Beeson originally formed a band called Johnson in 2001 with his friend Berckelman, before creating the indie band label Motherlovin' Records in 2004. Subsequent bands included Malcolm X & the Black Auditorium and Berkfinger and The Sweats, the latter combining to form Philadelphia Grand Jury in early 2008. Dan Williams (aka Dan W. Sweat) was the band's original drummer before departing from the group in September 2009 to focus on performing with Art vs. Science. He rejoined the band in 2013 as a part of the band's reunion.
In May 2009, the band signed a joint venture deal with Boomtown Records to release their records, on their own label, Normal People Making Hits, with distribution through Shock Records.
In June 2009, the band released "Going to the Casino (Tomorrow Night)" as a 7" vinyl EP. The EP was self-recorded, produced and released. "Going to the Casino" received significant airplay on Triple J and featured on the television mini-series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities, also appearing on the soundtrack album. The band's debut album, Hope Is for Hopers, was released on 25 September 2009, reaching #34 on the ARIA Albums Chart.
At the fourth annual AIR Awards, held on 22 November 2009, Philadelphia Grand Jury won an award for 'Best Independent Single or EP'. The video for "The Good News" was filmed in North Sydney and at Parsley Bay, Rowe Street-Bondi Junction & Lighthouse Reserve-Vaucluse.
In October 2010, the band announced that they had Welch had left the band, as the 'rigours of the road have proved too arduous for the 55-year-old drummer'. Welch's replacement was Berlin-based, Brisbane-born Susanna "Susie Dreamboat" Patten (formerly of I Heart Hiroshima), who performed with the band on their tour of the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. Patten finished touring with the band in January 2011.
In March 2011, news surfaced that the band had abandoned work on the follow up to Hope is for Hopers. When FasterLouder sought a follow-up, they were met with the following statement in regards to the band's current status.
Philadelphia Grand Jury are on something of a hiatus. No need to make it a bigger deal than it is. Creative individuals tend to have more than one project and Philadelphia Grand Jury is just one of Berkfinger’s musical personas. Berkfinger is currently focusing on other projects, including moving his recording gear to Berlin to finish the recordings that he has been working on in the various incarnations of studios that he has built over the years.
On 2 November 2011 the band posted on their Facebook page that the band had broken up.
Beeson moved onto production and remix work under the moniker of Boyhood, while Berckelman relocated to Berlin and began working on a solo project entitled Feelings. In 2013, Berckelman assembled Beeson and Williams to join him on tour in Australia under the Feelings moniker. The three playing together for the first time in nearly four years immediately sparked rumours of a reunion, which were confirmed with a midnight performance by the band at the 2013 BIGSOUND Festival in Brisbane.
99 Problems
Philadelphia Grand Jury Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
(All open chords)
I got the rap patrol on the gat patrol
Foes that wanna make sure my casket's closed
Rap critics they say he's "Money Cash Hoes"
I'm from the hood stupid, what type of facts are those
You'd be celebrating the minute you was havin' dough
I'm like fuck critics you can kiss my whole asshole
If you don't like my lyrics you can press fast forward
I got beef with radio if i don't play they show
They don't play my hits i don't give a shit SO
Rap mags try and use my black ass
So advertisers can give 'em more cash for ads, fuckers
I don't know what you take me as,
Or understand the intelligence that Jay-Z has
I'm from rags to ritches niggas I ain't dumb
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
If you're havin' girl problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me
(barre chords and different strumming pattern)
The year's '94 and my trunk is raw
In my rear view mirror is the mother fuckin' law
I got two choices y'all pull over the car or (hmmm)
Bounce on the double put the pedal to the floor
Now I ain't tryin' to see no highway chase with Jay.
Plus i got a few dollars i can fight the case
So I... pull over to the side of the road
I heard "Son do you know why I'm stoppin' you for?"
(Open chords again)
Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hats real low?
Do I look like a mind reader sir, I don't know
Am I under arrest or should I guess some mo'?
"Well you was doin fifty-five in a fifty-fo' "
(Spoken bit)
"Liscense and registration and step out of the car"
"Are you carryin' a weapon on you I know a lot of you are"
I ain't steppin out of shit all my paper's legit
"Well, do you mind if I look round the car a little bit?"
Well my glove compartment is locked so are the trunk in the back
And I know my rights so you gon' need a warrant for that
"Aren't you sharp as a tack, you some type of lawyer or something'?"
"Or somebody important or somethin'?"
Nah, I ain't pass the bar but i know a little bit
Enough that you won't illegally search my shit
"We'll see how smart you are when the K9 come"
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
If you're havin' girl problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
If you're havin' girl problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but that bitch ain't one
The song "99 Problems" by Philadelphia Grand Jury is a cover of the original song by Jay-Z. It is a song that speaks about the struggles faced by black men in America. The opening lines "If you're having girl problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one" refers to the problems that Jay-Z faced in his life, and how he has overcome most of them except for one significant problem - the fear of getting pulled over while driving just because he is black. The song tackles the issue of racial profiling and police brutality that the black community has been facing for a long time.
The lyrics also talk about how he faced criticism from rap critics who called him "Money Cash Hoes" because of his success. He addresses them by saying that he came from humble roots and that they cannot understand the intelligence he has. He then goes on to narrate a story about getting pulled over by the police for driving over the speed limit. He refuses to let the police search his car illegally and stands up for his rights. The song ends with him repeating the line, "I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one" several times.
Overall, "99 Problems" is a hard-hitting rap song that touches upon societal issues such as poverty, police brutality, and racism. It has become a popular anthem that highlights the struggles of black men in America.
Line by Line Meaning
If you're havin' girl problems i feel bad for you son
I sympathize with you if you're experiencing issues with women
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
I have many issues, but a woman is not one of them
I got the rap patrol on the gat patrol
I have people protecting me and my music
Foes that wanna make sure my casket's closed
Enemies who want me dead
Rap critics they say he's "Money Cash Hoes"
Critics dismiss me as shallow and only concerned with material things
I'm from the hood stupid, what type of facts are those
I come from a disadvantaged background, so those claims are baseless
If you grew up with holes in ya zapatos
If you were poor growing up
You'd be celebrating the minute you was havin' dough
You would be happy when you start making money
I'm like fuck critics you can kiss my whole asshole
I don't care about what critics say, and I don't value their opinions
If you don't like my lyrics you can press fast forward
If you don't like what I'm saying, you can skip ahead and not listen to me
I got beef with radio if i don't play they show
I have issues with the radio stations that don't play my music
They don't play my hits i don't give a shit SO
If they don't play my popular songs, I don't care
Rap mags try and use my black ass
Magazines try to exploit me and use my race to sell more copies
So advertisers can give 'em more cash for ads, fuckers
They do this to make more money
I don't know what you take me as,
I'm not sure what people think of me
Or understand the intelligence that Jay-Z has
Or they do not comprehend my intelligence
I'm from rags to ritches niggas I ain't dumb
I came from poverty and became wealthy, and I'm not stupid
Hit me
Play the music
The year's '94 and my trunk is raw
It's 1994 and my car's trunk is loaded with drugs
In my rear view mirror is the mother fuckin' law
I see a police car behind me
I got two choices y'all pull over the car or (hmmm)
I have to decide whether to stop the car or try to outrun the police
Bounce on the double put the pedal to the floor
I choose to speed up and attempt to escape
Now I ain't tryin' to see no highway chase with Jay.
I don't want to get into a high-speed chase with the police
Plus i got a few dollars i can fight the case
I have enough money to hire a lawyer and fight any charges
So I... pull over to the side of the road
I eventually decide to stop the car and cooperate with the police
I heard "Son do you know why I'm stoppin' you for?"
The officer confronts me and asks me why I have been pulled over
Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hats real low?
I wonder if it is because of my race or appearance
Do I look like a mind reader sir, I don't know
I can't read minds and have no idea why I'm being stopped
Am I under arrest or should I guess some mo'?
I'm unsure if I'm being detained or free to leave
"Well you was doin fifty-five in a fifty-fo' "
The officer tells me I was driving over the speed limit
"Liscense and registration and step out of the car"
The officer asks to see my driver's license and registration, and for me to exit the car
"Are you carryin' a weapon on you I know a lot of you are"
The officer assumes I am carrying a weapon, given my background
I ain't steppin out of shit all my paper's legit
I refuse to exit the car because I know I haven't done anything wrong
"Well, do you mind if I look round the car a little bit?"
The officer asks for my permission to search the car
Well my glove compartment is locked so are the trunk in the back
I tell the officer that my glove compartment and trunk are locked
And I know my rights so you gon' need a warrant for that
I assert my constitutional rights and tell him he needs a warrant to search my car
"Aren't you sharp as a tack, you some type of lawyer or something'?"
The officer compliments me on my intelligence and asks if I am a lawyer
"Or somebody important or somethin'?"
He questions if I am someone of importance that he needs to treat better
Nah, I ain't pass the bar but i know a little bit
I am not a lawyer, but I know enough about the law to protect my rights
Enough that you won't illegally search my shit
I know enough about the law to prevent the officer from searching my car without a warrant
"We'll see how smart you are when the K9 come"
The officer warns me that a police dog is coming to search my car
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
I have many issues, but a woman is not one of them
Writer(s): John Elias Ventura, Leslie A. Weinstein, Norman Landsberg, Alphonso Henderson, Felix Pappalardi Copyright: Ammo Dump Music, Carrumba Music, Universal Music - Mgb Songs, Universal Music - Careers, WB Music Corp.
Contributed by Sadie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kabir Sabherwal
This is awesome!!!! I love this!
iswima
i love this simple version. absolutely great and so easy to listen to
Wild Craft Australia
this is freakin fantastic!
Hayden M
i found the way that they cleaned up the lyrics to be hilarious, great cover!!
Whipper Snipper
This is my earliest memory of this song, so when I think of 99 problems I think of this cover
megO
This is really really well done - stellar job, guys !
K Partida
that is freaking amazing
Melissa Wilson
this is fucken awesome! I love the Philly Jays!
wr2809
best live band. hands down
J Millard
Just lovely =)