1) German hip-hop
2) NY… Read Full Bio ↴Down Low is the name of more than one artist:
1) German hip-hop
2) NY hardcore punk, aka Downlow NYHC and Downlow N.Y.H.C.
1) DOWN LOW were founded in December 1995 in the K-Town studios in Kaiserslautern. It is the biggest US community outside the USA (50% 0f the population are American and it's a great place for Rap and Hip-Hop producers because many US G's start a music career after leaving the army).
The members of this group are Joe Thompson and Mike Dalien. Joe is a US American born in 1972. He took part in operation Desert Storm in the Gulf whilst in the army. He then left the forces and began rapping with friends like Rod D (Fun Factory). Mikem that has a father in the military, has devoted his life to music. He met Joe and formed Down Low. The boys write good melodies and commercial raps. Their first single "Vision Of Life" was a big hit - Top 20 in Germany, Top 10 in France plus chart entries in Austria and Switzerland.
This sound revolutionized almost four months in the Charts the industry. Afterwards artist followed such as C-Block, NANA, A.K.-S.W.I.F.T, R´n´G, etc.. European Hip Hop was on the move - as music direction and culture. In addition, DOWN LOW proved that they are not only a "one hit wonder"". They were represented as only act in this music style since 1 1/2 years with each single in the Charts.
Inspired by the O.J. Simpson story, the duo then wrote and recorded "Murder" - which also charted in the above territories. This was followed by the debut album "VISIONS", released in November 96 - which entered the German album chart. Their next single "Lovething" was considered by ZYX UK to be the track to introduce Down Low onto home territory.
The rapper Joe Thompson and the singer Mike Dalien are characterised however also by their impressively represented Live appearances. Down Low got the "Best Performance" award for the radio NRJ in 1997. This was a firs big award for a European HipHop/Rap group. The Live Performance of the interaction with the public, the souligen voice of German American Mike Dalien and the printoutful raps lives and the Action of Rapper Joe.
In the end of May 2001, the new single "Wouldn't it be good" was released, which features the great singer La Mazz from Rappers Against Racism. Then the guys took a long break, to release one of the best songs on this album, "La Serenissima" in late 2002.
February 2003 was a important moth for Down Low. First of all they released a fantastic DVD called "Visions - The Singles 1997-2003". Shortly after that, the fans of Down Low all over the world got the sad news that Mike Dalien had left Down Low for a solo career. When Mike left, Joe invited the Rappers Against Racism singer La Mazz to be the new voice of Down Low.
Some month later, the new single "Living In The Ghetto" was released in late october of 2003. This wasthe first single with Mike being gone, and La Mazz singing instead. After that, Down Low had some troubles with their record company. The fifth planned album "Adrenaline" was canceled, and Joe and Rick are now working on new stuff. The new single "Everyday (MMMM)" was released in September 2005, and for the summer of 2006, the single "Start The Riot " came out and rocked the clubs!
In late october 2006, the fans got finally what they have been waiting for 5 long years. The 5th album "Return Of The Trendsetter" was released. It contained the good ols Down Low style, mixed together with modern sound.
in 2007, the brand new song "Africa" was released. A very respected song among the fans. After that, some record deal problems followed, but Down Low are now back on track now, in the end of 2008. Joe Thompson is also recording a solo album called "Pathfinder", so don't miss that in his own page here on the site!
Africa
Down Low Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in, 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way
Hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say, "Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you"
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what's right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you
It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
(I bless the rain)
I bless the rains down in Africa
(I bless the rain)
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
(Ah, gonna take the time)
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
The song "Africa" by Down Low is a highly symbolic song about a person's decision to go on a journey to Africa in search of inner peace and satisfaction. The lyrics highlight the differences between the Western world and the African continent, with the singer feeling a stronger connection to the latter.
The song opens with the sound of drums, evoking images of African tribal music. The singer hears these drums and is transported to a different realm, but his companion only hears "whispers of some quiet conversation." This difference in perception highlights the divide between the singer's desire for adventure and his companion's reluctance to leave their familiar world.
As the singer ventures towards Africa, he encounters an old man and seeks his wisdom to guide him on his journey. The old man tells him to hurry, as his destiny awaits him. This is a metaphor for the singer's desire to find purpose and meaning in his life.
The chorus emphasizes the unbreakable bond between the singer and Africa, as he declares that even a hundred men could never take him away from his beloved continent. He goes on to bless the rains down in Africa, symbolizing his gratitude for the blessings he has received on this journey.
The song also touches on the wildness of Africa, with the wild dogs crying out in the night, representing the singer's fear of the unknown. But he understands that he must face his fear and do what is right, in order to find the peace he is searching for.
Overall, the song Africa by Down Low is a powerful metaphorical journey towards self-discovery and finding a connection to a distant land.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear the drums echoing tonight
The singer hears the sound of African drums in the distance
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
The person the singer is with can't hear the drums, only the sound of people talking
She's coming in, 12:30 flight
Someone important to the singer is arriving on a flight at 12:30
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
The airplane the person is arriving in is visible in the moonlight, and the artist feels guided by it
I stopped an old man along the way
The artist encounters an old man during his travels
Hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies
The singer hopes to learn something meaningful from the old man
He turned to me as if to say, "Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you"
The old man gives the singer advice, encouraging him to hurry towards his destination
It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you
The artist is committed to someone and it would be difficult to separate them
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
No amount of force could make the artist leave their loved one
I bless the rains down in Africa
The artist feels connected to Africa and wishes for its prosperity
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
The singer intends to make time for new experiences and opportunities
The wild dogs cry out in the night
Animals in Africa are vocalizing and can be heard
As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company
The animals are searching for companionship and are feeling restless
I know that I must do what's right
The singer has a sense of responsibility and duty
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
Kilimanjaro is a significant landmark that is always present and identifiable
I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become
The artist is troubled by their own internal struggles and wants to address them
Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you
The person the artist cares about is waiting for them to arrive
(Ah, gonna take the time)
The singer is acknowledging the need to be patient and take things slowly
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had
The singer intends to make time for new experiences and opportunities
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: David Paich, Jeff Porcaro
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind