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..."
Out For Fame
KRS-One Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo right here, right here
It's right through the fence, right through the fence
Jump! * feet landing *
Yeah.. right there, right there
That's the 2's and the 5's
* bag rustling *
Joe gimme that, the fat, the fat cap, fat cap
* train rolls in *
Aight * shaking can up *
Aight, let's do it now, let's do it now
* spray paint *
Yeah.. yeah..
Nah gi-gimme the other cap, gimme the other one
Yeah right there
* more spray *
Front .. Page .. Entertainment .. Group
Yeah..
"I'm writin my name, in graffiti on the wall" (repeat 8X)
* first time, minus "I'm" *
Hah! Hahahaha
All graffiti artists hold tight, hooo!
All graffiti artists hold tight, word
Check check check it out y'all
Check check check check check it out y'all
[KRS-One]
I got twenty-five cans in my knapsack, crossin out the wick-wack
Puttin up my name with a fat cap
Suckers that want to be in my face I just slap that
Big respect to Artifacts, Fat Joey Crack and
Mack and, Bio, and Brim come again
with B.G. 183, recognize me
with the mad colors, I'm a fiend for spraypaint
Laugh if you want to, I really care if you ain't
cause you don't me see, and I don't know you
But I do know Cope2, he be gettin walls too
It's the underground community of what we call writers
Worldwide burners, gettin hotter gettin brighter
Whattup Nicer, whattup Razor, whattup Chino
Masta Ase in the place, you know we know
my man Rican, my man Zorro, taught me how to draw
in the yards of the 5 train and the 4
So when I'm on tour I represent the hardcore
I'm taggin up your blackbook sure, I'm out for the fame
"I'm writin my name, in graffiti on the wall" (repeat 4X)
* first time, minus "I'm" *
Yeah, check it out check it out check it out one time
Hip-hop music in effect one time
[KRS-One]
When I was growin up, I had no butcher baker candlestick maker
I had rubbing alcohol and carbon paper
Yeah, carbon paper and a blackboard eraser
got me chased in the bus yards, with Rican and Nazer
Historically speakin, cause people be dissin
The first graffiti artists in the world were the Egyptians
Writing on the walls, mixing characters with letters
to tell the graphic story about their life, however
today we do the same thing, with how we rap and draw
We call it hardcore, they call it breakin the law
There used to be a time when rap music was illegal
The cops would come and break up every party when they see you
But now the rap music's making money for the corporate
It's acceptable to flaunt it, now everybody's on it
Graffiti isn't corporate so it gets no respect
Hasn't made a billion dollars for some corporation yet, so
in the name of Phase2, Stay High, Pre-streets
Grab your cans and hit the streets, I'm out for fame
"I'm writin my name, in graffiti on the wall" (repeat 6X)
Yeah, hip-hop culture in the house one time
All graffiti artists in the house one time
Yeah..
Biggin up the other side things here y'all
The visual, not your video (check it out)
[KRS-One]
I'm livin in the city, inner city not a farm
Steady bombin til I get fatigue in my arm
Watchin for the beast cause many artists they shot em
And beat em in the yards, while doin a top to bottom
So pass me a can, not of Old Gold
but full blue, sky blue, watch me unfold
with the cold burner, of names you mighta heard of
like Fab 5 Freddy, Sam Sever
Word to the wise, Futura 2000 recognize
Nation of creation, G Man come alive
Checkin out Revolt and Zephyr
My man Easy, and Rembrandt, Mitch 77
Oh no with the paint we can never dilly-dally
Big up and respect to Con Art in Cali
The Soul Artists, The Rebels, The Rascals, 3YB
United Artists, TAT and Dondi
Yes the other side of hip-hop is representin the visual
Toys we be DISSIN you, I'm out for fame
"I'm writin my name, in graffiti on the wall" (repeat 10X)
Hip-hop in the house one time
Video graf in the house one time
All graffiti artists in the house dig the rhyme
Put up your nine, put up your nine, yeah!
Fresh.. for nineteen-ninety-five
You SUCKERS!!!!
KRS-One's "Out For Fame" is a song about graffiti art, and in particular about the desire to achieve fame and recognition as a writer. The lyrics describe the experience of sneaking into train yards, grabbing cans of spray paint, and writing one's name on the walls of buildings and trains. KRS celebrates the history of graffiti, acknowledging the influence of early graffiti artists in Egypt and praising the work of his contemporaries in the hip-hop community. The song's message is also political, as KRS criticizes the corporate exploitation of rap music and the lack of respect for graffiti as an art form.
The song starts with the sounds of a train pulling into a yard, and KRS telling his accomplice where to find the spray cans. He then launches into the chorus, which is a repetition of the line "I'm writing my name in graffiti on the wall". Throughout the song, KRS pays homage to fellow writers, namechecking Artifacts, B.G. 183, and Cope2, among others. He also references the different styles and colors of spray paint, laughing at those who don't understand his obsession with graffiti. The second verse of the song has a more serious tone, as KRS describes the criminalization of rap music and the lack of respect for graffiti as an art form. He emphasizes the roots of graffiti in Egyptian hieroglyphics, and argues that graffiti artists are continuing a long tradition of storytelling through visual images.
Overall, "Out For Fame" is a celebration of graffiti art and an indictment of the societal dynamics that often prevent graffiti from being appreciated as a legitimate art form. KRS-One acknowledges the risks and dangers of writing graffiti, but also sees it as a way to claim public space and tell one's own story.
Line by Line Meaning
train whistle
Starting the song with a sound effect of a train whistle.
Yo right here, right here
A call to attention that the location of graffiti tagging is nearby.
It's right through the fence, right through the fence
Indicating the way to reach the tagging site.
Jump! feet landing
Physically jumping over the fence with landing sound effects.
Yeah.. right there, right there
Confirming the location of the place to tag.
That's the 2's and the 5's
Referring to the subway train running on Line 2 and 5 in New York City.
Joe gimme that, the fat, the fat cap, fat cap
Asking for the 'fat cap' used on spray paint cans to create bold lines.
Aight shaking can up
Preparing the spray can for action.
Aight, let's do it now, let's do it now
Encouraging and motivating others to start tagging.
Nah gi-gimme the other cap, gimme the other one
Asking for a different size cap used for thinner lines on a spray can.
Yeah right there
Pointing out the area where the other cap should be used.
Front .. Page .. Entertainment .. Group
Spray painting the name of the performer's music group -- The Front Page Entertainment Group.
"I'm writin my name, in graffiti on the wall" (repeat 8X)
The main chorus of the song that repeats multiple times, highlighting the theme of graffiti artistry.
"I got twenty-five cans in my knapsack, crossin out the wick-wack / Puttin up my name with a fat cap / Suckers that want to be in my face I just slap that / Big respect to Artifacts, Fat Joey Crack and / Mack and, Bio, and Brim come again / with B.G. 183, recognize me / with the mad colors, I'm a fiend for spraypaint / Laugh if you want to, I really care if you ain't / cause you don't me see, and I don't know you / But I do know Cope2, he be gettin walls too / It's the underground community of what we call writers / Worldwide burners, gettin hotter gettin brighter / Whattup Nicer, whattup Razor, whattup Chino / Masta Ase in the place, you know we know / my man Rican, my man Zorro, taught me how to draw / in the yards of the 5 train and the 4 / So when I'm on tour I represent the hardcore / I'm taggin up your blackbook sure, I'm out for the fame"
The rapper reflects on his graffiti art career, where he has a lot of spray paint cans and uses them to tag his name with bold lines. He does not engage with people that try to stop him. He mentions many people and groups that inspired him and helped him learn this art. He is part of the underground community of graffiti artists, and their artwork is getting more popular worldwide. He greets many artists he knows, and they have taught him how to develop his style. He wants to keep tagging even when he is on tour and represent the hardcore art style.
"When I was growin up, I had no butcher baker candlestick maker / I had rubbing alcohol and carbon paper / Yeah, carbon paper and a blackboard eraser / got me chased in the bus yards, with Rican and Nazer / Historically speakin, cause people be dissin / The first graffiti artists in the world were the Egyptians / Writing on the walls, mixing characters with letters / to tell the graphic story about their life, however / today we do the same thing, with how we rap and draw / We call it hardcore, they call it breakin the law / There used to be a time when rap music was illegal / The cops would come and break up every party when they see you / But now the rap music's making money for the corporate / It's acceptable to flaunt it, now everybody's on it / Graffiti isn't corporate so it gets no respect / Hasn't made a billion dollars for some corporation yet, so / in the name of Phase2, Stay High, Pre-streets / Grab your cans and hit the streets, I'm out for fame"
The performer talks about his difficult upbringing and how he used carbon paper and an eraser while practising graffiti art. He also mentions that the first graffiti artists in history were the Egyptians, who used walls to depict their lives. Today, graffiti artwork is similar to rap music in terms of expressing oneself. Graffiti is still considered illegal even though it has become a part of mainstream culture. The performer is critical of the fact that graffiti artists have not made the kind of money that rap artists do. He talks about getting inspired by older graffiti artists and calls for others to continue their artwork and become famous.
"Yeah, hip-hop culture in the house one time / All graffiti artists in the house one time / Biggin up the other side things here y'all / The visual, not your video (check it out) / I'm livin in the city, inner city not a farm / Steady bombin til I get fatigue in my arm / Watchin for the beast cause many artists they shot em / And beat em in the yards, while doin a top to bottom / So pass me a can, not of Old Gold / but full blue, sky blue, watch me unfold / with the cold burner, of names you mighta heard of / like Fab 5 Freddy, Sam Sever / Word to the wise, Futura 2000 recognize / Nation of creation, G Man come alive / Checkin out Revolt and Zephyr / My man Easy, and Rembrandt, Mitch 77 / Oh no with the paint we can never dilly-dally / Big up and respect to Con Art in Cali / The Soul Artists, The Rebels, The Rascals, 3YB / United Artists, TAT and Dondi / Yes the other side of hip-hop is representin the visual / Toys we be DISSIN you, I'm out for fame"
The artist recognizes and acknowledges the presence of graffiti artists in the hip-hop community and the contribution they make to the visual side of the culture. He understands the dangers of tagging in the city and the risks artists face daily. The artist mentions other graffiti artists who have inspired him and helped him develop his craft. He identifies with his community and calls out those that do not take graffiti art seriously. He remains committed to graffiti art and becoming famous for his artwork.
"Fresh.. for nineteen-ninety-five / You SUCKERS!!!!"
The artist ends the song by declaring his artwork fresh and criticizing anyone who does not appreciate graffiti art.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LAWRENCE KRSONE PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@santiagoperez7544
In the name of "PHASE 2" for those that don't know he's the man, the myth the legend!! A true innovator in the game that transcended the aerosol culture with a spray can. A true style master without a doubt.
@Abicim1
RIP
@bmon3100
Lol. Thanks. If they DOnt know, you can’t help em bro.
@durterebelz
The shout-outs in this had me bumping this every time I went out.
@davecurtis6930
✌️
@emceeunderdogrising
He played this live two nights back. One of my favorite songs of all time. The shout-outs are fresh. That line about graffiti not getting respect because it hasn't made a billion dollars yet is one of the realest lines ever written.
@TripleRp
KRS ONE is one of the dopest, and people sleep on his freestyle ability. He the truth.
@darcanjel7
No they don't! You must be young.
@rev1595
Nobody sleeps on KRS-One who knows anything about hip hop
@scragbyterc1059
Nobody is sleep on KRS ONE’s freestyle ability every rapper in the game knows better believe that. 💯💯💯