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.
stroll
Homeboy Sandman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Affix my iPod with the clip
Take a trip along the modern ave
Upside the tree is another squirrel
Inside the breeze is another world
I never spot the mayor
Do the homeless feel without a home?
Or just feel at home everywhere?
Look at all the babies, no sitter
Whattup ha
Whattup ma
Done hit her
Or yo ha
Or Johan′s no hitter
Towards a foreign quarter
Willyburg troop
Willyburg bridge Jesus walking on water
Red and blue peeling
Gentlemen and ladies looking crazy under navy blue ceiling
Nothing to be off put
I prefer to be on foot
Stroll ahead
Stroll ahead
And see
One foot in front of the other
The book of life cover to cover
The look-alikes, huddle together, in a pack
Could tell the ones that's into acting cause they never wanna interact
Various sorts who look tasty
I love passing a store with good AC
People trying to hand me shit
Tourists rocking Yankees shit
A jackass trying to sell me janky shit
A dumptruck blocking traffic hauling stanky shit
Happy kids
Campy cliques
Shrapnel from the shaggy dog, crappy kicks
Ample kitty kat persists
City college campuses
I watch my six
Rain wash my sins
Stroll ahead
Stroll ahead
And see
No cost for the life
I cross by the cars, don′t cross by the lights
Serenaded by sounds of the night
Lower east side where the rats get wild for the night
Dollar slice, 2 bros
Rainbows made of oil
Puddles made of who knows
Ghosts finding new highs and new lows
"Yo that's Boy Sand"
"Hi. Kudos"
Gals give glucose
This block kids rock new coats
3 or 4 blocks more kids rock two coats
Still far to go
It's like Fargo, you′ll need that True Coat
One, not two coasts
Cusses off the cuff
Cars cut too close
Pass by the park there′s who folks?
Starks not Kukoc
Stroll ahead
Stroll ahead
And see
In Homeboy Sandman's "Stroll," he takes the audience along with him on a walk through his home of Manhattan. He starts with the observation that Manhattan has a lot of yellow cabs and clips his iPod onto his clothes as he takes a stroll down the avenue. He notices the little things as he walks, such as the squirrels in the trees and the homeless people on the streets. Homeboy Sandman describes his friend Manny's love for litter and points out the multitude of babies with no daycare that he sees on his walk. He greets various people, including Ha and Ma, and ponders whether the homeless feel lost without a home or at home everywhere. Despite never spotting the mayor, he continues his stroll through the city.
Homeboy Sandman remarks on the diverse characters he passes on his walk, noting the lookalikes who huddle together, the actors who never want to interact, and the people who look tasty to him. He appreciates entering stores that have good air conditioning in the summer heat, but also the happiness of children playing in the streets. He is annoyed by people trying to sell him things but finds humor in the dump truck hauling "stanky shit." However, he also encounters ghosts finding new highs and new lows, and he washes away his sins in the rain. Homeboy Sandman describes the Lower East Side, where rats run rampant, and dollar slice pizza is the norm.
The chorus "Stroll ahead, and see" repeats throughout the song, encouraging the listener to keep walking and exploring even when the journey becomes challenging or tiresome.
Line by Line Meaning
Manhattan sure does have a lot of cabs
New York is full of yellow cabs
Affix my iPod with the clip
Attach my iPod to my clothing with the clip
Take a trip along the modern ave
Walk down the street with modern buildings
Upside the tree is another squirrel
There is another squirrel hiding in the tree
Inside the breeze is another world
The sound of the breeze creates another world
I never spot the mayor
I have never seen the mayor of New York
Do the homeless feel without a home?
Do the homeless feel like they don't have a place to call home?
Or just feel at home everywhere?
Maybe the homeless feel comfortable anywhere
My boy Many loves litter
My friend Many enjoys picking up litter
Look at all the babies, no sitter
There are many babies being pushed around in strollers without a babysitter present
Whattup ha
Saying hello to a man named Ha
Whattup ma
Saying hello to a woman named Ma
Done hit her
Someone has hurt a woman, possibly physically
Or yo ha
Or maybe it was a man named Yo Ha
Or Johan's no hitter
Referencing a no-hitter baseball game pitched by a man named Johan
Towards a foreign quarter
Heading to a neighborhood that is unfamiliar
Willyburg troop
Talking about a group from Williamsburg
Willyburg bridge Jesus walking on water
Describing a mural or graffiti of Jesus walking on water on the Williamsburg Bridge
Red and blue peeling
Paint on buildings is peeling, revealing red and blue colors
Gentlemen and ladies looking crazy under navy blue ceiling
People look crazy under the blue sky
Nothing to be off put
There is nothing that should make me uneasy or uncomfortable
I prefer to be on foot
I enjoy walking
Stroll ahead
Continue walking
And see
Observe your surroundings
One foot in front of the other
Putting one foot in front of the other to move forward
The book of life cover to cover
Experiencing life in its entirety
The look-alikes, huddle together, in a pack
People who look similar tend to stick together
Could tell the ones that's into acting cause they never wanna interact
People who are interested in acting tend to be more reserved around others
Various sorts who look tasty
People who look interesting or unique
I love passing a store with good AC
Enjoying the coolness of a store's air conditioning on a hot day
People trying to hand me shit
People trying to hand me flyers or waste
Tourists rocking Yankees shit
Tourists wearing New York Yankees clothing
A jackass trying to sell me janky shit
Someone trying to aggressively sell me low-quality merchandise
A dumptruck blocking traffic hauling stanky shit
A truck is blocking traffic and is transporting something that smells bad
Happy kids
Children who are happy and playing
Campy cliques
Funny or quirky groups of people
Shrapnel from the shaggy dog, crappy kicks
Garbage on the ground, including worn-out shoes
Ample kitty kat persists
Cats who are persistent in their search for food
City college campuses
The grounds of a city college
I watch my six
I am aware of my surroundings and cautious
Rain wash my sins
The rain makes me feel refreshed and cleansed spiritually
No cost for the life
The value of life is priceless
I cross by the cars, don't cross by the lights
I jaywalk and do not wait for the pedestrian signal
Serenaded by sounds of the night
The sounds of the city at night are a form of music
Lower east side where the rats get wild for the night
Rats in the Lower East Side are active at night
Dollar slice, 2 bros
A cheap pizza place named 2 Brothers Pizza
Rainbows made of oil
Rainbows created by oil on the ground
Puddles made of who knows
There is no telling what is in the puddles on the ground
Ghosts finding new highs and new lows
Different people are experiencing highs and lows in life like ghosts
"Yo that's Boy Sand"
Someone recognizes the singer as 'Boy Sand'
"Hi. Kudos"
The singer greets the other person and congratulates them
Gals give glucose
Women give the artist positive energy
This block kids rock new coats
Children on this block wear new coats
3 or 4 blocks more kids rock two coats
Children on the next few blocks have two coats on
Still far to go
The destination is still not close
It's like Fargo, you'll need that True Coat
Referencing the movie Fargo and the importance of having the right coat for cold weather
One, not two coasts
The artist is focused on the East Coast and not the West Coast
Cusses off the cuff
The artist swears out of nowhere
Cars cut too close
Cars drive too close to pedestrians
Pass by the park there's who folks?
Who are the people in the park?
Starks not Kukoc
People in the park are playing basketball and referencing players from the 1990s, namely 'Starks' and 'Kukoc'
Stroll ahead
Continue walking
Stroll ahead
Keep walking
And see
Observe your surroundings
Contributed by Stella R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ya Boy M
A welcome return for this video.
And it's STILL dome blown in the comforts of my own home @ the "do the homeless feel without a home or just feel at home everywhere?" line 🤯
DawnDid
Words wanted like wampum paid in full insured in full
XoeY Stardust
Still one of my favorite Boy Sand tunes, used to listen to this on the iPod on walks all the time 🎧
Jace Serrato
I love you Mr. Sandman.
Chris Ryland
I love people also...peace from Melbourne...
Mider-Span Man
Makes me want to visit New York City and take a stroll. On the bucket list now! 💪🏿
Golden Fields
What a gorgeous lil poetic lullaby ❤
JaYaR Truth
Good shit man. Don’t stop. People craving this feel.
timespacexploratory
Truth !
Joseph Bires
You are my favorite artist right now. Thank you for being so honest and open. Tell Deca he's still a very close second. Peace.