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.
***********
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
***********
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.
***********
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.
Stylin
Little Brother Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, from NC to Oxnard. Nigga we go hard. Ha
[Verse One] [Big Pooh]
I was that chubby kid, I ain't talk too much
And even though I could I never use that crutch
It's funny when you're older, makin' moves and such
How people find a way to get in your clutch
Thinkin' shit gravy cause you seen me smile
I'm givin' up inches, you want the whole mile
And when I tell 'em, "Stop" that's when hoes get wild
Flood the in box, constant calls comin' in
I hit the "Back" button and she callin' me again
I'm thinkin' out loud, "When is this gon' end?"
Will you ever get the message, I don't wanna be your friend
I don't want to have a talk, I got nothin' to say
You actin' real immature, go somewhere and play
Told the baby, "Break out" like Chad or Shay
Yes Poobie is for real, it would make my day
[Chorus] [Big Pooh]
But first you get money stylin'
Get fame wildin'
Bitches start wowin'
Niggas start pilin'
Then niggas start wowin'
Bitches start pilin'
Get fame stylin'
Make money wildin'
Niggas get mad start stylin' on you
Bitches get mad start wowin' on you
Make a lil' money they start pilin' on you
Get a lil' fame they start wowin' on you
[Verse Two] [Big Pooh]
I ain't never had a dollar to my name, fuck fame
Get a lil' bit people around you start to change
Palms reachin' out, speakin' 'bout what they did
We was both down and out now the situation big
You supposed to be my nig
It will never be the same
We both pointin' fingers at each other placin' blame
You on that David Blane
I'm on a higher plain
A blow to the people who don't know what's insane
A motherfuckin' shame how this whole thing turned
We had to end it homie before somebody got burned
I hate this kind of lesson, find myself second guessin'
The burden here is lessened, experience earned
And before this take a turn for the worse
I think it's in both our best interest if we go again disperse
I know what you thinkin', but homie the truth hurts
I never thought gettin' this bread would be a curse
But
[Chorus]
[Verse Three] [Oh No]
Now Rock City's tryin' to get that cake
See I was raised in the burbs with the birds and the snakes
So at an early age I had to learn everybody's mistake
So by now everybody can call me the great
It's Oh No
No
With more signs than skitzos
Niggas let them lips go, that leaves their lids blown
And homie I'm gettin' blown so y'all can get gon'
Can't hang around me dawg so we don't get along
And shows with hoes, it's no damn difference
They beyond overthrow but no bullshittin'
There's only one ride
And then they gettin' dropped off
So when they start wildin', pssst, please you can walk off
Now put that in your Coach's knockoff and bag it up
And add it to my roach's up in Oxnard
They always knew me like they think they do
They thought they knew
Shit I'm doin' it big with Pooh
[Chorus]
In "Stylin," Little Brother expresses their concerns with fame and money. The chorus repeats the cycle of how once you start getting money, fame follows, and then people start coming out of the woodwork to both show love and hate. The lyrics in the verses expand on these ideas, sharing stories about friends turning on them and women who won't leave them alone.
Big Pooh raps about how people who didn't care about him before are suddenly interested in being his friend because of his success. He speaks about how people always are reaching out to him, trying to get something out of him. He wants to cut out the fake friends from his life so he can focus on the real ones. Oh No's verse is about not trusting anyone and how women use their bodies to get what they want but they're not really holding the same values. They always think they know him because he's successful and rich, but they don't. Little Brother is trying to show how damaging it can be to focus on obtaining fame and money while neglecting the relationships that matter most.
Interesting Facts about the Song:
1\. It was produced by Foreign Exchange member Nicolay.
2\. The song was not released as a single but was included on Little Brother's 2007 album, "Getback."
3\. The album featured guest appearances from various other artists such as Lil Wayne, Biz Markie, and Darien Brockington.
4\. Phonte and Big Pooh, Little Brother's members, met in the late 1990s at North Carolina Central University.
5\. The name "Little Brother" came from the group's admiration for A Tribe Called Quest, a group that often referenced themselves as the "big brother" to other rappers.
6\. In a 2019 interview with NPR, Phonte stated that "Stylin" was one of his favorite Little Brother tracks.
7\. The music video for "Stylin" features footage of the group performing in various locations, including a store and a rooftop.
8\. Little Brother broke up in 2010 but reunited in 2019. They released an album in 2019 titled "May the Lord Watch".
9\. "Stylin" is a unique track because it features no hooks, only verses, which is something that doesn't often happen in typical rap songs.
10\. The song forces the listener to take a closer, introspective look at the true cost of wealth and fame.
Chords: Unfortunately, due to the song's limited instrumentation, chords are not applicable.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, from NC to Oxnard. Nigga we go hard. Ha
We work hard and take pride in our achievements from our home in North Carolina to Oxnard.
I was that chubby kid, I ain't talk too much
In my childhood, I was an introverted kid who was a little overweight and didn't talk much.
And even though I could I never use that crutch
Despite having the option to use my weight as an excuse, I never did.
It's funny when you're older, makin' moves and such
As I got older and started making progress towards my goals, it was amusing to see how people would try to latch onto me.
How people find a way to get in your clutch
People tend to look for opportunities to attach themselves to successful individuals.
And they do touch and rub some nigga foul
Some people can be manipulative and take advantage of your success.
Thinkin' shit gravy cause you seen me smile
Just because I appear to be doing well, it doesn't mean life is easy or perfect for me.
I'm givin' up inches, you want the whole mile
I'm willing to give a little, but some people will take advantage of that and ask for more than they deserve.
And when I tell 'em, 'Stop' that's when hoes get wild
If I ask someone to stop bothering me, some people become hostile or aggressive.
Flood the in box, constant calls comin' in
People will stalk, harass, or annoy you to get your attention or favor.
I hit the 'Back' button and she callin' me again
Even if I try to ignore or avoid someone, they can still find ways to contact me.
I don't want to have a talk, I got nothin' to say
I have no interest in engaging with someone who is being immature or disrespectful.
You actin' real immature, go somewhere and play
Someone who is being childish or unreasonable should go elsewhere and find something else to do.
Get fame stylin', make money wildin'
If you become famous and gain attention, you can use that to make money by being wild and outrageous.
Bitches start wowin', niggas start pilin'
As you become more successful, people (especially women) will fawn over you and some men may become envious or try to take advantage of you.
I ain't never had a dollar to my name, fuck fame
I never cared about fame or popularity when I had no money or resources.
Get a lil' bit people around you start to change
However, once you start making progress in life, people around you will start to treat you differently.
Palms reachin' out, speakin' 'bout what they did
People start asking for favors or boasting about how they helped you along the way.
You supposed to be my nig, it will never be the same
Someone who was once a close friend or ally may become selfish or dishonest once you achieve success.
There's only one ride and then they gettin' dropped off
People who try to ride your success will eventually realize that they have no place on your journey and will be left behind.
Contributed by Brooklyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.