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.
Lose It
Little Brother Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got chickens looking at me from the left and the right
They wanna be wife, all I want is head for the night
See I'm dressed kinda tight but I'm sweating out my clothes
cause I'm hot and I'm sick and damn tired of these shows
Let me stop lying, I love being in the light
cause I know the crowd waiting just for me to get it hype
All I'm needing is a mic and a bag of that sticky
Wanna dive off stage but I weigh two-fifty
I ain't fucking up my threads cause I'm way too jiggy
Hit me, I'ma be up in the back where the woods at
Wanna tour every city, find out where their hood's at
I don't need a hood rat, fame gave me booshie ass
And she got girlfriends, now I'm playing booty tag
You can brag, Jo' keep it moving with a smile
I'm losing my mind, but at least a nigga lose it in his style
[Chorus: Jozeemo]
Now throw your hands up and "lose it"
Turn your bottles up and "lose it"
Spark the kush up and "lose it"
Turn the music up and "lose it"
I'm out of my zone, I'm out of Patron
I know I'm bout "lose it", I'm out of my dome
Now throw your hands up and "lose it"
Turn your bottles up and "lose it"
Spark the kush up and "lose it"
Turn the music up and "lose it"
I'm going insane, it's part of the game
A nigga bout to "lose it", I know it's the fame
[Phonte]
Uh, it ain't nothing like being on centre stage with all
the people screaming while me and my niggas is facing off
Go to your corner homie, you gon' need the taping guards
No scratch that nigga, you gon' need the grace of God
When we finish tonight, you won't want to face tomorrow
The rap, the bling, the cake, yeah we take 'em all
Cause err'night, them boys they bust asses
On stage they don't play +fare+ like +bus passes+
I'm Phontigallo, Master of Ceremony
Master of simile and master of metaphor
So you might as well get used to me amigo
Tigallo Tarantino, top +Dog+ in your +Reservoir+
I wrote this to give niggas direction
I eff Gary Graham so that I don't have to play him
I'm on my way home way past third base
When you see 'Te face, keep stepping to the ace
[Chorus]
[Rapper Big Pooh]
Check, I play the side, Pooh cooler than the mud
White T, low pro, asking who he was
My {?}, drink another, now I'm buzz
Cooler than a fan, nobody do it like we does
I'm mic handling, send niggas scrambling
Rapper Pooh hammering, crazy like Cameron
I'm outstanding whenever I dictate
words over beats, fuck niggas better get straight
Get great, take plates, eating steak again
Can't wait, back to serve, I'm the baker man
Rock shows, rock hoes, why you hating Stan?
Thought I said ain't nobody like me
Live on stage like Dilated P
No more freestyling, now I rap for a fee
LS 400 or I'm low in a Capri
Either way it go, your girl came to see me!
[Chorus]
The song "Lose It" by Little Brother feat. Jozeemo talks about the pressures and the highs of being in the spotlight, and the craziness that comes along with it. Jozeemo raps about how he loves being on stage, but sometimes he gets hot and tired of performing. He also talks about how fame has changed his life and how it has given him access to different types of women. Phonte jumps on the track and talks about being the "Master of Ceremony" and the "Master of Simile and Metaphor." He also looks at the industry as a sport and raps about being the best. Rapper Big Pooh wraps up the song with a list of all the things he's accomplished in his career, from performing at shows to getting paid for his talent.
"Lose It" is a reflection of the life of a musician and the emotions that come along with it. It explores the idea of the crazy life that comes with fame, and how it can drive people to the brink of insanity. The song showcases the struggles of maintaining personal relationships, the pressure of success, and the overall struggle of being in the spotlight.
Line by Line Meaning
I got chickens looking at me from the left and the right
There are women looking at me from all sides, trying to be with me
They wanna be wife, all I want is head for the night
These women want to settle down with me, but all I want is a one night stand
See I'm dressed kinda tight but I'm sweating out my clothes
Although my clothes are tight-fitting, I am sweating heavily due to the heat and physical exertion of performing
cause I'm hot and I'm sick and damn tired of these shows
I am feeling exhausted and overworked from constantly performing in hot conditions
Let me stop lying, I love being in the light
Although I previously complained about performing, the truth is that I love being in the spotlight
cause I know the crowd waiting just for me to get it hype
The audience is eagerly anticipating my performance to get them excited
All I'm needing is a mic and a bag of that sticky
All I need to perform is a microphone and some marijuana
Couple drinks got me feeling like a badass niggy
After drinking a few alcoholic beverages, I feel confident and powerful
Wanna dive off stage but I weigh two-fifty
I feel the urge to dive off the stage, but I am too heavy to do so without risking injury
I ain't fucking up my threads cause I'm way too jiggy
I will not ruin my stylish clothing by jumping off the stage
Hit me, I'ma be up in the back where the woods at
Contact me, I will be in the back of the concert venue, where the fans are rowdier
Wanna tour every city, find out where their hood's at
I want to tour every city and discover where the rougher parts of town are
I don't need a hood rat, fame gave me booshie ass
I do not need a woman from the hood because my fame has attracted more sophisticated women
And she got girlfriends, now I'm playing booty tag
She has brought her friends along, and I am now flirting and playing around with them
You can brag, Jo' keep it moving with a smile
You can boast, but I will continue performing with a positive attitude
I'm losing my mind, but at least a nigga lose it in his style
I am going crazy, but at least I am doing so with my own unique flair
Now throw your hands up and "lose it"
Now put your hands in the air and let loose
Turn your bottles up and "lose it"
Raise your bottles and have a good time
Spark the kush up and "lose it"
Light up some marijuana and let go
Turn the music up and "lose it"
Increase the volume of the music and get wild
I'm out of my zone, I'm out of Patron
I am in an altered state due to alcohol and drug use
I know I'm bout "lose it", I'm out of my dome
I know I am going to lose control and be wild, as I am not in my right mind
A nigga bout to "lose it", I know it's the fame
I am going to go crazy, and I believe my fame is partially to blame
Uh, it ain't nothing like being on centre stage with all
There is nothing like being the center of attention on stage
the people screaming while me and my niggas is facing off
The audience is cheering while I perform with my friends
Go to your corner homie, you gon' need the taping guards
You should retreat to your own space because you will need a lot of help to even attempt to compete with us
No scratch that nigga, you gon' need the grace of God
Scratch that, you will need divine intervention to even have a chance against us
When we finish tonight, you won't want to face tomorrow
After our performance tonight, you will feel so defeated that you will not want to face the next day
The rap, the bling, the cake, yeah we take 'em all
We take all of the money and success that comes with rapping and performing
Cause err'night, them boys they bust asses
We work hard every night to deliver the best performances possible
On stage they don't play +fare+ like +bus passes+
We do not hold back on stage, we give it our all and do not play it safe
I'm Phontigallo, Master of Ceremony
I am Phontigallo, the person who hosts and controls the flow of the performance
Master of simile and master of metaphor
I am skilled at using similes and metaphors in my lyrics
So you might as well get used to me amigo
You should get used to my presence on the stage, my friend
Tigallo Tarantino, top +Dog+ in your +Reservoir+
I am a top-tier rapper, like a Tarantino movie character, in the city where you live (your reservoir)
I wrote this to give niggas direction
I wrote this song to provide guidance and inspiration to other rappers
I eff Gary Graham so that I don't have to play him
I mess up the name of Gary Graham (a person I do not like) so that I do not have to pay him any attention
I'm on my way home way past third base
I am almost finished with my journey or task, like getting to a home run in baseball
When you see 'Te face, keep stepping to the ace
When you see my face, just keep walking towards the main event or goal
Check, I play the side, Pooh cooler than the mud
I stay out of the spotlight and remain cool and relaxed
White T, low pro, asking who he was
I wear a plain white t-shirt and try to blend in
My {?}, drink another, now I'm buzz
After drinking more alcohol, I am now feeling slightly tipsy
Cooler than a fan, nobody do it like we does
We are cooler than anyone else and our performances cannot be matched
I'm mic handling, send niggas scrambling
I am skilled at holding a microphone and making other rappers feel intimidated
Rapper Pooh hammering, crazy like Cameron
I am rapping aggressively and unpredictably, like an actor in a movie such as 'Cameron' (likely referring to Cameron Diaz)
I'm outstanding whenever I dictate
I am amazing and outstanding whenever I am in control of the situation
words over beats, fuck niggas better get straight
My lyrics will put other rappers in their place
Get great, take plates, eating steak again
I will continue to get even better, and I will be successful and rewarded like eating a delicious steak
Can't wait, back to serve, I'm the baker man
I am eager to return to performing and showing off my skills, like a baker who enjoys baking bread
Rock shows, rock hoes, why you hating Stan?
We perform well and attract many women, so why do you hate us, Stan?
Thought I said ain't nobody like me
I previously stated that there is nobody else like me
Live on stage like Dilated P
I perform on stage energetically and with skill, like the group Dilated Peoples
No more freestyling, now I rap for a fee
I am no longer rapping for free or improvising, I am now doing it to make money
LS 400 or I'm low in a Capri
I either ride in a Lexus LS 400 or a low-cost Ford Capri, both of which can be stylish
Either way it go, your girl came to see me!
No matter which car I drive, I know that your girlfriend came to see my performance
Contributed by Jackson W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.