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.
Money Don
Dwele Lyrics
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I'd rather have someone that makes me happy
Know the one, Me, her, love
Holdin' each other, watchin' the sun come up
And I would give up everything
Just to have a shorty that loves me
For me
But it feels empty (yes it does)
And I can call two or three girls at the same time to make love to me
But I still feel lonely (so lonely)
Now I can go from 0 to 60 in my V-1-2 with the chromed out shoes
But it feels like I'm standing still (standing still)
We can take a cruise around the world
And I'll pay the cost
But I feel lost (I feel so lost)
Money don't mean a thing
Money don't mean a thing
I'd rather have someone that makes me happy
Know the one, Me, her, love
Holdin' each other, watchin' the sun come up
And I would give up everything
Just to have a shorty that loves me
For me
When I look out my window I can see a small body of water
And I wish I could sail away (sail away)
For it ain't that far
I can probably can get from here to Amsha
A place in the motherland, Y'all don't understand
From the outside, looking in, I live the perfect life
But that ain't right no, no, no (so far from right)
So I do what I gotta do
Just to take it through (I'm waitin' on you)
Cause it don't mean a thing, without you
Money don't mean a thing
Money don't mean a thing
I'd rather have someone that makes me happy
Know the one, Me, her, love
Holdin' each other, watchin' the sun come up
And I would give up everything
Just to have a shorty that loves me
For me
Money dont mean a thing (money don't mean a thing, no)
Money don't mean a thing
Money don't mean a thing
How many times have you had money in your life
But it didn't make things right
Money don't mean a thing
Money don't mean a thing
I'd rather have someone that makes me happy
Know the one, Me, her, love
Holdin' each other, watchin' the sun come up
And I would give up everything
Just to have a shorty that loves me
For me
In Dwele's song "Money Don't Mean A Thing", the artist is expressing that money is not everything and that he would rather have someone who makes him happy. He talks about how he has material wealth, such as a house on a hill and the ability to call multiple women to make love to him, but despite all of that, he still feels lonely and empty. Dwele expresses that he wants true love and not just material wealth, which is why he would give up everything to have a partner who loves him for who he is.
Dwele's lyrics provide an insight into the emptiness that can come with material wealth and how love is more important than money. The lyrics also suggest that even with all the luxuries that money can buy, one can still feel lost and lonely. Dwele seems to be saying that he would rather have someone who genuinely loves him than be surrounded by people who are only interested in him for his money. The song is a reminder to appreciate the things that truly matter in life, such as love and human connections, rather than getting caught up in materialism.
Line by Line Meaning
Money don't mean a thing
The worth of money is overrated compared to other things in life.
I'd rather have someone that makes me happy
True happiness comes from having meaningful relationships with others.
Know the one, Me, her, love
The key to happiness lies in a mutually loving relationship between two people.
Holdin' each other, watchin' the sun come up
Simple moments spent together can bring immense joy and contentment.
And I would give up everything
Material possessions are insignificant when it comes to having true love.
Just to have a shorty that loves me
A genuine love from a partner is priceless and irreplaceable.
I got a house on a hill with 17 niggas around me
Having many acquaintances doesn't guarantee fulfillment and happiness.
But it feels empty (yes it does)
Despite outward appearances, the artist feels unfulfilled and alone.
And I can call two or three girls at the same time to make love to me
Casual relationships bring temporary pleasure but no lasting satisfaction.
But I still feel lonely (so lonely)
The feeling of loneliness persists despite attempts to fill the void with physical pleasures.
Now I can go from 0 to 60 in my V-1-2 with the chromed out shoes
Even material possessions like fast cars lose their luster when they don't bring true happiness.
But it feels like I'm standing still (standing still)
Despite having achieved some level of financial success, the artist feels stagnant and unfulfilled.
We can take a cruise around the world
The best experiences in life are those shared with a loved one.
And I'll pay the cost
Having material wealth is nothing compared to the value of having someone to share life with.
But I feel lost (I feel so lost)
Without a loving partner to share experiences with, one can feel adrift and unfulfilled.
When I look out my window I can see a small body of water
The artist longs for adventure and exploration beyond the comforts of home.
And I wish I could sail away (sail away)
The constraints of daily life can be suffocating, and the artist desires freedom and adventure.
For it ain't that far
The singer realizes that adventure and new experiences may be closer than they appear.
I can probably can get from here to Amsha
There are many places in the world that hold the promise of adventure and new horizons.
A place in the motherland, Y'all don't understand
The artist feels a deep, spiritual connection to their ancestors' homeland and desires to explore it further.
From the outside, looking in, I live the perfect life
On the surface, the artist's life may appear to be successful and fulfilling, but only they know the truth.
But that ain't right no, no, no (so far from right)
In reality, the artist's life is far from perfect and lacks the true happiness they desire.
So I do what I gotta do
The singer is willing to take risks and explore new avenues to find true happiness.
Just to take it through (I'm waitin' on you)
The artist desires a loving partner to share new experiences with and will wait as long as it takes to find them.
Cause it don't mean a thing, without you
Without true love, material wealth and success are meaningless.
Money don't mean a thing (money don't mean a thing, no)
Money is temporary and can't buy true happiness or love.
How many times have you had money in your life
The singer acknowledges the fleeting nature of material wealth, which can't bring lasting happiness.
But it didn't make things right
Despite having financial success, it didn't bring true happiness or fulfillment.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOAKIM FRANS AHLUND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind