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..."
I Can't Wake Up
KRS-One Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two
On one, you will be asleep - one
I'm a blunt gettin smoked and I can't wake up
I'm dreamin, about bein a blunt
I'm runnin around and I just can't wake up, hah!
I'm walkin around and I just can't wake up
I'm tryin to wake up, I can't wake up
So I run and jump, someone yelled, "Get that blunt!"
Get that blunt now I'm thinking this is major
I've got a bunch of people chasin me with a razor?!
I don't like this dream as a blunt
But I can't get out of it and I can't seem to wake up
So I'm runnin and racin, blunt smokers are chasin
This is insane, I'm caught by House of Pain
I'm picked up, they said they gonna Put My Head Out
They slit my back and all the tobacco fell out
Now I'm hollowed wet thin and yes ready
They poured the shumpang gently and re-wet me
I'm in the mouth yo, I can't wake up
Yo I'm a blunt gettin smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin smoked and I can't wake up
Check it out now, in the same attire here comes the fire
OW they lit it, now I'm burnin by the minute
But check it out, more heads came to chill
Everlast took a pull and passed me to Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill took a pull, lungs are full
Who's next? I'm bein passed to Das EFX
As they took a mad pull, smoke blows in heaps
It's really smoky but I can still see Black Sheep
Whoa! Black Sheep gets me, relights me
Room is proper, now I'm passed off to Shabba
Shabba's voice gets low like a tuba
He said, "Me no follow no rumor" and passed me to Grand Puba
I wasn't burnin right so Puba got mad at me
And said, "Who rolled this?" and passed it to Kid Capri
Kid Capri said, "I won't front!
Pass it to Redman, he knows how to roll a blunt"
Redman said, "No need to re-roll"
He hit, relit it, and passed me to De La Soul
De La Soul took a hit and kept hittin
Now they're buggin cause they passed me to Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton said, "I'll smoke but I won't inhale
I'll only hit it twice," he got slapped by Greg Nice
Now I fell on the floor, Greg Nice picked me up
I'm bein smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin smoked and I can't wake up
Get me out of this, somebody wake me up
I'm still on fire and I'm still bein smoked up
Half my body is gone, now they're comin to my head
Now my head is being pinched by Teddy Ted
A crazy nightmare I got to go
I got to wake up and I'm passed off to Yo-Yo
Yo-Yo gets respect as a lady
She didn't smoke, she passed me to Showbiz & A.G
A.G. said, "Respect due seen"
He got one big pull and passed me to Smooth B
Smooth B, although he's talking to Teddy
Took a hit and passed me to Fab 5 Freddy
Freddy said, "Yo! There's nothing left pop"
Looked at me in my face and passed me to Chubb Rock
Chubb Rock said, "Yo Freddy chill!
If you ever catch me smoking, just kick me in the grill"
I'm a blunt gettin smoked and I can't wake up
I'm dreamin'
The song "I Can't Wake Up" by KRS-One tells a creative tale about the artist being personified as a blunt getting smoked in a dream, and his struggle to wake up from it. The song starts with a countdown from ten to one, signaling the beginning of a dream. KRS-One then describes himself as a blunt being smoked and running around, unable to wake up from his dream. He shares his fear of being chased by people with razors and getting caught by the House of Pain. The story takes a funny turn as he starts getting passed around by various hip-hop artists, like Cypress Hill, Das EFX, Redman, De La Soul, Bill Clinton, and more. The song ends with KRS-One stuck in the dream, unable to wake up.
The humor in the song lies in its creative storytelling of a dream sequence, where the artist is personified as a blunt being passed around by his famous friends. The song also speaks to the counterculture of smoking marijuana and the comradery that it can bring. Hip-hop music has a long-standing relationship with marijuana culture, and this song is a playful homage to that relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
What I want you to do is count to ten
The singer is instructing someone to count to ten
Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two
The singer is counting down from ten
On one, you will be asleep - one
The person counting will fall asleep when they reach one
I'm a blunt gettin smoked and I can't wake up
The artist is dreaming of being a blunt and cannot wake up from the dream
I'm dreamin, about bein a blunt
The artist is dreaming of being a blunt
I'm runnin around and I just can't wake up, hah!
The singer is running around in the dream and cannot wake up
I'm dreamin, about bein a blunt, ho!
The singer is still dreaming about being a blunt
I'm walkin around and I just can't wake up
The artist is now walking in the dream but still cannot wake up
I'm tryin to wake up, I can't wake up
The artist is attempting to wake up but is unable to do so
So I run and jump, someone yelled, "Get that blunt!"
In the dream, someone is trying to catch the artist who is running and jumping to escape them
Get that blunt now I'm thinking this is major
The singer is feeling overwhelmed by the situation in the dream
I've got a bunch of people chasin me with a razor?!
The people chasing the artist in the dream are now carrying razors
I don't like this dream as a blunt
The singer is starting to feel negative about the dream
But I can't get out of it and I can't seem to wake up
The singer is still unable to wake up from the dream
So I'm runnin and racin, blunt smokers are chasin
The people chasing the singer are other smokers in the dream
This is insane, I'm caught by House of Pain
The artist is now caught by another group of people in the dream
I'm picked up, they said they gonna Put My Head Out
The people who caught the artist are now threatening to kill him (put his head out)
They slit my back and all the tobacco fell out
The people who caught the singer have removed the tobacco from the blunt
Now I'm hollowed wet thin and yes ready
The singer is now just a thin piece of blunt wrapper, ready to be smoked
They poured the shumpang gently and re-wet me
The people who caught the artist have re-wet the wrapper so it can be smoked again
I'm in the mouth yo, I can't wake up
The artist is now being smoked and is still unable to wake up from the dream
Check it out now, in the same attire here comes the fire
The next part of the dream involves the artist being passed around to various smokers
OW they lit it, now I'm burnin by the minute
The singer is being lit and smoked by the smokers passing him around
But check it out, more heads came to chill
More people have joined the group of smokers in the dream
Everlast took a pull and passed me to Cypress Hill
The singer is passed to the next person in the smoking circle, Everlast to Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill took a pull, lungs are full
Cypress Hill smokes the blunt and has a full hit
Who's next? I'm bein passed to Das EFX
The singer is passed to the next person in the smoking circle, Das EFX
As they took a mad pull, smoke blows in heaps
Das EFX takes a large hit and exhales a lot of smoke
It's really smoky but I can still see Black Sheep
Despite the amount of smoke, the artist is still able to see the next person in the circle, Black Sheep
Whoa! Black Sheep gets me, relights me
Black Sheep relights the blunt and takes a hit
Room is proper, now I'm passed off to Shabba
The smoking circle is still going and the singer is passed to Shabba
Shabba's voice gets low like a tuba
Shabba is smoking and his voice gets deeper
He said, "Me no follow no rumor" and passed me to Grand Puba
Shabba passes the blunt to Grand Puba
I wasn't burnin right so Puba got mad at me
The blunt isn't burning properly and Grand Puba isn't happy about it
And said, "Who rolled this?" and passed it to Kid Capri
Grand Puba is not happy with how the blunt was rolled and passes it to Kid Capri
Kid Capri said, "I won't front!
Kid Capri promises to be honest
Pass it to Redman, he knows how to roll a blunt"
Kid Capri passes the blunt to Redman, who is known for his blunt rolling skills
Redman said, "No need to re-roll"
Redman doesn't need to re-roll the blunt
He hit, relit it, and passed me to De La Soul
Redman smokes the blunt and passes it to De La Soul
De La Soul took a hit and kept hittin
De La Soul smokes the blunt and keeps smoking it
Now they're buggin cause they passed me to Bill Clinton
The smoking circle gets a bit weird when the blunt is passed to Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton said, "I'll smoke but I won't inhale
Bill Clinton agrees to smoke the blunt but won't inhale it
I'll only hit it twice," he got slapped by Greg Nice
Bill Clinton only hits the blunt twice and gets slapped by Greg Nice for not inhaling it
Now I fell on the floor, Greg Nice picked me up
The artist falls on the floor and Greg Nice picks him up
I'm bein smoked and I can't wake up
The artist is still being smoked and cannot wake up from the dream
Get me out of this, somebody wake me up
The artist is pleading to be woken up from the dream
I'm still on fire and I'm still bein smoked up
The singer is still being smoked and is on fire in the dream
Half my body is gone, now they're comin to my head
The artist is now mostly burnt up, with only their head remaining
Now my head is being pinched by Teddy Ted
Teddy Ted takes hold of the final part of the blunt, the head
A crazy nightmare I got to go
The singer realizes they are in a crazy nightmare and want to wake up
I got to wake up and I'm passed off to Yo-Yo
The singer is passed to Yo-Yo
Yo-Yo gets respect as a lady
Yo-Yo is respected as a woman in the smoking circle
She didn't smoke, she passed me to Showbiz & A.G
Yo-Yo didn't smoke the blunt and passes it to Showbiz & A.G
A.G. said, "Respect due seen"
A.G. gives respect to the smoking circle and passes the blunt to Smooth B
He got one big pull and passed me to Smooth B
A.G. takes a big hit from the blunt and passes it to Smooth B
Smooth B, although he's talking to Teddy
Smooth B is talking to Teddy while smoking the blunt
Took a hit and passed me to Fab 5 Freddy
Smooth B takes a hit and passes the blunt to Fab 5 Freddy
Freddy said, "Yo! There's nothing left pop"
Fab 5 Freddy realizes there is no more of the blunt left
Looked at me in my face and passed me to Chubb Rock
Fab 5 Freddy passes the blunt to Chubb Rock
Chubb Rock said, "Yo Freddy chill!
Chubb Rock tells Fab 5 Freddy to calm down
If you ever catch me smoking, just kick me in the grill"
Chubb Rock jokes that Fab 5 Freddy should kick him if he ever catches him smoking again
I'm a blunt gettin smoked and I can't wake up
The singer is still being smoked and cannot wake up from the dream
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER E MARTIN, LAWRENCE KRSONE PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
OLYMPIAN 👽.
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كلمات الأغاني
Intro
What I want you to do is count to ten.
Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two
on one, you will be asleep.
One
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
I'm dreaming about being a blunt
I'm running around and I just can't wake up, Hah!
I'm dreaming about being a blunt. Ho!
I'm walking around and I just can't wake up.
I'm tryin' to wake up, I can't wake up
So I run and jump
Someone yelled get that blunt.
Get that blunt, now I'm thinking this is major
I've got a bunch of people chasing me with a razor
I don't like this dream as a blunt
But I can't get out of it
And I can't seem to wake up
So I'm running and racing
Blunt smokers are chasing
This is insane, I'm caught by House Of Pain
I'm picked up
They said they gonna put my head out
They slit my back and all the tobacco fell out
Now I'm hollowed wet thin and yes ready
They poured the shumpang gently and rewet me
Check it out now, in the same attire
Here comes the fire
Now they lit it, now I'm burning by the minute
But check it out
More heads came to chill
Everlast took a pull and passed me to Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill took a pull
Lungs are full, who's next?
I'm being passed to Das Efx
As they took a mad pull, smoke blows in heaps
It's really smokey but I can still see Black Sheep
Woe! Black Sheep gets me, relights me
Room is proper, I'm passed off to Shabba
Shabba's voice gets low like a tuba
He said, "Me no folllow no rumor"
And passed me to Grand Puba
I wasn't burnin' right so Puba got mad at me
And said who rolled this
and passed me to Kid Capri
Kid Capri said "I won't front
Pass it to Redman, he knows how to roll a blunt"
Redman said no need to re-roll
And passed me to De La Soul
De La Soul took a hit and kept hittin'
Now they're buggin' cause they passed me to Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton said I'll smoke but I won't inhale
I'll only hit it twice
He got slapped by Greg Nice
Now I fell on the floor, Greg Nice picked me up
I'm a blunt being smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
Get me out of this, somebody wake me up
I'm still on fire and I'm still being smoked up
Half my body is gone, now they're coming to my head
Now my head is being pinched by Ted-D-Ted
A crazy nightmare i got to go
I got to wake up and I'm passed off to Yo-Yo
Yo-Yo gets respect as a lady
She didn't smoke
She passed me off to Showbiz and A.G.
A.G. said respect due see
He got one big pull and passed me to Smooth B.
Smooth B. although he's talking to Ted-D
Took a hit and passed me to Fab 5 Freddy
Freddy said Yo! There's nothing left Pop
Looked at me in my face and passed me to Chubb Rock
Chubb Rock said "Yo Freddy chill!
If you ever catch me smoking, just kick me in the grill"
I'm in the mouth yo! I can't wake up
Yo! I'm a blunt getting smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
I'm a blunt gettin' smoked and I can't wake up
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Mensur Terzic
I had the privilege to see this legend on stage last weekend ... I finally felt alive again ... boom bap boom boom bap
fleshnbone187
I also saw him last week, some two years after this comment. And he performed this song too. Was a fantastic night to say the least.
TheSuperhuman622
Lucky bastards haha
gato blanco
for me the best show right after red and meth
Trill Murray
Enjoy it man! It's 2017! Things begin to only get worse after this so live it up lol
John Hendrickson
Kris went SO HARD on this track, real rap!!!!!
"I'm dreamin'.......About bein' a blunt....." Classic!
John Duffy
ha ha greg nice smacked bill clinton.... man id pay to see that!
John Hendrickson
@John Duffy Lol... Facts & local sales tax! I wouldn't mind hearing a 2020 version by Kendrick Lamar or J. Cole, talking about someone slapped Trump! LOL!
scott browne
"HE HIT IT, RELIT IT AND PASSED ME TO
DE LA SOUL"
RIP TRUGOY THE DOVE....
DA ADMIN KING👑
WTL🇬🇧🐝
Jus
Underrated classic song from a classic album