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.
Higher Learning
Eshon Burgundy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the streets they're fiending, For higher learning
I'm ready to go higher, I'm ready to go higher
Let's go higher and higher
Tripping now, tripping now. Everybody out here tripping now
Tripping now, tripping now
Young girls out here stripping now
On the playground find a clip on the ground
Chilling till we came up out the building
And we heard somebody yelling
They was telling everybody lay down
Lay down, lay down, situation hot like Cape Town
Hey now, hey now, do I trust God or the K now?
Cause when you laying face down
And you hear the sound of an AK spray letting off a round
I'm on second thought, on second thought
Till the Holy Spirit check my heart
And I receive that G-check
Out of respect for God that fear I eat that
With a deep breath
Bold faith on the side
If I die, no regret
I've confessed who laid down in my place
When I pray I get feedback, believe that
I know I'm surrounded by grace
And if ever you need that
Seek that
And believe that by faith
And instead of where the weed at
You'll see that
We all need to be asking for graves
I'm talking bout the part of me that make it hard for me
To live accordingly with that hope
Fight with the all of me
But unfortunately it keep calling me on that note
Against that it's hard to revolt
Fighting and I'm writing down all of these quotes
Hope to inspire all of these folks
So the Lord would acquire all of these souls
Back to the situation at hand though
Block lit up like a dance floor
In the middle of blazing ammo
Spark so bright like he shooting with a candle!
Oh!
Empty souls are screaming, Hollow hearts are burning
In the streets they're fiending, For higher learning
I'm ready to go higher, I'm ready to go higher
Let's go higher and higher
Ain't nothing about me good, save that for my O.G
My O.G. Jesus Christ and His O.G. is G. O. D
One day you made it rain, huh? On a shorty?
But He made it rain 40 days, like a bottle of Old E
What this world done came to, I look around and it's painful
I even look at my own heart, size it up and it's shameful
Only heat can come from a cold heart
Catch no breaks like a go-cart
That's how you end up in the O.R
And leave the O.R. with a O-Scar
O-Scar? That's a bullet hole
I know I could've told you that before
But it wouldn't make for a good metaphor
If I had told before I said it, bul
Dead it, bul, man I gotta dead it, bul
Grab my pride and my ego by the throat
And engage the weapon, bul
Bang!!!
Can't imagine what it's like to see The Lord hang
Crown of thorns and His blood all on the lawn
But to die is the only reason that He came
That's why I spend time with Him in the early morn
I need Him. I need Him
First from the hood that'll tell you I need Him
I look around and see them getting found or locked down
What I look like trying to turn down freedom
Huh?
Empty souls are screaming, Hollow hearts are burning
In the streets they're fiending, For higher learning
I'm ready to go higher, I'm ready to go higher
Let's go higher and higher
The lyrics of Eshon Burgundy's song "Higher Learning" are full of depth and insight. The song begins with a description of the state of society, where empty souls are screaming and hollow hearts are burning, and people are fiending for higher learning. This is an indication of the disillusionment and restlessness that is pervasive in the world today. The artist expresses his desire to go higher, to transcend this level of existence and reach a higher plane of awareness.
The second verse depicts the harsh reality of life on the streets, where people resort to stripping and hitting in order to survive. Violence is a constant threat, and the artist is faced with a difficult choice - to trust God or the K (gun). He decides to trust in God and is willing to face whatever consequences may come. The third verse emphasizes the importance of faith and the need to turn away from the distractions of the world. Eshon Burgundy discusses his personal struggles with sin and his determination to overcome them. He recognizes the need for a higher power to guide him through life and help him to achieve his goals.
In summary, "Higher Learning" is a powerful call to transcend the limitations of our physical existence and seek a deeper understanding of the world around us. It emphasizes the importance of faith, truth, and self-awareness in the pursuit of a higher purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Empty souls are screaming, Hollow hearts are burning
People are feeling lost and hopeless, struggling with emotional pain.
In the streets they're fiending, For higher learning
People are searching for something that will give them meaning and purpose in life.
I'm ready to go higher, I'm ready to go higher
I am ready to grow and improve myself spiritually and emotionally.
Let's go higher and higher
Let's strive for constant growth and improvement in all areas of our lives.
Tripping now, tripping now. Everybody out here tripping now
Everybody is struggling and making mistakes in their lives.
Young girls out here stripping now. Young boys out here hitting now
There is a lot of destructive behavior and violence in our society.
On the playground find a clip on the ground. Chilling till we came up out the building. And we heard somebody yelling. They was telling everybody lay down. Lay down, lay down, situation hot like Cape Town
The singer remembers a specific instance of violence in his past and the fear it caused.
Hey now, hey now, do I trust God or the K now?
In the midst of danger and chaos, the artist questions his faith and his ability to trust in God.
Cause when you laying face down. And you hear the sound of an AK spray letting off a round
The artist imagines a scenario where he could be killed in an act of violence.
I'm on second thought, on second thought. Till the Holy Spirit check my heart. And I receive that G-check
The artist reflects on the importance of staying true to his faith and values, and trusting in God to guide him.
With a deep breath. Bold faith on the side. If I die, no regret
The singer is resolved to live his life with courage and conviction, even if it leads to his death.
I've confessed who laid down in my place. When I pray I get feedback, believe that. I know I'm surrounded by grace
The artist is grateful for God's love and protection in his life.
And if ever you need that. Seek that. And believe that by faith
The singer encourages others to turn to God when they are in need and trust in His love and guidance.
And instead of where the weed at. You'll see that. We all need to be asking for graves
The singer urges listeners to focus on their mortality and the need to live their lives with purpose and intention.
I'm talking bout the part of me that make it hard for me. To live accordingly with that hope. Fight with the all of me. But unfortunately it keep calling me on that note. Against that it's hard to revolt
The singer acknowledges his own struggles with living up to his values and faith, and the difficulty of resisting negative influences.
Fighting and I'm writing down all of these quotes. Hope to inspire all of these folks. So the Lord would acquire all of these souls
The artist uses his art as a means of inspiring others to seek higher values and faith.
Ain't nothing about me good, save that for my O.G. My O.G. Jesus Christ and His O.G. is G. O. D
The artist acknowledges his own shortcomings and identifies Jesus and God as the true source of goodness in the world.
One day you made it rain, huh? On a shorty? But He made it rain 40 days, like a bottle of Old E
The singer contrasts the fleeting pleasures of worldly success with the greater power and majesty of God's creation.
What this world done came to, I look around and it's painful. I even look at my own heart, size it up and it's shameful
The singer laments the state of the world and reflects on his own failings in living up to his values.
Only heat can come from a cold heart. Catch no breaks like a go-cart. That's how you end up in the O.R. And leave the O.R. with a O-Scar
The artist warns of the dangers of allowing negativity and destructive behavior to take over one's life.
Can't imagine what it's like to see The Lord hang. Crown of thorns and His blood all on the lawn. But to die is the only reason that He came
The artist reflects on the power of Jesus' sacrifice and the importance of following His example in our own lives.
That's why I spend time with Him in the early morn. I need Him. I need Him. First from the hood that'll tell you I need Him
The artist emphasizes the importance of his faith in his life, and his reliance on God's guidance.
I look around and see them getting found or locked down. What I look like trying to turn down freedom
The singer recognizes the consequences of negative behavior and the importance of pursuing true freedom through faith and positive action.
Writer(s): Terry Thomas Joseph
Contributed by Skyler A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@osato5382
Almost forgot how dope this jawn is.... I remember Eshon spitting the first verse in an online freestyle competition and beating all the secular artists and then using it as a witness to the gospel. Legendary. Praise God for Eshon 🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿
@spaceepandaa
Woooooo... this that fire. Eshon a lyrical beast bro!!
@spaceepandaa
That would be untouchable
@Oluwa220
***** there is actually lol check the track listing #Fire
@tasselah1953
Sometimes when a song sounds so good u forget the lyrics are so deep. I always have to rewind this song for that reason!
#Beats&Bars
@PoeticLace
This record still goes hard!
@chrisspatz8811
Excellent work, brother! Praise God!
@KingdomKelly
Everyone needs Jesus and everyone has different tastes in music. You may not prefer the presentation but eshon always come hard with the truth in his lines. Pumped for the album.
@80MillionsVotes
Great comment bro!!!
@cytheog3797
See what a different type of beat did to Eshon Burgundy! Nice flow! Cant wait for the new album!