil, dem evil
They stockpile weapons, shoot up schools and kill innocent people, yet they blame their actions on the pills they're taking. These people who commit such atrocities are nothing but evil.

Deh bwoy arrange fi 70 grand fi clear it same 70 grand is like u buy a nadda one people wi need a nadda plan di system wrong, it so wrong, it so wrong, so evil, so evil
Some guys plan to make 70 grand, but that's only enough to clear their own debts. We need a new plan because the current system is wrong and incredibly evil.

Yuh bun a spliff hole a mince works so hard fi get yuh bread den di same fren yuh par wid him want yuh dead chew him know weh kina money yuh a wull him call ie pheds dem evil, so evil
You work hard to make your money, but your friend who smokes weed with you wants you dead because he knows how much money you're making. He even calls the police on you. People like that are evil.

Some fight one a nadda, some fight genst dem bradda ah bring a barrel suh yuh rise an a pull u off a di ladda dem nuh want u sore to new hights like air Jamaica evil, dem evil
Some people fight each other instead of working together. They try to bring you down when you're on the rise, and they don't want you to succeed. They are evil.

Deh part yah fih di innocence youte dem inna di pen we naw si sunshine in a nassy road again duty judge an duty prosecuta mek yuh life end dem evil, dem evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil, so evil
Innocent young people are locked up in prisons and have no hope. Judges and prosecutors are corrupt and make decisions that destroy people's lives. These people are obscenely evil.

Contributed by Ethan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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