Lemar was born in London to Nigerian (Igbo) parents, and was raised in Tottenham, London, listening to Soul Music and R&B. He used to sing at home with his brothers and sister, pretending to be The Jacksons. He was seventeen when he had his first concert at the Junior Jam at the Temple in Tottenham supporting Usher. He gave up an opportunity to study pharmacy at the Cardiff University to pursue a musical career. Lemar had some success supporting various artists such as Destiny's Child, Total, Uncle Sam and Usher Raymond on their UK club tours and after some years, managed to secure a recording contract with BMG. Following this, he released his debut single "Got Me Saying Ooh" in 2001. Unfortunately his record deal with BMG fell through in less than a year due to restructuring at the record label. He had to eventually take a job working as an accounts manager at NatWest in Enfield, north London.
Lemar's second single "Dance (With U)" reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in early 2003. His first album Dedicated was released late in 2003 with additional singles "50/50" and "Another Day" also achieving chart success in the UK. Lemar won a BRIT Award for "Best Urban Act" in 2004. Following the success of the album, he commenced his first headlining tour of the UK.
On the 12th of November 2004 Lemar guested on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge and performed a cover of U2's song "Vertigo". He has also performed for Prince Charles' Prince's Trust.
4 September 2006 saw Lemar return with his eighth single, entitled "It's Not That Easy", which became his sixth UK top ten hit. A week later his new album The Truth About Love was released, which saw guest appearances from Styles P from The L.O.X., Mica Paris and Joss Stone. The album became Lemar's highest charting album to date, peaking at number three on the UK Albums Chart.
Lemar's 4th studio album "The Reason" is set for release on November 24th 2008. While the first single of the album will be called "If She Knew" released on 10th November 2008. Also the video has been released too.
Lemar featured on Sway's first single "Saturday Night Hustle" from the album The Signature LP. Lemar's fourth studio album "The Reason" was released on 24 November 2008, entering the UK Albums Chart at No. 41. Lead single "If She Knew" was released on 10 November 2008, and peaked on the UK Singles Chart at No. 14.
Lemar performed his new single “The Way Love Goes” on the BBC1 show “So You Think You Can Dance” on Saturday 9th January. The single was released on Valentine’s Day. "The Way Love Goes" first entered the UK Singles Chart on 21, February 2010. The single has so far managed to peak at #8, his first Top 10 single since "It's Not That Easy" in 2006. It became Lemar's seventh Top 10 single and made the Top 10 without making the BBC Radio 1 or BBC Radio 2 playlists.
It was followed on March 8 by his much anticipated album, 'The Hits', which - as well as including 10 hit singles from his four studio albums - also features four new tracks. In addtiton to 'The Way Love Goes', these include a duet with Britain's chart-topping pop/R&B boy-band JLS on a re-recording of Lemar's own 2003 ballad 'What About Love'.
Intro
Lemar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They don't even realize that when they box me in or try
To verbally put me in some type of box
They're really showing their level of ignorance
They're putting themselves in a box (They're putting themselves in a box)
I am a Dreamer
Lemar can you talk to us about your mixtape and a bit of your Life
I got the flame in my veins
They got their bitches dressing shein
I got my bitches popping
Only Louis Vuitton and Dior
If it's not that don't cop it
We lit it up like flame
And got ur bitches hopping
Wow hold on! A bit slower and in Spanish para los latinos
Since i was 9 always earned my respects in the streets
Ahead of time people though I was a prodigy
It's nothing new when I see they wanna copy me
El conocimiento que yo tengo es obvio ma g
Me lo dio la calle con buenos y malos habitos
Naah tu no eres calle naa
A que te refieres con conocimientos y no tener calle
A los 11 ya yo estaba en una ganga
Y tú me hablas de calle porque fumas marihuana
Naah te falta calle, te falta lana
Yo estoy volando, en mi cuello tengo una cubana
Y en mi bicho tengo saltando una colombiana
Mientras me twerkea la venezolana
Naah tu no eres calle naa
Interesante Lemar, cuentanos más
15 Años me aleje de la calle
Tratando de dejar atrás esa vida loca
De igual forma no camino con chota
Si te equivocas se te manda directo pa la chonta
LV Pa la chonta
Hablanos después de la mayoría de edad
18 Años ya mayor de edad
Todo lo que hacía era con cautela
Vivo con los pacos, te pueden meter tras rejas
La única que llora créeme, será tu vieja
Gracias Lemar por tu tiempo y éxito en tu carrera
Te dejamos para que te despidas
Un respeto pa' todos los que josean
Nacido en maracay
Criado en el 305
Ahora en PTY
Chambeando esa es la qué hay
Musica pa'l kilero Musica pa'l putero
Música real pa' todos mis bandoleros
Davisin fuiste real hasta el fin
Te llevo en el corazón fuiste family pa' mi
LV mis respetos
The opening lyrics of “Intro” by Lemar feature the artist’s frustration with being put into a box by people who are unaware of their own ignorance. Lemar notes that people who try to put him in a box are actually putting themselves in a box, highlighting the fact that they lack the insight required to understand the complexities of his artistry. He goes on to describe himself as a dreamer, holding both passion and money, while others focus on materialism, he focuses on his craft. The song then shifts into Spanish, with Lemar discussing his upbringing and the time he spent in the streets. He notes that he gained knowledge and experience from good and bad habits, and that those who claim to understand the streets but lack experience are not truly knowledgeable. He emphasizes his growth and progression away from street life, noting that he lived with caution, aware at every moment of the potential consequences of any misstep. The song also pays tribute to a friend, Davisin, who was “family” to Lemar.
Line by Line Meaning
You know so many people are just so fucking obvious
Many people are too predictable and don't even realize it.
They don't even realize that when they box me in or try
They are not self-aware enough to see that they are trying to limit or pigeonhole him.
To verbally put me in some type of box
Some people try to categorize him by their perceptions of him.
They're really showing their level of ignorance
These people are actually revealing their own lack of knowledge and understanding.
They're putting themselves in a box (They're putting themselves in a box)
By attempting to stereotype him, they are actually limiting themselves.
I am a Dreamer
Lemar is a dreamer, pursuing his goals and aspirations.
I got the flame in my veins
He is full of passion for his craft.
The money in my pocket
He has financial success due to his hard work.
They got their bitches dressing shein
Others may spend money on superficial things while he has a more authentic approach.
I got my bitches popping
He has real relationships with genuine people who support him and his success.
Only Louis Vuitton and Dior
He has high standards and only accepts the best.
If it's not that don't cop it
If something doesn't meet his standards, he won't waste his time with it.
We lit it up like flame
He and his crew are successful and thriving.
And got ur bitches hopping
They have a strong influence and others follow their lead.
Since i was 9 always earned my respects in the streets
He has gained a reputation for respect and admiration since a young age.
Ahead of time people though I was a prodigy
People recognized his talent and potential from an early age.
It's nothing new when I see they wanna copy me
Copying his style or approach is something he has seen many times before.
El conocimiento que yo tengo es obvio ma g
The knowledge he's gained from his life experiences is obvious.
Me lo dio la calle con buenos y malos habitos
The street life has taught him valuable lessons, both good and bad.
Naah tu no eres calle naa
He doesn't believe the person he's speaking to has lived his street life.
A que te refieres con conocimientos y no tener calle
He questions how someone can claim to have knowledge of this type of life without living it themselves.
A los 11 ya yo estaba en una ganga
He was involved in a gang at a very young age.
Y tú me hablas de calle porque fumas marihuana
He doesn't believe someone who smokes weed can truly understand his experiences in the street life.
Naah te falta calle, te falta lana
He thinks the person he's speaking to lacks both street-life experience and wealth.
Yo estoy volando, en mi cuello tengo una cubana
He is successful and proud, as represented by his Cuban necklace.
Y en mi bicho tengo saltando una colombiana
He has a woman who loves and supports him, as represented by the Colombian bracelet on his wrist.
Mientras me twerkea la venezolana
He has another woman who is dancing and having fun with him.
15 Años me aleje de la calle
He made a conscious decision to leave the street life behind at the age of 15.
Tratando de dejar atrás esa vida loca
He wanted to put that wild life behind him and pursue a better future.
De igual forma no camino con chota
He doesn't want to associate with people who are involved in criminal activity.
Si te equivocas se te manda directo pa la chonta
If someone makes a mistake, they'll be sent straight to jail.
18 Años ya mayor de edad
He became an adult at 18 years old.
Todo lo que hacía era con cautela
He was cautious in everything he did.
Vivo con los pacos, te pueden meter tras rejas
He avoids doing anything that could get him arrested or in trouble with the police.
La única que llora créeme, será tu vieja
The only person who will cry if someone gets into trouble is their mother.
Un respeto pa' todos los que josean
He has respect for everyone who lives their life with honor and integrity.
Nacido en maracay
He was born in Maracay, Venezuela.
Criado en el 305
He was raised in Miami, Florida.
Ahora en PTY
He is currently in Panama City, Panama.
Chambeando esa es la qué hay
He is working hard to achieve his goals.
Musica pa'l kilero Musica pa'l putero
His music is for everyone, regardless of their background or lifestyle.
Música real pa' todos mis bandoleros
His music is authentic and true to his background and experiences.
Davisin fuiste real hasta el fin
He respects and admires his friend Davisin for being true to himself until the end.
Te llevo en el corazón fuiste family pa' mi
Davisin was like family to him and he will always remember him in his heart.
LV mis respetos
He has respect for those who work hard and achieve success.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Luis Martinez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind