He was signed to The Beats, a record label run by Mike Skinner and Ted Mayhem from 2006 until 12 February 2008, when the label terminated. He rose to success upon winning the inaugural JumpOff MySpace £50,000 battle rap tournament in July 2008. Following this in 2009, Manderson worked with Lily Allen on her 2009 concert tour.
Growing up on the Northwold estate in Upper Clapton, Green's familial situation saw him being raised by his grandmother while he traded up school attendance for just hanging on the estate, like kids do. The Read All About It Songfacts reports that he had a turbulent relationship with his father, who was rarely around during Manderson's childhood and committed suicide in 2008. In his hit single, Read All About It, Green responds to accusations made by his stepmother that his debut album, Alive Till I'm Dead, was "cashing-in" on his death.
While the usual nefarious stories of low budget living played a part in his life, Green's formative years were also characterised by fun: skating was big on the estate, etc. He also had an early inkling that the art of verbal sparring would somehow play a part in his life, confessing how, he always wanted to be a barrister or a lawyer. "I like debates and I've always been argumentative, I think that's helped me in battles a lot."
However, while becoming obsessed with hip-hop at the age of nine "Biggie [[artist]The Notorious B.I.G.] is my greatest hip-hop influence", Green only switched up from passive fan to active participant at a relatively late stage. After turning 18 years old, he coined his first rhyme completely off-the-cuff when put on the spot at an impromptu freestyle jam session round a friends house. Passing the test with aplomb and impressing his music making peers, the underground rap battle scene suddenly opened up before him.
After seeing a poster advertising a rap battle at the Lyric Pad night in London, Green turned up and won. From that he graduated to competing at the prestigious Jump Off events, performing at venues like The Scala and Sound in Leicester Square, and becoming the first ever contestant to win six straight weekly finals in a row. While his seventh showdown ended in defeat, he returned undeterred, put together a second run of consecutive victories and became the first string seven wins together. Throw in a further series of seven straight wins and a dalliance with pay battles, and Green became a man to fear on the battle circuit.
Cue a change of scene and a flight to the exotic climes of the Bahamas to spar for $50,000.
Entering the Power Summit battle against America's finest freestyle icons (think 8 Mile but with no holds barred), the crowd may have first viewed Green as this white English kid who's not going to do anything, but his gift of gab and ability to coin scathing punchlines saw him through to the final where he faced Jin, a member of DMXs much amped Ruff Ryders camp. The judges decided in Jin's favour, although with the Ruff Ryder man having been given a bye to the final and Green having already been through seven prior knockout bouts (including taking out representatives from Eminem's Shady Records camp), by his own admission it was "more a case of me losing it as opposed to Jin winning it."
Still, with a crowd featuring US big rap guns like Busta Rhymes and Saigon, Green made a name for himself and in September went off to Hawaii to compete in the battle again.
A performance at the B-Boy Championships last summer ultimately paid greater dividends and opened him up to a new audience in Mike Skinner of The Streets fame.
"Mike approached me after the B-Boy Championships and wanted to bring me on tour with The Streets" he recalls. I ended up doing an opening battle on the tour and we formed a great relationship from that. At first it wasn't about me looking for a record deal though it was more a case of us deciding to lay down some tracks and seeing where it went.
At the end of April 2006 he signed on the dotted line to release his debut album on Skinner's The Beats label. And while UK hip-hop's profile is certainly in the ascendancy thanks to acts like Skinnyman, Sway and Kano, Green has his eyes on breaking out beyond the usual urban tag affixed to British rappers.
Name-checking Portishead, Radiohead, Tracy Chapman and Suzanne Vega as song-writing influences, Green is well aware of the importance of adapting his lyrics from the immediacy of the live battle circuit to cater to the depth of the album format.
"The thing with hip-hop is if you take a lot of rap songs outside of rap then they aren't great songs, whereas with something like country if you take them outside of the genre then the song-writing skills are still incredible, he rationalises. And I'd like to take those skills into rap."
So while never completely leaving behind the entertaining punchlines that have characterised his battle persona, the album will take in everything from songs about his estranged parents to wish lists of things to do before he passes away and the plight of the average stereotypical man in the eyes of the average stereotypical female (see Stereotypical Man, complete with the catchphrase "'Til my breathings done I'll be reading page three of The Sun").
As Green concludes of his new goals "I wouldn't be happy to sell just 30,000 copies of my album. I don't think that there's anything wrong with aiming above that, giving people an album they can relate to, and wanting to be successful."
Before I Die
Professor Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wot
When I bop through these ends,
Follow me on a trek through the East End,
Where we wear our hoodies in all seasons,
Licking shots,
Constables,
Walking with punk under balls,
Jeans to low,
To ever to consider,
Running or Jumping walls,
When i walk around here there's a couple of rules,
Don't bling around here, tuck your jewels,
Unless you wanna get done by the rules,
And don't fight back,
And Life can be so uncomfortable,
Before the changes,
Before the Shell garage had the Sainsburys,
I walked the streets daily,
And one ten for big fat goes in the navy,
Black hoodies,
Nike tracksuits and hats,
Who'll fit caps and chaps,
Jewellery fact, all that
Attracts all these cats,
Looking to lash on your goodies,
You can run but that's hard to dance
Between the cracks and by karma,
There's many murders you never heard about,
Why do you think they call it the Murder Mall.
Cos they talk about violence like they know it,
And this is never what their life was,
So righteous,
When a few weeks ago,
A bullet missed and struck a minor,
Oh my High Road,
Good old Upper Clapton High Road,
Northwold,
Wigan?,
Southwold,
'Levys,
All my Upper Clapton People,
Say your regular two step,
Routine, take a few steps for me,
Left foot, right foot, best foot, first foot,
When you walk around here,
You best to walk firm,
So follow trend if you wanna stand the chance,
Follow the steps and let's do the upper clapton dance.
If your flash,
With your cash,
Then invest,
Buy a mash,
And invest,
To match,
Protect your stash, look
Haters hate me but dont hate them,
Just do your thing and ignore them,
Lifes a bitch with problems,
So fuck it,
Come share them, Look,
Rubber guys you gotta watch them,
Move to you, you got to pop them,
Do or die you got to take them,
Let it slide,
You're a victim,
Ride with your pride,
Ride with the 9,
Get caught,
Then your pissed then,
Jus ride the time,
Do the Time,
Mistakes, We can all fix them,
Get six years,
Serve three,
Get a kitchen job, that's me,
(Took) Top bunk, bunk bed,
Fuck sidelines,
Its rent free,
This aint me,
But it could be,
Cos road lifes sturdy,
You beef it,
If it's worth it,
You go inside you respect it,
Respect it, Ride it,
Use the time to reflect in it,
Get out, start changing it,
Change shits do shutting it,
But back in the Grime,
Back to Action,
Back to the hate,
Back to Clapton,
Haters hate but dont hate them,
Stack your bits and show them,
Say your regular two step,
Routine, take a few steps for me,
Left foot, right foot, best foot, first foot,
When you walk around here,
You best to walk firm,
So follow trend if you wanna stand the chance,
Follow the steps and let's do the upper clapton dance.
Let me tell you what Grimes about,
To the media people,
That runs their mouth,
Too negative about what guns about,
So we got a hard time trying to find something positive to rhyme about,
But if your minding that,
Jump on the 253,
It's up, try finding that,
If you're lying, you'll be dying,
White wash (Put a gun to) your brain,
From here to the roundabout,
To get murdered,
And go on like nobody know'em,
But it's a murder saw'em and show'em,
It's so dumb,
Lead people believe and who believe,
These bars ain't going,
We get banned from putting our show on,
We get banned from tv and so on,
Never hear the way the man go on,
And easy,
Believe me,
You don't come past, and fast,
And your cars gone,
Look, stare and your cuts won't last long,
Gold rings and I'll take every last one,
Upper Clapton dance with a mask on,
Go on step in and won't pull a fast one,
Seek to many men,
Pass on, this one could be my last song,
And the reason I see man rolling,
And the hurts get worse from first to the last one.
The song "Before I Die" by Professor Green is a raw and gritty depiction of life in the inner city, specifically in the East End of London. The lyrics vividly describe the struggle for survival in a world where violence is all too common and danger lurks around every corner. The song opens with a call to follow the singer as he bobs through the ends, or neighborhood, of East London. He describes the dress code of the area, where hoodies and Nike tracksuits are the norm and the police are a constant presence. The singer warns that there are rules to follow if you want to make it out alive, such as not flashing your jewelry and not fighting back.
The chorus of the song is an invitation to join in the "Upper Clapton Dance," a two-step routine that is both a celebration of life and a way to stay alert and agile in a dangerous environment. The second verse of the song deals with more practical matters, such as investing in weapons to protect oneself and being on guard against "rubber guys," or people who are looking to rob you. The song then takes a darker turn as it describes the consequences of getting caught up in the violence of the area, such as serving time in jail and having to start all over again.
Overall, "Before I Die" is a powerful and unflinching portrayal of life in a tough inner city environment, capturing both the danger and the resilience of those who live there.
Line by Line Meaning
When I bop through these ends
When I wander through these neighborhoods
Follow me on a trek through the East End
Join me on a journey through the East End
Where we wear our hoodies in all seasons
Where we wear our hooded sweatshirts regardless of the weather
Licking shots, Dodging police, Constables
Engaging in criminal activities while avoiding law enforcement officers
Walking with punk under balls, Jeans too low
Displaying an attitude of defiance and wearing pants sagging below the waist
To ever to consider, Running or Jumping walls
Never even thinking about running away or climbing over walls
When I walk around here there's a couple of rules
When I roam around this area, there are a few guidelines to follow
Don't bling around here, tuck your jewels
Don't wear flashy jewelry here, hide your valuable items
Unless you wanna get done by the rules
Unless you want to become a victim of the established norms
And don't fight back, And Life can be so uncomfortable
And don't resist, as life can become very difficult
Before the changes, Before the Shell garage had the Sainsburys
Before the neighborhood underwent renovations, prior to a specific store change
I walked the streets daily, And one ten for big fat goes in the navy
I walked around the streets every day and put a ten-pound note in a piggy bank
Black hoodies, Nike tracksuits and hats
Wearing black hooded sweatshirts, Nike tracksuits, and hats
Who'll fit caps and chaps, Jewellery fact, all that
People who can wear baseball caps and motorcycle jackets, and all the associated jewelry
Attracts all these cats, Looking to lash on your goodies
Draws the attention of individuals seeking to steal your valuable possessions
You can run but that's hard to dance Between the cracks and by karma
You can try to escape, but it is difficult to succeed without facing consequences
There's many murders you never heard about, Why do you think they call it the Murder Mall
There have been numerous unreported murders, hence the nickname 'Murder Mall'
Cos they talk about violence like they know it, And this is never what their life was, So righteous
Because they discuss violence as if they have firsthand experience, while their lives have been far from righteous
When a few weeks ago, A bullet missed and struck a minor
Just a few weeks ago, an innocent child was accidentally hit by a stray bullet
Oh my High Road, Good old Upper Clapton High Road, Northwold, Wigan?, Southwold, 'Levys
Expressing nostalgia and mentioning specific locations on the Upper Clapton High Road
All my Upper Clapton People, Say your regular two-step, Routine, take a few steps for me, Left foot, right foot, best foot, first foot
To all the people from Upper Clapton, perform the familiar dance steps, take a few steps on my behalf, starting with the left foot
When you walk around here, You best to walk firm, So follow trend if you wanna stand the chance, Follow the steps and let's do the upper clapton dance
When you navigate this area, you should display confidence, so if you want to fit in, follow the current trends and participate in the Upper Clapton dance
If your flash, With your cash, Then invest, Buy a mash, And invest, To match, Protect your stash, look
If you show off your wealth, it's better to invest wisely and purchase a weapon to protect your valuable possessions
Haters hate me but don't hate them, Just do your thing and ignore them
Although there are people who dislike me, it's best to focus on yourself and disregard their negativity
Lifes a bitch with problems, So fuck it, Come share them, Look
Life is challenging, so let's not dwell on it, instead, let's share our problems with each other
Rubber guys you gotta watch them, Move to you, you got to pop them
Be cautious of deceitful individuals, and if they approach you aggressively, you have to confront them
Do or die you got to take them, Let it slide, You're a victim, Ride with your pride, Ride with the 9
In life-threatening situations, you must fight back or face the consequences, but sometimes it's necessary to let it go to avoid becoming a victim. Carry your pride and a gun
Get caught, Then your pissed then, Jus ride the time, Do the Time
If you get arrested, you'll feel frustrated, but simply serve your sentence and endure the time in prison
Mistakes, We can all fix them, Get six years, Serve three, Get a kitchen job, that's me
We are all capable of correcting our mistakes. If sentenced to six years, serve only three and find employment in the prison kitchen, as I did
(Took) Top bunk, bunk bed, Fuck sidelines, Its rent-free
I claimed the top bunk in a shared cell, disregarded being a passive observer, and realized that staying in prison is free of rent charges
This ain't me, But it could be, Cos road life's sturdy, You beef it, If it's worth it, You go inside you respect it
This is not who I am, but circumstances can make anyone resort to a criminal lifestyle. If you engage in street conflicts, you must be willing to face prison time and acknowledge the consequences
Respect it, Ride it, Use the time to reflect in it, Get out, start changing it, Change shits do shutting it
Respect the experience, embrace it, utilize the time in prison for self-reflection, upon release, initiate change and work to improve the unfavorable situations
But back in the Grime, Back to Action, Back to the hate, Back to Clapton
Returning to the gritty and aggressive rap genre, back to being involved in active situations, back to facing hostility, and back to the Upper Clapton area
Haters hate but don't hate them, Stack your bits and show them
Although there are people who dislike you, don't reciprocate their hatred. Instead, accumulate wealth and prove them wrong
Say your regular two-step, Routine, take a few steps for me, Left foot, right foot, best foot, first foot
Perform the familiar dance steps, follow the usual routine, and take a few steps on my behalf, starting with the left foot
When you walk around here, You best to walk firm, So follow trend if you wanna stand the chance, Follow the steps and let's do the upper clapton dance
When navigating this area, it's essential to project confidence. So, if you want to fit in and have a shot at success, follow the latest trends and participate in the Upper Clapton dance
Let me tell you what Grimes about, To the media people, That runs their mouth
Allow me to explain the essence of the Grime music genre to the individuals in the media who constantly gossip
Too negative about what guns about, So we got a hard time trying to find something positive to rhyme about
The media focuses too much on the negative aspects of firearms, making it challenging for us to find positive subjects to rap about
But if you're minding that, Jump on the 253, It's up, try finding that
If you're concerned about that issue, listen to the song '253' which discusses it, and you'll understand better
If you're lying, you'll be dying, White wash (Put a gun to) your brain, From here to the roundabout
If you're spreading lies or misinformation, you'll face severe consequences, including the threat of violence, extending from your brain to the roundabout
To get murdered, And go on like nobody know'em, But it's a murder saw'em and show'em, It's so dumb
Some people get killed, and yet others act as if they are oblivious, but the signs of their involvement in the murder are clear and evident, showcasing their stupidity
Lead people believe and who believe, These bars ain't going
Persuade those who trust and believe in me that I will continue producing impactful lyrics
We get banned from putting our show on, We get banned from tv and so on
We face censorship preventing us from organizing concerts, being broadcasted on television, and so forth
Never hear the way the man go on, And easy, Believe me
People never fully comprehend the experiences I go through, and they have no idea how challenging it is, so trust me
You don't come past, and fast, And your cars gone
If you don't approach quickly, your vehicle will be stolen
Look, stare and your cuts won't last long
If you look at someone intensely and provoke them, you won't be able to escape unscathed
Gold rings and I'll take every last one, Upper Clapton dance with a mask on
If you wear gold rings, I will take each and every one of them. I'll participate in the Upper Clapton dance while wearing a disguise
Go on step in and won't pull a fast one
Feel free to enter, and I won't attempt to deceive you
Seek to many men, Pass on, this one could be my last song
If I encounter too many enemies, I may meet my demise, and this could potentially be my final song
And the reason I see man rolling, And the hurts get worse from first to the last one
The reason why I witness individuals engaging in criminal activities is that the pain intensifies from the first person harmed to the very last one
Writer(s): gilmore, m. anderson, skinner
Contributed by Wyatt H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Camus94
He's achieved most of what he set out to do. Respect.
Xavier Rose
Did LuLu regret those ta-tas?
sasha young
This song bumps super hard. Been one of my favs for along time. I wish they wouldn't have removed the music video though.
Shreyans Chodhry
Considering your native language isn't English, this isn't very bad. I really like the effort you put into it. Keep on making more videos, and fuck the haters. I love this video, its the only lyric video that I could find. Thank you :)
Thefergyx2
This is the tune that mainly got me into pro green
Aaron formanek Gibson
Thefergyx2 same fam
Greyson Melendez
Fuckin same
Fran Rowe-Weller
Professor green can be the dad to my kids ;) <3
123-Jane
@dogder7 spelt is also a word used when describing the way someone spells a word. but thanks for sharing your knowledge of wheat to us, it was truly fascinating!
Rob
Before I die I want to try OG Kush to treat my depression .All we got is mainly cheese and amnesia in the U.K.