Homeboy Sandman recorded and released his first EP, Nourishment, in March 2007. His debut album, entitled Nourishment (Second Helpings), was released in August 2007. In early 2008, Homeboy Sandman's work began to be featured on underground radio programs the Squeeze Radio Show on WKCR 89.9 FM and the Halftime Radio Program on WNYU 89.1 FM in New York. In June 2008, he was featured in Source Magazine's "Unsigned Hype" column.
His second album, Actual Factual Pterodactyl was acclaimed upon its release in August 2008. The album received an entry in XXL's Chairman's Choice column, which praised Homeboy Sandman's "sharp lyrics and irresistibly melodic flow, which, together, form an elastic instrument few MCs can match." Actual Factual Pterodactyl received critical acclaim in a multitude of other print and online publications, including Blender Magazine, Beyond Race Magazine, Okayplayer.com and MSN.com. At the end of 2008, Homeboy Sandman was named "Best Hip Hop Act in NYC 2008" by New York Press. Recently his music has received rotation on NYC's Power 105.1 FM and Hot 97.1 FM, the city's #1 Hip Hop and R&B radio station, as well as airplay on Spitkicker Radio (Channel 65 on XM Satellite Radio), DJ Premier's "Live From HeadQCourterz" (Sirius Satellite Radio's #1 ranked Hip Hop show) and BBC 1Xtra's Hip Hop M1X (Hosted by DJ Sarah Love).
In addition to his studio releases, Homeboy Sandman has garnered attention for his live performances. From January 2008 to August 2009, Homeboy Sandman served as the host of “ALL THAT! Hip Hop, Poetry and Jazz” at the Nuyorican Poets Café, New York City's longest running open mic session (originally hosted by Hip Hop icon Bobbito García). He has performed at the biggest hip hop shows around the country, including the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, Texas, the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival in Brooklyn, New York, the Rock the Bells hip hop festival in Long Island, New York, the A3C Hip Hop Festival in Atlanta, Georgia and New York City's CMJ Music Marathon. Homeboy Sandman has recorded video interviews with other performers at his live shows, which are captured in his YouTube video series "Homeboy Sandman presents Live From...".
In addition to his own releases, Homeboy Sandman has appeared on records by other artists, frequently with members of the AOK Collective, with whom he is affiliated. He recently appeared on Fresh Daily's 2009 album The Gorgeous Killer: In Crimes of Passion and the 2008 album For Your Consideration released by P.SO (formerly P. Casso). Homeboy Sandman collaborated with both Fresh Daily and P.SO for the song "Get On Down," which is featured on Sonic Smash, the album released in 2009 by music producer DJ Spinna.[8] Homeboy Sandman has also laid down tracks for a series of features with RIDES Magazine. The track that Homeboy Sandman created for the Loud.com challenge, "Gun Control," was cited as one of the Top 25 Songs of 2009 by Hot 97 DJ Peter Rosenberg.
On June 1, 2010, Homeboy Sandman released his third album, The Good Sun, which features production from 2 Hungry Bros, Ski Beats, Thievin' Stephen, DJ Spinna, Psycho Les (The Beatnuts) and Core Rhythm, among others. The first single from The Good Sun was "Angels with Dirty Faces," produced by J57. In September 2010, Homeboy Sandman released his first official video for The Good Sun for the track, "The Essence".
In late 2010, Homeboy Sandman was featured as the coach in an episode of MTV's Made, which premiered in October 2010.
In August 2011, Homeboy Sandman signed with Stones Throw Records and released his debut project, Subject: Matter EP, with the California-based record label on January 24, 2012. Homeboy Sandman released his second EP with Stones Throw Records, titled Chimera in April 2012 and on September 18, 2012, released his debut full-length LP with Stones Throw entitled First of a Living Breed. The album featured production from Oddisee, J57, 6th Sense, RTNC and long-time production partners 2 Hungry Bros., along with label mates Jonwayne and Oh No, amongst others.
In 2014, Homeboy Sandman released the EP, White Sands, which was produced by Paul White. Nate Patrin of Pitchfork commented that the producer and rapper had "a mutually beneficial set of styles" in a positive review. In that year, Homeboy Sandman released the album, Hallways.
In the wake of the Donald Sterling scandal, Homeboy Sandman wrote for Gawker an op-ed called "Black People are Cowards," which attracted more than 1.3 million views in the first seven days of its publication.
In 2015, Homeboy Sandman released a collaborative EP with Aesop Rock, titled Lice. In 2016, he released the album, Kindness for Weakness, which included Edan-produced "Talking (Bleep)". In that year, he released a collaborative EP with Aesop Rock, titled Lice Two: Still Buggin'.
In 2019, Homeboy Sandman announced he had signed a new deal with Mello Music Group and released the new single "West Coast" produced by Aesop Rock to celebrate the new label signing.
Homeboy Sandman's first album on Mello Music Group, “Dusty,” was released on October 18, 2019. Production was handled entirely by Mono En Stereo. Dusty garnered positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic writer Paul Simpson praised Mono En Stereo's soundscape of "laid-back, ambling jazz and funk grooves" for complimenting Sandman's "conversational, matter-of-fact rhymes" throughout the album, concluding that "Dusty is another winning set of pointed observations from Sandman, who effortlessly unloads his thoughts without seeming like a burden on the listener."
Homeboy Sandman followed up “Dusty” with his 2020 album “Don’t Feed The Monster” produced by Quelle Chris. “Don’t Feed The Monster” was listed in NPR's top 50 albums of 2020. Homeboy Sandman would later receive a pair of awards for music videos that accompanied the album. He received a UK Music Video award for “Monument” (directed by Pavel Buryak) in 2021 and later won Best Foreign Documentary at Rome Film Awards 2022 for Don’t Look Down Video (directed by Robert Mayer aka Photo Rob).
At the beginning of 2021, Aesop Rock and Homeboy Sandman released their single “Ask Anyone,” which was featured on FIFA 21 soundtrack. Following the release Homeboy Sandman announced his EP Anjelitu which was produced entirely by Aesop Rock. Released in August 2021, Anjelitu marked Homeboy Sandman's third studio project on Mello Music Group. Okayplayer highlighted Anjelitu as one of the best Hip-Hop projects of 2021. Pete Rock would later give praise to “Go Hard” from Anjelitu. At the end of 2021, Homeboy Sandman garnered unexpected attention after Doja Cat saluted the emcee as “One of my favorite rappers” on Instagram live.
Homeboy Sandman's tenth studio album, There in Spirit, was released on February 25, 2022. That same year, he released the mixtape I Can't Sell These for free on Bandcamp, due in part to an inability to clear the various samples used in the music. Music critic Robert Christgau soon hailed it as "the finest album of one of hip-hop's most prolific careers", giving it an "A" grade.
Homeboy Sandman revitalized his acclaimed Anjelitu EP, by releasing the Anjelitu Deluxe which included two new tracks as well as Aesop Rock's instrumentals from the project. In 2022, Rhymesayers released all three of Homeboy Sandman and Aesop Rock's Lice albums on digital streaming platforms. Homeboy Sandman's Deca-produced eleventh studio album “Still Champion” was released on November 11, 2022, following the pair's 19-stop co-headlining tour. “Still Champion” reached #24 on the iTunes Hip-Hop charts and Riff Magazine included the project in their top 20 Hip-Hop albums of 2022.
Homeboy Sandman collaborated with Oakland-based nonprofit organization Oakstop Alliance on the album “Royalty Summit,” released on December 23, 2022. Royalty Summit is the debut release from Oakstop Alliance’s Oakland Resident music initiative. Homeboy Sandman was planning the west coast run for his There In Spirit Tour when longtime friend and Oakstop Alliance Executive Director Damon Johnson pitched him with the concept. The 12-track album was recorded over 3 days in Oakland as a residency collaboration between Homeboy Sandman, and over 20 Oakland musical artists and professionals. On Christmas Day in 2022, Homeboy Sandman announced the debut full-length release for his label Dirty Looks, titled “12 Days of Christmas & Dia De Los Reyes.” Homeboy Sandman rolled out one song from the project each day until the full album’s release on January 6, 2023.
In August 2023, Homeboy Sandman connected with New York beatmaker Mono En Stereo–whom the emcee collaborated with on past albums Kool Herc: Fertile Crescent and Dusty–for his studio album “Rich” released via Dirty Looks. The album garnered critical attention from Pitchfork, Vibe Magazine, HipHopDX, and more. Homeboy Sandman later released "I Can't Sell These Either" in November 2023, continuing the "I Can't Sell These" mixtape series started in 2022.
God
Homeboy Sandman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything's gon' be fine, leave it to divine intervention
God got reasons for shit that's gut-wrenching
I don't have enemies, God don't have henchmen
My journey got lots of destinations
None of which I doubt, God don't need to offer explanations
That don't mean that we don't stay in conversation
Only that I cannot comprehend the massive implications
God gives me tests and that helps me pass
God is overseeing so I never really fail
I don't refer to God as he cause God is not a male
God gives me dreams, God gives me bed-bugs
The big and the small, God gives it all
So i dig it all
God walks with me
There's a million different ways that God talks with me
Sometimes through others, sometimes through myself
Sometimes through the failing of my health
Sometimes through music, and sometimes through events
Sometimes it's subtle, sometimes it's intense
God gave me my best friends, that rep me to the death with no regrets
Yo God bless them
People give me credit see me always on my job
Every time I get it I just give it up to God
God (God), God (God), God (God)
God is great
God makes the corrections, I make the mistakes
But it ain't like God is always on my case
God is my peoples, God ain't tryna' put me in my place
God is merciful indeed
God watches over me and gives me everything I need
If I feel jealous ever
It's only because I have forgotten what I should remember
I walk through fire without burning, that's God
What I know without learning, that's God
I don't do nothing for money
All I try to do is what I think God wants from me
Sometimes I try to figure out the angles
But I ain't gotta understand God I'm just Angel
But angel is divine
And God is all that's higher because God is on my side
God knows me
Everything I need to see, God shows me
I realize I should stop being nosey
There is nothing in this world God owes me
Only God can judge me
But God would never judge me, God loves me
Never second, the infinite
Every second of every minute
God (God), God (God), God (God)
In these lyrics, Homeboy Sandman reflects on his relationship with God and his understanding of divine intervention in his life. He acknowledges that God is always paying attention, assuring that everything will be fine and relying on divine intervention. He understands that there are reasons for difficult experiences that can be gut-wrenching, but he doesn't view anyone as his enemy because God doesn't have henchmen.
Sandman sees his journey as having multiple destinations, and although he may not fully comprehend the implications, he trusts that God doesn't need to offer explanations. This doesn't mean that he doesn't engage in conversation with God, but rather that he recognizes the vastness of the divine and his limited understanding. Throughout his experiences, God evokes a range of emotions from making him cry to making him laugh, from giving him tests to helping him pass them. Sandman emphasizes that God is not limited to a male form, breaking away from traditional gender associations.
God also presents Sandman with dreams and even bed-bugs, symbolizing the good and bad aspects of life. Sandman accepts and appreciates all that God gives, expressing his gratitude by digging it all. He recognizes God's presence in his life, walking with him in diverse ways. Sometimes it's through others or himself, through the challenges of his health or the impact of events. These divine interactions can be subtle or intense.
Sandman is grateful for his best friends, acknowledging that they represent him without regrets, and he blesses them in God's name. He gives credit to God every time he succeeds in his endeavors and attributes his successes to divine intervention. God is great, correcting his mistakes while showing mercy and providing what he needs. If Sandman ever feels jealous, he acknowledges it as his own lapse in remembrance.
Despite walking through challenging situations, Sandman metaphorically walks through fire without burning, a manifestation of God's protection. He possesses knowledge without having learned it, which he attributes to God's guidance. Sandman's motivations are not driven by money, but by doing what he believes God wants from him. Though he may attempt to understand God's plans and motivations, he recognizes that he's just an angel and that God transcends even that divine status.
Sandman acknowledges that God knows him intimately, revealing everything he needs to see. He realizes that he shouldn't be nosy or expect anything from God, understanding that he is not owed anything in this world. Sandman concludes by stating that only God can judge him, but he firmly believes that God would never judge him because God loves him unconditionally. He views God as an infinite and eternal presence, existing in every second of every minute.
Line by Line Meaning
God never stops paying attention
God is always watching and aware of everything happening
Everything's gon' be fine, leave it to divine intervention
No matter what happens, trust that God will handle it for the best
God got reasons for shit that's gut-wrenching
Even in difficult and painful situations, God has a purpose
I don't have enemies, God don't have henchmen
Since God is all-loving, there are no people acting against me on God's behalf
My journey got lots of destinations
Life is a continuous journey with many different paths
None of which I doubt, God don't need to offer explanations
I trust in God's plan and don't require explanations for everything that happens
That don't mean that we don't stay in conversation
Despite not understanding everything, I still have a relationship with God through prayer and communication
Only that I cannot comprehend the massive implications
I acknowledge that there are aspects of God's plan that are beyond my understanding
God makes me cry and then makes me laugh
God's actions can bring both joy and sorrow into my life
God gives me tests and that helps me pass
Challenges and difficulties presented by God are opportunities for growth and personal development
God is overseeing so I never really fail
With God's guidance, I can never truly fail as everything happens for a reason
I don't refer to God as he cause God is not a male
God is beyond gender and does not conform to human categories
God gives me dreams, God gives me bed-bugs
God is responsible for both positive and negative experiences in my life
The big and the small, God gives it all
God is the source of everything, from the significant to the insignificant
So I dig it all
I appreciate and accept everything that comes from God
God walks with me
God is by my side, supporting and guiding me
There's a million different ways that God talks with me
God communicates through various means, such as signs, intuition, and experiences
Sometimes through others, sometimes through myself
God's messages can come from other people or from within my own thoughts and feelings
Sometimes through the failing of my health
Even in sickness or physical challenges, God's presence can be felt
Sometimes through music, and sometimes through events
God's voice can be heard in music and through the events and circumstances of life
Sometimes it's subtle, sometimes it's intense
God's communication can be gentle or powerful, depending on the situation
God gave me my best friends, that rep me to the death with no regrets
My closest friends are a gift from God who support me unconditionally
Yo God bless them
I am grateful to God for blessing me with such amazing friends
People give me credit see me always on my job
Others recognize and appreciate my commitment and dedication to my work
Every time I get it I just give it up to God
I attribute my success to God's guidance and surrender my achievements to His will
God is great
God is truly amazing and powerful
God makes the corrections, I make the mistakes
While God provides guidance and correction, I am responsible for my own mistakes
But it ain't like God is always on my case
God is understanding and doesn't constantly criticize or judge me
God is my peoples, God ain't tryna' put me in my place
God is like a close friend, not seeking to control or dominate me
God is merciful indeed
God has a compassionate and forgiving nature
God watches over me and gives me everything I need
God protects and provides for me, fulfilling all my needs
If I feel jealous ever
In moments of jealousy or envy
It's only because I have forgotten what I should remember
My jealousy arises from forgetting the blessings and love God has given me
I walk through fire without burning, that's God
God shields and protects me from harm, allowing me to overcome difficult situations
What I know without learning, that's God
Certain knowledge or understanding that comes naturally without formal education is from God
I don't do nothing for money
My actions are not motivated solely by financial gain
All I try to do is what I think God wants from me
My focus is on aligning my actions with God's will and desires
Sometimes I try to figure out the angles
Sometimes I attempt to comprehend the complexities of life's circumstances
But I ain't gotta understand God I'm just Angel
I don't need to fully comprehend God's plans or mysteries, as I am a mere human
But angel is divine
As an angelic being, I possess some divine qualities
And God is all that's higher because God is on my side
God's presence elevates and supports me, giving me strength
God knows me
God has complete understanding and knowledge of who I am
Everything I need to see, God shows me
God reveals and guides me towards what is important and necessary for my life
I realize I should stop being nosey
I understand the need to refrain from prying or being overly curious
There is nothing in this world God owes me
I recognize that I am not entitled to anything from God
Only God can judge me
God is the only one with the authority to pass judgment on me
But God would never judge me, God loves me
While God can evaluate my actions, He does so with love and compassion
Never second, the infinite
God is eternal and unchanging
Every second of every minute
God's presence and attention are constant and everlasting
God (God), God (God), God (God)
Repetition emphasizing the omnipresence and significance of God
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PAUL MICHAEL WILLIAMS WHITE, ANGEL DEL VILLAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rafael P
God never stops paying attention
Everything's gon' be fine, leave it to divine intervention
God got reasons for shit that's gut-wrenching
I don't have enemies, God don't have henchmen
My journey got lots of destinations
None of which I doubt, God don't need to offer explanations
That don't mean that we don't stay in conversation
Only that I cannot comprehend the massive implications
God makes me cry and then makes me laugh
God gives me tests and that helps me pass
God is overseeing so I never really fail
I don't refer to God as he cause God is not a male
God gives me dreams, God gives me bed-bugs
The big and the small, God gives it all
So i dig it all
God walks with me
There's a million different ways that God talks with me
Sometimes through others, sometimes through myself
Sometimes through the failing of my health
Sometimes through music, and sometimes through events
Sometimes it's subtle, sometimes it's intense
God gave me my best friends, that rep me to the death with no regrets
Yo God bless them
People give me credit see me always on my job
Every time I get it I just give it up to God
God (God), God (God), God (God)
God is great
God makes the corrections, I make the mistakes
But it ain't like God is always on my case
God is my peoples, God ain't tryna' put me in my place
God is merciful indeed
God watches over me and gives me everything I need
If I feel jealous ever
It's only because I have forgotten what I should remember
I walk through fire without burning, that's God
What I know without learning, that's God
I don't do nothing for money
All I try to do is what I think God wants from me
Sometimes I try to figure out the angles
But I ain't gotta understand God I'm just Angel
But angel is divine
And God is all that's higher because God is on my side
God knows me
Everything I need to see, God shows me
I realize I should stop being nosey
There is nothing in this world God owes me
Only God can judge me
But God would never judge me, God loves me
Never second, the infinite
Every second of every minute
God (God), God (God), God (God)
QuietNick
Even as someone who doesn't worship a god, i can feel the force that Homeboy talks about. And i feel the same way he feels about it. Thank you invisible force holding my hand
Basement Gang
i feel the exact same way
Beel
This is inspiration for the 90's kids out there who were losing hope.
Homeboy Sandman for president of Hip-hop.
Alan Ashford
Nuff said..he is live revitality
Taino Tribes
I heard this song at the exact right time GOD WANTED ME TO HEAR IT
rodiruns
I needed this song today. Thank God for this message.
Karm Mark
🙏heck yeah yo. Likewise.
WYSTIKUS
this is supremely beautiful. Bring the true voice of God to hip hop!!!
Thundercattt
Homeboy Sandman is one of the best artists out imo
Jacqueline Woo
He inspires me every day. Corny? sure. but true