His mother, Rochelle Hairston, coping with the ills of single parenting and trying to escape the influence that street life ends up having on young minds, led her family to live everywhere from friend's homes, shelters and finally the Passyunk Homes housing projects. It was there that Eshon, the oldest of four children, took on the leadership role in his family. Instead of playing the latest video games and getting involved in other childhood activities, he made his mother, brother's Seiffuddin and Ameer and his sister Aleema his main activity and responsibility. After his family, running errands and chasing girls, his spare time included writing rap songs with his best friend and rap partner Maik Sharp.
When Eshon was 15 years old he was shot three times right outside the Passyunk Homes housing projects while waking home. He says he had his first intimate encounter with Jesus Christ while laying on the ground, going in and out of consciousness from the gunshot wounds. Despite the fact that at this point he had no idea how this would later effect his music career (and he was still living a life that didn't reflect his encounter), thereafter he became even more aware of God's presence.
Eshon spent the next 5 years making a name for himself in Philadelphia's underground hip-hop scene. He performed at talent shows, open mic's, house parties and local events. In 1999 he signed a record deal with a city-known drug dealer and childhood friend, and again with another big time drug dealer the following year. Because of Eshon's Godly convictions neither venture ever progressed into anything.
In 2001 Eshon was introduced to the Lord more deeply when he met a pastor who gave him God's Word in a way that he hadn't known. He joined that pastor's church and began serving immediately. At this time he saw fit to start the group Society Park with fellow believers Larry "Who I Am" Dixon and Cobbina "Chances R" Frempong. While working on their album the group was invited to perform with Jazmine Sullivan in London, England alongside some of the United Kingdom's brightest stars like Andrew Roachford. "Freedom's Journal," Society Parks first and only album, was released in 2002.
From 2002 to 2006 Eshon continued to broaden his musical experience by performing at numerous events in places like Canada, Detroit, Miami, California, New York, Chicago, and New Jersey; and even shared the stage with well known artists including Mos Def, Common, Alicia Keys, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Talib Kweli, Roy Ayers and Pharoah Monch. He also toured with the guerrilla theater team Salt World, where he spent months using rap to spread the love of God on the street corners of Philadelphia's most drug infested neighborhoods. In that same year Eshon was introduced to Jazzy Jeff (The Fresh Prince of Bel Air) by long-time acquaintance Black Ice (Def Poetry Jam), who featured the two on the song "Run That Back" which appeared on Jeff's "The Return of the Magnificent" (BBE Records).
After years of dabbling in both secular and holy hip hop, Eshon finally decided to focus his message solely on the saving grace of God through Christ, but still for the streets. He's poured out his message in mixtapes like "The Fire Escape," "Cleaning Out My Closet," "Blood Bought" and "The Fire Escape Reissued" between 2007 and 2010. Along the way he discovered his graphic design and film making abilities and founded GoodLook Multimedia, providing design and video services to other artists and clients.
Eshon currently resides in Florida with his wife Tandeace and two daughters Harlem Promise and Evyr Anadai, working on his first album to be released in 2011.
Control Issues
Eshon Burgundy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A king that God put in that position just to reign
Never should the king test the God from which he came
Or the king gon' need a prophet to come explain the dream
You know the synopsis, exactly what I mean
I pray the block is glockless???
You'll never become prosperous by wearing savage things
Preposterous, you will not profit from wicked things
Or study, my degree is from the king of kings
Bloody, come from the home of the triple beams??? 'bout the stories of amies and crippled fiends???
Crystal meth, or success from getting out your dream
Whatever drug you choose, you settle for what's the truth
Going back and forth tryna play God and leaving confused
It's foolish
I feel every time I swear I'm in control
What good is it to gain the world and lose your soul
I kept tryna be a general, supposed to be a soldier
Ain't tryna be subliminal while mentioning Jehova
I spot to be a criminal, my clip was half loaded
Available water replaced in my hand is soda
The opening lines of the song "Control Issues" by Eshon Burgundy sets the stage for its central theme that highlights the importance of submission to God. The line "What's a king to a God, nothing but a king" compares the kingship of earthly rulers to the divine sovereignty of God. In the song, the king is expected to be humble and obedient to the will of God, as he is only a mere mortal who has been granted authority by God. The following line "Never should a king test the God from which he came" emphasizes the need for rulers to exercise caution and not undermine their positions of power by overstepping boundaries.
Eshon Burgundy makes a reference to Bible stories when he raps, "Or the king gon' need a prophet to come explain the dream, you know the synopsis, exactly what I mean", where he is alluding to the story of King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. The king had a dream that he could not interpret, and he needed Daniel, a prophet to interpret it for him. The rapper further explains that while earthly philosophy can offer insight, only God can provide true knowledge and understanding. The central message of the song warns that people should avoid seeking their own selfish ambitions, to gain control or power at the expense of their eternal soul.
Line by Line Meaning
What's a king to a God, nothing but a king
A king is nothing compared to God.
A king that God put in that position just to reign
God put the king in power for a specific purpose.
Never should the king test the God from which he came
Kings should never challenge God's authority.
Or the king gon' need a prophet to come explain the dream
If the king disobeys God, he will need divine intervention to understand his consequences.
You know the synopsis, exactly what I mean
You already understand the situation.
I pray the block is glockless???
I hope there are no weapons in the neighborhood.
You'll never become prosperous by wearing savage things
You won't achieve success by promoting violent behavior.
Preposterous, you will not profit from wicked things
It's ridiculous to think that you'll benefit from evil actions.
Philosophers explained, only from what they seen
Philosophers only speak from their experiences.
Or study, my degree is from the king of kings
My knowledge comes from God.
Bloody, come from the home of the triple beams??? 'bout the stories of amies and crippled fiends???
I come from a violent neighborhood and have witnessed the struggles of those affected by it.
Crystal meth, or success from getting out your dream
You can either become successful by pursuing your goals or fall into addiction.
Whatever drug you choose, you settle for what's the truth
Whatever decision you make, you accept the consequences.
Going back and forth tryna play God and leaving confused
Trying to control everything and not trusting God leaves you feeling lost.
It's foolish
It's unwise.
I feel every time I swear I'm in control
I constantly try to take control of situations.
What good is it to gain the world and lose your soul
It doesn't matter how much success you have if you lose sight of your values and morals.
I kept tryna be a general, supposed to be a soldier
I tried to take on a leadership role when I should have focused on being a follower.
Ain't tryna be subliminal while mentioning Jehova
I'm not trying to hide my religious beliefs.
I spot to be a criminal, my clip was half loaded
In the past, I was heading down a dangerous path with my weapon nearly empty.
Available water replaced in my hand is soda
I have to make do with what's available instead of always having what I want.
Writer(s): Terry Thomas Joseph
Contributed by Miles B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.