If Boyz II Men are portrayed as a clean-cut, wholesome R&B vocal group, then Jodeci's wild, sexual, bad-boy image represents the other side of the coin. Made up of two sets of brothers, the group's name is a consolidation of three members' aliases: "JoJo" Hailey, Donald "DeVante Swing" DeGrate, and Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey; the group also includes Dalvin DeGrate. Natives of Charlotte, NC, all four members toured the South as young boys singing gospel music, even recording albums; both families belonged to the Pentecostal church, and the DeGrates' father was a minister. The boys were able to hear each other's gospel songs played on the radio, and eventually were introduced through girlfriends as teenagers. However, when they did meet, K-Ci was with a girl Dalvin had been dating, and a fight nearly broke out. The Hailey brothers and DeVante started hanging out together, partying and talking about making R&B records together, coming up with the name Jodeci at this time.
At age 16, DeVante ran away to Minneapolis to get a job in Prince's organization, but was refused. He returned to Charlotte, where he wrote a song and recorded JoJo singing it. The two planned on going to New York to shop the demo around by themselves, but both K-Ci and Dalvin decided to tag along at the last minute. By the time they got to New York, they had demo recordings of 29 songs, which they brought to the offices of Uptown Entertainment. They were almost rejected, but rapper Heavy D overheard the tape and talked Uptown president Andre Harrell into hearing the group. Harrell was impressed, and just like that, Jodeci signed a recording contract. In 1991, they recorded Forever My Lady, which featured the gold single "Come and Talk to Me" and went on to sell over three million copies. A minor feud resulted over the band's follow-up album, Diary of a Mad Band; Jodeci, unhappy with their treatment by Uptown, flirted with the idea of leaving for Dr. Dre's Death Row Records, which resulted in almost zero promotion for their new album. It didn't matter much, as Diary went platinum. The group's troubles got worse in 1993; DeVante and K-Ci were involved in an incident with a woman K-Ci met at a club and brought back to DeVante's apartment. The woman filed charges against the two, saying that K-Ci had threatened her and fondled her breast, while DeVante pointed a gun at her. Both pleaded guilty, but that wasn't all; shortly afterwards, DeVante's house was robbed of over 160,000 dollars in jewelry and clothes as the singer was held with guns in his mouth and at the back of his head.
Jodeci's third album, The Show, the After Party, the Hotel, was released in the summer of 1995. DeVante also was afforded the opportunity to work with Al Green, one of his idols, writing and producing the song "Could This Be the Love." ~ Steve Huey, Rovi
Jodeci Albums:
* 1991: Forever My Lady #18 US (3x platinum)
* 1993: Diary of a Mad Band #3 US (2x platinum)
* 1995: The Show, The After Party, The Hotel #2 US (platinum)
* 2005: Back to The Future: The Very Best of Jodeci (300,000)
Jodeci Singles:
* 1991: "Gotta Love"
* 1991: "Stay" (US #41, R&B #1)
* 1991: "Forever My Lady" (US #25, R&B #1)
* 1991: "Come and Talk to Me" (US #11, R&B #1)
* 1993: "Cry For You" (US #15, R&B #1)
* 1993: "Feenin'" (US #25, R&B #2)
* 1993: "Lately" (US #4, R&B #1)
* 1993: "Let's Go Through the Motions" (US #65)
* 1994: "What About Us" (R&B #14)
* 1995: "Freek'n You" (US #14, R&B #3)
* 1995: "Love U 4 Life"
* 1996: "Get on Up" (US #22, R&B #4)
Jodeci Side-Projects:
(K-Ci & JoJo)
* 1997: Love Always
* 1999: It's Real
* 2000: X
* 2002: Emotional
* 2005: All My Life "Their Greatest Hits"
(Dalvin Degrate)
* 2000: Met.A.Mor.Phic
(K-Ci Solo)
* 2006: My Book
Won't Waste You
Jodeci Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's cool man, yo what's been goin' on with you man
Look K, you know everything that's been goin' on, what's up baby
What's up, so what's up man,
Nothin' just the same girl that gave me a tatoo last weekend
Well, yeah I heard that, she got it goin' on
Won't waste your time, I won't waste your time
Won't waste your time, I won't waste your time
Don't play with my mind, don't play with my mind
Ooh, last night I called you on the phone
Sounded like you had an attitude with me
Do you want me to leave you alone
If so, like a bird I will set you free
I won't NO!
I won't waste your time
So girl don't play with my mind (Do what you wanna do)
Do what you wanna do (Don't cha' play me like a fool)
Just don't play me like a fool
Was it something I said or something I done
Ya know I would do anything for you
Just last week we were having fun
Now all of a sudden you wants to be so cruel, oh oh oh
I won't waste your time (I won't waste your time, no no)
So girl don't play with my mind (Don't cha', don't cha' play with me)
Do what you wanna do (Do what you wanna do baby)
Just don't play me like a fool (Don't waste no time)
You know time is too precious girl (Yes it is, yes it is)
So we gotta do, what we gotta do (Yeah)
You know games are not for me no, no (No, no)
If you want, I can play them too (I won't waste your time, no)
I won't waste your time (Oh)
So girl don't play with my mind (Hey)
Do what you wanna do (Do what you wanna do with me baby)
Just don't play me like a fool (Don't cha' play me like ya fool)
Black sugar, the man gets enough of this stuff, it's good nigga
Give me, give me hey, yeah, they got the fingers
Up, up me ass but bigger black sugar
Big up, big up BUMP! BUMP! black sugar
Cats get enough of this stuff, it's good nigga
Give me, give me hey, yeah, they got the fingers
Up, up me ass but bigger black sugar
Big up, big up BUMP! BUMP!
Give me the day, give me the day, I'm freestyler
Breakin' through the place, black sugar on she prowla
Just because I'm far, plenty gent-men gets angry
Bucks and bucks, in my butt and then ya take me, ooh baby
Help me, help me, help me 9-1-1 honey
Check for respect and a nine for me gun, son
I don't really wanna hurt no one
Me just wanna break a few bones when I'm done
I won't waste your time (Oh)
So girl don't play with my mind (Hey)
Do what you wanna do (Do what you wanna do with me baby)
Just don't play me like a fool (Don't cha' play me like ya fool)
The song "Won't Waste You" by Jodeci is about a man who is not willing to waste his time on a woman who is playing games with him. He is frustrated with her behavior, and he doesn't understand why she is suddenly being so cruel. He has been trying to make things work, but she seems to be pushing him away. He tells her that he won't waste her time, but he also doesn't want her to play with his mind. He calls her out on her attitude and tells her that if she wants to be free, he will set her free like a bird.
The lyrics suggest that the man wants to have a healthy relationship with the woman, but he needs her to be honest with him. He won't tolerate her games and he won't waste his time on her if she is not willing to be real with him. He tells her that time is precious and they need to do what they need to do. He doesn't want to play games, but he is willing to play along if she wants to.
Overall, the song is a plea for honesty and openness in relationships. The man is tired of being played and he just wants the woman to be real with him. The lyrics are straightforward and they convey the frustration and confusion that often come with relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo what's up K, what's up dog (Hey)
Casual greeting and inquiry about what's been happening in each other's lives
It's cool man, yo what's been goin' on with you man
Response to the previous greeting and inquiry, asking for a status update
Look K, you know everything that's been goin' on, what's up baby
Acknowledgment of awareness of recent events and inquiry into a specific matter
What's up, so what's up man,
Reiteration of the previous question
Nothin' just the same girl that gave me a tatoo last weekend
Reply to the previous question, informing about a specific situation
Well, yeah I heard that, she got it goin' on
Acknowledgment of the previous statement and agreement about the subject matter
Won't waste your time, I won't waste your time
Repeated assurance that the singer won't waste the listener's time
Don't play with my mind, don't play with my mind
Repeated demand for the listener to not manipulate or deceive the artist
Ooh, last night I called you on the phone
Introduction of a specific situation
Sounded like you had an attitude with me
Observation about the listener's behavior during the given situation
Do you want me to leave you alone
Question regarding the listener's preferences
If so, like a bird I will set you free
Offer of freedom and distance to listener if that is desired
I won't NO!
Emphatic refusal to waste listener's time or be manipulated
Was it something I said or something I done
Question about potential reasons for the listener's negative behavior
Ya know I would do anything for you
Statement affirming the singer's willingness to please the listener
Just last week we were having fun
Recollection of a previous positive experience shared by both parties
Now all of a sudden you wants to be so cruel, oh oh oh
Expression of confusion and disappointment at the listener's current negative behavior
You know time is too precious girl (Yes it is, yes it is)
Statement about the value of time
So we gotta do, what we gotta do (Yeah)
Recognition of the necessity to act accordingly
You know games are not for me no, no (No, no)
Expressed dislike and refusal to partake in manipulative or deceitful behavior
If you want, I can play them too (I won't waste your time, no)
Offer to partake in manipulative behavior if that is preferred by the listener, followed by reassurance that time won't be wasted
Black sugar, the man gets enough of this stuff, it's good nigga
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Give me, give me hey, yeah, they got the fingers
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Up, up me ass but bigger black sugar
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Big up, big up BUMP! BUMP! black sugar
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Cats get enough of this stuff, it's good nigga
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Give me, give me hey, yeah, they got the fingers
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Up, up me ass but bigger black sugar
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Big up, big up BUMP! BUMP!
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Give me the day, give me the day, I'm freestyler
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Breakin' through the place, black sugar on she prowla
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Just because I'm far, plenty gent-men gets angry
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Bucks and bucks, in my butt and then ya take me, ooh baby
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Help me, help me, help me 9-1-1 honey
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
Check for respect and a nine for me gun, son
Non-related, nonsensical phrase, possibly used for stylistic effect or comedic relief
I don't really wanna hurt no one
Expression of peaceful intent
Me just wanna break a few bones when I'm done
Hyperbolic statement to convey toughness or power, not intended to be taken literally
Don't cha' play me like a fool (Don't waste no time)
Repeated demand for the listener to not manipulate or deceive the singer, followed by a warning about wasting time
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOBIE GRAY, DONALD DEGRATE, DONALD EARLE DE GRATE, MELISSA A ELLIOTT, RICHARD HAILEY, RICHARD CEDRIC HAILEY, TROY SEALS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind