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.
Love Triangle
Dwele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In real life it's got to stay that way (but this song)
I gotta make her see if she don't already know she's a (special case of friend relations)
I met her and her friend at the same time
I wanted her but her friend was online
Since I'm a man I did what any man would do, I figured (second place is better than none)
Found myself in this love (triangle)
What I'm gone do 'bout this love (triangle)
No room for a (honest man in this love triangle)
Verse II:
Me and her friend had big fun, but it (ran its course)
Ended errthang on good terms called it (friendly divorce)
But now I found myself in conversation more with the (one I really like from the start)
Started with conversation over (friendly text)
But now it's hush hush relations called it (friendly sex)
It feels so right why do we have to hide from our friends (oh) this is too much damn you cupid.
(How did I) How did I get in this love (triangle)
Found myself in this love (triangle) Yeah
What I'm gone do 'bout this love (triangle)
I'm a (honest man in this love triangle)
How I get in this love (triangle)
(I) Found myself in this love (triangle)
(Ooo ooo) What I'm gone do 'bout this love (triangle)
Man (honest man in this love triangle)
I couldn't withstand it I had to let her know
(That me and her friend) done got intermittent she light weight touched my soul
Now she's freaking livid she's trying to kill us both off of this crazy love triangle
How many of ya'll (feeling it) have been in my position (find yourself)
Involved with two friends and left to make decisions (by yourself)
Do you follow your heart and what feels right (oh this is wrong)
Thank God it's just a song (It's just a song)
The lyrics of Dwele's song Love Triangle depict a complicated love situation where the singer finds himself caught between two friends. He has known one of the women as a close friend for a long time, but has recently started developing feelings for her. However, he had previously pursued a romantic relationship with the other friend, but it ultimately came to an end. As he becomes more emotionally involved with the friend he truly likes, they begin engaging in "friendly sex," which must remain hidden from their mutual circle of friends.
The song candidly portrays the difficulties of navigating a love triangle and the potential for emotional harm to all parties involved. The singer expresses his inner turmoil and the sense of being trapped in a situation that he did not intend to create. Ultimately, he feels like an "honest man" in this love triangle, but he is unable to find a solution that will satisfy everyone.
Overall, Love Triangle is a well-crafted song that tells a relatable story about the complexities of romantic relationships. It highlights the importance of being mindful of other people's feelings and the consequences of our actions when navigating the challenges of love.
Line by Line Meaning
She's only known me as a close friend (for so long)
I have been close friends with this woman for a long time, and that's all she sees me as.
In real life it's got to stay that way (but this song)
In real life, we cannot be more than friends, but in this song, I'll explain how I feel.
I gotta make her see if she don't already know she's a (special case of friend relations)
I want her to know that she means more to me than just a regular friend.
I met her and her friend at the same time
I was introduced to this woman and her friend at the same time.
I wanted her but her friend was online
Initially, I was attracted to her, but her friend seemed more available.
Since I'm a man I did what any man would do, I figured (second place is better than none)
As a man, I decided that it was better to be with her friend than not be with either of them.
How did I get in this love (triangle)
I don't know how I ended up in this complicated love triangle.
Found myself in this love (triangle)
I found myself in the middle of a complicated love triangle.
What I'm gone do 'bout this love (triangle)
I'm not sure what to do about this love triangle.
No room for a (honest man in this love triangle)
It's difficult to be honest in this love triangle because it involves hurting one of them.
Me and her friend had big fun, but it (ran its course)
I had a fun time with her friend, but it didn't last.
Ended errthang on good terms called it (friendly divorce)
We ended things amicably and moved on from our brief relationship.
But now I found myself in conversation more with the (one I really like from the start)
I realized that I had feelings for the woman I was initially attracted to.
Started with conversation over (friendly text)
Our conversations started as friendly texts.
But now it's hush hush relations called it (friendly sex)
Our relationship has become sexual, but we have to keep it a secret.
It feels so right why do we have to hide from our friends (oh) this is too much damn you cupid.
Our relationship feels right, but we can't be open about it because of our friendship circle. It's frustrating, and I blame Cupid for making me fall for her.
(How did I) How did I get in this love (triangle)
I still don't understand how I ended up in this love triangle.
Found myself in this love (triangle) Yeah
I'm still stuck in this complicated love triangle.
What I'm gone do 'bout this love (triangle)
I'm still unsure of how to handle this love triangle.
I'm a (honest man in this love triangle)
Despite the complexity of this love triangle, I'm trying to be honest.
I couldn't withstand it I had to let her know
I couldn't keep my feelings to myself anymore, so I had to tell her.
(That me and her friend) done got intermittent she lightweight touched my soul
I ended things with her friend because the woman I'm attracted to means more to me. She has touched my soul.
Now she's freaking livid she's trying to kill us both off of this crazy love triangle
The woman I ended things with is angry and trying to cause problems because of our love triangle.
How many of ya'll (feeling it) have been in my position (find yourself)
How many of you have been in my position and found yourself in the middle of a complicated love triangle?
Involved with two friends and left to make decisions (by yourself)
Being involved with two friends puts you in a difficult position where you have to make tough decisions alone.
Do you follow your heart and what feels right (oh this is wrong)
Do you follow your heart, even though it feels wrong to be involved with two friends?
Thank God it's just a song (It's just a song)
I'm grateful that this love triangle is just the subject of a song and not something I have to deal with in real life.
Writer(s): antwan gardner
Contributed by William F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.