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..."
Good Bye
KRS-One Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You ever lost somebody, a member of your party
Your daddy maybe mommy, for them there was no copy
Just know that we all asleep, pray to the lord my Soul will keep
Life is a dream no need to weep, God's gonna wake us up from sleep
Every night we die, we practice for death
Every time we sleep we say goodbye
That my best friend's awake and not comin back
So as the tears.. {tears roll from my eyes}
Uhh, uhh, I never got a chance to say
{Goodbye!!!} Trouble MC, Scott LaRock, Paul Sea, Doctor Rock
Mastadon, Trouble T-Roy, Aaliyah, Cowboy
Sugar Shaft, Eazy-E.. {got to say goodbye}
Yeah.. bring the love back, bring the love back
When you wake up, then you'll know, what was up
You won't live, so corrupt, only love, you'll take up
All the chasin and rushin impatience and fussin
The racin for somethin the hatin and frontin is makin you NOTHIN
So, die before you die so when you die you don't die
You got to die before you die so when you die you don't die
You got to die to all the world, all the guys and the girls
You got to die to lovin money and them diamonds and pearls
So as the tears.. (tears roll from my eyes}
I never got a chance to say to y'all
{Goodbye!!!} Prince Messiah, Bigga B, Freaky Tah, B.I.G.
Big Pun, Mercury, June Bug, Buffy
Tupac, Darryl C.. {got to say goodbye}
Bring the love back, bring the love back, uhh, hip-hop
So remember when they die, they have only woke up
It's our wants and our needs that be chokin us up
{And I want and I need and I want and I need..}
Yo, there was a time when hip-hop was on our mind
It wasn't about no crime, just reality rhymes
If you battled me fine, but in the end we reclined
with a bottle of wine, MC's the ORIGINAL kind but
{Why did you stray..} hip-hop
{Why did you stray..} hip-hop
{Why did you stray..} hip-hop!
{Why did you stray....} bring the love back
{Why did you stray..} bring the love back
{Why did you stray..} {Why did you stray..}
{Why did you stray..} rise up y'all
{Why did you stray..} remember where you came from
{Why did you stray..} bring the love back
{Why did you stray..}
In KRS-One's song "Goodbye," he discusses the pain of losing loved ones and the importance of living life with love and gratitude. He begins by acknowledging the universality of loss, stating that we all eventually lose someone we love, whether it be a family member or a friend. KRS-One speaks of death as a necessary practice for the real thing, and that we should not fear death as it only means waking up from this dreamlike state we call life. His pain is evident when he mentions losing his best friend and not having had the chance to say goodbye, emphasizing the fragility of human life and the importance of expressing love and appreciation while we still can.
He then switches the focus of the song to the current state of hip-hop and how it has become corrupted by negativity, materialism, and violence. He pleads with the industry to return to its roots of reality rhymes and originality. KRS-One highlights the idea that hip-hop is not only a genre of music but a culture and lifestyle that emphasizes community, creativity, and positivity. He urges listeners to remember where they came from and to bring back the love that was once inherent in hip-hop culture.
Overall, KRS-One's "Goodbye" is a powerful message about the importance of valuing our relationships and living life with gratitude and love. It is also an ode to the original spirit of hip-hop and a call to action to return to those roots.
Line by Line Meaning
You ever lost somebody, a member of your party
Have you ever lost someone close to you, like a friend or family member?
Your daddy maybe mommy, for them there was no copy
Perhaps you lost a parent, and there is no one else like them in the world.
Just know that we all asleep, pray to the lord my Soul will keep
Remember that we are all mortal and will eventually pass away. Keep your soul in good standing with your faith.
Life is a dream no need to weep, God's gonna wake us up from sleep
Life is temporary and a part of a bigger plan. Don't cry because it will end someday, and we will return to God.
Every night we die, we practice for death
When we sleep, it's almost like we are temporarily experiencing the state of being dead.
Every time we sleep we say goodbye
Every time we go to bed, we are essentially saying goodbye to life for a little while.
But I, still can't get over the fact
Despite knowing that death is a natural part of life, it can still be difficult to accept the loss of someone close.
That my best friend's awake and not comin back
The artist's best friend has passed away and will not be returning.
Uhh, uhh, I never got a chance to say
The artist regrets not being able to say goodbye to their friend before they passed away.
{Goodbye!!!} Trouble MC, Scott LaRock, Paul Sea, Doctor Rock
The artist is saying goodbye to several people who have passed away.
Mastadon, Trouble T-Roy, Aaliyah, Cowboy
The list of people the singer is saying goodbye to continues with several other names.
Sugar Shaft, Eazy-E.. {got to say goodbye}
The last name on the artist's list is Eazy-E, and there is a sense of urgency to say goodbye to those who have passed.
When you wake up, then you'll know, what was up
After death, we will know and understand everything that happened during our lifetimes.
You won't live, so corrupt, only love, you'll take up
After death, we won't have our earthly concerns like greed or corruption. We will only take love with us.
All the chasin and rushin impatience and fussin
All the anxiety and stress we have in our lives will not matter after death.
The racin for somethin the hatin and frontin is makin you NOTHIN
All the things we think matter in life will ultimately lead us to nothingness.
So, die before you die so when you die you don't die
The artist is saying to let go of the things that don't matter before death so that when you do pass away, you will be at peace.
You got to die before you die so when you die you don't die
The singer repeats the above line for emphasis.
You got to die to all the world, all the guys and the girls
We must let go of our attachments to material things and others before we pass away.
You got to die to lovin money and them diamonds and pearls
We must let go of our obsession with wealth and possessions before we pass away.
So as the tears.. (tears roll from my eyes}
The artist is emotional and crying.
I never got a chance to say to y'all
Once again, the artist wishes they could have said goodbye to those they have lost.
{Goodbye!!!} Prince Messiah, Bigga B, Freaky Tah, B.I.G.
The singer is saying goodbye to another list of individuals who have passed away.
Big Pun, Mercury, June Bug, Buffy
The list continues with more names of people the artist is saying goodbye to.
Tupac, Darryl C.. {got to say goodbye}
The singer concludes their list of goodbyes with Tupac and Darryl C, acknowledging that there are still more names that could be added.
When they die, they have only woke up
After death, the singer believes that those who have passed have simply woken up to their eternal life.
It's our wants and our needs that be chokin us up
Our earthly desires and attachments are what make it difficult for us to let go and accept death.
{And I want and I need and I want and I need..}
The repetition of 'want' and 'need' highlights the artist's struggle with letting go of their own desires.
Yo, there was a time when hip-hop was on our mind
The artist reminisces about a time when hip-hop was focused on creativity and expression rather than violence and crime.
It wasn't about no crime, just reality rhymes
Hip-hop used to be about telling stories and sharing experiences, rather than glorifying negative behaviors.
If you battled me fine, but in the end we reclined
Hip-hop was once about friendly competition and coming together for a shared love of the art form.
with a bottle of wine, MC's the ORIGINAL kind but
Rappers used to come together to hang out and celebrate their skills with each other, but this is no longer the case.
{Why did you stray..} hip-hop
The artist questions why hip-hop has strayed so far from its original form.
{Why did you stray..} bring the love back
The artist calls for a return to the love and creativity that once defined hip-hop.
{Why did you stray..} {Why did you stray..}
The repetition of this line emphasizes the singer's concern over hip-hop losing its way.
{Why did you stray..} rise up y'all
The artist urges people to stand up and work together to bring hip-hop back to its roots.
{Why did you stray..} remember where you came from
The singer wants people to remember the history and origins of hip-hop.
{Why did you stray..} bring the love back
Once again, the singer urges a return to the love and creativity that were once integral parts of hip-hop culture.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LAWRENCE KRSONE PARKER, SIMONE ALLEN, DOUGLAS JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind