Born Clifford Smith in Kingston, Jamaica, he was given the nickname Mr. Vegas by his cousin for the neon pink shorts he wore on the football field; in addition to his athletic skills Mr. Vegas also demonstrated musical talents early on. However an unfortunate dispute over the ownership of a DAT resulted in Vegas being hit in the jaw with an iron pipe; after the assault Vegas' mouth was wired shut so he was forced to create a unique method of vocalizing through his teeth. That style was first heard on "Nike Air", the song that initially positioned Vegas on the dancehall charts. Characterized by uplifting lyrics aimed (especially) at young women, he followed "Nike Air" with another affirming and very appealing tune "Heads High" which reached number one in Jamaica, hit the British Top Ten and found its way onto several urban stations across America.
Vegas' 1997 debut album "Heads High" (Greensleeves Records) further displayed his captivating vocal capabilities on songs like "Jacket", "Sweet Pineapple" and "Everywhere I Go"; it also earned him a British Mobo Award as Best Reggae artist, while establishing his fan base beyond the Jamaican dancehall.
However Vegas demonstrated even greater versatility on his 2001 sophomore release "Damn Right" (Greensleeves) which featured a stronger R&B and hip-hop flavor on the hits "Girls Time" and "She's A Ho", sensitive singing on the roots rocking "Rise" and a sensational duet with Sean Paul "Hot Gal Today".
With his move to the Los Angeles based independent label Delicious Vinyl Vegas released his third CD "Pull Up". The title track was recorded on Scatta Burrell's wildly popular Coolie Dance riddim, entered the Billboard charts and took Vegas' music into previously uncharted territory. Another single from "Pull Up" "Tamale" also did well, particularly in Europe.
Vegas has just completed his fourth and finest CD so far "Constant Spring" which presents an amalgam of styles including reggaeton productions by the red hot duo Luny/Tunes on the tracks "Johnny" and "Papito" and Latin tinged duets with Don Omar ("Pobre Diablo") and El Medico ("Penicilin"). Another scorching combination "Burnin" features soca sensation Kevin Lyttle. Vegas' long time associate Jamaica's Richard "Shams" Browne produced several tracks including "Million Dollar Baby" and "Slow Wine" while veteran dancehall hit makers Steely and Clevie's Sleepy Dog riddim scampers under Vegas' current Jamaican chart topper, the CDs title track "Constant Spring". Another Jamaican hit that is currently finding popularity throughout Europe is Vegas' self-produced, uncharacteristically contemplative "More Love", his emotive singing lamenting Jamaica's upwardly spiraling crime rate but the song's lyrics are applicable to many troubled territories throughout the world:
"I walk these Kingston streets, everyday a bare a beat/I can't get no sleep all I hear is AKs when they speak/ I walk Spanish town all I hear is people get gunned down, when I look around all I see is bodies on the ground. My shadow's afraid to even walk beside me, my shadow's afraid to even walk this city gun dawg and his friend full the morgue in Kingston city/too many guns in town."
"Crime, violence, war, it affects everyone," Vegas says, "and there is nothing in that song that doesn't relate to what is going on everywhere, especially Kingston. We want this album to be versatile so a Latino person a hip hop person, urban kids or all nationalities will listen to it."
Reflecting the ongoing changes within the music industry, Vegas and his manager Leslie Cooney of the Los Angeles based company Addict Management will be taking a very different approach regarding the release of "Constant Spring": they will not be signing to just one label. "We have found that as an independent artist Vegas can better exploit his appeal in every territory without the expectations and limitations of being signed to one label," says Ms. Cooney. "Instead, we will directly supply his fans with music worldwide and will seek licenses with different labels in their respective territories. Whether by an actual record or digital distribution, if there is a demand for Vegas it can now be met without waiting for the record label machinery to spring into action. We are taking matters in our own hands and Vegas is planning his own future."
And for Mr. Vegas the future appears to be shining even brighter than the flashing neon lights that abound in the Nevada city that is his namesake. www.mr-vegas.com
Black & Proud
Mr. Vegas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
VERSE 1
OTHAβ¦A NIGGA LIKE ME DESERVE A HOLIDAY
IT SHOULD BE CALLED REPARATIONS DAY
ILL BE THE PRESIDENT OF THA BOARD
ENSURE EVERY BLACK MAN WOMAN AND CHILD DIGNITY RESTORED ECONOMIC STATUS RECONCILED WE GONE GET BUCK WILDβ¦TRILLIONS OWED TO US WE GONE PURCHASE THOSE 30 ACRES AND REBUILD BLACK WALL STREET IN EVERY MAJOR DISTRICTβ¦BLACK SCHOOLS, BLACK BANKS, BLACK GROCERY STORES, BLACK REALTORSβ¦IM TALKING BLACK UTOPIAβ¦NO MORE HATERSβ¦WE ALL HAVE PAPER WE ALL HAVE GUNS WE ALL HAVE FARMS WHITE FOLKS PLEASE DONT BE ALARMED WE ALL GONE HAVE NUCLEAR BOMBS β¦SO WHEN THE BULLSHIT START WE GOTTA ALL BLACK MILITARY TO PROTECT OUR LEGACY
WE AINT GOING OUT LIKE HAMPTON, MLK, MALCOLM X, OR EMMITT TILLMANβ¦OUR WHOLE ARSENAL GONE BE BLAZIN FOR OUR EMANCIPATIONβ¦THIS AINT THE 15th CENTURY THEM WHIPS AND CHAINS GONE GET WRAPPED AROUND YA NECK MANE HEAR ME CLEARLY BLACKS WANT OUR FAIR SHARE G NO MORE PENNY PINCHING REDLINING AND RACIAL DIVISIONβ¦WE BEEN MISTREATED SUBJECTED TO THIS WHITE SUPREMACISTS ONE-SIDED COMPETITIONβ¦GOT ME WISHING I COULD TAKE OVER THE COUNTRY..U KNOWβ¦PULL A CASTRO REORGANIZE POLITICAL STRUCTUREβ¦ILL BE A BAD MUTHUFUCKAβ¦BUT NOT IN A NEGATIVE WAYβ¦IM TALKING EQUITY EQUALITY ALL OUT BLACK UNITYβ¦WHAT WE SEEN IN MOVIESβ¦.SO IMMA DO THE RIGHT THINGβ¦WHAT UP SPIKE LEEβ¦GIVING YOU A FUTURE TO BELIEVE IN JUST LIKE BERNIE SANDERSβ¦ATTENHUTβ¦MAKE WAY FOR THE HIGHLY REVERED BLACK COMMANDER
CHORUS
WE TOOK LβS FOR CENTURIES
ENSLAVED AND THROWN IN PENITENTIARIES
LIFE FULL OF MISERY
PICKED COTTON ENRICHED WHITE LEGACY
THE MOST MISTREATED
IN HUMAN HISTORY
BUT U COULDNβT BREAK ME
The lyrics of Mr. Vegas's song "Black & Proud" speak of a desire for reparations for the oppression and mistreatment suffered by Black people throughout history. The song starts with a quote from Maya Angelou's poem "Still I Rise", which speaks of the resilience of Black people in the face of adversity. The first verse speaks of the desire for a holiday to be named "Reparations Day", where every Black man, woman, and child would have their dignity restored and economic status reconciled. The lyrics express the idea of creating utopia - a world where there are Black schools, banks, grocery stores, realtors, and protection by a Black military. The lyrics call on the need to protect the legacy of Black people and also instill fear in those who would attempt to oppress Black people in the future. The second verse speaks of the need for equity and equality, wishing for political restructuring and reorganization that allows for the upliftment of Black people, and unity among Black people. The chorus speaks of the centuries of oppression and mistreatment endured by Black people but speaks to the resilience and strength of Black people to persist and overcome.
Line by Line Meaning
OTHAβ¦A NIGGA LIKE ME DESERVE A HOLIDAY
As a Black man, I deserve a holiday to recognize and celebrate the contributions of my ancestors and the struggles that we have overcome.
IT SHOULD BE CALLED REPARATIONS DAY
This holiday should be named Reparations Day because Black people are still owed compensation for the atrocities of slavery and systemic oppression.
ILL BE THE PRESIDENT OF THA BOARD
I will take charge as a leader and make sure that every Black person is treated with dignity and respect.
ENSURE EVERY BLACK MAN WOMAN AND CHILD DIGNITY RESTORED
I will guarantee that every Black person is treated with human dignity, regardless of their gender or age.
ECONOMIC STATUS RECONCILED
We will level the playing field and address the economic disparities that have plagued the Black community for generations.
WE GONE GET BUCK WILD
We will finally be free to express ourselves and live our lives without fear of discrimination or oppression.
TRILLIONS OWED TO US
The government and White population owe us reparations for centuries of slavery, systemic racism, and discrimination.
WE GONE PURCHASE THOSE 30 ACRES AND REBUILD BLACK WALL STREET IN EVERY MAJOR DISTRICT
We will rebuild thriving Black communities, like Black Wall Street, in every major city and reclaim the land that was taken from us through racist policies and practices.
BLACK SCHOOLS, BLACK BANKS, BLACK GROCERY STORES, BLACK REALTORS
We will create self-sustaining Black institutions that cater to our specific needs and empower our community.
IM TALKING BLACK UTOPIA
We will create a society that is free of racism, discrimination, and oppression where Black people can thrive and live in peace.
NO MORE HATERS
We will eliminate the racism and discrimination that has divided us and come together as one unified community.
WE ALL HAVE PAPER WE ALL HAVE GUNS WE ALL HAVE FARMS
We will have the economic, political, and social power to protect and defend ourselves.
WHITE FOLKS PLEASE DONT BE ALARMED
We are not a threat to White people, we simply want equality and justice for our community.
WE ALL GONE HAVE NUCLEAR BOMBS
We will have the military power to protect our community and ensure that our demands for justice and equality are met.
SO WHEN THE BULLSHIT START WE GOTTA ALL BLACK MILITARY TO PROTECT OUR LEGACY
We will defend ourselves and our legacy against anyone who seeks to harm us or deny us our rights.
WE AINT GOING OUT LIKE HAMPTON, MLK, MALCOLM X, OR EMMITT TILLMAN
We will not be silenced or killed like our heroic leaders of the past who fought for our freedom and equality.
OUR WHOLE ARSENAL GONE BE BLAZIN FOR OUR EMANCIPATION
We will fight for our freedom and equality with everything we have, including our voices, our minds, and our physical force.
THIS AINT THE 15th CENTURY THEM WHIPS AND CHAINS GONE GET WRAPPED AROUND YA NECK MANE HEAR ME CLEARLY
We will not tolerate the systemic racism and oppression that has plagued our community for centuries and we will not be enslaved again.
BLACKS WANT OUR FAIR SHARE G NO MORE PENNY PINCHING REDLINING AND RACIAL DIVISION
We demand an end to systemic racism, housing discrimination, and economic disparities that have held us back for too long.
WE BEEN MISTREATED SUBJECTED TO THIS WHITE SUPREMACISTS ONE-SIDED COMPETITION
We have been oppressed and discriminated against by a system that was designed to benefit White people and keep us down.
GOT ME WISHING I COULD TAKE OVER THE COUNTRY..U KNOWβ¦PULL A CASTRO REORGANIZE POLITICAL STRUCTURE
We want to create a new system that is fair and equitable for all and we are willing to take drastic measures to achieve that goal.
ILL BE A BAD MUTHUFUCKAβ¦BUT NOT IN A NEGATIVE WAYβ¦IM TALKING EQUITY EQUALITY ALL OUT BLACK UNITYβ¦WHAT WE SEEN IN MOVIESβ¦.SO IMMA DO THE RIGHT THINGβ¦WHAT UP SPIKE LEEβ¦GIVING YOU A FUTURE TO BELIEVE IN JUST LIKE BERNIE SANDERSβ¦ATTENHUTβ¦MAKE WAY FOR THE HIGHLY REVERED BLACK COMMANDER
I will be a strong and effective leader who fights for equity, equality, and Black unity, just like the heroes we have seen in movies. I will do what is right and inspire our community to believe in a better future. I am the highly revered Black commander and I will lead us to victory.
WE TOOK LβS FOR CENTURIES
We have endured losses and setbacks for centuries due to systemic racism and oppression.
ENSLAVED AND THROWN IN PENITENTIARIES
We were enslaved and imprisoned for generations due to the systemic racism and oppression of the White population.
LIFE FULL OF MISERY
Our lives have been filled with struggle and hardship due to the systemic racism and oppression of the White population.
PICKED COTTON ENRICHED WHITE LEGACY
Our blood, sweat, and tears were used to build the wealth of White people and enrich their legacy, while we were denied the benefits of our labor.
THE MOST MISTREATED
We have experienced the most extreme and sustained mistreatment in human history due to the systemic racism and oppression of the White population.
IN HUMAN HISTORY
The mistreatment and oppression of Black people is a shameful part of human history that must be addressed and rectified.
BUT U COULDN'T BREAK ME
Despite the centuries of oppression and mistreatment, I am still standing strong and fighting for my community's freedom and equality.
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JAMAEL NASH, PATRICK BELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dacia Petrie
Teach your children to love themselves for who they are. They weren't born hating their skin color or physical features, they learned it from somewhere. Just as the little girl we saw in the video, it happens more often than you think. Love yourselfππ»π
Nina513
Why am I just now seeing this?!?!
Love how Vegas consistently puts positive messages in his music.
Powerful! βπ½βπΎβπΏ
Paul Morgan
Nina513 he black there is no positive ! Only HIV πππ
rramjii
This song makes me thankful for the wonderful strong black women that I have loved in my life. They have shown me what it truely means to have a family and to be part of a healthy community. They have impacted my life in a mannor that I will be thankful for until my body returns to the earth, and if you happen to be black and proud then I hope we can join hands and overpower hate with LOVE. My physical body is white, but my soul knows no racial ties!!
shoesan
Almost cried watching this video! I love the message! Be proud black people!
Best clips
Black and proud I play this every morning since it was release because. Out lives matter and I am proud of my natural state. Big up all black people worldwide. Put them fists high βπΏβ€οΈwoyoiii
Patricia Abraham
Thank you, Mr. Vegas.! The concept of the video and the song are both completely on point. What we as black people need to see and hear!
ZC410
this video should be shown to all the dark skinned girls who dont believe they're beautiful. being light skinned does not constitute beauty AT ALL! i'm light skinned and i dont think i am "better" than a dark skinned girl just b/c of my skin tone. WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL. WE ARE ALL EQUAL! love yourselves and love one another <3
MDhunni08
I love the video & the message it sends. Go on, Vegas!
Miszez
first time i heard this song...it is soo powerful..people need to stop disgracing themselves..i love my dark skin..always have, always will