Affectionately known as the "B-team," Lance & Tony went on to pen songs for Alexander O'Neal, New Edition, and other artists that came to Flyte Tyme looking for songs. After solidifying their place in the studio as up & coming producers and songwriters, the ambitious pair put together the Lo-Key project. The first album "Where Dey At?" was named after a dig at a Jamaican studio owner who signed Lance to a 'slave' contract before his Flyte Tyme deal and owed him money and kept his Masters. Although amongst music circles the group was lauded, Lo-Key never reached Platinum or Gold status, due to corporate restructuring and political maneuvering at A&M records. Performances were kept at a minimum, due to the grooming of Lance & Tony as producers. After the sale of the Perspective imprint, Tony became A&R for a while at the new Flyte Tyme Records, and Lance went on to form his own label, "Baby Honey Records", with music promoter B-Rich, which is based out of Atlanta, as well as the Baby Honey Recording studio. The only group signed to Baby Honey Records was V.I.P., a trio vocal group from Minneapolis. The rest of Lo-Key disbanded.
Lance Alexander discovered the R&B group 'Next' while working as a staff writer at Flyte Tyme Productions. Initially, the pair brought the group, who was known at the time as 'Straight 4ward,' into the Flyte Tyme studios to cut demos and after pitching the group to Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, the Producers passed on the project. After performing at an annual black music seminar in Minneapolis, Naughty by Nature's DJ Kay Gee discovered the group and signed them to a recording contract. Lance wrote the B-side "Butta Love" to the million selling single "Too Close". The group was renamed Next. Lo-Key was influenced heavily by Con Funk shun, and also by old school R&B acts.
Shoutout All My Exs
Lo-Key Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ouuuuuuu, Yeah
Shoutout all my exs y'all the ones that made me
Yeah even all the ones the went and played me
Yeah y'all were the ones that went and changed me
Yeah was the clingy one now love can't phase me
Phase me
Yeah this feeling is amazing
If I ever hurt you baby you know can blame me
Person that I was two months ago ain't the same me
Yeah it started with Erica
She built up my character
Yeah you know she didn't know that I really cared for her
Didn't ever show her didn't know how
She really broke my heart
Yeah I broke down
It's all good cause we cool now
My bad
Know you got a new mans
Don't want him to be mad
Yeah Yeah
Long time fore I trust someone else
Yeah I've always been a loner yeah I've been by myself
Then I took a shift
That's when I met Riss
Was the happiest
Parents hella strict
Said I couldn't do that shit
But I could've done that shit
Sorry Riss
Was a fucking dick
Off to college needed that experience
Perience
Shoutout all my exs y'all the ones that made me
Yeah even all the ones the went and played me
Yeah y'all were the ones that went and changed me
Yeah was the clingy one now love can't phase me
Phase me
Yeah this feeling is amazing
I was in toxic shit and now that shit can't phase me
If I ever hurt you baby you know can blame me
Person that I was two months ago ain't the same me
Went to college yeah I wanted more fun
Yeah that's when I met Mia dated less then a month
Yeah all about the parties
Yeah I gotta get drunk
Gotta have fun
Testing my luck the way that I fall in love yeah
That's when I met you
Yeah you said you were leaving I told you that I won't let you
Yeah you taught me the most
Even when we fought a lot
I never lost hope
Didn't matter where you were that was my home
But you really fucked me up
Yeah you really fucked me up
I was never enough for you
Put all my trust in you
Yeah you play with my emotions
Fuck am I supposed to do
Shoutout all my exs y'all the ones that made me
Yeah even all the ones the went and played me
Yeah y'all were the ones that went and changed me
Yeah was the clingy one now love can't phase me
Phase me
Yeah this feeling is amazing
I was in toxic shit and now that shit can't phase me
If I ever hurt you baby you know can blame me
Person that I was two months ago ain't the same me
These lyrics to Lo-Key's song "Shoutout All My Exs" recount the artist's journey through different relationships and how they have shaped him. The song starts with a shoutout to all his exes, acknowledging that they have played a significant role in his life. He reflects on how they have changed him and made him who he is today. The artist admits that he used to be clingy and dependent on love, but now he has become immune to its effects. He feels empowered and unstoppable, having overcome toxic relationships and emotional pain.
The lyrics then delve into specific exes and their impact on the artist's life. He mentions Erica, who built up his character but didn't realize how much he cared for her. This relationship ended with heartbreak, but they have since found a way to be cool with each other. He acknowledges his mistakes and apologizes, understanding that she has moved on with someone new.
The song then transitions to the next relationship with Riss, where the artist experiences true happiness. However, his parents, who were strict, prevented him from fully committing to the relationship. Despite the circumstances, he regrets being a jerk and causing pain to Riss.
The final part of the song focuses on the most recent relationship with Mia. The artist prioritizes having fun and indulging in parties, but this relationship lasted less than a month. He then meets someone else who becomes very important to him. This person teaches him valuable lessons, even through the arguments and hardships they face. However, the relationship ultimately leaves the artist feeling broken and not good enough. He trusted this person with his emotions, and their actions played with his feelings. The lyrics express the artist's confusion and despair over how to move forward from this heartbreak.
Overall, "Shoutout All My Exs" reflects on the artist's growth and the impact his past relationships have had on him. It explores themes of personal development, self-realization, and the complexities of love and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah shoutout all my exs
I want to acknowledge and recognize all of my past relationships
Ouuuuuuu, Yeah
Expressing excitement and agreement
Shoutout all my exs y'all the ones that made me
I want to give credit to all my exes because they have shaped me into who I am today
Yeah even all the ones the went and played me
Even though some of my exes may have hurt or betrayed me, I still acknowledge their impact on my life
Yeah y'all were the ones that went and changed me
My exes were the catalysts for personal growth and transformation in my life
Yeah was the clingy one now love can't phase me
In the past, I may have been overly attached in relationships, but now I have developed emotional strength and resilience
Phase me
I am immune to the negative effects love used to have on me
Yeah this feeling is amazing
I am currently experiencing a wonderful sense of freedom and happiness
I was in toxic shit and now that shit can't phase me
I used to be involved in unhealthy relationships, but now I am unaffected by those negative experiences
If I ever hurt you baby you know can blame me
If I have caused any pain in a previous relationship, I take full responsibility for my actions
Person that I was two months ago ain't the same me
I have undergone significant personal growth and change in the past two months, and I am not the same person anymore
Yeah it started with Erica
My romantic journey began with a person named Erica
She built up my character
Erica played a significant role in shaping my personality and values
Yeah you know she didn't know that I really cared for her
I deeply cared for Erica, but she was unaware of my true feelings
Didn't ever show her didn't know how
I failed to express my emotions and affection to Erica because I lacked the understanding of how to do so
She really broke my heart
Erica caused me significant emotional pain and heartbreak
Yeah I broke down
I experienced a moment of emotional breakdown and vulnerability
It's all good cause we cool now
Despite the past hurt, Erica and I have reconciled and are on good terms now
My bad
Apologizing for my past actions
Know you got a new mans
I am aware that Erica is now in a new relationship
Don't want him to be mad
I hope Erica's new partner does not hold any negative feelings towards me
Long time fore I trust someone else
It will take me a considerable amount of time before I can trust someone new in a romantic relationship
Yeah I've always been a loner yeah I've been by myself
I have always been independent and comfortable with my own company
Then I took a shift
My perspective and approach to relationships changed
That's when I met Riss
I met a person named Riss during this change in my mindset
Was the happiest
I experienced true happiness during my time with Riss
Parents hella strict
My parents were very strict and controlling
Said I couldn't do that shit
My parents disapproved of my relationship with Riss
But I could've done that shit
Despite my parents' objection, I should have made my own choices regarding my relationship with Riss
Sorry Riss
Apologizing to Riss for not standing up against my parents' restrictions
Was a fucking dick
I behaved poorly and insensitively towards Riss
Off to college needed that experience
I went to college seeking new experiences and personal growth
Shoutout all my exs y'all the ones that made me
Repeating the acknowledgement and gratitude towards all ex-partners for shaping me
Yeah even all the ones the went and played me
Emphasizing appreciation for the exes who may have hurt or deceived me
Yeah y'all were the ones that went and changed me
Recognizing the transformative effect my exes had on my life
Yeah was the clingy one now love can't phase me
Reflecting on personal growth and resilience, as I am no longer easily affected by love
Phase me
Reiterating the idea that I am impervious to love's negative impact
Yeah this feeling is amazing
Expressing the joy and contentment of the new emotional state
I was in toxic shit and now that shit can't phase me
I used to be involved in unhealthy and toxic relationships, but now I am unaffected by them
If I ever hurt you baby you know can blame me
Acknowledging accountability for any pain caused to a previous partner
Person that I was two months ago ain't the same me
Asserting that I have significantly changed and evolved in the past two months
Went to college yeah I wanted more fun
I pursued higher education with the desire to have a more enjoyable and exciting life
Yeah that's when I met Mia dated less then a month
During my college experience, I met a person named Mia with whom I had a short-lived relationship
Yeah all about the parties
The focus of my social life revolved around attending parties and having a good time
Yeah I gotta get drunk
I believed that getting intoxicated was necessary for having fun at these parties
Gotta have fun
Prioritizing the pursuit of enjoyment and pleasure
Testing my luck the way that I fall in love yeah
I took risks and gambled with my emotions when it came to falling in love
That's when I met you
Referring to meeting a specific person
Yeah you said you were leaving I told you that I won't let you
When you mentioned leaving, I made it clear that I would not allow you to go
Yeah you taught me the most
Expressing gratitude for the valuable lessons learned from this person
Even when we fought a lot
Despite frequent conflicts and arguments within the relationship
I never lost hope
Maintaining optimism and belief in the relationship's potential
Didn't matter where you were that was my home
Feeling a strong sense of belonging and comfort when with this person
But you really fucked me up
You caused significant emotional damage and turmoil within me
Yeah you really fucked me up
Reiterating the profound negative impact the person had on me
I was never enough for you
Feeling inadequate and insufficient in meeting this person's expectations
Put all my trust in you
I placed complete trust and faith in you
Yeah you play with my emotions
You toyed with my emotions and manipulated my feelings
Fuck am I supposed to do
Expressing confusion and frustration about how to handle the situation
Shoutout all my exs y'all the ones that made me
Continuing to express appreciation for the ex-partners who have shaped my character
Yeah even all the ones the went and played me
Emphasizing gratitude towards the exes who may have mistreated and deceived me
Yeah y'all were the ones that went and changed me
Acknowledging the role my exes played in transforming me as a person
Yeah was the clingy one now love can't phase me
Reflecting on personal growth, as I am no longer easily affected by love and clinginess
Phase me
Reiterating that love's negative impact no longer affects me
Yeah this feeling is amazing
Expressing the joy and contentment of the current emotional state
I was in toxic shit and now that shit can't phase me
I used to be involved in toxic relationships, but now I am unaffected by them
If I ever hurt you baby you know can blame me
Accepting responsibility if I have caused any pain in a past relationship
Person that I was two months ago ain't the same me
Asserting that I have undergone significant personal change in the past two months
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Brandon Keyes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind