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't Mean A Thing [Rest
Dwele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
"Dwele's "Money Don't Mean a Thing" is a song about love and the value of happiness over material possessions. In the opening lines of the song, Dwele expresses his desire for someone who makes him happy, rather than someone who has money. He paints a picture of a loving relationship that is not defined by material wealth, but rather by the connection between two people. Dwele contrasts the emptiness he feels despite having a large home and the ability to have multiple partners with the feeling of contentment he would experience with just one person who loves him for who he is. The song hints that the strong bonds of love can make a person feel complete and content, something that money cannot buy.
Throughout the song, Dwele stresses that he would willingly give up everything he has for someone who loves him for him. He acknowledges that money may be able to bring him temporary pleasure, such as taking a costly cruise around the world, but true happiness is only possible through love. The repetition of the phrase "money don't mean a thing" further emphasizes the idea that material possessions cannot replace the value of a genuine, loving relationship.
The song's lyrics also touch upon themes of isolation and loneliness. Despite possessing material wealth, Dwele feels lonely and unfulfilled. He longs for someone who understands and accepts him for who he is. The song conveys that even though a person may have everything that money can buy, without love, they may still feel empty and unfulfilled.
Overall, "Money Don't Mean a Thing" is a commentary on the importance of love and connection in one's life, above all else.
Line by Line Meaning
Money don't mean a thing
Money can't buy happiness
I'd rather have someone that makes me happy
I value love and companionship more than material possessions
Know the one, Me, her, love
True happiness comes from a loving relationship between two people
Holdin' each other, watchin' the sun come up
Simple moments of love and connection are what truly matter
And I would give up everything
I am willing to sacrifice material possessions for love
Just to have a shorty that loves me
I am looking for a partner who loves me for who I am
I got a house on a hill with 17 niggas around me
I have all the material possessions I could ever want, but I am still not happy
But it feels empty (yes it does)
Despite my wealth, my life feels incomplete
And I can call two or three girls at the same time to make love to me
I can have any physical pleasure I want, but it still leaves me feeling lonely
But I still feel lonely (so lonely)
Even with multiple partners, I am still missing something emotionally
Now I can go from 0 to 60 in my V-1-2 with the chromed out shoes
Even though I can have any luxury item I want, it doesn't make me happy
But it feels like I'm standing still (standing still)
Material possessions can feel like an empty pursuit
We can take a cruise around the world
I have the means to travel anywhere I want
And I'll pay the cost
Money is not an issue for me
But I feel lost (I feel so lost)
Despite all my abilities, I am still searching for something more meaningful
When I look out my window I can see a small body of water
I have a beautiful view of nature, but it doesn't fulfill me completely
And I wish I could sail away (sail away)
I long for a deeper escape from my current situation
For it ain't that far
I believe there is something more meaningful for me out there
I can probably can get from here to Amsha
I am capable of exploring new places and finding new meaning in my life
A place in the motherland, Y'all don't understand
There are aspects to my journey that others can't comprehend
From the outside, looking in, I live the perfect life
To others, my wealth and success may seem enviable
But that ain't right no, no, no (so far from right)
Despite appearances, my life is not as fulfilling as it could be
So I do what I gotta do
I am taking steps to find true happiness
Just to take it through (I'm waitin' on you)
I am willing to endure the journey to find someone who loves me for me
Cause it don't mean a thing, without you
Ultimately, love is the missing piece to my happiness
Money don't mean a thing (money don't mean a thing, no)
Once again emphasizing that money cannot buy happiness
How many times have you had money in your life
This is a pervasive issue that affects many people's lives
But it didn't make things right
Money cannot solve all of life's problems
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SatOutSide
Love it!
thehoneyeffect
Rest in peace Ty 💔
IronWolfV
Dope!
Natural A
I just listened to the original....boii Dwele makes this sound soooo much better!
cbmuzik
who can I smack in the head for hearing this joint?!?!?! BEAST!!!
IL0VEFU
Ooooooooo looooove this
bigmikeondabeat1
COOL I LIKE IT
King True
wait a minute i got to like this
Nick Hughes
Different but i like.
Chad Whitby
Still here in 2020