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.
Fan Mail
Little Brother Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
MIGGER!
[Intro: Rapper Big Pooh]
Rapper Pooh's in the motherfuckin buildin
Phonte's in the buildin, Joe Scudda's in the buildin
DJ Babu's on the motherfuckin BEAT!
[Lil' Fame "G. Building":]
"Regulatin this game, fuck a critic
Cause when I'm spittin, I'm a split your shit in! "
[Rapper Big Pooh:]
Here we go, yo; niggaz tryna box me in
How the fuck am I suppose to win?
Bruh, Poobie stay cool like I'm West Coast pimpin with Schwinn
I'm a keep doin me, I just pimp with a pen
Til the day that I reach my end
I'm a always do me first, fucker 'fore I let you in
Ronnie J. is my next-to-kin, and to be frank
Muh'fuckers I ain't take it from him (take it from him)
I done been criticize, critique to stone
Even had people tell me I should leave it alone
How you gon throw rocks, but you don't want the throne
Try and keep a nigga outta his zone
You ain't never wrote a rap in your life,
Or even handle bars to put yourself on the mic, but you talk about ME
If I talk about you, you won't buy my CDs'
I'm talkin 'bout y'all, tell me what it's gon be, WHAT? !
[Chorus: Darien Brockington]
(Holla, holla, holla, holla)
I'm just huuuuman
I'm onnnnly a maaaaaaaan...
And I'm doooooin the best that I caaaaan, yeah...
I was yooooou, would you pleeeease understand, yeah...
[Lil' Fame "G. Building":]
{"Regulatin this game, fuck a critic
Cause when I'm spittin, I'm a split your shit in"}
[Joe Scudda:]
Yeah, J-O, aiyyo I'm sick of all the whinin and the bitchin
I swear you act like a bunch of ladies
Cause all you every do is cry like a bunch of babies
Do you really think that y'all opinion with Joe will switch my flow?
Fuckin crazy; you done fell down and bumped your head
You can suck my dick, that's what the fuck Joe said
Simple and plain, I wanted you to catch that shit
I said it, I meant it, so NO I don't regret that shit
But I still got fans that keep it real with Joe
They love my cocky persona and the ignorant flow
They say, "Fuck 'em, ya ignorant Joe"
My manager told me to murder everything, so I'm killin 'em doe
And I'on't really give a fuck if you quote my shit
But it's me, and I should know cause I wrote my shit
Guess this game, truly is a gift and a curse
You said you hate me so I KNOW you gon luh this verse, what? !
[Chorus]
[Phonte:]
Peace to D.P.'s and Alchemisssst
And dis is dedicated to them bastard whicccch
Gave me and the crew dey ass to kiss
That's why I'm bout to be Reborn, this verse is just a Braxton hits
(C'mon) Just imagine if, you spend your whole life working hard
And still had niggaz hatin and frontin
Everybody, yeah they own your shit, but got they bones to pick
Like we was playin Operation or sumthin
Maybe then you might lose it, get a little madder
Wanna choke a nigga, maybe slap a cracka
Maybe rethink your whole strategy and be like,
"Fuck these rap geeks, I'm rhymin with Project Pat-a"
I know that's probably too much for y'all
I can tell on the nerves that I'm touchin on
I'm just stayin on my grind like bicuspids, dawg
I ain't got time to fuck with y'all, I'm doin ME, c'mon
[Chorus]
The song Fan Mail by Little Brother is a confrontational response to the critics and naysayers of their music. The lyrics call out those who try to box in the artists and those who speak negatively about them without ever having put themselves in their shoes. Rapper Big Pooh specifically addresses those who have criticized him and spoken ill of him without ever having written a rap themselves. He emphasizes that he will always do him first and that he won't let anyone in who doesn't appreciate him for who he is. Joe Scudda similarly addresses those who complain about his style and attitude and asserts that he doesn't care if people quote his lyrics, as he knows that he wrote them himself. Overall, the song's message is one of strength and resilience, encouraging the artists' fans to stay true to themselves and their craft despite any negative feedback.
One interesting fact about Fan Mail is that it was released as a single in 2007, a year after the album The Minstrel Show came out. The single features a remix of the song, which includes verses by other artists like Cormega and Skillz. Another fact is that Little Brother frequently makes references to their North Carolina roots throughout their music, and Fan Mail is no exception. This is evident in the line "From NC, to LA" in the song's opening, which emphasizes the artists' pride in their home state. Additionally, the song's chorus is sung by Darien Brockington, a North Carolina-based soul singer who frequently collaborates with Little Brother.
Another interesting aspect of Fan Mail is the range of musical influences it draws from. The song's beat was produced by DJ Babu, a member of the influential hip-hop group Dilated Peoples, and features a sample of Lil' Fame from the group M.O.P. The sample comes from the song "G. Building," a 2000 track that features Lil' Fame rapping lines similar to those in Fan Mail, such as "Regulatin this game, fuck a critic/Cause when I'm spittin, I'm a split your shit in." This demonstrates how Little Brother pays homage to the hip-hop artists that came before them while still making music that feels fresh and innovative.
Line by Line Meaning
Rapper Pooh's in the motherfuckin buildin
Rapper Pooh is present in the building
Phonte's in the buildin, Joe Scudda's in the buildin
Phonte and Joe Scudda are present in the building
DJ Babu's on the motherfuckin BEAT!
DJ Babu is producing the beat
"Regulatin this game, fuck a critic
Cause when I'm spittin, I'm a split your shit in! "
I don't care about critics, I am so good I will destroy them with my lyrics
Here we go, yo; niggaz tryna box me in
How the fuck am I suppose to win?
People are trying to limit me, how am I supposed to succeed in that situation?
Bruh, Poobie stay cool like I'm West Coast pimpin with Schwinn
I'm a keep doin me, I just pimp with a pen
I stay calm and true to myself, using my writing as my strength
Til the day that I reach my end
I'm a always do me first, fucker 'fore I let you in
I will remain true to myself until the very end, never letting anyone change my path
Ronnie J. is my next-to-kin, and to be frank
Muh'fuckers I ain't take it from him (take it from him)
Ronnie J. is like family to me, and I didn't steal anything from him
I done been criticize, critique to stone
Even had people tell me I should leave it alone
I have faced harsh criticism and even been told to quit, but I choose to persevere
How you gon throw rocks, but you don't want the throne
Try and keep a nigga outta his zone
You can't criticize without wanting to be in my position, but you are trying to bring me down
You ain't never wrote a rap in your life,
Or even handle bars to put yourself on the mic, but you talk about ME
You have never even attempted to write a rap, yet you still criticize me and my work
If I talk about you, you won't buy my CDs'
I'm talkin 'bout y'all, tell me what it's gon be, WHAT?!
If I call you out in my music, you won't support me, so what are you going to do?
I'm just huuuuman
I'm onnnnly a maaaaaaaan...
And I'm doooooin the best that I caaaaan, yeah...
I was yooooou, would you pleeeease understand, yeah...
I am just a person doing my best, and if our roles were reversed, I hope you would understand
Yeah, J-O, aiyyo I'm sick of all the whinin and the bitchin
I swear you act like a bunch of ladies
I am tired of the constant complaining and acting like a bunch of whiny women
Cause all you every do is cry like a bunch of babies
Do you really think that y'all opinion with Joe will switch my flow?
Your constant complaints won't change my style or opinions
Simple and plain, I wanted you to catch that shit
I said it, I meant it, so NO I don't regret that shit
I meant every word I said and have no regrets about it
My manager told me to murder everything, so I'm killin 'em doe
And I'on't really give a fuck if you quote my shit
My manager told me to dominate in everything, so I am killing the competition, and I don't care if you repeat my words
But it's me, and I should know cause I wrote my shit
Guess this game, truly is a gift and a curse
I wrote my own lyrics, so I know what I am talking about. Being in this industry is both a blessing and a curse
That's why I'm bout to be Reborn, this verse is just a Braxton hits
(C'mon) Just imagine if, you spend your whole life working hard
And still had niggaz hatin and frontin
I am ready for a fresh start and will make a comeback. Just imagine working hard your whole life and still facing hatred and backlash
Everybody, yeah they own your shit, but got they bones to pick
Like we was playin Operation or sumthin
Everyone is claiming ownership over your work yet they still have criticisms and complaints
Maybe then you might lose it, get a little madder
Wanna choke a nigga, maybe slap a cracka
In that situation, you might get extremely angry and want to physically harm someone
I know that's probably too much for y'all
I can tell on the nerves that I'm touchin on
I'm just stayin on my grind like bicuspids, dawg
I ain't got time to fuck with y'all, I'm doin ME, c'mon
I am aware that my words might be too much for some people, but I am focused on my work and have no time to waste on negativity
Peace to D.P.'s and Alchemisssst
And dis is dedicated to them bastard whicccch
Gave me and the crew dey ass to kiss
Shoutout to DP and Alchemist, this song is dedicated to the people who have caused us problems
Maybe rethink your whole strategy and be like,
"Fuck these rap geeks, I'm rhymin with Project Pat-a"
Perhaps you should change your tactics and stop dealing with rap critics, instead, switch to a less mainstream style
I know that's probably too much for y'all
I can tell on the nerves that I'm touchin on
I'm just stayin on my grind like bicuspids, dawg
I ain't got time to fuck with y'all, I'm doin ME, c'mon
Once again, I am aware that my words might be too harsh for some people, but I am focused on my own work and have no time to waste on negativity
Contributed by Brody A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.