Although Dwele has had somewhat of a short career as a commercially avaliable artist, he has a vast catalogue of material currently unreleased that die-hard fans revere as some of his best work, considerably superior to his material released as a signed artist that showcases the true depth of his artistic and diverse talent, displayed without constraint.
Gardner was raised on the west side of Detroit in a musical family. He played piano from the age of six, later taking up trumpet, bass and guitar. He was deeply affected by the fatal shooting of his father outside his home when he was age ten, later stating "I learned to put my emotions into music; it was my therapy."
He cites Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Roy Ayers, Miles Davis, and Freddie Hubbard as favorite artists, and took inspiration from hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, becoming an MC, and working with Slum Village. Gardner recorded a demo in his bedroom, called, The Rize, and sold it out of the trunk of his car. He had about 100 copies, which sold out within a week. He caught the ears of local heroes Slum Village and more specifically their world-renowned producer J Dilla. Slum Village invited Dwele to sing the hook of the song "Tainted" for their album Trinity (Past, Present and Future). It became an instant classic and led to more high profile work with female rapper Bahamadia, the all-star group Lucy Pearl and London's New Sector Movement. Dwele signed to Virgin Records in 2003, who released his debut album, Subject, which mixed neo soul and hip hop. In a 2005 review in The Independent, his style was summed up: "Dwele's rooted in vintage soul but isn't stuck in the past, overly reverential or an exercise in pastiche - there's a major hip-hop edge which betrays his original incarnation as a rapper." A second album, Some Kinda..., followed in 2005. He then later signed with RT Music Group and KOCH records in March, 2008. He is coming out with his fourth album titled, W.W.W. (W.ants. W.orld. W.omen) coming out June 29, 2010. Dwele was recently featured on the first single off of Kanye West's fifth studio album, Good Ass Job. The song was entitled "Power" and was leaked on May 28, 2010.
Caught Up
Dwele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What the fuck was you doin'?
You cheating on me?
Now I'm caught up in some shit
Now I'm caught up in some shit
Now I'm caught up in some shit
Now I gotta hear this shit
I'm just trying to explain to-
All this cuttin' me off ain't helping-
Don't you use that tone of voice with-
Here we go with this shit
Are you done now?
Can I at least tell my side of the s-
What happened to communication?
Man I'm about to put her in her place
Now you on some other shit
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Oh-ooh, woah
The lyrics of Dwele's "Caught Up" describe a conversation between a woman and a man that suggests infidelity on the man's part. The woman accuses him of cheating on her because he did not answer his phone the night before. The man tries to explain himself and apologizes, but the woman is not listening and continues to cut him off. The conversation escalates as the man becomes frustrated with the woman's accusations and her refusal to listen. The lyrics suggest a breakdown in communication between the two parties, and the man appears to be caught up in a difficult situation.
The song is an expression of emotions and a reflection of the breakdown in communication in relationships. It presents a relatable situation where people struggle to overcome misunderstandings and complex emotions, leading to conflicts that ultimately affect their sense of connection and trust. The repetitive line "Now I'm caught up in some shit" signifies that the man feels trapped in a difficult situation.
Line by Line Meaning
No wonder your ass didn't answer the phone last night. What the fuck was you doin'? You cheating on me?
The girl is angry and accusing the singer of cheating on her because he didn't answer her call.
Now I'm caught up in some shit
The singer is now in a difficult situation because of the accusation made by the girl.
Now I gotta hear this shit
The singer is not looking forward to listening to the girl's angry and accusatory words.
You see what happened was I-
The artist is trying to explain his side of the story to the girl.
I'm just trying to explain to-
The artist is frustrated because the girl keeps interrupting and not letting him speak.
All this cuttin' me off ain't helping-
The girl's behavior of repeatedly interrupting the singer is making the situation worse.
Don't you use that tone of voice with-
The girl's tone of voice is disrespectful and the singer is calling her out on it.
Here we go with this shit
The artist is anticipating more argument and drama from the girl.
Are you done now?
The artist is politely asking the girl to stop with the accusations and the argument.
Can I at least tell my side of the s-
The artist is asking for the chance to explain himself fully without interruptions.
What happened to communication?
The singer is highlighting the fact that there is a lack of proper communication between him and the girl.
Man I'm about to put her in her place
The artist is getting angry and feels the need to assert his dominance over the girl.
Now you on some other shit
The singer is frustrated with the girl's behavior and the direction the argument is going in.
Ooh ooh oooh oooh
Ooh ooh oooh oooh
Ohh ooh woaa eee
These are just sounds in the song and do not convey any specific meaning on their own.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Andwele Gardner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind