Most recently, he teamed up with Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas (among others) on Stand Up / Stand N Rock (#NoDAPL), which won the MTV Video Music Award for ‘Best Fight Against the System.’
Warpath
Drezus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You should know that I have risen through the fire, in colorful buckskin
The object of my desire is the color of my skin
So divided are my kin
Watch me turn the tables, till we eatin' like some kings
In beautiful headdresses
The culture is so impressive, I'm just hopin' I absorb it when He passing me the message
Cause baby, it's depressing livin' in this mess we call a home
Arrowheads ride alone, the enemy like Styrofoam
Piercing through the strongest armor, death and genocidal And still I stand, a singular red man
With Jupiter-sized heart, forever reppin' my clan
The eagle's an old man watchin' over my plans
Talking real sh--, baby
No fakey here for the fans
I'm shoutin' out Bobby Jones, my Auntie, my Mushem George
I'm drawing all of my strength from my people here before me, man
Big Chief in the building, everybody take your place (hooh!)
Remove your feelings if you wanna ride with me (hooh!)
We about to go to war right now, no petty ass beef (hooh!)
And when it all go down, who's gonna ride with me? (hooh!) And when it all go down, who's gonna ride with me?
Blessed is the man with sons who walk beside him
There's not enough leaders out there, we should be ridin'
They left our people broken, but homey, don't play the possum
Learn to grow yourself, the set
Cause you can bet there's nothing promised
They sayin' I'm a problem, they call me public enemy
But they don't understand that, I hold it down for my family
And I hate it when they say that I won't be sh-- cause I'm Native
Cause in my mind we the strongest, we were built up for the ages
Ay, give me back mine 'fore I take that
You don't want that, where my rays at?
Put them up power, the blade of the sweetgrass
Put a prayer up
If you ain't gonna ride, get back with your weak ass
No room for the weak, or the type of speech that brings us down
Need them soldiers to be strong, when the bad man come to town
Ride out
Big Chief in the building, everybody take your place (hooh!)
Remove your feelings if you wanna ride with me (hooh!)
We about to go to war right now, no petty ass beef (hooh!)
And when it all go down, who's gonna ride with me? (hooh!) And when it all go down, who's gonna ride with me?
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
In "Warpath," Drezus proudly embraces his indigenous identity as a "red man" and relays his willingness to fight for his people. He begins by introducing himself as someone who has "risen through fire" and wears "colorful buckskin" in reference to the traditional attire of native warriors. He speaks about his desire to bring "unity" to his divided kin and "turn the tables" to "eat like some kings" with "beautiful headdresses." Drezus believes that the "culture" of his people is "impressive" and hopes to "absorb it" while passing on the message to others.
The song takes a more aggressive turn as he raps about being ready for battle with "no petty ass beef." He shouts out his family and ancestors, drawing strength from those who have come before him. The chorus repeats the call to action to ride with him in war and to remove any feelings that may hold individuals back. Drezus asserts that there is "no room for the weak" and that they need "soldiers to be strong" when the "bad man" comes to town.
"Warpath" is a powerful statement about the resilience and strength of indigenous peoples while also acknowledging the challenges they have faced. It serves as a call to action for unity and for all indigenous people to come together to fight for their rights.
Line by Line Meaning
You should know that I have risen through the fire, in colorful buckskin
I have come through difficult times and wear traditional Native American clothing
The object of my desire is the color of my skin
I am proud of my heritage and culture
So divided are my kin
There is division and conflict among my people
Watch me turn the tables, till we eatin' like some kings
I will work hard to bring prosperity and success to my community
In beautiful headdresses
Traditional Native American headdresses are impressive and meaningful
The culture is so impressive, I'm just hopin' I absorb it when He passing me the message
I hope to learn and understand more about my culture and traditions
Cause baby, it's depressing livin' in this mess we call a home
It can be sad and difficult to live in such a troubled community
We should take it back in chokers restin' on the collarbone
We should reclaim our power and heritage through traditional adornments
Arrowheads ride alone, the enemy like Styrofoam
Our weapons are powerful and effective against our enemies
Piercing through the strongest armor, death and genocidal
Our weapons can even penetrate strong armor and are deadly in battle
And still I stand, a singular red man
Although I may be alone, I stand strong as a Native American
With Jupiter-sized heart, forever reppin' my clan
I have a big heart and will always represent my people
The eagle's an old man watchin' over my plans
The eagle is a symbol of protection and guidance for me
I'm shoutin' out Bobby Jones, my Auntie, my Mushem George
I am acknowledging and honoring my family members and community leaders
I'm drawing all of my strength from my people here before me, man
I am inspired and motivated by the strength of my ancestors and community
Blessed is the man with sons who walk beside him
It is good to have strong, supportive family members
There's not enough leaders out there, we should be ridin'
There is a lack of strong Native American leaders, and we need to support and uplift each other
They left our people broken, but homey, don't play the possum
Historical events have had a negative impact on our community, but we should not give up
Learn to grow yourself, the set
We should focus on personal growth and development
Cause you can bet there's nothing promised
There are no guarantees in life
They sayin' I'm a problem, they call me public enemy
Some people view me as a troublemaker or enemy of the community
But they don't understand that, I hold it down for my family
I am a strong and supportive family member
And I hate it when they say that I won't be sh-- cause I'm Native
It is frustrating and hurtful when people underestimate me because of my race
Cause in my mind we the strongest, we were built up for the ages
I believe in the strength and resilience of my people and culture
Ay, give me back mine 'fore I take that
I demand respect and recognition for what is rightfully mine
You don't want that, where my rays at?
You do not want to challenge me, where is my support?
Put them up power, the blade of the sweetgrass
We should unite and use our power, represented by the sacred sweetgrass
Put a prayer up
We should pray for guidance and strength
If you ain't gonna ride, get back with your weak ass
If you are not going to support and fight with me, then stay out of the way
No room for the weak, or the type of speech that brings us down
We need strong and uplifting voices, not negative ones
Need them soldiers to be strong, when the bad man come to town
We need strong warriors to defend our community from threats
Big Chief in the building, everybody take your place (hooh!)
I am a strong leader and everyone should listen to me
Remove your feelings if you wanna ride with me (hooh!)
We need to be rational and focused in order to succeed
We about to go to war right now, no petty ass beef (hooh!)
We are about to face a serious challenge and cannot afford to be distracted by minor conflicts
And when it all go down, who's gonna ride with me? (hooh!) And when it all go down, who's gonna ride with me?
When the going gets tough, who will stand by my side and fight with me?
Oh oh oh oh
Vocalization to emphasize the intensity of the situation
Contributed by Ruby L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@callmeEris.
"Blessed is the MAN with sons who walk beside him"..that's badass
@ne5409
FACTS!!!!!
@TheRattlehead92
Fuck Yes. That's the Most blessed.
@MekaMatechuck
That is badass, but the part where he says "there's not enough leaders out there we should be riding" is more bad ass. We should be taking back what's ours‼️
@avamotolife2518
As a Nakota Mother to my only son.. he loves this song.. means the world to our small native community.
We live in Seattle, your music means a lot to these urban Native boys!
I'd like to talk about a musician collaboration, if possible.
@marshall_warpath8695
RIGHT! I’m in Denver & Englewood, Colorado & “WARPATH” Is in my rotation- every day!
@kathyborthwick6738
🔹🔹🔸🔹🔹🔸🔹🔹
🔸🔸♦️🔸🔸♦️🔸🔸
🔺🔺🔷🔺🔺🔷🔺🔺
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
@Cowboybrian01
Would never have known about this talent without Yellowstone! It’s sad this guy doesn’t get more attention!
@bloopereel33
Agreed brother.
@JohnMitosinka278
He is in yellowstone?