Every so often a new artist comes along with a sound so innovative, they are able to help reshape the barriers that confine mainstream music. Meet Outasight, the Yonkers, New York bred musician who brilliantly weaves together the cadenced sounds of popular hip-hop and indie rock with the poignant sensibility of classic pop and soul music to create a fresh, new sound that is all his own. “People are conditioned to see certain images for different genres of music,” says the 27 year-old songwriter. “So if something looks or sounds out of the norm, it’s more difficult to understand at first.”
Growing up an only child in the suburbs of New York City, Outasight’s parents encouraged his insatiable love for making music from a very young age. When he was 8 yearsold, he taught himself to write songs on a guitar passed down from his father. “I was surrounded by thousands of records as a kid,” says Outasight who grew up emulating the diverse sounds he was surrounded by all his life. “I listened to a lot of classic rock, and pop, like the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Who, and also soul artists like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. My friends and I would form bands and practice in someone’s basement and then I would go to school and write raps and spit raps on the playground. They were like duel personalities in a sense.”
During his junior year of high school, Outasight started venturing into the city, seeking out open mics where he was able to fine tune his own material in front of live audiences. “I used to perform a lot in Brooklyn at a place called Sputnik,” says Outasight. “It would be a very diverse crowd and I would rap and start singing and they would be like, what the hell is going on right now? Who is this White kid acting all crazy? But there were always people that liked it so I always took any type of acceptance as the fuel to go further.” After performing in the big city for a couple of years, the resourceful young artist started to gain confidence and create some extremely valuable music industry connections. He toyed with the idea of going to college but after taking classes on and off for close to five years, Outasight realized it was foolish not to capitalize on the name he had created for himself in the City’s burgeoning independent music scene.
In 2006, he decided to drop out of college for good and pursue music full time. The following year, he released a mixtape called Employee Of The Year with the help of his friend and business partner Dre Bond. The two started a new company to help promote Outasight appropriately named Daily Grind Music. After promoting the tape on Myspace and up and coming music blogs, Outasight and Daily Grind released his second project, Radio New York in June of ’08 which was featured on the Myspace Home page for three consecutive days—a tremendous feat for any new, unsigned artist. “The amount of people that I got exposed to was incredible,” says Outasight. “We were getting like 50 thousand plays a day! Dre and I made a video for one of the mixtape’s songs, ‘Good Evening’ that fall we got the video on MTV after winning the MTVU Freshman competition.”
In March of 2009, Outasight released his third mixtape, From There To Here, with world renowned hip-hop DJ Mick Boogie and a month later was asked to open for Ryan Leslie at NYC’s SOB’s. After winning over the packed house with his live show, Outasight’s manager, Norman “Storm” Bell of Purfek Storm Management, secured a meeting with Asylum Records CEO Todd Moscowitz who was instantly taken by the multi-talented MC’s growing body of work. That October, Outasight signed a deal with Asylum. Soon after his signing, Outasight released his latest mixtape Further. The project was sponsored by LRG clothing and was his most successful release to date, garnering over a hundred thousand downloads and counting. Due to its overwhelming popularity, Asylum is set to release Further as an EP exclusively on ITunes in March 2010 while Outasight continues to craft his first full length commercial release, the aptly titled, From Here to Eternity. “The concept behind my album is one person’s quest from the present moment to being timeless,” he says, “It’s something that lives way beyond me, it’s about the quest.”
On August 17th, 2010, Outasight released his latest mixtape, Never Say Never, again to much critical acclaim.
Good Evening
Outasight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hope you like dreaming,
You live to learn, and you learn to live,
It's positive and negative,
I can't sleep, but I dream big [x3]
Good evening,
With a head full of dreams,
Pocket full of loose change,
Rippin' at the seams,
And it's hard to keep moving,
With a head full of steam,
It's the green,
It's the scene,
It's everything,
Hard to gain perspective,
When ya' eyes won't close,
It's hard to stand tall,
When you already on your toes,
Money can't grow on trees, yea I know,
It's the dough,
It's the show,
The got me all froze-en,
I wanna change my whole life n,
Runnin' out of gas,
Tell me who gon' scifen,
I'm likin' my chances,
But I don't say Jack,
Spin the wheel of fortune,
Like I'm sajak,
All I wanna do is ride a mayback,
Look real improtant,
But please don't say that,
That's all that matters,
To me,
Why can't I just,
Dream,
Good morning, good evening,
I hope you like dreaming,
You live to learn, and you learn to live,
It's positive and negative,
I can't sleep,
But I dream big [x3]
Good Evening,
Well it's hard to find peace,
When you're fighting a war,
Hard to see the stars,
When ya' sleeping on the floor,
Take what you can get,
Grab for a little more,
At the mall,
Let's ball,
Who cares about debt anymore
No freebies,
Stayin' alive like the bee gee's,
If they rentin' on easystreet,
Believe me I'm buying a penthouse yea,
Until then though,
I got to get those flows,
That I do through the ghetto's,
And suburbs alike,
Cause I really like,
Things that are nice,
Greed is my only advice,
But I know it's only natural (ooh),
So I'm a do what I have to do (yea),
And when I finally get some rest (uh-hu),
I can dream about shit that is fresh,
Good morning, good evening,
I hope you like dreaming,
You live to learn, and you learn to live,
It's positive and negative,
I can't sleep,
But I dream big [x3]
Good evening [x5]
Good morning, good evening,
I hope you like dreaming,
You live to learn, and you learn to live,
It's positive and negative,
I can't sleep,
But I dream big [x3]
Good evening.
The song "Good Evening" by Outasight is an introspective exploration of the difficulties of chasing one's dreams. The lyrics portray the struggle to find peace and rest while striving for success in a fast-paced world driven by money and materialism. The first verse sets the tone, describing the duality of life with its ups and downs. The chorus emphasizes the importance of dreaming and learning as ways to navigate life's challenges and find balance.
The second verse delves deeper into the complexities of chasing one's dreams, highlighting the struggle to keep moving forward when obstacles seem to be everywhere. The lyrics touch on the tension between financial stability and the pursuit of fame and success, and the difficulty in gaining perspective when one's eyes won't close. The verse ends with a plea to be able to dream and ride a mayback, indicating the desire for both material success and a way to escape the pressures that come with it.
The repetition of "Good evening" throughout the song creates a sense of continuity and a mellowing effect that complements the introspective nature of the lyrics. Overall, the song's message seems to be that dreaming and learning are important parts of life, but they must be balanced with rest and self-care to avoid burnout.
Line by Line Meaning
Good morning, good evening,
Greetings, whether it's morning or evening, as long as you enjoy dreaming.
I hope you like dreaming,
Wishing that you enjoy having aspirations and goals.
You live to learn, and you learn to live,
Life is a learning process and experience, which makes you better at living it.
It's positive and negative,
Both good and bad experiences can contribute to learning and growth.
I can't sleep, but I dream big [x3]
Insomnia may keep me awake, but I have big aspirations that drive me forward.
Good Evening,
A form of greeting for the evening time.
Well it's hard to get to bed,
Having difficulty sleeping due to restlessness and ambition.
With a head full of dreams,
Feeling preoccupied with aspirations and ambitions.
Pocket full of loose change,
Having some money, but not a lot.
Rippin' at the seams,
Feeling overwhelmed and unstable due to the amount of dreams and ambitions.
And it's hard to keep moving,
Feeling like it's a challenge to make progress.
With a head full of steam,
Holding onto motivation, inspiration, and energy.
It's the green,
Money is a big motivator and drive for ambitions.
It's the scene,
Fitting in with the social and cultural norms around you is also important.
It's everything,
Chasing ambitions and success requires a lot of dedication and effort.
Hard to gain perspective,
Seeing things clearly and objectively is a challenge.
When ya' eyes won't close,
When you can't sleep due to your ambitions and aspirations.
It's hard to stand tall,
Staying motivated and driven in the face of obstacles is a challenge.
When you already on your toes,
Feeling like you're always ready and prepared for whatever comes next.
Money can't grow on trees, yea I know,
I understand that money is not something that can be easily obtained.
It's the dough,
Money is one of the most important resources for chasing ambitions.
It's the show,
Putting on a successful appearance can help achieve your goals.
The got me all froze-en,
Feeling overwhelmed or stunned by the amount of effort and work required.
I wanna change my whole life n,
Desiring a complete transformation of my current situation and circumstances.
Runnin' out of gas,
Feeling exhausted and drained from the amount of work and ambition needed to achieve your goals.
Tell me who gon' scifen,
Asking who will come to your aid or support you in your pursuit of ambitions.
I'm likin' my chances,
Feeling confident in my abilities and opportunities for success.
But I don't say Jack,
Keeping my ambition and goals to myself, rather than sharing with others.
Spin the wheel of fortune,
Taking chances and risks in order to achieve success.
Like I'm sajak,
Attempting to win or succeed as if playing a game show.
All I wanna do is ride a mayback,
Desiring luxury and success in the form of owning a luxury car.
Look real improtant,
Appearing significant and successful to others.
But please don't say that,
Desiring to stay modest and humble about ambitions and success.
That's all that matters,
The achievement of personal goals and aspirations is the most important thing.
To me,
This is my personal perspective and priority.
Why can't I just,
Questioning why it's not possible to have aspirations and chase success.
Dream,
Aspire to achieve a more successful, fulfilling and abundant life.
Well it's hard to find peace,
Finding inner peace and contentment is difficult when there is a constant drive to achieve more.
When you're fighting a war,
Chasing and pursuing success can feel like a battle with a lot of obstacles.
Hard to see the stars,
Difficult to recognize and appreciate small successes or progress when you're focused on the bigger picture.
When ya' sleeping on the floor,
Struggling to obtain basic needs and survive in the pursuit of success.
Take what you can get,
Accepting small victories and opportunities for advancement.
Grab for a little more,
Continuing to pursue success and opportunities for advancement beyond what is already achieved.
At the mall,
Going to shopping centers to celebrate success or distract from troubles.
Let's ball,
Celebrating success, sometimes with spending or other excesses.
Who cares about debt anymore
Less concerned with debts and financial obligations in the pursuit of success.
No freebies,
There are no shortcuts or handouts in the pursuit of success, everything is earned.
Stayin' alive like the bee gee's,
Surviving and staying motivated like the band The Bee Gees, who sang 'Stayin' Alive.'
If they rentin' on easystreet,
Observing people who have success without working hard for it.
Believe me I'm buying a penthouse yea,
Hoping that success will allow for purchasing something luxurious like a penthouse.
Until then though,
Until success is achieved.
I got to get those flows,
Needing to work hard and consistently in order to achieve success.
That I do through the ghetto's,
Working hard in difficult or challenging situations like a ghetto to achieve success.
And suburbs alike,
Success is possible in a variety of situations, whether it be a challenging environment or a more privileged one.
Cause I really like,
Enjoying the rewards and opportunities of success.
Things that are nice,
Appreciating luxuries and comfort that come with success.
Greed is my only advice,
Having a strong focus on personal advancement and reward as the primary motivator.
But I know it's only natural (ooh),
Recognizing that wanting success and rewards is normal human behavior.
So I'm a do what I have to do (yea),
Taking whatever action is necessary to achieve success, within reason.
And when I finally get some rest (uh-hu),
When success is achieved and there is finally a chance to relax and rest.
I can dream about shit that is fresh,
Allowing oneself to dream of new goals and aspirations once current ones are achieved.
Good evening.
A form of greeting for the evening time.
Contributed by Anthony B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JK-47 '
Throwback to 2009-2011 with BreakingNYC. I was only 10-12, but I’m 20 now and I still have this song in my head!
James Johno
Exactly the same here! It will always be in our heads I get up some mornings and sing this still breaking nyc was so good
Roosevelt Coopling
same-o here in Brazil. but I'm 50 yo. Good times of RWJ =3
Jordy
Outasight set the tone of Breaking NYC back in the days. Three years later I'm listening his music again, because I can't sleep. Man, both those guys have changed a lot throughout the years.
Me
fucking ray william johnson vlogs. only true OG's are going to remember that
Chris Delaurier
Good times indeed
marcus phoinex
+thisisemchii I miss those
tyler2411
+overclockeador wow time flys
milkandcrispy
+thisisemchii Remember when he was sharing flat with William Hyde? When he rapped with Outasight outside the venue... man... I miss those days.
Brennen
+thisisemchii Man those were the days!!