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..."
Tell The Devil "Ha!"
KRS-One Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You must tell the devil {*HUH*}, you must tell the devil {*HA!*}
You must tell these devils, word, {*HA! HA!*}
You got to tell a devil {*HUH*}, then tell a devil {*HA!*}
Got. word. what, {*HA! HA!*}
You must tell the devil {*HUH*}, huh huh {*HA!*}
Be strong! {*HA! HA!*} Word
When the devil got your soul, and you ain't got control
You know you Born Again, but you feel like you old
You put your mind on Christ, or put your mind on Kris
For everlasting life, you must listen to this
Now you could get with this, or you can get with that
I think you'll go with this, yo Christians where you at?
Oh yes it's KRS, with Church of the Harvest
With Clarence {?}, hip-hop's winning evangelist
And then there's Hezekiah, his fire brings the fire
He's takin it higher, tell 'em {THE DEVIL IS A LIAR}
I know, you thinkin bout that Y2K
And I see, this fear that makes you lose your way
But we got, somethin that is bigger than Benz
And we stand, upon the rock that cannot break
Through millineiums, don't you think we been here before?
Through millineiums, God has always opened the door
Word!
You must tell the devil {*HUH*}, you must tell the devil {*HA!*}
You got to tell the devil {*Ahhhhhhhhhh HA! HA!*}
You must tell the devil {*HUH*}, you must tell the devil {*HA!*}
Word, word up {*Ahhhhhhhhhh HA! HA!*}
Word {*HUH*} {*HA!*}
{*Ahhhhhhhhhh HA! HA!*}
(. be strong .) Be strong (. be stronnnnnnnng .)
Be strong! Word
(. be strong .) Be strong (. be stronnnnnnnng .)
Endure! Endure!
Yo, if all you got is money and the little things you wear
You worry bout your car note, you worry bout your hair
Then you ain't got no faith, and you must live in fear
Now listen to me people, and listen to me clear
So like I was just sayin, I think it's time for prayin
Don't put your trust in Satan, it's Christ you put your faith in
You minimize your hatin, and stop your hesitatin
It's faith that keeps you movin, so do not be mistaken
You must tell the devil {*HUH*}, you must tell the devil {*HA!*}
You must to tell the devil, word {*Ahhhhhhhhhh HA! HA!*} word
You got to tell the devil {*HUH*} UHH tell the devil {*HA!*}
You got to tell the devil, word {*Ahhhhhhhhhh HA! HA!*} word
You must tell the devil {*HUH*}, you must tell the devil {*HA!*}
Word, tell that devil, word {*Ahhhhhhhhhh HA! HA!*} wo-word
You must tell the devil {*HUH*} uhh {*HA!*} uh-huh, yo
{*Ahhhhhhhhhh HA! HA!*} Yo
Now you listen to these lyrics, they speak into your spirit
You shiver when you hear it, but some just cannot bear it
But when you get up near it, there's no need that you fear it
It's KRS O-N-E you know me hip-hop be spirit
So you tell the devil HUH, tell that devil HA
Tell that devil HUH, tell that devil HA
You must tell the devil HUH, tell that devil HA!
Get out of my life, change your life, word
(. be strong .) (. be stronnnnnnnng .)
(. be strong .) (. be stronnnnnnnng .)
(. STAND UP ON THE ROCK! .)
The lyrics of KRS-One's song "Tell The Devil "Ha!"" carry an important spiritual message. The rapper encourages his listeners to find strength and faith in the face of the devil's temptations. He emphasizes that true faith lies in putting one's trust in Jesus Christ and not the distractions of material possessions. The devil is presented as a real entity that takes control of one's soul if they don't resist it. The repeated chorus of "tell the devil" encourages the listener to recognize the devil's influence in their lives and to resist it by telling it to leave.
The song also highlights the power of music to convey a message of faith and spirituality. KRS-One uses hip-hop as a medium to spread his message of hope and positivity. He collaborates with other artists like Clarence and Hezekiah to create a powerful musical experience that speaks to the listeners' souls. The song's lyrics are full of biblically-inspired phrases and references that emphasize the importance of finding strength in God.
Line by Line Meaning
You must tell the devil {*HUH*}, you must tell the devil {*HA!*}
You have to confront the devil and make him face the truth.
You must tell these devils, word, {*HA! HA!*}
You have to tell all the negative and evil thoughts in your mind to go away.
You got to tell a devil {*HUH*}, then tell a devil {*HA!*}
You need to address any doubts and negative energy that blocks your path to positivity.
Got. word. what, {*HA! HA!*}
Understand what you want, have no doubts and move towards it with confidence.
You must tell the devil {*HUH*}, huh huh {*HA!*}
Confront your fears, doubts and negative thoughts with assertiveness and courage.
Be strong! {*HA! HA!*} Word
Encouragement to strengthen your mind and heart with determination.
Stand on the rock (. stand up on the rock .)
Stay firm in your faith and beliefs, even during difficult times.
When the devil got your soul, and you ain't got control
When negative energy takes over, and you lose control of your own thoughts and beliefs.
You know you Born Again, but you feel like you old
You are reborn, but you feel weighed down by worries and doubts.
You put your mind on Christ, or put your mind on Kris
Focus your thoughts and beliefs on good and positive energy.
For everlasting life, you must listen to this
Listen to the message of these lyrics to seek eternal happiness.
Now you could get with this, or you can get with that
You have a choice between positivity and negativity.
I think you'll go with this, yo Christians where you at?
The message of positivity will resonate with those who believe in goodness and faith.
And then there's Hezekiah, his fire brings the fire
There are those who inspire passion and positivity in others.
He's takin it higher, tell 'em {THE DEVIL IS A LIAR}
Motivation to rise above negativity and confront the devil's lies.
I know, you thinkin bout that Y2K
You may have worries and doubts about the future.
And I see, this fear that makes you lose your way
Fear can cause you to lose focus and direction in life.
But we got, somethin that is bigger than Benz
Faith and positivity are more valuable than material possessions.
And we stand, upon the rock that cannot break
Stay strong in your faith and beliefs, and nothing can bring you down.
Through millineiums, don't you think we been here before?
Humanity has faced tough times before, and it will continue to survive.
Through millineiums, God has always opened the door
Positivity and faith will guide you through difficult times, with help from a higher power.
Endure! Endure!
Stay strong in the face of challenges.
Yo, if all you got is money and the little things you wear
Material possessions won't bring true happiness.
You worry bout your car note, you worry bout your hair
Don't let small things stress you out.
Then you ain't got no faith, and you must live in fear
Believing in something greater brings positivity and helps conquer fear.
Now listen to me people, and listen to me clear
These lyrics are important to listen to and understand.
Don't put your trust in Satan, it's Christ you put your faith in
Negativity won't bring you anything helpful, but faith in goodness will.
You minimize your hatin, and stop your hesitatin
Repress doubts and negative thoughts, and move forward confidently.
It's faith that keeps you movin, so do not be mistaken
Faith brings positivity and inspiration to keep moving forward.
Now you listen to these lyrics, they speak into your spirit
Take these words to heart and apply them for inner growth and positivity.
You shiver when you hear it, but some just cannot bear it
These lyrics can be powerful, but not everyone will accept or understand them.
But when you get up near it, there's no need that you fear it
Confront any fears or doubts present, and move forward positively.
Get out of my life, change your life, word
Negative energy needs to go away to make room for positivity and faith.
Writer(s): l. parker
Contributed by Lily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-kv7fb1sj6u
ALL Day & Knight/Night !!!
@alphonseyoga
best version. thanks
@english4ielts
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
@tshidisosekoati8953
Have to come back for a lesson after more than 20 years
Hip hop
@meonly8071
Tell the devil ha ya going down
@TribunPepe
the version on spotify is complete different why
@Young-M
I have no idea, maybe the censoring
@michaelgundersen2982
Its not