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..."
Hold
KRS-One Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm thinkin' real hard about some money I can hold
But everybody I know is deep in the hole
A steady payin' job is too hard for me to hold
I call around for work but they puttin' me on hold
But in my hand a shiny .45 is what I hold
I make a mayonnaise sandwich out of some whole-
I gotta rob somebody tonight and take the whole
Bank roll, some cash I gotta hold
At the bottom of my shoe is a little bitty hole
That's it, my mental sanity I can't hold
I'm walkin' to the store with this pistol that I hold...
Half of me is sayin' maintain and uphold
Suddenly I bump into some asshole
He's cursin' me out, but this pistol that I hold
Took control, and in his head I put a hole
Ahhh man, now I'm lookin' around the whole
Area, the gun is still hot that I hold
I'm buggin' out, and I don't know how much longer I can hold
I feel myself sinkin' deeper in the hole
So in my victim's pants I rip a little hole
And felt for the wallet, and took the whole
Bill-fold, forty bucks is what I hold
Suddenly I hear, "Freeze! Police! Hold!"
In the penitentiary I see a whole
Bunch of blacks and Hispanics that they hold
In my cell I cry like hell, my head I hold
One day somebody ax if my shoes they could hold
I told this guy, "Listen! My shoe's got a hole
But what's up with that shiny sharp knife that you hold?"
He lunged forth, the first thing that I thought of was to hold
The arm with the knife so that he couldn't put a hole
In me, but then I put him in a chokehold
Took the knife and in his neck I put a hole
Suddenly all the C.O's come to me and it's me they hold
Beat my ass and I spend two weeks in the hole
I'm ready to bug out, my sanity I can't hold
My needs and wants messed up my life on a whole.
Damn. Just wasn't satisfied with life.
The moral to the story is...your addiction to your needs and your
wants is what causes problems in your life. Make sure you got whatcha
need. Put at a safe distance all the things that you want. It's wants
that get you into trouble.
This is the balance of life, the balance to life on a whole.
The song "Hold" by KRS-One is a powerful commentary on the destructive nature of materialism and poverty. The artist reflects on his own struggles to make ends meet and the ways in which his desperation led him to resort to violence and crime. The lyrics are presented from the perspective of a person who feels trapped in a cycle of poverty and is unable to find a way out. The song emphasizes the importance of recognizing the difference between one's needs and one's wants and the dangers of becoming too attached to the latter.
Throughout the song, KRS-One explores the theme of control. The pistol that the singer holds is both a symbol of power and a source of danger. It represents the desire for control and the fear of losing it. Similarly, the knife later in the song serves the same purpose. The singer's struggle to hold onto his sanity and his sense of control is a metaphor for the larger struggle of marginalized communities to assert their agency in the face of systemic oppression.
Ultimately, the song suggests that true balance and fulfillment can only be achieved by recognizing and prioritizing one's needs over one's wants. By letting go of materialistic desires and focusing on what is truly important, individuals and communities can break free from the traps of poverty, violence, and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm thinkin' real hard about some money I can hold
I am focusing intently on obtaining some money to possess
But everybody I know is deep in the hole
However, everyone I know is in debt
A steady payin' job is too hard for me to hold
I find it difficult to hold onto a job with a steady income
I call around for work but they puttin' me on hold
When I call about job opportunities, I am kept on hold for long periods of time
But in my hand a shiny .45 is what I hold
Nonetheless, I am holding a shiny gun, a .45 caliber pistol
I make a mayonnaise sandwich out of some whole-
I prepare a sandwich with whole wheat bread and mayonnaise
Wheat, I'm feelin' weak, I can't hold
The sandwich is not substantial enough to satisfy my hunger
I gotta rob somebody tonight and take the whole
Therefore, I plan to rob someone tonight and take all their money
Bank roll, some cash I gotta hold
I specifically aim to obtain a significant amount of cash
At the bottom of my shoe is a little bitty hole
Unfortunately, there is a small hole at the bottom of my shoe
That's it, my mental sanity I can't hold
This leaves me feeling unstable and unable to maintain my mental health
I'm walkin' to the store with this pistol that I hold...
Therefore, I am walking to the store still holding the pistol in my hand
Half of me is sayin' maintain and uphold
Although, part of me urges me to maintain my composure and uphold the law
Suddenly I bump into some asshole
However, I abruptly encounter an unpleasant person
He's cursin' me out, but this pistol that I hold
He is berating me, but I am still clutching the pistol
Took control, and in his head I put a hole
In the heat of the moment, the gun takes control and I fatally shoot him in the head
Ahhh man, now I'm lookin' around the whole
I frantically look around the entire area
Area, the gun is still hot that I hold
I realize the gun is still hot since I just used it to kill someone
I'm buggin' out, and I don't know how much longer I can hold
I start panicking and don't know how much longer I can handle the situation
I feel myself sinkin' deeper in the hole
I feel as if I am sinking deeper into a metaphorical hole of trouble
So in my victim's pants I rip a little hole
In a desperate attempt to get more money, I tear a small hole in my victim's pants
And felt for the wallet, and took the whole
From there I find the wallet and steal all the money in it
Bill-fold, forty bucks is what I hold
I manage to get away with just forty dollars
Suddenly I hear, "Freeze! Police! Hold!"
Out of nowhere, I hear the police shouting for me to stop
In the penitentiary I see a whole
The next thing I know, I am in jail
Bunch of blacks and Hispanics that they hold
Surrounded by other prisoners who are mostly black and Hispanic
In my cell I cry like hell, my head I hold
I am overcome with emotions and cry profusely while clutching my head
One day somebody ax if my shoes they could hold
Later, a fellow prisoner asks to borrow my shoes
I told this guy, "Listen! My shoe's got a hole
I respond by saying that my shoes have holes
But what's up with that shiny sharp knife that you hold?"
Then, I notice he is holding a shiny and sharp knife
He lunged forth, the first thing that I thought of was to hold
He quickly attacks me, and the only thing I think to do is to grab him
The arm with the knife so that he couldn't put a hole
I grab the arm holding the knife to prevent him from stabbing me
In me, but then I put him in a chokehold
Next, I put him in a chokehold to subdue him
Took the knife and in his neck I put a hole
Finally, I take the knife and kill him by putting a hole in his neck
Suddenly all the C.O's come to me and it's me they hold
Guards rush in and take me into custody
Beat my ass and I spend two weeks in the hole
The guards beat me up and put me in solitary confinement for two weeks
I'm ready to bug out, my sanity I can't hold
I am at my breaking point and struggle to maintain my sanity
My needs and wants messed up my life on a whole.
The conclusion is that my addiction to fulfilling my desires and wants is what caused so many troubles in my life. I need whatcha need and to put all the things that I want at a safe distance. It's wants that lead to trouble. Therefore, balance is key for a whole and fulfilling life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LAWRENCE KRSONE PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind