By 1979 the primary members of this band/collective were Cenac, Yvette "Lady E" Cook, Monique Angevin, and Bob "Chilly B" Crafton. There were two active females at this point and is apparent that at least one female played instruments for the band (per photo), both of which are of significance in the early history of female hip hop artists & women's history in general.
There is also the album "Space Is The Place" from 1985. Chili B passed away on February 25, 2010. RIP!
I'm Not A Robot
Newcleus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spends his days and his nights gettin' high
What he's searching for is how to be free
what he finds is that he's lost hold of reality
See those people on the corner each day
Idly watching as their life slips away
What they don't ever take time out to see
-You're not a robot
-You're not a robot
-You're not a robot
-You're not a robot
What is necessary to understand
Is how they think they've got our lives pre-programmed
To break their mold you must remember this key
Don't ever lose your sense of individuality
When they try to tell me how I should live
How much I can take and how much to give
Whatever tricks they use or catches they try
They can't stop me from living my life as mine
-I'm not a robot
-I'm not a robot
-I'm not a robot
-I'm not a robot
The lyrics of Newcleus's "I'm Not a Robot" touch on the struggle to maintain individuality and avoid conforming to societal expectations. The first stanza describes a boy who wants to be free and find his place in the world, but turns to drugs to escape reality. The second stanza references the people on the corner who seem to be wasting their lives without realizing they can be anything they want to be. These lyrics suggest that society and external pressures can lead individuals down a path of conformity and numbness, but it is up to the individual to break free and embrace their individuality.
The chorus, which repeats the phrase "you're not a robot" and "I'm not a robot," emphasizes the theme of not being controlled or programmed by society. The repetition of the phrase reinforces the message that individuals should resist the pressure to conform, and should instead embrace their unique identity and live their lives on their own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
See that boy with his head in the sky
There is a boy who is constantly daydreaming and not grounded in reality.
Spends his days and his nights gettin' high
He spends his time under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
What he's searching for is how to be free
The boy is searching for a way to escape the struggles in his life that he feels are holding him down.
what he finds is that he's lost hold of reality
Instead of achieving freedom, the boy has lost touch with reality due to his constant drug use.
See those people on the corner each day
The song is now talking about a group of people who are always standing in the same place every day.
Idly watching as their life slips away
These people are not taking any action to improve their lives and are just letting time pass them by.
What they don't ever take time out to see
These people don't take the time to realize what is possible for them to achieve.
Is they can be whatever they wanna' be
These people have the ability to make choices and shape their lives in any way they desire.
You're not a robot
The chorus of the song is reminding the listener that they are not programmed to have a certain path in life and they have the capability to make their own choices.
What is necessary to understand
The song is now discussing the importance of understanding a certain concept.
Is how they think they've got our lives pre-programmed
The song is addressing the idea that society expects people to follow a specific path that they have laid out.
To break their mold you must remember this key
To break free from the mold society has created, it is important to remember to be individualistic and not conform to societal expectations.
Don't ever lose your sense of individuality
The song is stressing the importance of staying true to yourself and not compromising your values or beliefs in order to conform to societal standards.
When they try to tell me how I should live
The song is now discussing a personal experience where someone is being told how they should live their life.
How much I can take and how much to give
This person is being told exactly how much they are allowed to give and take in life without any consideration for their individual desires.
Whatever tricks they use or catches they try
The song is suggesting that others may try to manipulate or deceive the person in order to make them conform.
They can't stop me from living my life as mine
Despite any attempts to control or manipulate this person, they will continue to live their life in a way that is true to themselves.
I'm not a robot
The song repeats the chorus to further emphasize the idea that individuals have the power to make their own choices in life.
I'm not a robot
Repeating the chorus one final time with added meaning and emphasis to reflect the importance of individuality in life.
Contributed by Asher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.