That Cazwell is an openly queer artist making his mark in an infamously homophobic genre is extraordinary all by itself. That he began his career in Worcester puts his story somewhere near the twilight zone. From his point of view, his Worcester roots are by far the strangest part of the tale. "I don’t even care if I’m considered hip-hop," he says. But he shudders at the memory of a poll from the early ’90s that cited his home town as the nation’s second-ranked destination for retirees — right behind Miami. At that point, he realized Worcester offered two choices: grow up and get out, or grow old and give up.
"People moved to Worcester to settle, and to die. I felt trapped. I had to leave." Getting from Point A — rapping at skate-punk keg parties and staying closeted until he was 18 — to Point B in NYC took longer than he expected. Nevertheless, he’s now being courted by labels and is set to appear at Elton John’s Life Ball AIDS benefit in Vienna May 21. (Before that, on May 12, he’ll be performing in Cambridge at ManRay’s weekly gay night, "Campus.")
Cazwell cut his teeth rhyming with another Worcester native, lesbian rapper Crasta-Yo. Although that does conjure images of an East Coast My Own Private Idaho, he points out that they weren’t particularly politicized or very different from other artsy teens. "When we were kids, the Beastie Boys were really big. We always tried to be like them, because they were never dull." In between smoking pot and rapping about Converse sneakers and cheeseburgers, the duo befriended members of the Worcester Artists Group and started inching toward a musical career. In 1995, Cazwell enrolled at Boston College, and lining up local gigs for himself and Crasta — they performed together first as Wordsworth and later as Morplay — became a daunting task. "Everything in Boston is 10 times harder. And I was doing it all by myself. I didn’t know what a press kit was, or how to make phone calls. But I learned, and I built a foundation, and by the time I got to New York, I was so strong."
That’s not to suggest NYC embraced him straight off. A year before moving to Boston, Cazwell was making regular weekend jaunts to New York to palm off cassettes and rap for anyone who’d listen. One night, he met notorious DJ and promoter Larry Tee, whose credits include co-writing RuPaul’s 1993 hit "Supermodel" and spearheading the Electroclash craze. By 1999, when Cazwell moved to NYC, his skills had improved sufficiently for Tee to take notice. "Larry has a really intense, unique music collection," says the rapper, who lapped up every Kraftwerk and Schoolly D groove the DJ laid on him. And while Cazwell labored over lyrics, Tee drove home the importance of hanging rap rhymes on big musical hooks: "Larry taught me the importance of having your own sound." Tee also managed Morplay briefly, and he included "Check Your Pulse" — a cut that features the duo swapping rhymes in English, gibberish, and Pig Latin — on the now seminal 2001 compilation Electroclash.
Morplay broke up in 2002, whereupon Cazwell went solo. Former Deee-Lite manager Bill Coleman now oversees his career, and he’s poised to sign a deal with a large NYC-based indie label. In the meantime, five Cazwell tracks and two jaw-dropping videos are available at www.cazwell.com. He’s also collaborated with the pottymouth party girls Avenue D — he’s on the track "The Sex That I Need" on their Bootleg, which they released last year on their own Avenue Dreams label — and he’s been writing a concept album for nightlife icon Amanda Lepore.
Lepore will join Cazwell at ManRay, a gig he views as a triumph of sorts. "When I lived in Boston, I never got a gay gig. All I wanted was to go someplace where people go to dance, hop on stage, and keep the crowd dancing to my music. But it never happened. And now, five years later? They’re flying me up. I must be doing something right."
I Blocked Your Number
Cazwell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
has taken it upon themselves to block your number.
Because you, are an asshole (echoing)
I'm sorry.
Ooh, you tyrna get back in
You can kiss my ass again
packed up your shit ho
yeah that's my soundtrack
I am fly like a motherfucker
You are sorry as a motherfucker
We got no need for the talking
Keys in my hand proceed with the walkin
Let's take a look at who's still standing
Let's take a look at who's in demand and
Shit got shook, Your head in the sand
And you get the hook all part of your plan man
What you thought come late to the after party
what you caught, commit to your after party
That sad tacky ass hoe done it, ya hit it
now take your ass down to the clinic bitch
Blocked [20x]
I blocked your number
[ring]
I blocked you call
[mis-dail sound]
I blocked your number
[ring]
I blocked your, block block block block
I blocked your number
I blocked you call
I blocked your number
I blocked your, block block block block
Now, the moral of the story is
You, stay the fuck out my corneas
I, Don’t wanna see your sorry ass
Fucked on Bacardi got fucked at the party and
Stop likin me on instagram
Stop textin me at 6 a.m.
Stop tryin to peep my twitter feed
I blocked your number bitch
Look who's choking on my dust
Look who's nibbling on my crust
Thank You much
Now I know how a hoe do it
Lies to my face and you didn't think I knew it
What were you thinking
fucked on the living room floor dick shrinking
Pills and hoes don’t mix with drinking
You let homeboy stick his dick in [asshole]
Asshole
I blocked your number
I blocked you call
I blocked your number
I blocked your, block block block block
I blocked your number
[ring]
I blocked you call
[mis-dail sound]
I blocked your number
[ring]
I blocked your, block block block block
You got blocked, you got blocked, you got blocked bitch
You got blocked, you got blocked, you got blocked bitch
you got blocked
The song "I Blocked Your Number" by Cazwell is a scathing, unapologetic breakup anthem that speaks truth to power. The first verse sets up the premise of the song, with the singer informing their ex-lover that they have been blocked. The repetition of the line "Because you, are an asshole" in the chorus drives home the point that the breakup was not amicable.
The second verse is the singer's chance to gloat about their newfound freedom. They tell their ex to stay away and give them the finger, then reminisce about packing up all their stuff and blasting music as they did it. The singer contrasts their own fabulousness with their ex's sorry nature, driving the point home that they are better off without them. They end the verse by emphasizing that they have the power in this situation, with the keys to their own car in hand.
The third and final verse is the singer's chance to deliver some harsh criticism. They taunt their ex about their bad decisions and their desperate attempts to get back in touch. They accuse them of being a liar, a cheat, and a user, and point out that they didn't think the singer would find out. They end the song by stating the obvious: that the ex has been blocked and there's nothing they can do about it.
Overall, "I Blocked Your Number" is a scathing, empowering breakup anthem that doesn't hold back. The singer is honest about their feelings and doesn't sugarcoat anything, making it a cathartic listen for anyone who's been in a similar situation.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm sorry.
The person you are trying to contact has blocked you because you're an asshole.
Ooh, you tyrna get back in
You're trying to come back into my life.
You can kiss my ass again
I don't want you in my life anymore.
Move, got that U-Haul out back
I want you to move out of my house.
Packed up your shit ho
You need to leave and take all of your things.
Yeah that's my soundtrack
My life is better without you.
I am fly like a motherfucker
I'm doing well without you.
You are sorry as a motherfucker
You're not doing well without me.
We got no need for the talking
We don't have anything to talk about.
Keys in my hand proceed with the walkin
Just go already.
Let's take a look at who's still standing
I'm doing better without you.
Let's take a look at who's in demand
I'm in demand without you.
Sh*t got shook, Your head in the sand
You can't handle how well I'm doing.
And you get the hook all part of your plan man
I'm not falling for your tricks.
What you thought come late to the after party
You missed out on something good.
What you caught, commit to your after party
Deal with the consequences of your actions.
That sad tacky ass hoe done it, ya hit it
You hooked up with someone terrible.
Now take your ass down to the clinic bitch
You need to get tested for STDs.
Blocked [20x]
I have blocked you.
I blocked your number
I have blocked your number.
[ring]
You shouldn't be calling me.
I blocked you call
I'm not going to answer your calls.
[mis-dail sound]
You can't reach me.
I blocked your, block block block block
I blocked you multiple times.
Now, the moral of the story is
What I learned from this is.
You, stay the fuck out my corneas
I don't want to see you.
I, Don’t wanna see your sorry ass
I don't want to see you.
Fucked on Bacardi got fucked at the party and
You got drunk and had a terrible time.
Stop likin me on instagram
Stop trying to get my attention.
Stop textin me at 6 a.m.
Stop bothering me early in the morning.
Stop tryin to peep my twitter feed
Stop trying to stalk me.
Look who's choking on my dust
I'm doing much better without you.
Look who's nibbling on my crust
You're struggling without me.
Thank you much
I'm happy about this.
Now I know how a hoe do it
I understand what it's like to be treated badly.
Lies to my face and you didn't think I knew it
You lied to me and thought I wouldn't find out.
What were you thinking
You made a bad decision.
fucked on the living room floor dick shrinking
You slept with someone and now you're embarrassed.
Pills and hoes don’t mix with drinking
Don't mix drugs and alcohol with sex.
You let homeboy stick his dick in [asshole]
You made another terrible decision.
Asshole
You're a terrible person.
You got blocked, you got blocked, you got blocked bitch
I really don't want to talk to you.
you got blocked
I blocked you.
Contributed by Caden A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.