Goapele attended the Berkeley Arts Magnet School in Berkeley, California. During these years, she joined several groups that fought racism and sexism. She also sang in the Oakland Youth Choir and joined a group called Vocal Motion. After graduating from high school, Goapele attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where she studied music theory.
In 2001, she signed with Skyblaze Recordings/Columbia Records, and in 2002, she released her first album Even Closer, featuring the single "Closer". She co-wrote and co-produced the entire album, which is a mixture of neo soul and jazz. She also toured North America with band Spearhead.
Apart from her solo work, she has collaborated with rappers Aceyalone, E-40, Hieroglyphics, and Triple Threat, and written for jazz trio Soulive.
Her second album Change It All, featuring the single "First Love", was released in December 2005.
Soweto
Goapele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One, One, Two
One, One, One, Two
One, One, Two
One, One, Two
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three, Owww
Go to the jungle
Go to the city
Visit Soweto
Live in the Bay or
Somewhere in between
'Cause you'll never be unseen
Unhh
Now this is how it is
We try to handle biz
And make moves in this land where the power lives
Where they devour kids
And acts of cowardice rule from a tool of violence and a
Shrouded bliss
I try to release my malice
And develop my inner peace in a place so callous
Maybe I'll go to Angle or other Gold Coast
And blow smoke with the old folks cause they know most
Capture the cultured pearls, jewels, and gems
It's a treasure hunt to stimulate your medulla stem
The furthest reaches are within your clutches
Concrete covered countries to the most birded regions
Virgin territories, those exposed to man made woes
They know them Hieros
Electrified with lectures, collect respect and ride on
Before you even know this I'm gone (No)
Go to Saigon, Singapore, Sicily
They consider me epitome in Italy (That's right)
Hit Libya, India, Morocco
Or go to Oakland and hit the eight deuce block dough
Chicago, Liberia, Nigeria
'Frisco is cold like Siberia
The list goes on
Deport the gulf of Spain
Maine, San Juan, Guam, or San Luis Obispo
[Chorus]
I don't know dog
Maybe it's just me
But I feel I'm clutching
To hold nothing
I mean bluffing
I got the poker face
I don't really know my place
And I never chose this way
So I go astray
Throw aways blow away
Every hope I hold today
We were sold as slaves
The sky is cold and grey
My niggas showed the way
So fan and listen now with this
I see my golden age
Unhh
Times on travellin'
Boundary crossin'
Now we talkin'
Worldwide, now we cost em'
Fo' sho' partner I'm a globetrotter
Downing shots of gold slaga'
Smokin' like a 'O' roster
I've flown lots of places in a Continental
Every spot we've been to
We monumental
We rock the venue like we dropped a missile
But it ain't an attack
That's why the people keep on bringing us back, feel that
(One, two, three)
I didn't tap a belly
Still I'm lovin' Machiavelli
Trying to reach the pinnacle
And we will, so be ready
Said we jetty
I've never stolen energy
Combined with visionary minds so we itchin' to blow
Like a Dirty Harry trigger finger
With a needle quicker than my Pilipino homies on the two
Turntables
See the truth enables sight through your damaged cornea
We got the formula from Oakland California
(One, two, three)
[Chorus]
One, two
One, two, two
One, one, one, two
One, one, one, two
One, one, one, two
One, one, two
One, one, two
One, one, ahh
[Repeat]
The song "Soweto" by Goapele is an exploration of identity, travel, and cultural heritage. The lyrics suggest a desire to explore different parts of the world, from Soweto to the Bay Area, in order to fully understand oneself and one's place in the world. The opening lines of the song ("One, Two / One, One, Two / One, One, One, Two") create a sense of rhythm and pattern, evoking the idea of movement and travel.
The chorus of the song encourages the listener to explore different parts of the world and embrace their own identity, suggesting that they will "never be unseen" if they do so. The verses contain references to both historical and contemporary issues, such as the legacy of slavery ("We were sold as slaves"), gun violence ("Acts of cowardice rule from a tool of violence"), and the struggle for inner peace ("I try to release my malice / And develop my inner peace in a place so callous").
Throughout the song, Goapele showcases her ability to blend different styles and genres, incorporating elements of hip-hop, soul, and jazz into her music. The lyrics are dense and multi-layered, encouraging the listener to think deeply about their own experiences and perspectives. Ultimately, "Soweto" is a powerful ode to the beauty and complexity of cultural diversity.
Line by Line Meaning
One, Two
The start of the song
One, One, Two
Progressing the song
One, One, One, Two
Continuation of the song
One, One, Two
Progressing the song
One, One, Two
Progressing the song
One, Two, Three
Building momentum towards the chorus
One, Two, Three, Owww
Ending with a powerful and energetic note
[Chorus:]
Beginning of the chorus
Go to the jungle
Explore the unknown and find new experiences
Go to the city
Embrace the hustle and bustle of the city life
Visit Soweto
Experience the African culture in Soweto
Live in the Bay or
Choose a comfortable place to live, like the Bay Area
Somewhere in between
Choose a place that suits one's comfort level
'Cause you'll never be unseen
No matter where you go, someone will always notice you
Unhh
Expression of frustration, sadness, or fatigue
Now this is how it is
Explaining how difficult life can be
We try to handle biz
Trying to deal with life and everything that comes with it
And make moves in this land where the power lives
Striving to make progress in a place where power lies
Where they devour kids
Life can be cruel and unforgiving
And acts of cowardice rule from a tool of violence and a
Those who are cowardly use violence to control others
Shrouded bliss
The illusion of a better life disguises the harshness of reality
I try to release my malice
Trying to let go of negative emotions
And develop my inner peace in a place so callous
Striving to find inner peace in a harsh and cruel world
Maybe I'll go to Angle or other Gold Coast
Thinking of traveling to other parts of the world
And blow smoke with the old folks cause they know most
Relaxing with people who know a lot about life
Capture the cultured pearls, jewels, and gems
Discovering and learning about different cultures and their treasures
It's a treasure hunt to stimulate your medulla stem
Finding the treasures of the world can be exciting and stimulating
The furthest reaches are within your clutches
One can reach even the furthest corners of the world
Concrete covered countries to the most birded regions
Traveling from cities to natural landscapes
Virgin territories, those exposed to man made woes
Places that have not been touched by humans and those that have suffered from human actions
They know them Hieros
The ancestors of these places are known and respected
Electrified with lectures, collect respect and ride on
Feeling motivated and inspired to gain respect and move forward
Before you even know this I'm gone (No)
Leaving places as quickly as one comes
Go to Saigon, Singapore, Sicily
Thinking of other specific places to visit
They consider me epitome in Italy (That's right)
Being respected and recognized in a specific place
Hit Libya, India, Morocco
Naming more specific places to visit
Or go to Oakland and hit the eight deuce block dough
Traveling to one's home and reminiscing
Chicago, Liberia, Nigeria
More places to visit
'Frisco is cold like Siberia
San Francisco can be cold and harsh
The list goes on
There are countless places to visit
Deport the gulf of Spain
Not sure what this line means
Maine, San Juan, Guam, or San Luis Obispo
Naming more places to visit
I don't know dog
Feeling uncertain about something
Maybe it's just me
Wondering if one is alone in their thoughts
But I feel I'm clutching
Feeling like one is holding on too tightly to something
To hold nothing
Trying to make sense of why one is holding on
I mean bluffing
Feeling like one is being deceitful
I got the poker face
Putting up a facade, hiding one's emotions
I don't really know my place
Feeling uncertain about where one belongs
And I never chose this way
Feeling like one is on an undesirable path
So I go astray
Wandering, unsure of what to do
Throw aways blow away
Discarding things that don't matter
Every hope I hold today
Feeling like one's hopes are fading away
We were sold as slaves
Referencing the history of slavery
The sky is cold and grey
Feeling like the world is bleak and desolate
My niggas showed the way
Friends and loved ones guiding and supporting one another
So fan and listen now with this
Urging the listener to pay attention
I see my golden age
Looking forward to a better future
Times on travellin'
Time is always moving forward
Boundary crossin'
Crossing physical and mental boundaries
Now we talkin'
Feeling confident and ready to address something
Worldwide, now we cost em'
Travelling the world and making a mark
Fo' sho' partner I'm a globetrotter
Being proud of one's travels and experiences
Downing shots of gold slaga'
Drinking alcohol, having a good time
Smokin' like a 'O' roster
Smoking marijuana
I've flown lots of places in a Continental
Travelling on a specific type of airplane
Every spot we've been to
Reflecting on all the places visited
We monumental
Feeling accomplished and significant
We rock the venue like we dropped a missile
Running an event and doing it well
But it ain't an attack
Clarifying that the event was not harmful
That's why the people keep on bringing us back, feel that
Being asked to return because of success and popularity
(One, two, three)
Counting down to the end of the verse
I didn't tap a belly
Not sure what this line means
Still I'm lovin' Machiavelli
Liking the work of Niccolo Machiavelli
Trying to reach the pinnacle
Striving to achieve greatness
And we will, so be ready
Feeling certain that success will come
Said we jetty
Not sure what this line means
I've never stolen energy
Not taking advantage of others' energy or resources
Combined with visionary minds so we itchin' to blow
Working with likeminded people to achieve success
Like a Dirty Harry trigger finger
Making a bold move like Dirty Harry
With a needle quicker than my Pilipino homies on the two
Being quick and efficient in what one does
Turntables
Referring to a tool used by DJs
See the truth enables sight through your damaged cornea
Understanding the truth helps one see things clearly
We got the formula from Oakland California
Referring to the unique and special qualities of the place they come from
(One, two, three)
Counting down to the end of the verse
[Chorus]
Repetition of the chorus
One, two
Counting down to the end of the song
One, two, two
Progressing towards the end of the song
One, one, one, two
Continuation towards the end of the song
One, one, one, two
Continuation towards the end of the song
One, one, one, two
Continuation towards the end of the song
One, one, two
Almost at the end of the song
One, one, two
Last line before the end of the song
One, one, ahh
End of the song
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM RYAN CARTER, GOAPELE K. MOHLABANE, JONATHAN OWENS, OPIO LINDSEY, PALLO PEACOCK, TAJAI MASSEY, TEREN DELVON JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fornlike
A song I can never forget. One of the few hip-hop songs in which we can see books. Wonderful job, Hieroglyphics.
@c-note979
I love this song it takes me back to playing the video game ESPN NBA 2K5. Yes this is one of the many songs 🎵 that I had on repeat from that legendary soundtrack.
@camf8372
YES! That whole Soundtrack is amazing.
@KingNez89
Man this is what the core of hip hop truly is. I miss my high school days so much man
@mulin3557
It's a shame less than a million views after 13 years
@camf8372
I'd put this in my Top 20 Best Hip-Hop Songs of All-Time. It deserves it, the melody with the acoustic guitar, the beats and all the elements. Love it
@MzEbony_Luvz
Lyricists so classic. Flow is effortless
@abanks9591
I don't know how I missed this group. Straight ill. 🔥
@southsidemcconaughey231
nba 2k5. reminisce
@logarithm14
Hieroglyphics was the best gang in Hip-Hop