Phonte has guested on numerous records by other artists, often as a vocalist on songs by the Justus League collective. He made a guest appearance on the song "Beats N' Rhymes" by Kev Brown's album I Do What I Do, and has also recorded tracks with producer Oddisee, both members of the Washington D.C (DMV)-based Low Budget Crew. In 2006, he was featured on producer DJ Shadow's The Outsider album. In the following year he contributed vocals to rap group Playaz Circle's "Paper Chaser", from their album Supply & Demand.
Rapper/Singer/Producer Phonte Lyshod Coleman hails from Durham, North Carolina (born December 29, 1978). Co-founder of the now defunct hip hop group Little Brother and hip hop/R&B group The Foreign Exchange.
He has also recorded R&B-flavored output as a singer (often under the pseudonym Percy Miracles). His rhymes tend to be no-frills perspectives on working-class life.
Cry No More
Phonte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you die no more
Its a crying shame
You won't even try no more
Black suits black ties and obituaries handed out
Ashes to ashes after living life hand to mouth
A deathwish is cool till its time to blow the candles out
I need some answers now
And everybody saying theyd be different if they had a man around
He liked his work and his women built like a Clydesdale
Went to the city in search of supreme clientele
And back to the country frontin like he Mr Drysdale
Just an illusion a ruse an old wives tale
While I was in the borough where the dope and the gun work
Had the whole hood soundin like Dunkirk
Staring at my celing fan tryin to be a man
Wishing I had a chance to be a son first
You know its crazy cos like when I was a kid
My dad used to pick me up from school
He was an executive chef and he would bring me to the kitchen
I would be so excited to cook
And you know hed be like "nah" you need to, you need to prep
You need to do preparation
And I didn't understand it at the time
But he was teaching me about life
They ask where I been dog I been rebuilding
With my wiz and children
Put my pops in the ground
And hit the Repass and ate the same shit that killed him
Your habits didn't deviate
Just thought you would appreciate
My moms used to say I was a whore just like you
Son mom, I ran through even more just to spite you
And Pops, my health is doing pretty good despite you
I try so I dont die at 54 just like you cold
Im one snowflake away from an avalanche
My first teachers were masters of self sabotage
My momma walking slower nowerdays she got a stent
Still on them Newports wheres your fuckin common sense?
Pardon my French Im just still unconvinced
That as young as you are soon Ill be taking care of you
I get it youre the one who did the raising(rasin) Im the son(sun)
But Im not ready to cry at your Lorraine Hansberry-al
You can't undo it you either succumb to it
Make the adjustment or just become numb to it
Looking over your life like what have I done to it
Knowing your bloodmine is the river that runs through it
My sons look at me these days and think Im certified
Preparing them for a world theyll be desserted by
Internalized black men if you get a teaspoon of compassion
Thats more than double the serving size
I get impatient shit is taking too long
They dont get it I really lived it you can say what you want
Cos by the time you realise that your father was right
Youll have your own son telling you that youre wrong
But be his ride or die even if you two ain't seein eye to eye
Teach him how to throw a punch, ride a bike, tie a tie
Hold on to him while you can this is just what I advise
The song "Cry No More" by Phonte is a track that tackles the themes of loss, grief, and reckoning. The song opens with the lines "Motherfuckers can't cry no more/ When you die no more" which sets the tone for the rest of the track. Phonte talks about the societal norms that encourage people to keep their emotions in check and how it's a shame that people don't even try to express their grief anymore. He goes on to describe funerals where people wear black suits and ties, and how people offer condolences through obituaries. He talks about the reality of life where one has to live hand-to-mouth, and how having a deathwish is cool, but it's hard to confront death when the time comes.
Phonte then switches to the story of his father, who he refers to as someone who left his sons to the wolves. His father was a hard worker, who liked his women built like a Clydesdale, and who went to the city to search for the supreme clientele. He portrays his father as an illusion, someone who pretended to be someone he wasn't. Phonte contrasts this with his own life where he lived in a hood where there was dope and gun work. He talks about his struggles to be a man while wishing that he had a chance to be a son first. He concludes the song by advising parents to be there for their children and teach them how to navigate their way through life.
In conclusion, "Cry No More" is a poignant commentary on the ways in which society deals with death and loss. Phonte talks about how people are expected to keep their emotions in check and how it's hard for people to confront death when the time comes. He also talks about his own personal struggles and how his father's absence affected his life. The song is a reminder that it's important for parents to be there for their children and teach them how to navigate their way through life.
Line by Line Meaning
Motherfuckers can't cry no more
People don't know how to express their emotions anymore
When you die no more
Death is now commonplace, people have become desensitized
Its a crying shame
It's sad and unfortunate
You won't even try no more
People have given up on their dreams and aspirations
Black suits black ties and obituaries handed out
Funerals have become a routine and somber affair
Ashes to ashes after living life hand to mouth
People struggle to make ends meet and their lives don't get any easier in death
A deathwish is cool till its time to blow the candles out
Death seems appealing until it's actually imminent
I need some answers now
The artist is searching for clarity and understanding in life
Leaving your sons is tantamount to throwing em straight to the wolves
Abandoning your children is leaving them vulnerable to the harsh realities of life
And everybody saying theyd be different if they had a man around
Many people believe that having a father figure would have prevented their hardships
He liked his work and his women built like a Clydesdale
The father figure was attracted to strong and sturdy women
Went to the city in search of supreme clientele
The father figure left to follow his ambitions and seek success
And back to the country frontin like he Mr Drysdale
The father figure returned boasting about his accomplishments
Just an illusion a ruse an old wives tale
The father figure's achievements were not as glamorous as they seemed
While I was in the borough where the dope and the gun work
The singer grew up in a neighborhood where drugs and guns were prevalent
Had the whole hood soundin like Dunkirk
The neighborhood was in a constant state of chaos and danger
Staring at my celing fan tryin to be a man
The artist is struggling to find his place in the world and become a responsible adult
Wishing I had a chance to be a son first
The singer wishes he had a more traditional upbringing with a present and loving father figure
You know its crazy cos like when I was a kid
The singer is reminiscing about his childhood
My dad used to pick me up from school
The artist's father used to show him love and affection
He was an executive chef and he would bring me to the kitchen
The father figure had a successful career and shared it with his son
I would be so excited to cook
The artist looked up to and admired his father
And you know hed be like "nah" you need to, you need to prep
The father figure stressed the importance of hard work and preparation
You need to do preparation
The father figure wants his son to understand the value of discipline and persistence
And I didn't understand it at the time
The singer didn't fully comprehend the lessons his father was trying to teach him
But he was teaching me about life
The father figure was imparting wisdom and guidance to his son
They ask where I been dog I been rebuilding
The singer is on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth
With my wiz and children
The artist is finding strength and support in his family
Put my pops in the ground
The father figure has passed away
And hit the Repass and ate the same shit that killed him
The singer is continuing the cycle of unhealthy habits that his father indulged in
Your habits didn't deviate
The father figure never changed his unhealthy lifestyle
Just thought you would appreciate
The artist's lifestyle choices were an homage to his father figure
My moms used to say I was a whore just like you
The artist's mother saw the same unhealthy tendencies in her son that she saw in his father
Son mom, I ran through even more just to spite you
The artist rebelled against his mother's expectations and made even more poor choices
And Pops, my health is doing pretty good despite you
The singer has made efforts to improve his own health despite his father's poor example
I try so I dont die at 54 just like you cold
The artist is actively trying to avoid the same fate as his father
Im one snowflake away from an avalanche
The singer is on the brink of a crisis or disaster
My first teachers were masters of self sabotage
The singer grew up with unhealthy role models who influenced his own negative habits
My momma walking slower nowerdays she got a stent
The singer's mother is struggling with health issues
Still on them Newports wheres your fuckin common sense?
The mother figure continues to smoke despite her health issues
Pardon my French Im just still unconvinced
The artist is still struggling to make sense of his past and his choices
That as young as you are soon Ill be taking care of you
The singer is worried that he will have to take care of his own mother in the future
I get it youre the one who did the raising(rasin) Im the son(sun)
The singer acknowledges his mother's efforts in raising him
But Im not ready to cry at your Lorraine Hansberry-al
The artist is not ready to accept the fate of his mother's illness
You can't undo it you either succumb to it
The artist realizes that they cannot change the past
Make the adjustment or just become numb to it
The artist must make changes to their life to avoid the same fate
Looking over your life like what have I done to it
The singer is reflecting on their past decisions
Knowing your bloodmine is the river that runs through it
The artist recognizes that their familial history influences their life choices
My sons look at me these days and think Im certified
The singer's children look up to him and see him as a successful figure
Preparing them for a world theyll be desserted by
The singer is trying to equip his children for a harsh and unforgiving world
Internalized black men if you get a teaspoon of compassion
The singer recognizes the negative impact of toxic masculinity on black men
Thats more than double the serving size
Even a small amount of compassion can go a long way
I get impatient shit is taking too long
The artist is frustrated with the slow progress of growth and change
They dont get it I really lived it you can say what you want
The singer has experienced and endured hardships that others cannot understand
Cos by the time you realise that your father was right
The singer reflects on how he has realized his father was right about certain things too late
Youll have your own son telling you that youre wrong
The artist recognizes that he will one day experience the same frustration from his own son
But be his ride or die even if you two ain't seein eye to eye
The artist encourages fathers to continue to support and love their sons, even if they disagree
Teach him how to throw a punch, ride a bike, tie a tie
The artist emphasizes the importance of fathers teaching their sons practical skills
Hold on to him while you can this is just what I advise
The singer urges fathers to cherish and nurture their relationship with their sons while they still can
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Phonte Coleman, Jonathan Donovan Fort
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind