George was featured on Season 6 of Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry on HBO. He was the 2006 Youth Speaks Grand Slam Poetry Champion, 2006 Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam Champion, and performed in a record six consecutive Youth Speaks Grand Slam Finals. The last three of those audiences, all topping out at over 3,000, were the largest ever for poetry slams anywhere in the world. In 2009 Watsky was one of three poets who performed live on FOX at the NAACP Image Awards in honor of Russell Simmons’ lifetime achievement award.
George has made strides to bring his poetic sensibilities to the theater world. His one-man show So Many Levels has been presented in Boston, San Francisco, Vermont, and at the Hip Hop Theater Festival Critical Breaks series in New York City. He has also been featured at the San Francisco and Washington, DC arms of the Hip Hop Theater Festival. He played the title character and co-wrote a 2004 adaptation of Dante’s Divine Comedy for the Living Word Festival and his stage play Harold’s Fall or King Will is the recipient of the 2009 Rod Parker Playwriting Fellowship.
Taking it to the page and stereo, George’s debut poetry collection and CD, Undisputed Backtalk Champion, was published by First Word Press in 2006. Edited by novelist Adam Mansbach, the book is currently in its fourth printing. As an emcee, Watsky has performed on both coasts with his band Invisible Inc. The trio’s self titled album, a blend of jazz and hip hop, features R&B sensation Passion. He served as a regular on-air personality for WERS Boston’s hip hop show 889@Night for several years.
An honorary graduate of the Centre for Sustainability Leadership in Melbourne, George has emerged as part of a vanguard of artists involved in the sustainability movement. The inaugural Speak Green winner for poetry on climate change, Watsky was twice invited by Robert Redford to perform in Sundance, Utah. He served as host of Green Mic in San Jose, California and of the culminating concert of Powershift 2007 in Washington DC, and performed at Rock the Debate in Oxford, Mississippi, prior to 2008’s first Presidental debate. His work has brought him to the opening plenary of Green Cities 2008 in Sydney, Australia, and Greenbuild Chicago, where he took the stage immediately before President Bill Clinton.
Touring while finishing his college education on a condensed schedule, George has performed at conferences and universities in more than half the states in the US, and two in Australia, appearing at some of the nation’s most notable venues, including the Apollo Theater, the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, the San Francisco Opera House and the Shrine Auditorium. He has shared billing with, among others, Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt and Mohammed Ali.
George graduated from Emerson College with a B.A. in “Writing and Acting for the Screen and Stage,” studying with Keith Johnstone, Ken Cheeseman, Robbie McCauley, Sarah Hickler, Amelia Broome and Andrew Clarke.
Skit #1
George Watsky Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He just thinks he's all cool, he thinks he's smarter than me
He thinks a lot of things!
You know, you know Brazilian ju jitsu right?
A self defense class?
Hey talk quiet though so they don't hear us
You know Brazilian ju jitsu class right? Self defense
Yeah
And after a while, he's gonna get his surprise attack
He's really gonna get it
Oh I'll tell you he's really gonna get a surprise attack
He won't even expect it!
In George Watsky's song "Skit #1", the lyrics tell the story of a young student dealing with a bully in his class. The student talks about how the bully thinks he's cool and smarter than the student. The student then reveals that he has been taking Brazilian ju jitsu classes, a form of self-defense, with the plan to surprise attack the bully. The repetition of "he thinks a lot of things" emphasizes how the bully's overconfidence and superiority complex are what make him a bully in the first place.
This song highlights the feeling of powerlessness that young students often face when dealing with bullies. The student in the song represents the many kids who feel like they have to take matters into their own hands in order to defend themselves. At the same time, the song also provides a subtle critique of violence as a means of solving problems. The use of self-defense as a tactic against bullies is portrayed as a necessary evil rather than a desirable outcome.
Overall, "Skit #1" is a poignant commentary on bullying in schools and the often-complex ways in which students deal with it.
Line by Line Meaning
There's like only one bully in my class
In my class, there is only one person who regularly engages in bullying behavior.
He just thinks he's all cool, he thinks he's smarter than me
This particular bully has a high opinion of himself and considers himself more intelligent than myself.
He thinks a lot of things!
The bully has a tendency to overestimate his own abilities and intelligence.
You know, you know Brazilian ju jitsu right?
Do you have any familiarity with Brazilian Ju Jitsu?
A self defense class?
It is a form of self-defense training that I am interested in.
Hey talk quiet though so they don't hear us
We should speak quietly so as to avoid interference or eavesdropping from others.
You know Brazilian ju jitsu class right? Self defense
Just wanted to clarify that the class I plan to attend is Brazilian Ju Jitsu, which focuses on self-defense.
Well guess what, I'm taking them and
I have decided to enroll in Brazilian Ju Jitsu classes.
And after a while, he's gonna get his surprise attack
After gaining more experience in Brazilian Ju Jitsu, I plan to launch a sneak attack on the bully.
He's really gonna get it
I intend to repay the bully for his actions and teach him a lesson.
Oh I'll tell you he's really gonna get a surprise attack
This attack will come as a complete surprise to the bully, catching him off guard.
He won't even expect it!
The bully will be so unprepared for the attack that he will not even anticipate it happening.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: George Watsky
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind