In 1996, Del was ready to release his Future Development album. However, just before its release, Del was released from his recording contract with Elektra Records. Around this same time, Souls of Mischief, Extra Prolific and Casual (all members of Del's Hieroglyphics group) were all released from their recording contracts with Jive Records. Frustrated, Del and the rest of Hieroglyphics decided to start their own record label, called Hieroglyphics Imperium. Because of the problems with Elektra, Future Development was available only on cassette via the Hieroglyphics website for a time, until its eventual widespread release on CD in 2002, six years after its proposed release date.
The mistreatment of Del & Hieroglyphics by their record labels became infamous in hip-hop circles, as a perfect example of "industry rule #4080" (record company people are shady). After Hieroglyphics' successful reemergence with their own independent label, Del & Hieroglyphics became an inspiration for some rap artists to start their own labels while keeping the lion's share of the money for themselves. Arguably the efforts of Del & Hieroglyphics paved the way for other famous independent rap labels known today, such as Roc-a-Fella Records or Rawkus Records.
In 1998, Hieroglyphics came out with their first full length album, Third Eye Vision, in which Del shined. The album was well received by both fans and critics. Two years later, Del came out with Both Sides of the Brain, and in 2001, he released Deltron 3030 with Dan the Automator Nakamura and Kid Koala, which garnered extreme praise for its combination of beats and flow and futuristic style. Deltron 3030 helped expand Del’s audience, though not quite to the commercial mainstream.
Del collaborated with Gorillaz for two songs on their debut album, both of which became singles: "Clint Eastwood" and "Rock the House". In their videos he was portrayed as a clown-like ghost. 2003 saw the release of Full Circle, a second album with the Hiero crew. This latest album has gotten many mixed reviews, with some people liking its originality and display of talents of the entire crew, whereas some have complained that Del was seen only sporadically on the album, acting more like a guest artist.
Del’s lyrics often reflect his imaginative interests, offering humor and themes not usually found in most new hip hop, including video games, bad hygiene, intergalactic rap battles, and more. In 2000, the song "Positive Contact" from Deltron 3030 was featured in the game Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX. In 2001, the song "If You Must" was featured in the game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. In 2003, the song "Positive Contact" was again featured in a video game - this time in Tony Hawk's Underground. In 2005, the song "Burnt" featuring Hieroglyphics was featured in the game Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland. In 2006, his song "Catch a Bad One" was featured in the game Mark Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure.
Eight years following his last solo album, Both Sides of the Brain, in March 2008 Del released his newest solo, titled Eleventh Hour, under the Definitive Jux record label.
In 2009, Del released Del's Leak Pack #1 (download) & #2 (download) via his MySpace page. In April of 2009 he released his 6th solo album, Funk Man (The Stimulus Package). The album was released online and can be downloaded for free here. He also released a second new solo album, Automatic Statik, via his BandCamp site in September of 2009. October of 2009 saw the release of Del's collaboration with Tame One, entitled Parallel Uni-verses. In January of 2014, he dropped a free album titled Iller Than Most online. On April 20th 2018, Del and producer AMPLIVE collaborated for the entirety of their newest project, GATE 13
Ahonetwo Ahonetwo
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My skin has a pigment, reminiscent of a tan
I plan to grow dreads but first a nappy fro
The longer the hair, the easier to scare a foe
It grows from my head until it covers up my face
People look and stare when I walk into the place
This is just a taste from the Funky Human Being
Ain't no misbehavin', ain't no use for ravin'
My skin is really brown even though it's labeled black
Sometimes I wear a cap, and sometimes I wear bandanas
Forbidden in L.A. but I wore one in Atlanta
I chiseled up a sculpture to complement my culture
Thoughts of silly Nubians is prone to give me ulcers
Hangin' with the brothers who are tribal in their ways
For this is how I like to spend my days, and it pays
To steal a groovy sample form the archives
Use my mental staff to eliminate apartheid
Still gather papes like my man Malcom Forbes
Ponderin' my life as I look into my orbs
"Ahonetwo, ahonetwo, I like it"
I love the shade of green like my brother Billy Bixby
I utilize a sample that I salvaged from the 60's cause I'm picky
My meal must appeal to me like Morris
Far too many fraudulent opponents in the forest
I fall into the Gap when I need to purchase clothes
Easy on the fads cause the posers always pose
I suppose they will bite, they'll try not to show it
I came very plain and then feelin' rather loaded
I ditched all the beads cause my needs seem to differ
Me and CM-P are like the Gil and the Skipper
He will use his clippers to give himself a fade
I give my fro a sheen with a smidgen of Pomade
I laid in the shade and I greeted mixel place
With a rhythm and a rhyme and he said that it's a twist
From the ordinary everyday continual assumption that RnB and rap makes a winner
Guess who's comin' through for dinner
A native-like brother with the passive little style
That most certainly will smother
Suicidal rhymes with apocalyptic tunes
I will drink a seltzer while you dabble with the booze
And giggle when I see ya liver shrivel to a prune
I'm the Funky Human Being not a monkey or a coon
Assume that the style is Funkadelic in the 90's
Del is livin' phat as I leave a foe behind me
"Ahonetwo, ahonetwo, I like it"
In Del Tha Funkee Homosapien's song "Ahonetwo Ahonetwo," he describes his identity and experience as a black man. He uses the analogy of being "chocolate like a bar" to convey his skin tone and clarifies that his name is not Rosanne, who is a white woman with the same skin tone. He plans to grow dreads but currently has a nappy fro because it's easier to scare his enemies with longer hair. However, he faces stares and discrimination from people when he walks into a place due to his skin color.
Despite the challenges, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien embraces his blackness and hangs out with tribal brothers who share his cultural values. He also creates music by sampling from archives and using his mental staff to eliminate apartheid. Along with his friend CM-P, he represents a funky human being with a passive style that most certainly smothers suicidal rhymes with apocalyptic tunes. He concludes the song by asserting that he's not a monkey or a coon but a Funky Human Being who's living phat and leaving his foes behind.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm chocolate like a bar but my name is not Roseanne
Although my skin is brown like chocolate, I am not the same person as Roseanne Barr.
My skin has a pigment, reminiscent of a tan
My skin has a color that reminds people of a tan.
I plan to grow dreads but first a nappy fro
I intend to grow dreadlocks, but first I need a tangled hairstyle.
The longer the hair, the easier to scare a foe
Having long hair can be intimidating to enemies.
It grows from my head until it covers up my face
My hair can grow until it covers my face, which can be alarming or attention-grabbing.
People look and stare when I walk into the place
People tend to look and stare at me when I enter a room.
This is just a taste from the Funky Human Being
This is only a small sampling of what it means to be a funky human.
Ain't no misbehavin', ain't no use for ravin'
I don't misbehave or get carried away with unnecessary excitement.
Surrounded by the people who would stab me in the back
The people around me are capable of betraying me.
My skin is really brown even though it's labeled black
My skin color is more accurately described as brown, even though it is typically labeled as black.
Sometimes I wear a cap, and sometimes I wear bandanas
I alternate between different types of headwear, such as caps and bandanas.
Forbidden in L.A. but I wore one in Atlanta
I wore a bandana in Atlanta, even though it is against the rules in Los Angeles.
I chiseled up a sculpture to complement my culture
I created a sculpture that represents and enhances my cultural heritage.
Thoughts of silly Nubians is prone to give me ulcers
Thinking about foolish and offensive stereotypes of Nubian people can cause me stress and anxiety.
Hangin' with the brothers who are tribal in their ways
I spend time with other men who embrace their tribal traditions.
For this is how I like to spend my days, and it pays
I enjoy spending my time this way, and it is beneficial in some way.
To steal a groovy sample form the archives
I took a musical sample from an archived recording that has a cool sound.
Use my mental staff to eliminate apartheid
I use my intellect and creativity to help end institutional segregation and discrimination.
Still gather papes like my man Malcom Forbes
I am still earning money, like the wealthy businessman Malcolm Forbes did.
Ponderin' my life as I look into my orbs
As I contemplate my life, I am looking into my own eyes.
"Ahonetwo, ahonetwo, I like it"
I am expressing my approval and enjoyment of a certain sound or music.
I love the shade of green like my brother Billy Bixby
I appreciate and enjoy the color green, much like my friend Billy Bixby.
I utilize a sample that I salvaged from the 60's cause I'm picky
I am using a musical recording from the 1960s because I am selective and particular about the sounds I want to include in my music.
My meal must appeal to me like Morris
I will only eat food that I personally find appetizing, much like the way Morris only eats food that he likes.
Far too many fraudulent opponents in the forest
There are too many deceitful and untrustworthy people who are trying to compete with me.
I fall into the Gap when I need to purchase clothes
I shop at the clothing store Gap when I need to buy new clothes.
Easy on the fads cause the posers always pose
I am cautious about following new trends, because many people who claim to be trendsetters are just pretending.
I suppose they will bite, they'll try not to show it
I expect that others will try to copy me or steal my ideas, but they will pretend not to be doing so.
I came very plain and then feelin' rather loaded
I arrived in a modest and unassuming manner, but now I feel more powerful and confident.
I ditched all the beads cause my needs seem to differ
I stopped wearing decorative beads because they no longer have personal significance or relevance to me.
Me and CM-P are like the Gil and the Skipper
My friend CM-P and I have a dynamic similar to the classic television characters Gil and Skipper.
He will use his clippers to give himself a fade
CM-P will use hair clippers to give himself a faded haircut.
I give my fro a sheen with a smidgen of Pomade
I apply some Pomade to my afro hairstyle to give it a shiny look.
I laid in the shade and I greeted mixel place
I rested in a shaded area and said hello to the people who were present.
With a rhythm and a rhyme and he said that it's a twist
As I spoke with someone, I used musical cadence and rhyming words, which they found to be unique.
From the ordinary everyday continual assumption that RnB and rap makes a winner
I reject the idea that musicians must make typical RnB or rap music to be successful.
Guess who's comin' through for dinner
I am suggesting that I will be attending someone's dinner event.
A native-like brother with the passive little style
I have a style that is similar to a person who is indigenous to a particular area and is generally laid-back.
That most certainly will smother
I am confident that my style or personality will be very noticeable and impressive.
Suicidal rhymes with apocalyptic tunes
The lyrics and music I create are intense and somewhat dark.
I will drink a seltzer while you dabble with the booze
While others drink alcohol, I will drink seltzer, which is a carbonated water beverage.
And giggle when I see ya liver shrivel to a prune
If I observe someone drinking too much alcohol, I will laugh if they become physically ill.
I'm the Funky Human Being not a monkey or a coon
I am a unique and stylish human, but I am not an animal or an offensive racial slur.
Assume that the style is Funkadelic in the 90's
My style is similar to the band Funkadelic from the 1990s.
Del is livin' phat as I leave a foe behind me
I am living extravagantly, and I am leaving behind an opponent or enemy as I move forward in life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDDIE HARRIS, TEREN DELVON JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind