He has one older brother who is five years older than him. He had a tough childhood growing up with a father who was addicted to crack and a mother who was diagnosed breast cancer. A lot of his struggles are reflected in the lyrics of his music. OnCue graduated from Newington High School and attended Central Connecticut State University and Brooklyn College before dropping out to pursue music full time.
OnCue started rapping at the age of 11 and recording music when he was 13-years-old at local studios in the Hartford area. Throughout his teenage years, OnCue focused on honing his craft and developing his sound. In 2010, OnCue moved to Brooklyn to take his rap career more seriously.
To help earn some money to get by, OnCue would create album covers for producers and other rappers. Two prominent Brooklyn he did work for were MICK and Terry Urban. One day he came up to them and showed them his bars. Impressed, they worked with OnCue, hosting several of his mixtapes including "Cueyfornication" and "Cuey Sings the Blues".
In addition, OnCue started working with producer C.J. Luzi, who he would collaborate with throughout his career. Adam Ross would direct several of his music videos to much acclaim by critics and fans.
In early 2012 after his "Leftovers" and "Can't Wait" mixtapes dropped, OnCue linked up with Just Blaze through AThe Bald God. For the next two years, they would work together and create one mixtape, "Leftovers 2", and his first album, "Angry Young Man".
Common themes in his music are about love and hardships. His family and difficult situation growing up have been a huge inspiration to his lyrics and often get very personal. He raps about the struggles he went through and overcoming them. OnCue constantly mentions his past relationships and how they affected his life. Also, many times in his music, he makes references to his dick.
Alive
ONCUE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Outside all I hear is your car starting
The dogs barking, thinking the same as me
Why you up at this hour?
Why you gotta leave?
Yesterday I found baking soda in your trunk
Tellin' me it was there to take away all the skunk
All the mildew and mold
You hold your stash so you can cut down your coke
Eleven years old, oh I was so young
Never did know, damn I was so dumb
Is this hereditary? For me to fail again
Walk around my own house living with a alien
I swear, this ain't my fathers face, nah it ain't his skin
What type of fuckin' place is this to raise a kid up in?
Tryin' get through, all the shit I've been
All I know, me and Momma just try live again
Haley, we made it out alive
Don't tell me, we bout to lose the fight
Just one more, oh, one more night
We made it out, we made it out this mother fucker alive
I swear when you left a part of me died
All those nights with Mom, watching her cry
Havin' a hard time drying my own eyes
Fightin' to wake up every day tryin' to keep it all inside
You should have saw her, she so weak back then
I thought you were dead, we didn't speak back then
Thrown us both away for a motel and a crack pipe
It was probably all so perfect in a past life
My songs were the only thing to make me act right
Grammys probably so proud, I chose my path right
All those letters you wrote mom when you black out
Picking me up from sport games all cracked out
So lost that, I needed a signal
Thinkin' bout all the shit, me and Mom been through
Crackin' [?] jokers [?] windows thinking it would get you
I'm sorry if it hurts, this the only thing I vent through
Haley, we made it out alive
Don't tell me, we bout to lose the fight
Just one more, oh, one more night
We made it out, we made it out this mother fucker alive
I know you take back, the act going on, blackmailin' Mom
I know you give back, the insurance money, admit you were wrong
What if you had to live with the fact I chose the same path as you
Smoking, poppin' pills, dropping out of school
I forgive, I definitely don't forget
And I ain't done healing, am I suppose to yet?
Sorry I write these fuckin' records where I bash you
But you made your bed and sometimes see I have to
Medicate myself, man of the house
Since you and Phil left, I designate myself
Yeah Mommy I fuckin' love you
No one gun' hurt you no more, angels above you
Dad I forgive you, I pray you remain clean
I'm just glad your alive to see me live out this dream
Haley, we made it out alive
Don't tell me, we bout to lose the fight
Just one more, oh, one more night
We made it out, we made it out this mother fucker alive
The lyrics to Oncue's song "Alive" are an emotional and introspective exploration of family dynamics and addiction. The song starts off with a sense of confusion and betrayal as the singer wakes up in the middle of the night and hears his parent leave, suspecting them of drug use. He then reflects on the struggles his family has faced, including his own battle with addiction and his mother's pain. The song ends with a powerful message of forgiveness and hope, expressing a desire to move past the pain and trauma of the past in order to live a better life.
Throughout the song, Oncue displays a talent for storytelling and vivid imagery, painting a picture of a family struggling to survive in a world that is often harsh and unforgiving. Through his lyrics, he captures the pain and confusion of growing up in a household torn apart by addiction and the struggle to break free from the cycle of abuse and trauma.
Overall, "Alive" is a powerful and moving song that showcases Oncue's talent for honest and introspective lyricism. It is an exploration of the complexities of addiction and family dynamics, and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Why's it 2 o'clock in the morning
Questioning why it's so late and trying to understand what's going on
Outside all I hear is your car starting
Noticing a familiar sound and wondering why they're leaving at this time
The dogs barking, thinking the same as me
Noticing the dogs are also reacting to the person leaving and thinking about the situation
Why you up at this hour?
Questioning why the person is leaving at such an unusual time
Why you gotta leave?
Questioning why the person has to leave in the first place
Yesterday I found baking soda in your trunk
Discovering something suspicious in the person's car and becoming suspicious
Tellin' me it was there to take away all the skunk
The person trying to explain away the suspicious item found by giving an excuse
All the mildew and mold
A potential explanation for the baking soda, but not a convincing one
You lie like Phil do
Comparing the person to someone who is known to be a liar, indicating that they don't trust them
You hold your stash so you can cut down your coke
The person is accused of using and cutting their drugs, showing that they have a drug problem
Eleven years old, oh I was so young
Reflecting on how young they were when they were first exposed to the person's drug addiction
Never did know, damn I was so dumb
Regretting not recognizing the person's addiction and its effects earlier
Is this hereditary? For me to fail again
Worrying about the possibility of inheriting the addiction and struggling with it themselves
Walk around my own house living with a alien
Feeling like their home is no longer familiar and comfortable due to the person's addiction
I swear, this ain't my fathers face, nah it ain't his skin
Noticing a change in the person's appearance due to their addiction, indicating that the addiction has taken a toll on them
What type of fuckin' place is this to raise a kid up in?
Expressing frustration and anger about the environment they were raised in due to the person's addiction
Tryin' get through, all the shit I've been
Trying to cope and deal with the effects of the person's addiction on their life
All I know, me and Momma just try live again
Focusing on moving forward with their life and trying to restore a sense of stability with their mother
Haley, we made it out alive
Relieved and grateful that they were able to survive and move on from the person's addiction
Don't tell me, we bout to lose the fight
Worried about the possibility of a relapse or another setback
Just one more, oh, one more night
Hoping for just a little bit more time without any issues or complications
I swear when you left a part of me died
Expressing pain and heartache from the person's absence and the damage caused by their addiction
All those nights with Mom, watching her cry
Remembering the pain and sadness they witnessed when their mother was dealing with the aftermath of the person's addiction
Havin' a hard time drying my own eyes
Struggling to come to terms with their own emotions and pain related to the addiction
Fightin' to wake up every day tryin' to keep it all inside
Determined to keep going and move on, despite the lingering pain and emotional turmoil caused by the addiction
You should have saw her, she so weak back then
Reflecting on the difficult times their mother faced due to the person's addiction and how vulnerable she was
I thought you were dead, we didn't speak back then
Thinking that the person had died due to their addiction and cutting off contact with them as a result
Thrown us both away for a motel and a crack pipe
Expressing anger and frustration at the person for prioritizing their addiction over their family and loved ones
It was probably all so perfect in a past life
Reflecting on how things might have been different if the person hadn't become addicted and how much their addiction has changed their life
My songs were the only thing to make me act right
Acknowledging the positive impact music has had on their life, especially during tough times related to the person's addiction
Grammys probably so proud, I chose my path right
Feeling proud of their success despite the hardships they've faced and the negative effects of the person's addiction
All those letters you wrote mom when you black out
Remembering the letters the person wrote when they were inebriated and how painful they were to read
Picking me up from sport games all cracked out
Reflecting on how the person's addiction impacted even the small moments in their life, like being picked up from a sports game
So lost that, I needed a signal
Feeling lost and needing something to help guide them through the difficult times related to the person's addiction
Thinkin' bout all the shit, me and Mom been through
Reflecting on the hardships they've faced and the difficult times they've had to endure because of the person's addiction
Crackin' [?] jokers [?] windows thinking it would get you
Trying to find ways to cope with the person's addiction and showing how desperate and helpless they felt
I'm sorry if it hurts, this the only thing I vent through
Apologizing for the pain their words may cause, but acknowledging that expressing their emotions through music is their only outlet
I know you take back, the act going on, blackmailin' Mom
Accusing the person of past actions related to their addiction, including threatening their mother
I know you give back, the insurance money, admit you were wrong
Demanding that the person atone for the damage caused by their addiction and make amends
What if you had to live with the fact I chose the same path as you
Questioning how the person would feel if they knew their child was struggling with addiction as well, highlighting the importance of overcoming addiction
Smoking, poppin' pills, dropping out of school
Listing some of the negative consequences of drug addiction and the potential path they could have taken if they had succumbed to addiction themselves
I forgive, I definitely don't forget
Acknowledging the possibility of forgiveness, but also cautioning that they won't forget the damage caused by the addiction
And I ain't done healing, am I suppose to yet?
Recognizing that recovery and healing are ongoing processes and wondering if they're supposed to have fully healed and moved on already
Sorry I write these fuckin' records where I bash you
Apologizing for the negative things they've said about the person in their music
But you made your bed and sometimes see I have to
Explaining that the person is responsible for their own actions and the consequences that come with them, even if it means being criticized through music
Medicate myself, man of the house
Acknowledging the difficulty of dealing with the aftermath of the addiction and taking on a leadership role in their family's recovery
Since you and Phil left, I designate myself
Taking ownership of the family's progress and becoming the de facto leader since the person and another member have left
Yeah Mommy I fuckin' love you
Expressing love and affection for their mother despite the struggles they've faced because of the addiction
No one gun' hurt you no more, angels above you
Promising to protect and care for their mother and wishing her well
Dad I forgive you, I pray you remain clean
Offering forgiveness and hope for the person's recovery from their addiction
I'm just glad your alive to see me live out this dream
Expressing gratitude that the person is still alive and able to see their child succeed and pursue their dreams despite the addiction
We made it out, we made it out this mother fucker alive
Celebrating their survival and success despite the challenges related to the person's addiction
Contributed by Claire T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dustinburg6022
This song is amazing, I wish more people knew about him because he deserves to be bigger than he is
@kristinejandura8143
OnCue is great. I like this song, I can relate to it in so many ways.. in almost every way, actually. I guess that is why I like it... " we made it out alive " thanks, OnCue, for making songs. Love you
@gamingtv36o
the story behind the song is just stunning.
@PubertFTW
I know it was said before but this guy raps from the heart and is sincere!
@kaskade4life
Wow! A rapper who raps from the heart with incredible honesty AND a sweet hook! I agree with Laxx703: MASTERPIECE!!
@skylerhunter2539
sooo legit! most consistantly great rapper ive ever heard. sounds ridiculously profesional for how unknown he is
@mjligz
hes got similar stories i do, i feel it. but i like it he'll get his name around hes got flow and emotion...deep
@BySwizhy
Honestly how is this guy not any bigger?
@haileylang9386
this song is too underrated
@misschoughton
OMG!! Amazing!!!