Little Brother formed in Durham, NC at North Carolina Central University in 1998. The group began as a trio, featuring members Phonte (Phonte Coleman), Big Pooh (Thomas Jones), and producer 9th Wonder (Pat Douthit). They are founding members of the North Carolina hip-hop collective called The Justus League, under the umbrella music group The Hall of Justus.
Their official debut came in August 2001 with their first recording, Speed; the song talks about making it big in the music business while still dealing with the troubles and hardships of life and holding down a full-time job. They continued to work the local scene and were picked up by ABB Records. In 2002, they released the cult hit 7" single Atari 2600, with lyrics centering around video games. In 2003, the group released their first full length album, The Listening. This record boosted the group to higher acclaim, but national recognition came when Jay-Z tapped 9th Wonder for the song Threat, off of his eighth offering The Black Album.
That fall, they opened for the Hieroglyphics crew on their Full Circle national tour. Little Brother’s sophomore album, The Minstrel Show, saw increased success due to their raised popularity. It's theme compares present day rap music and the music industry to the minstrel shows of the late 1800s.
In 2005, Little Brother became embroiled in a short-lived feud, when Young Jeezy's protege Slick Pulla challenged the group to a battle after hearing an interview in which Phonte voiced some disapprovments concerning drug rap and the "snowman mascot". Little Brother did not respond, and instead, Phonte called Slick Pulla and the pair resolved the misunderstanding.
Outside of the group, Phonte collaborated with producer Nicolay as The Foreign Exchange, on Connected. Rapper Big Pooh released a solo album entitled Sleepers. 9th Wonder has produced songs for major artists like De La Soul and Destiny's Child, as well as underground artists such as Sean Price, Hieroglyphics, Splash, and fellow members of The Justus League.
In addition, 9th has produced whole albums for Jean Grae (Jeanius), Murs (Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition), Buckshot (Chemistry) and a remix album of Nas' God's Son entitled God's Stepson. In this way he has helped to facilitate the return of albums done entirely by one MC and one producer, which have seen something of a resurgence (RJD2 and Aceyalone's Magnificent City, the upcoming DJ Premier and Royce da 5'9" joint album). He is also working on a second Buckshot/9th album, to be called The Formula.
In late 2006, Little Brother began recording their third album, and second for Atlantic Records, Getback. However, in a drastic turn of events, the group announced in January, 2007 that they would be parting ways with Atlantic. This move was likely due to the commercial failure of The Minstrel Show, and creative differences over their future material. Big Pooh was quoted as saying "We as a group just felt that it was not in our best interest to remain in a situation where our needs were constantly being overlooked. We didn't have an A&R for The Minstrel Show. We don't have any type of relationship with our current A&R. There are just a lot of internal issues that ended up working against us." Their manager Big Dho added that there were no "ill feelings towards their (Atlantic) company."
More of a surprise to fans was news that the group has also parted ways with their longtime producer 9th Wonder. Although 9th Wonder's role in the group was that of a producer, the group's tours only consisted of the other two members and his contribution to recent Little Brother releases such as Separate But Equal were less than before (although it is worth noting that this release was a mixtape and not an official album). Nonetheless, news that he would be playing a smaller role and contributing less to their third album indicated a divide between the members. Big Pooh stated that the decision was amicable on both sides, saying "This is just a decision that had to be made so all three of us could move forward and continue to provide the world with dope music."
Little Brother formally announced the group's breakup in 2010.
Producer DeAndre Keaton (DJ Flash) who is featured on The Chittlin Circuit 1.5 is the official tour DJ for Little Brother.
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There is also second artist called Little Brother who is based in Brighton, Sussex. Using guitars, keyboard and a range of other instruments, little brother creates a unique alternative 'electronic' sound
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There is a third artist called Little Brother
Little Brother is the Acoustic Emo project of Newcastle-based singer/songwriter John Floreani (Trophy Eyes).
Drawing inspiration from the stylistic sensibilities of Daniel Johnson, Owen and Right Away, Great Captain!, Little Brother is an exploration of love, loss and heartache.
The project’s debut 6 track EP, 'Terrace' will be released late 2014.
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There is a fourth artist called Little Brother
Little Brother is a lo-fi singer/songwriter project, who released their first album ('Green for a While') on 18th August 2022.
Best Kept Secret
Little Brother Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is a RJ-D2, Justus League production
Brought to you by Phonte, DJ Flash, Rapper Big Pooh and
[L.E.G.A.C.Y.:]
Sick fluin' you, breakin' niggaz
Electric Boogalo, wire me, fire me, admire me
I split em' come, come, drop the sewer
Should I hit em' up on some 'Pac Shakur shit?
On top of the globe, givin' the world violence, wants control
This the girl, she should've been on the album
Fuck it, I'm invincible, keepin' my bitches bendable
Like contortionist, wild life, the source of this
No wife, I won't forfeit this, revenge on some pork and shit
Oink muh'fucker, ever line on point muh' fucker
Eat your lame lines, say somethin', give me dinner
We move at the same time like we synchronized swimmers
Back strokin' and shit, got niggaz showboatin' this bitch
Twelve oceans with this, stay afloat with my click
Got titles/tidals, see the waves? Goin' all to em' DGA
[Chorus: scratches]
I'm the next best to reach em'
Formerly known as the best kept secret
I'm the next best to reach em'
Formerly, formerly known (Justus League!!)
I'm the next best to reach em'
Formerly known as the best kept secret
Formerly, formerly known
Formerly known as the best kept secret
[Phonte:]
I'm from a place where them boys been at
Where the Eastside and Southside niggaz went at
With the low lifes and heroin addicts; On my block
You should at least look hard, and I don't mean squint at
Or you might get tossed around; The spring sting
Of the League, and I'mma show you how a boss get down
So homeboy remind yourself, rewind yourself
Or you could find yourself in the lost & found
Tay' aimin' where it hurts, and you can feel the pain
And anguish in the verse; and I pray this game don't
Change me for the worse, Cause it's all permanent
RJ on the beat, so ya'll call it alternative
I don't give a fuck, just as long as ya'll burnin' it,
Nigga, I got next, motherfuck whoever turn it is
And when I'm on stage, live is how I hit em up
J. League's the second comin'/cummin' ya'll still tryna get it up
Nigga!
[Chorus]
[Rapper Big Pooh:]
Who's the best that did it, the best to live it
Every line I hand paint a picture so vivid
It's the Mr. Crazy, nicest, maybe
We tryna get a leg up and then ash a lady
Eighty's baby, maybe you could get a chance
Take a minute to break, naw cuz he's back on
Nametag, swing, with my name in them
Other niggaz counterfit, ain't the same as him
Shame on them, I'm a bring the pain to them
I'm a make em never imitate the champion
They can't beat him, of course not, my thoughts rock
While I roll with the best crew, you group rocks
At the bottom of the bottom, I'm on top of the top
Black, green, I'm on every block
I done had it up to here, and this shit gon' stop
No wack nigga's gonna make a move on my spot
[Chorus]
The song "Best Kept Secret" by Little Brother feat. L.E.G.A.C.Y. involves three artists bragging about their skills and their position in the rap game. They all express their disdain for wack rappers, talking about how they will never make a move on their spot. L.E.G.A.C.Y. kicks off the song with a boastful verse about being admired, hired to do professional jobs, and having control. He compares himself to a contortionist and describes himself as wild, with no wife because he's too busy focusing on his craft. He talks about giving his opponents dinner, showing his superiority over them.
Phonte is from a tough neighborhood where he has to protect himself from heroin addicts and lowlifes. He prides himself on being a boss and warns his opponents against trying to test him. He believes he has what it takes to be the best and is willing to prove it. Rapper Big Pooh insists that he's the best in the game, painting a picture so vivid that nobody can imitate him. He's tired of wack rappers trying to take his spot and is determined to stay on top of his game.
Overall, "Best Kept Secret" is a song about confidence, skill, and being proud of one's abilities. The artists express their desire to be recognized as the best in their craft and their disdain for those who can't keep up.
Line by Line Meaning
This is a RJ-D2, Justus League production
This song is produced by the Justus League with RJ-D2 assistance.
Sick fluin' you, breakin' niggaz
I'm mercilessly attacking you with my verses, breaking you down.
Electric Boogalo, wire me, fire me, admire me
My verses are electrifying, making an impact on you, and earning your admiration.
They hire me to do jobs, professional run through squads
I'm so good at rapping that they hire me to take care of the competition easily.
I split em' come, come, drop the sewer
I defeat them, embarrass them, and make them feel like they belong in the sewer.
Should I hit em' up on some 'Pac Shakur shit?
Should I attack them like 2Pac did in the past?
On top of the globe, givin' the world violence, wants control
I'm dominant over the rap world, and I'm violent, craving control.
This the girl, she should've been on the album
This female artist should have been included on the album.
Fuck it, I'm invincible, keepin' my bitches bendable
I feel unstoppable, and I like to have authority over my women.
Like contortionist, wild life, the source of this
I'm comparing my women to contortionists, and I'm living a wild lifestyle, which is the source of my music.
No wife, I won't forfeit this, revenge on some pork and shit
I'm not getting married, and I won't give up my music, and I'm seeking revenge on someone or something.
Oink muh'fucker, ever line on point muh' fucker
I'm calling out the competition, telling them they're not as good as me.
Eat your lame lines, say somethin', give me dinner
I'm setting the bar high, asking my competition to step up and bring their best.
We move at the same time like we synchronized swimmers
My team and I share a bond, and we're working together like synchronized swimmers.
Back strokin' and shit, got niggaz showboatin' this bitch
We're taking it easy, and we're watching the competition show off and make fools of themselves.
Twelve oceans with this, stay afloat with my click
We're navigating through difficult times, and we're staying together as a group.
Got titles/tidals, see the waves? Goin' all to em' DGA
We have achieved great things, and we're continuing to rise, making waves in the music industry.
I'm from a place where them boys been at
I'm from a neighborhood where people have been through struggles.
Where the Eastside and Southside niggaz went at
People from different neighborhoods would compete with each other.
With the low lifes and heroin addicts; On my block
Drug addiction and crime were a reality on my street.
You should at least look hard, and I don't mean squint at
You should be careful and observant when you're here.
Or you might get tossed around; The spring sting
You might get into trouble, and it's not going to be pleasant.
Of the League, and I'mma show you how a boss get down
I'm a leader of the Justus League, and I'm going to show you how to be a boss.
So homeboy remind yourself, rewind yourself
You should evaluate yourself closely and try to improve.
Or you could find yourself in the lost & found
Otherwise, you're going to face some serious issues.
Tay' aimin' where it hurts, and you can feel the pain
My verses are targeting your weaknesses, and they're going to hurt you.
And anguish in the verse; and I pray this game don't
My verses are also full of emotions, and I hope that this game doesn't corrupt me.
Change me for the worse, Cause it's all permanent
I'm worried that this game might make me a worse person, and the effects will be permanent.
RJ on the beat, so ya'll call it alternative
People might describe our music as alternative because of RJ's influence.
I don't give a fuck, just as long as ya'll burnin' it,
I don't care what people call our music, as long as they appreciate it and enjoy it.
Nigga, I got next, motherfuck whoever turn it is
I'm the next big thing in this music industry, and I don't care whose turn it is.
And when I'm on stage, live is how I hit em up
When I'm performing on stage, I'm doing it live, and it's hard-hitting.
J. League's the second comin'/cummin' ya'll still tryna get it up
The Justus League is the second wave of elite rap artists, and everyone else is still trying to catch up.
Who's the best that did it, the best to live it
I'm asking who's the best rap artist out there, who's really lived this life.
Every line I hand paint a picture so vivid
Every line I write is evocative and creates vivid images in the listener's mind.
It's the Mr. Crazy, nicest, maybe
They call me Mr. Crazy, but I'm still one of the best.
We tryna get a leg up and then ash a lady
We're trying to get ahead in this industry and then relax with a woman.
Eighty's baby, maybe you could get a chance
I was born in the 80s, and maybe you'll get a chance to be like me.
Take a minute to break, naw cuz he's back on
I'm not taking any breaks, I'm always working and never stopping.
Nametag, swing, with my name in them
I have a signature style and incorporate my name into every verse.
Other niggaz counterfit, ain't the same as him
Other rappers try to copy my style, but they're not as good as I am.
Shame on them, I'm a bring the pain to them
They should be ashamed of themselves, and I'm going to teach them a lesson.
I'm a make em never imitate the champion
No one will be able to copy my style, and I'll always be the champion.
They can't beat him, of course not, my thoughts rock
No one can defeat me because I'm unbeatable and powerful.
While I roll with the best crew, you group rocks
I'm part of the best group in the industry, and your group isn't as good as mine.
At the bottom of the bottom, I'm on top of the top
I come from the bottom, but I've risen to the top of the industry.
Black, green, I'm on every block
I'm well-known and beloved in every neighborhood, no matter where it is.
I done had it up to here, and this shit gon' stop
I'm fed up with the nonsense, and I'm going to put an end to it.
No wack nigga's gonna make a move on my spot
No one who's weaker or less skilled than me will take my place at the top.
[Chorus: scratches]
The chorus is playing.
I'm the next best to reach em'
We think we're the next big rap artist to make it big.
Formerly known as the best kept secret
We used to be relatively unknown, but we're on the rise now.
Formerly, formerly known (Justus League!!)
We used to be even more unknown, but we're associated with the Justus League.
Formerly known as the best kept secret
We're reminding everyone that we used to be hidden gems.
Contributed by Joseph F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
kool dude 41 2153970958
this track is hot, surprise I never heard of it.... keep up the good work lb!...
Bulelani Futshane
let it be known... dope!!
Sooperb
I still need this beat.
Michael Luciano
Anyone know the original sample on this? Great track
The Real Eli Ben
LB 4 life