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.
Lush Life
Outasight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I ain’t good at math but I’m above average
This got a ring to it, no rush to marriage
Or ride the horse and carriage
But I am truly flattered, don’t make me blush
Grab my hand when I walk in but what’s the rush?
What’s up with my life being lush?
If looks could kill, watch the crowd go hush
To the diner for some grub, got an appetite for destruction
Who fronting on this real cool brother?
One of a kind style who don’t sound like another
Don’t hate me for being a life lover
I came from the bottom and look how I got ‘em
All in a frenzy, acting all friendly
Now where’s my umbrella Mr. Bentley?
[Chorus]
Hey hey hey hey hey
Welcome to the lush life
Hey hey hey hey hey
Welcome to the lush life
Hey hey hey hey hey
Welcome to the lush life
Hey hey hey hey hey
Welcome to the lush life
Put words together like I’m playing Scrabble
Triple word score, now make ya trunk rattle
Any new kicks? Yup, I got to have those
Dutch’s, we pass those just like with Tabasco
With anything I grub on, this ain’t no love song
Now everybody stop and say hey
And pretty young thing got me off the wall
Last shot of the night, this my curtain call
But I’m sticking around for the encore
‘Cause I got a little something but I want more
Hmm, makes ya think anything possible with a couple of drinks
Now everyone at the same time, say ho ho Jinx
Knock on wood, the boy gon be good
Been long enough on the brink, think
[Chorus]
Welcome to the life of mirages
Photo garages, Pablo Picasso collages
Hoes in my closet ‘cause wifey is home
Let ‘em out if they got it and my wifey is home
I’m talking gum ball machines in the lobby
Hallway filled with Murakami by Kakachi
They say it’s hard out here for me, no Jirachi
But I just hear the crowd drowning out everybody
Shit, mama thought it never made sense that I could get boss
Like the soap at the Macent, this is my exodus
So which do they say exits it?
I don’t plan to ever exit the entertainment
Niggas came with, come out of divorces
Like dudes in gang support groups, they don’t claim shit
Until my time is up, welcome to the lush life, I see ya sign is up
[Chorus]
In "Lush Life," OUTASIGHT and XV capture the feeling of living life to the fullest and enjoying every moment. The song opens with OUTASIGHT, who proudly proclaims his self-worth and his enjoyment of the luxurious life he lives. He talks about going out to the clubs at night and getting food at diners in the morning. He notes that he cannot be easily defined, and that is what makes him stand out. He doesn't need anyone to rush into anything, and he enjoys every aspect of his beautiful life.
XV takes over the second verse and speaks more tongue-in-cheek. He talks about his love of flashy living and boasts of his success with women. He references Murakami's artwork and gum ball machines in the lobby, showcasing the excesses he experiences. He is confident that he will never leave the entertainment business as it is the place where he thrives.
Overall, the song depicts two friends who live a life of luxury and satisfaction, unapologetically, and thriving in it.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting back on my MC status
I'm taking a break from rapping, enjoying my current status as an MC.
I ain’t good at math but I’m above average
I may not be a math whiz, but I'm still better than most people.
This got a ring to it, no rush to marriage
This feels promising, but I'm not in a hurry to commit to anything serious.
Or ride the horse and carriage
I'm not interested in outdated and cliched romantic gestures.
But I am truly flattered, don’t make me blush
I appreciate your compliments, but let's not get too sappy.
Grab my hand when I walk in but what’s the rush?
Why the need for physical affection so quickly? Let's take things slow.
What’s up with my life being lush?
Why is my life so luxurious and indulgent?
If looks could kill, watch the crowd go hush
I'm so attractive that people would be stunned into silence if looks alone could harm.
Out the club in the morning light
Leaving the club in the daylight after a night of partying.
To the diner for some grub, got an appetite for destruction
Heading to a diner to eat breakfast, with a strong appetite that could destroy any meal.
Who fronting on this real cool brother?
Who's trying to act tough towards me, a genuinely cool person?
One of a kind style who don’t sound like another
I have a unique style that sets me apart from other artists.
Don’t hate me for being a life lover
Don't be jealous of my love for life and all it has to offer.
I came from the bottom and look how I got ‘em
I came from humble beginnings, but now see how much I've achieved.
All in a frenzy, acting all friendly
People are excited and acting friendly towards me.
Now where’s my umbrella Mr. Bentley?
Where's my luxury car and chauffeur, Mr. Bentley?
Welcome to the lush life
Welcome to the luxurious and indulgent lifestyle I lead.
Put words together like I’m playing Scrabble
I arrange my rhymes as if I'm playing a game of Scrabble.
Triple word score, now make ya trunk rattle
Scoring big points with my rhymes and making the bass in your car's trunk vibrate.
Any new kicks? Yup, I got to have those
Do you have any new sneakers? Yes, I always need to have the latest ones.
Dutch’s, we pass those just like with Tabasco
We pass Dutch Masters cigars around like we do with hot sauce.
With anything I grub on, this ain’t no love song
No matter what I eat, it's not a romantic moment.
Now everybody stop and say hey
Everyone pause and greet me with a friendly 'hey.'
And pretty young thing got me off the wall
A beautiful person has me feeling more confident and comfortable.
Last shot of the night, this my curtain call
This is the final drink of the night, signaling the end of the party for me.
But I’m sticking around for the encore
I'm staying for the additional performance, I want more.
‘Cause I got a little something but I want more
I have some success, but I'm striving for even more.
Hmm, makes ya think anything possible with a couple of drinks
With a few drinks in us, we start to think that anything is possible.
Now everyone at the same time, say ho ho Jinx
Let's all say 'ho ho Jinx' simultaneously as a fun thing to do.
Knock on wood, the boy gon be good
I'm hoping for good luck, so I knock on wood and think that I'll do well.
Been long enough on the brink, think
I've been on the verge of success long enough, it's time to actually achieve it.
Welcome to the life of mirages
Welcome to a life that seems perfect, but is actually filled with illusions and false promises.
Photo garages, Pablo Picasso collages
My garage is filled with photos and art by famous people like Pablo Picasso.
Hoes in my closet ‘cause wifey is home
I have a collection of women's shoes in my closet that I can't display because my wife is at home.
Let ‘em out if they got it and my wifey is home
I'll show off my shoes to anyone who appreciates them, even if my wife is home.
I’m talking gum ball machines in the lobby
I have gum ball machines in the lobby of my house or building.
Hallway filled with Murakami by Kakachi
There are works by artists Murakami and Kakachi decorating the walls of my hallway.
They say it’s hard out here for me, no Jirachi
People say it's tough for me, but not as tough as it is for a Pokemon like Jirachi.
But I just hear the crowd drowning out everybody
I'm so popular and well-received that I can't even hear anyone else over the cheers of the crowds.
Shit, mama thought it never made sense that I could get boss
My mom never thought I'd be able to become a boss, but here I am.
Like the soap at the Macent, this is my exodus
Leaving behind my old life and stepping into a more luxurious one, like soap cleansing dirt off a body.
So which do they say exits it?
Which way is supposedly the way out of this lifestyle?
I don’t plan to ever exit the entertainment
I have no plans to leave the entertainment industry behind.
Niggas came with, come out of divorces
The people I started with have gone through divorces and tough times.
Like dudes in gang support groups, they don’t claim shit
Like boys in support groups for gangs, they don't claim anything because they've given up.
Until my time is up, welcome to the lush life, I see ya sign is up
Until my time is up, I'll continue living my luxurious lifestyle. I see that you're interested as well.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
NateDFunkt
thanks for lyrics...puts things in perspective for sure
Tha Silver-Haired Gawd
I actually only listened to this cuz my man XV was in it but it seems that I now found a new rapper to follow.
Tyler Gregory
lush life, never say never, dear heartache, and near the end are the best songs in the album..well in my opinion.
Mike Fahey
@AngusCattapan It's my best song off the album too