KRS-One, originally a member of the hip hop crew Boogie Down Productions, is known for setting the path for both hardcore rap and socially conscious political rap.
Youth and early career
Born Lawrence Parker in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn in 1965, the future KRS-One grew up with his brother Kenny and their single mother in assorted inner city neighborhoods of Brooklyn and the Bronx. According to interviews with The Source Magazine, one fateful day when he was 12 years old, he and his brother Kenny prepared a pan of flavored rice, which was to be the family's dinner for the evening. The hungry pair ate the whole thing, and when their mother came home from work, she kicked them out of the apartment in a fit of anger. They stayed away for two days before younger Kenny decided to go back home, while Lawrence opted not to return. He spent the better part of the next seven years homeless, much of it at local libraries.
In his late teen years, Lawrence Parker fell in with some illegal drug dealers and became a courier. Using a bread delivery truck as a cover, Parker and his partner drove around town to make drops. During one of their trips, a police car pulled up behind them with flashing lights. Parker's partner panicked, and led the cops on a chase for several miles which ended with the truck crashing and the two being apprehended. At the trial, the judge made the commentary that the only reason the police had initially tried to pull them over was because they had private plates on a commercial vehicle, there was no original intent to search for drugs.
Parker, still a minor, claimed he was a ward of the state, and got sent to a juvenile home for his sentencing, after which he was moved to a Covenant House youth homeless shelter. It was there that he met Scott Sterling, a recent college graduate who just started working at the shelter as a social worker. Parker discovered that Sterling moonlighted as a hip hop DJ under the name Scott La Rock. By this time, Parker had earned the nickname "Kris" from the relationship he had developed with local Hare Krishnas that evangelized near the shelter. Heavily influenced by Eastern philosophies, he was also an aspiring rapper, and practiced routines in verbal spars with the other shelter residents.
Parker and Sterling, along with two other fellows, decided to form a rap group together, initially calling themselves "Scott La Rock and the Celebrity Three". That was short-lived, however, as the two peripheral members quit, leaving Parker (now calling himself KRS-One) and Sterling. They then decided to call themselves "Boogie Down Productions". Success is the Word, a 12-inch single release on indie Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records (under the group name "12:41") did not enjoy commercial success. Soon after, the pair approached another NY indie, Rock Candy Productions, for a deal. As it turns out, the entertainment company was allegedly a front for a pornography operation, but Parker and Sterling convinced the boss to front them the money to record an album, under the newly created subsidiary label, B-Boy Records. After a few 12-inch single releases, the Criminal Minded album finally surfaced in 1987.
Criminal Minded featured many dis tracks that attacked other hip hop emcees and tracks about street crime ("wa da da deng wa da da da deng, listen to my nine millimeter go bang"). KRS One and La Rock appeared on the cover of the album holding firearms, a controversial precedent that would be followed by many rap artists in the years to follow. Musically, the album was based around James Brown samples and reggae influences. They also sampled hard-rock band AC/DC on "Dope Beat". During these years, KRS-One was also famously involved in a hip hop battle with MC Shan, of Queensbridge. KRS objected to MC Shan calling Queensbridge the home of hip hop, and attacked him viciously on a seminal battle rap, The Bridge Is Over.
Later career and emphasis on political issues
Following the fatal shooting of Scott La Rock in 1987, Boogie Down Productions (BDP) became increasingly political. KRS One was the primary motivation behind the HEAL compilation and the Stop the Violence Movement. KRS One attracted many prominent emcees to appear on the 12-inch single "Self Destruction." As Parker adopted this more conscientious, less violent approach, he stopped calling himself "The Blastmaster" (his battle rap nickname), and instead began calling himself "The Teacha", turning the nickname KRS-ONE into the backronym "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone".
On his first solo album, 1993's Return of the Boombap, KRS worked together with producers DJ Premier (Gang Starr), Showbiz and Kid Capri. The catchy yet very hardcore track "Sound of da Police" is featured on this album. His second album, KRS One featured Channel Live on the track "Free Mumia", a political protest song about Mumia Abu-Jamal, an imprisoned African-American and Black Panther member who a vocal group of activists on the political Left claim is innocent of the crime of which he was convicted. Other prominent guest artists on KRS One included Mad Lion, Busta Rhymes, Das EFX and Fat Joe.
In 1997, Parker surprised many with his release of the album I Got Next. The record included a remix of the single "Step into a World" which featured a sample from the 1970s rock group Blondie by commercial rap icon Puff Daddy. "Heartbeat", featuring Angie Martinez and Redman, was based on the old school classic "Feel the Heartbeat" by the Treacherous Three. These collaborations with notably mainstream artists took many fans and observers of the vehemently anti-mainstream KRS One by surprise. However, in August 1997 KRS One appeared on Tim Westwood's BBC Radio 1 show and vociferously denounced the DJ and the radio station more generally, accusing them of ignoring his style of hip-hop in favour of commercial artists such as Puff Daddy.
In 1999, there were tentative plans to release an album called "Maximum Strength"; a lead single, "5 Boroughs", was released on The Corruptor movie soundtrack. However, KRS apparently decided to abort the album's planned release, just as he had secured a position as a Vice-President of A&R at Reprise Records. KRS moved to southern California, and stayed there for two years, finally ending his relationship with Jive Records with A Retrospective in 2000. The next year, he resigned his position at Reprise and in 2001 The Sneak Attack was released on Koch Records. In 2002, he released a gospel-rap album, Spiritual Minded, surprising many longtime fans. Parker had once denounced Christianity as a "slavemaster religion" which African-Americans should not follow. He founded the Temple of Hiphop, and released a new album, Kristyles, in mid- 2003, which was preceded by KRS-One: The Mixtape. In the summer of 2004 he released Keep Right.
KRS One's latest CD Life, was released in June 2006, and another CD, Adventures in Emceein on Koch Records is slated for later in the year. KRS has also confirmed for his next album of new material, expected to be out in 2007, he will be working with Marley Marl.
September 11 comments and ensuing controversy
In 2004, KRS engendered a controversy when he was quoted in a panel discussion hosted by New Yorker Magazine as saying that Blacks "cheered when 911 happened". The comment drew criticism from many sources, including a pointed barb by the New York Daily News that called Parker an "anarchist" and said that "If Osama bin Laden ever buys a rap album, he'll probably start with a CD by KRS-One."
Parker responded to the furor surrounding his comments with an editorial written for AllHipHop.com. In it, Parker said "I was asked about why hiphop has not engaged the current situation more (meaning 911), my response was 'because it does not affect us, or at least we don’t perceive that it affects us, 911 happened to them'. I went on to say that 'I am speaking for the culture now; I am not speaking my personal opinion.' I continued to say; '911 affected them down the block; the rich, the powerful those that are oppressing us as a culture. Sony, RCA or BMG, Universal, the radio stations, Clear Channel, Viacom with BET and MTV, those are our oppressors those are the people that we're trying to overcome in hiphop everyday, this is a daily thing. We cheered when 911 happened in New York and say that proudly here. Because when we were down at the trade center we were getting hit over the head by cops, told that we can’t come in this building, hustled down to the train station because of the way we dressed and talked, and so on, we were racially profiled. So, when the planes hit the building we were like, 'mmmm, justice'. And just as I began to say 'now of course a lot of our friends and family were lost there as well' but I was interrupted..."
And Health
KRS-One Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know what? I was just downstairs
And I was on my way up here to the studio and
A guy bumped into me and
And he said he said, "yo kris
How is it that you stay in this music?
You know, this rap music especially for so long so long"
I said, "well you know years ago I made a deal with the goddess"
I said, "well yeah, you might know her as god
But I know her as the goddess"
The universal mother
The mother of everything you see in existence
I asked her for assistance
In lyrical persistence
And she gave it to me, under one condition
She said, "I'll give you the gift
But use the gift to uplift"
I said, "okay mom"
So I tell you the truth, really
Me nah gon' need nuttin else
But health, wealth, and knowledge of myself
Me nah gon' need nuttin else
But health, wealth, and knowledge of myself
In the beginning was the word, the word was made flesh
Knowledge k reigns r supreme s
Some of us guess while others of us are blessed
Take heed to the word, that I manifest
I manifest the future, the present, followed by the past
Everything in nature, rules by kickin' ass
What they tellin' me, but yo, you a friend to me
So I'ma tell you the secrets of mc longevity
Secret one if it ain't fun, you're done
And about your career, huh, well choose another one
If you don't like what you do, you're through
Lesson two make sure you got a dope crew
Not some crew, that's like an anchor on a shoe
A mad crew, that's of some benefit to you
Lesson three, might be contradictory or funny
But mc's should have other ways of gettin' money
That's to say learn other things beside music
Make money elsewhere, hip-hop you won't abuse it
Too many mc's, just emcee
So their longevity, is based on an uncle tom
At the record company
Lesson four sell your image, never sell a record
Image is respected, records come and go
And get collected
Even the records of platinum artists, that used to rip shop
Can be bought, for a quarter at the thrift shop
Which brings me to lesson number five, the illusion
Has me thinkin', the minute they drop a record
They'll be cruisin', in the acura
Slow down you're still a amateur
What separates the pro from the amateur is stamina
Not how long you can rhyme, but how long you've been rhymin'
Changin' with the times, and findin' yourself
Still climbing for wealth
Blow for blow, you're still growin', still showin'
(All knowin') now that's a pro at it
Me nah gon' need nuttin' else
But health, wealth, and knowledge of myself
Me nah gon' need nuttin' else
But health, wealth, and knowledge of myself
Thank you mother, I'm out
KRS-One's song And Health is a reflection on his longevity in the rap music industry. The lyrics are a response to someone questioning how he's been able to stay in the game for so long. According to KRS-One, his continued success is due to making a deal with what he calls the Goddess, who is known to many as God. He asks the Goddess for lyrical persistence and is granted it under the condition that he uses his gift to uplift. This theme of uplifting through hip-hop is repeated throughout the song, with KRS-One emphasizing the importance of staying true to oneself, having fun, and learning other things besides music to make money.
The verses of the song touch on several different topics, including the power of words, being true to oneself, and the importance of building a strong crew. KRS-One emphasizes the need for MCs to develop other skills besides rapping, and to project a strong image that can stand the test of time. He emphasizes the importance of staying current and growing as an artist, always looking for new ways to improve and push forward.
Overall, And Health is a powerful statement on the importance of staying true to oneself and using one's gifts to uplift others. It is a reminder that the power of hip-hop lies in its ability to inspire and uplift, and that those who stay true to this mission will be rewarded with longevity and success.
Line by Line Meaning
You know what? I was just downstairs
I have just come upstairs from downstairs
And he said.. he said, "Yo Kris!
Someone stopped me and called me by name
How is it that you stay in this music?
They asked how I manage to be a musician for so long
You know, this rap music ex-specially for SO.. LONG.. SO.. LONG"
They mentioned that it's especially hard to stay in rap music for a long time
Well you know years ago I made a deal with the Goddess"
I made a deal with a higher power a long time ago
The universal mother
The higher power is a universal mother figure
I ax-ked her for assistance
I asked her for help with my music
In lyrical persistence
I wanted to persist in my lyrical ability
And she gave it to me, under one condition
The higher power gave me the gift I asked for, but with one condition
She said, "I'll give you the gift
The higher power said that they would give me the gift
But use the gift to uplift"
The condition was that I should use the gift to improve society
Me nah gon' need nuttin else
I don't need anything else
But health, wealth, and knowledge of myself
All I need is good health, money, and self-awareness
In the beginning was the word, the word was made flesh
At the start, there was just language, which became reality when spoken
Knowledge K. Reigns R. Supreme S.
Knowledge is more powerful than anything else
Some of us guess while others of us are blessed
Some people have to make guesses, while others are naturally talented
Take heed to the word, that I manifest
Listen to the message in my music
Everything in nature, rules by kickin ass
Success in nature comes from being strong and assertive
Too many MC's, just emcee
Many rappers don't have other talents or sources of income
Sell your image, never sell a record
Focus on promoting yourself instead of solely relying on record sales
What separates the pro from the amateur is stamina
The difference between a professional and amateur musician is endurance
Still CLIIIIIIIIIIIIMbin for wealth
I'm still striving to gain more financial success
Blow for blow, you're still growin, still showin
Keep improving and showing your skills, even as you gain experience
Thank you Mother, I'm out
Thank you to the higher power for guiding my career, I'm finished now
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Lawrence Krsone Parker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind