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.

Livin' In Lockdown
Just-Ice Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

扉の街に飾り合う夜が来る
見知らぬ顔と香水がすれ違う
カメラが回りサイレンが鳴り響き
地下のライフでドラマーが８ヒート
そこに聖なるリズムよ響け
yeah! Livin' in this city
yeah! Livin' in this city
See what you want

名前を刻み音もなく消えて行く
誰もがここに嘘の無い夢を見る
輝く果てを隠してる
イルミネーション
ビルに映したスクリーンは
ジミ・ヘンドリックス
そこに聖なるノイズが響く
yeah! Livin' in this city
yeah! Livin' in this city
See what you want

果てなく続く虹色の螺旋階段
ネオンサインが瞬いて砕け散る
そこに聖なるビートよ響け
yeah! Livin' in this city
yeah! Livin' in this city
yeah! Livin' in this city

yeah! Livin' in this city
See what you want

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of the song Livin' In Lockdown by Just-Ice set the scene for a city at night. The bustling streets are filled with unfamiliar faces and the scent of perfume. Cameras are rolling and sirens blare in the background, creating a sense of unease and chaos. In the underground club scene, a drummer beats out a sacred rhythm that reverberates throughout the city. The chorus repeats the song's title, emphasizing the feeling of being trapped in this urban environment.

The second verse describes the city as a place where everyone comes to chase their dreams, but where reality is hidden behind the bright lights of the city. The illumination created by the city's buildings and screens hides the truth, while the music of Jimi Hendrix playing in the background adds to the surreal atmosphere. The final verses describe a never-ending spiral staircase and neon signs that flicker and break apart. Through it all, the sacred beat continues to sound, reminding the listener that they are still trapped in this city, living in lockdown.

The song is a reflection of the urban experience, both celebrating the excitement and opportunities of the city while also acknowledging the dark underbelly of urban life. It highlights how the city can be both a place of hope and a prison, confining people with its noise and artificiality. Just-Ice's lyrics capture the tension of living in a bustling, chaotic city, where dreams can come alive or be crushed under the weight of reality.

Line by Line Meaning

扉の街に飾り合う夜が来る
The night comes to the decorated city gates

見知らぬ顔と香水がすれ違う
Unknown faces and perfumes pass by

カメラが回りサイレンが鳴り響き
Cameras spin and sirens echo

地下のライフでドラマーが８ヒート
The underground life has a drummer playing at eight beats

そこに聖なるリズムよ響け
Let the holy rhythm resonate there

yeah! Livin' in this city
Yeah! Living in this city

See what you want
See what you want

名前を刻み音もなく消えて行く
Names are engraved and disappear without a sound

誰もがここに嘘の無い夢を見る
Everyone has honest dreams here

輝く果てを隠してる
Hiding the shining end

イルミネーション
Illumination