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..."
Doth Thou Know
KRS-One Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Doth thou know what thou teacheth to each?
From thine own mouth, thy corrupt thine own house
Thy corrupt thine siblings and thine own spouse
Satan has hold of thy spirit
So evil has hold of thy lyric
Whomsoever shall hear it shall adapt it
And walk the talk of evil just as ye rapped it
Evil is an illusion, in GOD we trust
In Satan we lust
Coveting thy brother's vehicle while riding the bus
Feeling unjust
Trust not sinners in the flesh they aren't winners
But in the spirit they art children, beginners
Eat not of the dinner they serve
Seek the experienced MC, not the beginners in word
In the song "Doth Thou Know" by KRS-One, the lyrics are directed towards those who speak and teach without fully comprehending the true meaning of their words. KRS-One warns that corrupted speech can lead to corrupting one's own home and relationships. The lyrics suggest that those who are influenced by evil or Satan can spread that message through their words and actions. However, KRS-One reminds the listener that evil is not real, and that trust should be placed in God rather than in material possessions or sinful desires.
The line "Coveting thy brother's vehicle while riding the bus" highlights the theme of jealousy and the idea that comparing oneself to others can lead to feeling unjust. KRS-One advises to not trust sinners, as they may not truly understand the power of their words. Instead, he suggests seeking out experienced MCs who can provide deeper insights and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Thou knowest not what thou sayeth in speech?
Do you understand the true meaning of the words that you speak?
Doth thou know what thou teacheth to each?
Do you understand the true impact of the knowledge you impart unto others?
From thine own mouth, thy corrupt thine own house
The negative words that come out of your mouth have a detrimental effect on your household.
Thy corrupt thine siblings and thine own spouse
Your negative words also have a negative impact on those closest to you, like your siblings and spouse.
Satan has hold of thy spirit
Your spirit has been corrupted by evil and negative energy.
So evil has hold of thy lyric
Your music and lyrics have become corrupt and influenced by evil forces.
Whomsoever shall hear it shall adapt it
Anyone who listens to your music will be influenced by its negative energy and adopt its harmful messages.
And walk the talk of evil just as ye rapped it
Those who are influenced by your negative music will behave in ways that reflect its destructive messages.
But I cometh forth today to say thus
I have come forward today to share a different message and a different perspective.
Evil is an illusion, in GOD we trust
Evil is not real, and we should put our trust in God and his divine power.
In Satan we lust
However, many people are still tempted by and drawn to the negative energy of Satan.
Coveting thy brother's vehicle while riding the bus
We often desire material possessions that belong to others, even if we don't have the means to obtain them.
Feeling unjust
These feelings of envy and unfairness can be overwhelming and disheartening.
Trust not sinners in the flesh they aren't winners
We should not trust those who are corrupted by negative energy, as they will not be successful in the long run.
But in the spirit they art children, beginners
Instead, we should view them as spiritual beginners who have the potential to grow and evolve.
Eat not of the dinner they serve
We should be wary of consuming the negative messages and energy that come from those who are influenced by evil forces.
Seek the experienced MC, not the beginners in word
Instead, we should seek guidance and inspiration from those who are experienced and wise, rather than those who are just starting out.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LAWRENCE KRSONE PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind