Subsequently, she collaborated with Eric Benet, Will Smith, Lupe Fiasco, Common and broadened her performing experience by touring Canada in a production of the Broadway musical Rent. Signed to Steve McKeever's newly formed Hidden Beach Recordings label, she released her debut album Who Is Jill Scott: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 in July 2000. The following summer she released Experience:Jil Scott 826+ after she released the single "A Long Walk." Scott continued to gain more recognition, eventually earning a Grammy nomination in early 2003 for Best Female Vocal Performance for "A Long Walk". Jill Scott also won a Grammy award at the 2005 Grammy awards for Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male or Female.
Jill Scott appears in David Chappelle's Block Party performing with The Roots and Erykah Badu.
Scott released a new album, entitled Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2 in 2004. Her book of poetry, The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours was released in April 2005.
Recently, Scott was prominently featured on hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco's 2006 single "Daydreaming" which also appeared on a new Scott collection called Collaborations on January 30, 2007.
The Collaborations collection served as "an appetizer" for her next studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 released September 25, 2007. A clip of the title track was released on a bonus disc from Hidden Beach Records and included with Collaborations. The lead single, "Hate on Me", gained airplay in May 2007 with a video released in mid-July. In advance of the album's release, Hidden Beach released a 17-minute album sampler through their forums. Interspersed between the dozen songs previewed on the sampler was a personal explanation from Jill for the inspiration behind some of her songs.
Jill Scott is also an accomplished actor, appearing as detective Precious Ramotswe in the BBC's dramatisation of Alexander McCall Smith's series of books: "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency". Scott also appeared as "Sheila" in the Tyler Perrry film, "Why Did I Get Married" (2007) and its sequel, "Why Did I Get Married Too" (2010) .
Slowly Surely
Jill Scott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That old desperate and tainted love
Caught up in the maze of love, the crazy craze of love
Thought it was good
Thought it was real
Thought it was
But it wasn't love
So, slowly, surely
I walk away from self-serving, undeserving, constantly hurting me love
Deserting me love
You said
I said
We said, but
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Confusing love, misusing love, abusing love
This can't be
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Self-serving, undeserving
Constantly hurting me love
I just don't know where I should go, no
I just don't know, know, know, know where I should go
So, slowly, surely I walk away from
That old desperate and dazed love
Caught up in the maze of love, the crazy craze of love
Thought it was good
Thought it was real
Thought it was
But it wasn't love
I just don't know where to go
So, slowly, surely I walk away from
I walk away from
Slowly, surely I walk away from love
Slowly, surely one step at a time, but surely
I will pass the old love aside and love me
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Slowly, surely I walk away from desperate love
Caught up in the maze love, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy love
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Slowly, Surely, slowly, surely, slowly, surely
In "Slowly Surely," Jill Scott sings about walking away from a toxic relationship, slowly and surely, with each step an act of self-love and self-preservation. She reflects on how she got tangled up in the "maze of love" and its "crazy craze," mistaking it for the real thing. But over time, she has come to recognize that what she thought was love wasn't, and that she deserves better than the "self-serving, undeserving, constantly hurting me love" she's been receiving.
The repetition of "slowly, surely" in the chorus reinforces the idea that leaving a bad situation takes time and patience, but that each step away brings her closer to a healthier relationship with herself. The song's simple, almost meditative melody and sparse instrumentation underscore this sense of a contemplative journey, one that's happening internally as well as externally.
Overall, "Slowly Surely" is a powerful anthem of self-love and the courage it takes to let go of what's not working. Scott's honest and clear-eyed lyrics cut through the confusion and pain of a bad relationship and offer a path towards healing and wholeness.
Line by Line Meaning
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Taking small steps but determined to leave
That old desperate and tainted love
Leaving a past relationship that was needy, desperate and no longer good
Caught up in the maze of love, the crazy craze of love
Lost in the confusion of a relationship, caught up in the irrational behavior and passionate feelings
Thought it was good
Believed the relationship would be positive
Thought it was real
Believed the relationship was authentic
Thought it was
Assumed the relationship was what love should be
But it wasn't love
Realized the relationship did not meet the standards of true love
I just don't know where I should go
Feeling lost and unsure of next steps
So, slowly, surely
Taking time to leave in a determined and confident manner
I walk away from self-serving, undeserving, constantly hurting me love
Leaving a relationship that was only focused on one person's needs, a partner that did not deserve love and was causing emotional pain
Deserting me love
Leaving behind love that had abandoned and betrayed her
You said
Partner's words and promises were not kept
I said
Jill Scott also had made promises that were not kept
We said, but
The promises made as a couple were not fulfilled
Confusing love, misusing love, abusing love
The partner's actions were producing confusion, misuse, and abuse of love
This can't be
Realizing that a relationship should not be characterized by confusion, misuse, and abuse of love
I just don't know where I should go, no
Feeling overwhelmed by not knowing what to do next
Slowly, surely I walk away from
Steadily moving away from toxic love
That old desperate and dazed love
Leaving behind a love that was chaotic, frenzied, and unstable
Slowly, surely I walk away from love
Walking away from a relationship that was not truly love
Slowly, surely one step at a time, but surely
Taking small but certain steps towards a better future
I will pass the old love aside and love me
Moving away from the old love to focus on self-love and growth
Slowly, surely I walk away from desperate love
Leaving behind love that was needy and desperate
Caught up in the maze love, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy love
Feeling lost in a complicated and irrational love
Slowly, Surely, slowly, surely, slowly, surely
Repeating the mantra of taking small but sure steps towards a better future
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TEI TOWA, BEBEL GILBERTO, KAMAAL IBN JONATHAN DAVIS FAREED, ALI MUHAMMAD, MALIK IZAAK TAYLOR, JAMES DEWITT YANCEY, DONALD WINSTON THOMPSON, JILL SCOTT, DARREN HENSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind