Currently residing in Fort Washington, Maryland, Starr maintains that VA will "always be home", and is looking to put the state, as well as the D.C.-metropolitan area, on the map as a slept-on goldmine of unsigned talent. He plans to do this with the help of his crew, Low Budget, a talented collective of artists and producers whose common bond is their love for hip-hop in particular, and music in general. The crew consists of Oddisee, Cy Young, Kev Brown, Critically Acclaimed, Sean Born, as well as many others.
When asked what he hopes to accomplish with his music, Starr replied, "Earning the respect of the hip-hop community and to be recognized lyrically as one of the elite. Basically, I just want people to feel me." Currently working on a number of projects, including several tracks for Halftooth Record's premier release and a solo LP, it's safe to say that he is well on his way.
If
Kenn Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It wasn't for this, it wasn't for that
Ohh, best believe a better world
[Talib Kweli--talking over chorus]
Yes, ladies and gentleman
You do have Kenn Starr in the house, Asheru
Talib Kweli...
[Kenn Starr]
If it wasn't for the way that we live
Too many single mothers raisin' our kids
Too many brothers caged in the Pen
Engagin' a bid, enslaved by the pigs
If it wasn't for crooked cops that pop shots grazin' our wig
That sends slugs reckless, plus these thugs with a death wish
That take your life for the ice that flood in your necklace
The blood of the helpless and innocent (and innocent)
If it wasn't for so-called friends that turned Benedict
Snakes in the grass and crabs in the lake
'Cause I'm black and its late, getting' harassed by the Jake
Blasted with eight times five, plus one
Lethal deposit, reach for your wallet, they bust guns
That's why I trust none and I keep to myself
I can't blame cats that pack heat in they belt
And quick to clap, never givin' in
If it wasn't for this and that
It'd be a better world that we livin' in
[Hook: x 2]
[Asheru]
If it wasn't for a mic check I wouldn't have a check at all
Nowadays you can't live that way
The markets way too unstable, there's too many pimp labels
Playing rappers like a ho, manhandlin' the dough
Demandin' them to go on a track to bring the loot back
Now you playing for the team and the captain, that's cream
You got the dream to push a mean two-seater
With a diva riding shotgun, just to say you got one
You make the songs, but labels only want the hot ones
Send you back to the drawing board, until you got some
Now I guess we got problems
Even your all-creative mind ain't enough to try and solve 'em
The doors revolvin', younger cats are starvin'
They want it more than you, might go to war with you
To reap the heap of dough that's at the end of the rainbow
You can't be mad, man, that's how the game go
[Hook: x 2]
[Talib Kweli]
(yeah, see'mon!)
(yea, here we go, yeah!)
I'm about to show you what this black power is
Red, black, and green on the wrist how I live
In the cold world where we bust off the black llamas
Every winter where we lose more son to black mommas
If hip-hop got seasons, right now its spring
Like when everybody selling death, "kiss the ring" (yeah!)
You know how it goes, people change color like autumn
Kids learn through experience, fuck what a teacher taught 'em
Puff a relief for boredom; rough will release a quarter
And the parents who paid enough attention to at least ignore 'em
Blowing up mics, throwin' up signs
To help niggaz you confusin' it with cryin'
The winners write the history books
Mystery looks past prisoners of war, that's what my listeners are for
Turn the tide on this fuckery, ride on this fuckery
You should a never let me in the industry, you're stuck with me
[Hook: x 3]
The song "If" by Kenn Starr ft. Asheru & Talib Kweli is a commentary on social and personal issues that plague the world. Kenn Starr begins by addressing societal issues like single motherhood, unjust police brutality, and friends that can betray you. He stresses how these situations leave a person feeling helpless and vulnerable. Asheru contributes to the song by discussing the music industry, pointing out the dangers of greed and how it can corrupt artistry. Talib Kweli rounds off the song by addressing issues such as racism and the systematic oppression that has plagued black people.
The song's central theme is how our world would be better if certain actions or situations never occurred. The chorus, "It wasn't for this, it wasn't for that, Ohh, best believe a better world" emphasizes this point. Each rapper provides a unique perspective that speaks to the different challenges that people face in their daily lives. Kenn Starr talks about the challenges that lower-income black people face, Asheru speaks about the rap industry's greed, and Talib Kweli talks about systemic oppression.
The chorus is almost like a chant that expresses a sentiment of hope for a better world where people are treated fairly and with respect. The lyrics of the song come together to create a powerful and thought-provoking message, which encourages people to work together, fight for justice and move towards a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
It wasn't for this, it wasn't for that
If it wasn't for certain things happening
Ohh, best believe a better world
Things would be better
If it wasn't for the way that we live
If our society was different
Too many single mothers raisin' our kids
There are too many single mothers taking care of children
Too many brothers caged in the Pen
There are too many black men in jail
Engagin' a bid, enslaved by the pigs
They are being held captive by the police
If it wasn't for crooked cops that pop shots grazin' our wig
If it wasn't for corrupt police officers that shoot at us
That sends slugs reckless, plus these thugs with a death wish
Criminals that have no regard for human life
That take your life for the ice that flood in your necklace
They kill for material possessions
The blood of the helpless and innocent (and innocent)
Innocent people are getting hurt or killed
If it wasn't for so-called friends that turned Benedict
If it wasn't for supposed friends that betray us
Snakes in the grass and crabs in the lake
People that are untrustworthy and opportunistic
'Cause I'm black and its late, getting' harassed by the Jake
Because I'm black, and the police are harassing me
Blasted with eight times five, plus one
Shot multiple times
Lethal deposit, reach for your wallet, they bust guns
Police are quick to shoot and escalate situations
That's why I trust none and I keep to myself
I don't trust anyone and I stay alone
I can't blame cats that pack heat in they belt
I understand why some people carry weapons for protection
And quick to clap, never givin' in
People are quick to retaliate with violence
It'd be a better world that we livin' in
The world would be better
If it wasn't for a mic check I wouldn't have a check at all
If it wasn't for the music industry, I wouldn't have money
Nowadays you can't live that way
It's hard to make a living as a musician nowadays
The markets way too unstable, there's too many pimp labels
The music industry is too unstable and controlled by record labels
Playing rappers like a ho, manhandlin' the dough
Record labels exploit musicians for profit
Demandin' them to go on a track to bring the loot back
Record labels force musicians to make profitable music
Now you playing for the team and the captain, that's cream
Artists have to make money for the label and executives
You got the dream to push a mean two-seater
The dream for musicians is to have money to buy nice things like cars
With a diva riding shotgun, just to say you got one
Musicians often date famous women to show off their wealth
You make the songs, but labels only want the hot ones
Labels only care about making popular music, not good music
Send you back to the drawing board, until you got some
Artists are forced to keep making music until it's profitable
Now I guess we got problems
These are the problems musicians face
Even your all-creative mind ain't enough to try and solve 'em
Even the most creative minds can't solve these problems
The doors revolvin', younger cats are starvin'
Younger musicians struggle to make it in the industry
They want it more than you, might go to war with you
Younger musicians are willing to fight for success
To reap the heap of dough that's at the end of the rainbow
To make a lot of money
You can't be mad, man, that's how the game go
These are the realities of the music industry
I'm about to show you what this black power is
I'm going to show you the strength of the black community
Red, black, and green on the wrist how I live
I represent my race with my jewelry
In the cold world where we bust off the black llamas
In this dangerous world, we defend ourselves with guns
Every winter where we lose more son to black mommas
Too many young black men die every winter
If hip-hop got seasons, right now its spring
If hip-hop had seasons, it would be a time of growth and new beginnings
Like when everybody selling death, "kiss the ring"
When everyone is glorifying violence and negativity
You know how it goes, people change color like autumn
People's true colors are revealed with time
Kids learn through experience, fuck what a teacher taught 'em
Kids learn more from their own experiences than what they're taught in school
Puff a relief for boredom; rough will release a quarter
People turn to drugs and violence to cope with boredom or stress
And the parents who paid enough attention to at least ignore 'em
Some parents don't pay enough attention to their children
Blowing up mics, throwin' up signs
Rapping and representing their crew
To help niggaz you confusin' it with cryin'
People mistake the message of the music
The winners write the history books
The victors shape the world
Mystery looks past prisoners of war, that's what my listeners are for
I want my listeners to see through the lies and propaganda
Turn the tide on this fuckery, ride on this fuckery
We need to fight against the negative aspects of our society
You should a never let me in the industry, you're stuck with me
I won't go away, even if the industry tries to get rid of me
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Songtrust Ave
Written by: NEAL LEE COTY, WILLIAM SEABORN JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind