Inspired by singers like Bob Marley, Ken Boothe, Delana Stewart of The Gaylads, Alton Ellis and John Holt of The Paragons, K.C. White made his first recording for Dynamic Sounds in 1972, a Gregory Isaacs composition called “Man No Dead”. In 1973 it was followed by a powerful version of Willie Cobbs’ “You Don’t Love Me” (aka “No, No, No”), which became a worldwide hit for Dawn Penn in 1994. K.C. White’s version was visited again by Big Youth for “Screaming Target”, which appeared on the deejay’s debut album of the same name. However it was the release of his cover of Gene Chandler & Barbara Acklin’s “Anywhere But Nowhere” (originally issued on the Impact! label around 1973, and 1998 re-released on the Soul Prof imprint), that he started to make a name for himself in Jamaica and Europe.
K.C. White continued recording with some local success – “The First Cut Is The Deepest” and “I’m Just A Lonely Man” – before migrating to New York where he took up work at Brad Osborne’s Record Den on White Plains Road in the Bronx, and began working at Bullwackie’s nearby studio. Whilst in New York, he enjoyed further recognition with tunes such as “We Need More Love”, “Sellasie I”, “Can’t Go On”, and “Keep On Loving You”. Besides that he often appeared on stage at concerts featuring US acts such as GQ, The Main Ingredient and The Temptations along with reggae acts out of Jamaica appearing in New York. After several years working and studying to develop his skills and craft as a producer and singer, he returned to the studios, armed with a lot of experience earned throughout the years, to produce a number of albums, including some of his own such as “Try A Little Happiness” (Puff Records), “Reality” (Zola & Zola) “Showcase” (Love People Records), “Signs & Wonder” (Rhino Records) and “Jamaica Pre-Release” (Hawk Records).
Can't Get Nowhere
K.C. White Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seein' Jay and Nas on stage was hip-hop's makeover
And that very day you knew niggas was born
Tyler the Creators, Drake, J Coles, and Big Seans
Time for the world to pay homage
Bow to the rap Gods or them K's vomit
Fuck you know about Dipset you little dipshit
If you ain't fuck, then you ain't get your dick wet
I see your little dreads, tryin' to be a Lil Wayne, shit
I used to wanna be a little Hov
Started with a little rock, got me a little stove
Made a little money, bought me a little Rov'
Paid cash money like I was from Hollygrove
Sold ten mill, everybody know my name now
thinkin' back, it's a motherfuckin' shame how
Biggie got killed and Pac got murked
Sometimes I gotta step in the church, 'cause I ain't tryin' to go to hell
As the blood spills from my pen
It's time to confess my sins, 'cause I ain't tryin' to go to hell
I smoke weed, pop pills, but I'm thinkin' it's time for me to chill
'Cause I ain't tryin' to go to hell
I'm tryin' to get some head tonight, have a stripper in my bed tonight
But I ain't tryin' to go to hell
Father forgive me, 'cause I ain't perfect
No, no no no
Why is everything wrong?
Oh I can't get it right, I always try to get it right
Dre promised me records, I never got 'em
That's why I had nightmares that a nigga shot him
For all my albums missed records
Felt he shitted on me for Kendrick, recorded diss records
And Kendrick, my nigga, put him on his first mixtape
I pop champagne when I heard he was with Dre
And I'm tellin' y'all this true story 'cause I'm real
Dre, first time, hearing 'bout it, wonder how he feel
'Cause I feel like shit severin' the relationship
The only doctor I knew to make all of his patients rich
Snoop, Pac, 'em, 50
Me, K Dot, watch us do a 360
Plus The Documentary saved me from penitentiaries
I ain't trippin', niggas been disloyal for centuries
Finally got the crown, this motherfucker meant for me
Funny how you do your top 5's and don't mention me
Fuck 'em all
Father forgive me, 'cause I ain't perfect
No, no no no
Why is everything wrong?
Oh I can't get it right, I always try to get it right
See I been spendin' these late nights
On girls I never see again
Constantly intoxicated
Only God could save me, yeah
With 'em by the sunrise
One day everyone dies
That's the way the story goes
But now, I can't feel my heart
But I just keep ridin', ridin'
Feel so numb, numb, oh yeah
Father forgive me, 'cause I ain't perfect
No, no no no
Why is everything wrong?
Oh I can't get it right, I always try to get it right
The lyrics to this song are actually a mashup of multiple verses from different artists, including Jay Z, Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, and Frank Ocean. The first verse is from Jay Z's "Dynasty Intro," where he references the beef between him and Nas and how that changed the landscape of hip hop. The second verse is from Lil Wayne's "I Feel Like Dying," where he discusses drug use and his fear of going to hell. The third verse is from Kendrick Lamar's "Black Boy Fly," where he talks about his relationship with Dr. Dre and how getting signed to his label was a dream come true. The final verse is from Frank Ocean's "Ridin'" and talks about the consequences of living a wild and reckless lifestyle.
The theme that ties all of these verses together is the idea of striving for success and recognition in the music industry while also acknowledging the sacrifices and struggles that come with it. Each artist expresses their own fears, doubts, and vulnerabilities, highlighting the complex and often contradictory nature of fame and fortune. The chorus, which repeats the phrase "Father forgive me, 'cause I ain't perfect," reinforces this message of seeking forgiveness and redemption.
Overall, this song presents a compelling commentary on the highs and lows of the music industry, the pressure to succeed, and the toll it can take on one's mental and emotional well-being. It also showcases the raw and honest storytelling that hip hop is known for, bringing together multiple voices and perspectives to create a cohesive and thought-provoking narrative.
Line by Line Meaning
I bumped Ether, bumped Takeover
I listened to two famous diss tracks, Ether by Nas and Takeover by Jay-Z
Seein' Jay and Nas on stage was hip-hop's makeover
Watching Jay-Z and Nas perform together was a significant moment for hip-hop
And that very day you knew niggas was born
That day was a turning point in hip-hop history, and new artists were born from it
Tyler the Creators, Drake, J Coles, and Big Seans
These are some of the new artists that emerged from that time period
Time for the world to pay homage
It's time for people to recognize and respect the pioneers of hip-hop
Bow to the rap Gods or them K's vomit
Show respect to the rap legends or face the consequences
Fuck you know about Dipset you little dipshit
What do you really know about Dipset, you ignorant person?
If you ain't fuck, then you ain't get your dick wet
If you haven't had sex, then you haven't lived a full life
I see your little chain
I notice your small and insignificant chain
I see your little dreads, tryin' to be a Lil Wayne, shit
I see your attempts to copy Lil Wayne's style with your dreadlocks
I used to wanna be a little Hov
I used to want to be like Jay-Z
Started with a little rock, got me a little stove
I started with a little bit of crack cocaine and eventually gained wealth
Made a little money, bought me a little Rov'
I made some money and bought a small Range Rover
Paid cash money like I was from Hollygrove
I paid for my car in cash like Lil Wayne, who is from Hollygrove
Sold ten mill, everybody know my name now
I sold ten million records and became a household name
thinkin' back, it's a motherfuckin' shame how
Reflecting on the past, it's a shame how things turned out
Biggie got killed and Pac got murked
Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur were both murdered
Sometimes I gotta step in the church, 'cause I ain't tryin' to go to hell
I feel guilty about my lifestyle and go to church to repent and avoid going to hell
As the blood spills from my pen
As I write these lyrics, it feels like I am confessing my sins and my emotions are pouring out
It's time to confess my sins, 'cause I ain't tryin' to go to hell
I need to confess my sins so I can avoid going to hell
I smoke weed, pop pills, but I'm thinkin' it's time for me to chill
I frequently use drugs, but I am considering slowing down
'Cause I ain't tryin' to go to hell
I don't want to go to hell because of my sins
I'm tryin' to get some head tonight, have a stripper in my bed tonight
I want to have sexual encounters tonight
But I ain't tryin' to go to hell
But I don't want to go to hell because of my actions
Father forgive me, 'cause I ain't perfect
I am asking for forgiveness from God because I make mistakes
Why is everything wrong?
I am questioning why everything in my life seems to be a struggle
Oh I can't get it right, I always try to get it right
Despite my efforts, I can't seem to do everything correctly
Dre promised me records, I never got 'em
Dr. Dre promised to produce records for me, but he didn't follow through
That's why I had nightmares that a nigga shot him
I was so upset with Dr. Dre that I even had nightmares about him getting shot
For all my albums missed records
Dr. Dre missed producing records for my albums
Felt he shitted on me for Kendrick, recorded diss records
I felt that Dr. Dre gave more attention to Kendrick Lamar and even recorded diss records about me
And Kendrick, my nigga, put him on his first mixtape
Despite the tension between us, Kendrick Lamar put Dr. Dre on his first mixtape
I pop champagne when I heard he was with Dre
I was excited when I heard that Kendrick Lamar and Dr. Dre were working together
And I'm tellin' y'all this true story 'cause I'm real
I am sharing this story because I am genuine and honest
Dre, first time, hearing 'bout it, wonder how he feel
This is the first time Dr. Dre is hearing about my negative feelings towards him, and I wonder how he will react
'Cause I feel like shit severin' the relationship
I feel bad about ending our professional relationship
The only doctor I knew to make all of his patients rich
Dr. Dre was the only person I knew who consistently made his artists wealthy
Snoop, Pac, 'em, 50
Dr. Dre produced successful music for Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, and 50 Cent
Me, K Dot, watch us do a 360
Kendrick Lamar and I are going to make a 360 degree turn and become successful without Dr. Dre
Plus The Documentary saved me from penitentiaries
My successful album, The Documentary, kept me from going to jail
I ain't trippin', niggas been disloyal for centuries
I'm not upset because people have been disloyal for centuries
Finally got the crown, this motherfucker meant for me
I finally achieved success, and it was rightfully mine
Funny how you do your top 5's and don't mention me
It's strange how people make lists of the top five rappers but don't include me
Fuck 'em all
I don't care about what others think of me anymore
See I been spendin' these late nights
I've been staying up late lately
On girls I never see again
I've been wasting time with girls who I won't see again
Constantly intoxicated
I've been frequently drunk or high
Only God could save me, yeah
I feel like only God can help me through my struggles
With 'em by the sunrise
I will spend the night with someone and then leave in the morning
One day everyone dies
Everyone will eventually die
That's the way the story goes
That's just the way life is
But now, I can't feel my heart
I feel numb and disconnected from my emotions
But I just keep ridin', ridin'
I keep moving forward, regardless of my emotional state
Feel so numb, numb, oh yeah
I feel numb and disconnected from my emotions
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDRE LYON, JAYCEON TAYLOR, KEVIN MOORE, MARCELLO VALENZANO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind