Just-Ice (b. Joseph Williams) a former bouncer at punk clubs, was the first… Read Full Bio ↴Just-Ice (b. Joseph Williams) a former bouncer at punk clubs, was the first of the New York MCs to embrace gangsta rap (although he hardly ever used foul language), and when he burst out of Ft. Greene, Brooklyn, as Just-Ice, he gained instant notoriety. Muscle-bound, tattooed, aggressive—he resembled Mike Tyson in more than just looks—and with a mouthful of gold teeth, he certainly stood out. His debut album Back to the Old School proved he was more than just a pretty face. It came out on the independent New York label Fresh/Sleeping Bag label in 1986, and sounded like no other hip-hop album, thanks to his fast, forceful rhymes, Cool DMX's human beatbox, and the distinctive production of Mantronix's Kurtis Mantronik. Ice was also one of the first MCs to embrace the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths on a recording, as well as being a pioneer in incorporating dancehall reggae-style toasting into hip-hop rhymes.

When he was held by Washington, D.C., police regarding the murder of a drug dealer in 1987 ("Murder, Drugs, and the Rap Star" read a Washington Post headline), it gave him an even greater notoriety (he was never charged with the murder). Declaring war on D.C.'s go-go scene and loudly criticizing Run-D.M.C. (then the ruling New York hip-hop outfit), Just-Ice set a pattern for many a future hip-hop feud. Little could halt Just-Ice's ascension to hip hop stardom, though the departure of Mantronik from Sleeping Bag was a bad omen. KRS-One stepped in to produce 1987's Kool & Deadly, an album that swapped Mantronik's hi-tech skills for raw, elemental beats and rhymes. The British and New York public that had so enthusiastically embraced Back to the Old School were indifferent about this one, and 1989's The Desolate One (with KRS-One back in the producer's seat) was no great improvement. By 1990, both Just-Ice and Sleeping Bag appeared to be quickly fading as a new generation of MCs and labels overtook them. He continued to release albums at intervals across the 1990s, but they were on tiny independent labels, although one, 1993's Gun Talk, had major-label distribution and had five of the album's 10 cuts produced by Kurtis Mantronik; and were rarely noticed. Just-Ice was a member of hip-hop super session, the Stop the Violence Movement, which released one single ("Self Destruction") in 1990.

Keep It Real
Just-Ice Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Why don't you keep it real with me
Hate to tell my brothers that
You were never real with me
Yow you wanna leave right now
Is it because I'm high end
Baby what you trying
Baby why you lying
High of on them mylans

Told her that I'm on my way
She's angry because I'm a never late
I wanna leave right now
But cant leave right now
Cause you know niggers don't play
Told her that I'm on my way (ay)
She angry cause I'm never late (ayy)
I wanna leave right now
But I can't leave right now
Cause you know niggers don't play
My girl is acting strange nowadays everyday
And you don't play apart
When we get this rainy days
So tell me why you like this
Tell me why you like that
You say come and try it
I'm high of on that mylans

Tell me why you like this
Tell me why you like that
You say come and try it
I'm high off that milans
Told her that I'm on my way (ay)
She's angry because I'm a never late (ay)
I wanna leave right now but cant leave right now
Cause you know niggers don't play
Told her that I'm on my way
She angry cause I'm never late
I wanna leave right now
But I can't leave right now
Cause you know niggers don't play

Why don't you keep it real with me
Hate to tell my brothers that
You were never real with me
How you wanna leave right now
Is it because I'm high end
Baby what you trying
Baby why you lying
High of on them mylans

Told her that I'm on my way (ay)
She's angry because I'm a never late(ay)
I wanna leave right now
But cant leave right now
Cause you know niggers don't play
Told her that I'm on my way
She angry cause I'm never late
I wanna leave right now

But I can't leave right now
Cause you know niggers don't play

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Just-Ice's song "Keep It Real" delve into themes of authenticity, unreliability, and frustration in relationships. The recurring plea for honesty and authenticity in the phrase "Why don't you keep it real with me" sets the tone for the entire song. The singer expresses disappointment in discovering that someone they considered close was not genuine with them, as evidenced by the lines "Hate to tell my brothers that you were never real with me." This realization leads to a sense of betrayal and questioning the motives behind the other person's actions.

The lyrics also touch upon the dynamic of power and control within the relationship. The mention of being "high end" and the implication that the singer's partner may be leaving because of this suggests a struggle for dominance and perhaps a lack of mutual understanding. This power play is further emphasized by the lines "Baby what you trying, Baby why you lying," highlighting the deceit and manipulation that may be present in the relationship.

The chorus's repetition of the desire to leave immediately but feeling constrained by external circumstances reflects a sense of entrapment or being stuck in a situation that is no longer fulfilling. The singer acknowledges the potential repercussions of their actions, recognizing that "n****as don't play," hinting at possible consequences if they were to act on their impulses to leave.

The song also explores the complexities of emotional distance and miscommunication in relationships. The partner's behavior is described as "strange" and lacking in participation during difficult times, symbolized by the metaphor of "rainy days." The repetition of the partner's anger at the singer being late suggests a pattern of conflict and frustration that may be contributing to the deteriorating state of the relationship. Overall, the lyrics of "Keep It Real" convey a poignant narrative of longing for honesty, struggling with power dynamics, and grappling with the complexities of intimacy and communication in a relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

Why don't you keep it real with me
Why aren't you being honest with me?

Hate to tell my brothers that
I don't want to disappoint my friends by revealing the truth

You were never real with me
You have never been truthful with me

Yow you wanna leave right now
Do you want to leave immediately?

Is it because I'm high end
Is it because I have expensive tastes?

Baby what you trying
What are you attempting to do?

Baby why you lying
Why are you not telling the truth?

High of on them mylans
I am under the influence of drugs

Told her that I'm on my way
Informed her that I am coming soon

She's angry because I'm a never late
She is upset because I am never tardy

I wanna leave right now
I want to depart immediately