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.
Twuneanunda
Dwele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They say that we've got time to kill
I'm going to keep it real
My time is not crucial
Got minor bills
And business as usual
But life still brings strain
Trying to prove
We're experienced to someone
Welcome to
Life twenty and under
Insurance is too damn high
Because of your age and where you reside
I'm woring a triple (?)
But it don't mean ish
They still want to see 5 thousand
Every 6 months wihout (?)
There's got to be
A way that's much easier
No coverage
That's dumb, but much cheaper
Twenty years young
A few moths away from 21
Your friends all u in the club
But you can't get in
And if you do you ain't got no
Extra cash to spend
'Cause you gave it up
To the bouncer so you could enter
Into the club
Get a fake ID an enter
And, God, my time has come
A few more months I'll be 21
No more fake ID's
I'll be legally unsober
Hitting Riverrock
Singing "21 and over"
In the song Twuneanunda by Dwele, he talks about the struggles of being young and trying to make it in a world that seems to be against us at every turn. The lyrics begin with the acknowledgment that they are aware of how the older generation perceives them – they believe that we have too much time to kill. However, Dwele counters that his time is not crucial, he has minor bills to pay, and he has to focus on business as usual. Even with that, life can be a strain, especially when living in a world that seems insane. They are trying to prove something to someone, even though they are new to life, and are currently experiencing life twenty and under, with its various challenges and concerns.
Dwele also highlights the difficulty of acquiring insurance at a young age, as insurance companies tend to place high rates on them, based solely on their age and where they live. Even when young people work hard at earning money, the insurance rate rises yearly, which can be discouraging. Young people are often expected to cover their daily bills, handle their insurance, and still enjoy life with what little money they have, which is often not enough. The struggle of being a young adult and having to grow up too soon is a common theme that many young people can relate to.
There are always the pressures of fitting into society's expectations, and the popular culture to consider, as well. Dwele references this with the idea of going to the club with friends, still underage, and having to offer bribes to gain entry. They resort to using fake ID's, which only serves to create more stress when they are caught or punished. However, as Dwele says, his time has come, and they are only a few months away from legal adulthood. He is excited to be able to go out, drink legally, and go to clubs as he sings, "21 and over," with joy and anticipation.
Line by Line Meaning
We know how they feel
We understand the opinions of others
They say that we've got time to kill
Others believe we have too much free time
I'm going to keep it real
I will be genuine and honest
My time is not crucial
My time is not considered important
Got minor bills
There are small debts to pay
And business as usual
Everyday life continues as usual
But life still brings strain
Despite everything, life remains difficult at times
We're living in a world insane
The world we live in is crazy and chaotic
Trying to prove
Attempting to show
We're experienced to someone
That we are knowledgeable to another person
Welcome to
This is
Life twenty and under
Life as a young adult
Insurance is too damn high
Car insurance rates are exorbitant
Because of your age and where you reside
Due to being young and living in a particular location
I'm working a triple (?)
I am working very hard
But it don't mean ish
Despite working hard, things still aren't going well
They still want to see 5 thousand
They expect $5,000
Every 6 months wihout (?)
Every six months without fail
There's got to be
There must be
A way that's much easier
A simpler solution should exist
No coverage
Lack of insurance coverage
That's dumb, but much cheaper
It may not be wise, but it is more affordable
Twenty years young
Being twenty years old
A few months away from 21
Soon to turn 21 years old
Your friends all in the club
Your peers are enjoying the club scene
But you can't get in
You cannot enter due to being underage
And if you do you ain't got no
If you somehow enter, you do not possess
Extra cash to spend
Additional money to spend on drinks or other items
'Cause you gave it up
You relinquished it
To the bouncer so you could enter
Paid the bouncer to gain access
And, God, my time has come
The moment I've been waiting for is almost here
A few more months I'll be 21
In a matter of months, I will be 21 years old
No more fake ID's
No need for a fraudulent identification card
I'll be legally unsober
Able to legally consume alcohol
Hitting Riverrock
Going to Riverrock brewery
Singing '21 and over'
Celebrating being of legal drinking age
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDWELE GARDNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind