Ray Carlos Nakai was born in Flagstaff, Arizona on April 16, 1946 and now resides in Tucson, Arizona. He began his musical career as a freshman at Northern Arizona University studying brass instruments and playing in the NAU marching band. In his second year, he enlisted in the US Navy with the hope of eventually playing in the Armed Forces Band. He passed the highly competitive auditions for the Armed Forces School of Music and was 28th on the waiting list for admission. Playing with the Armed Forces Band became impossible, however, because an auto accident damaged his mouth, making it impossible to produce the correct embouchure to continue playing brass instruments. Shortly after this accident, he was presented with a gift of a traditional Native American cedar flute and challenged to master it.
Nakai has said that most of his inspiration comes from the expressions of native communities and his desire to preserve his own Native American heritage. In addition, he likes to blend his native music with that of other cultures, thereby helping to preserve their heritage as well. To that end, he has collaborated with a Japanese folk ensemble, the Philadelphia Orchestra's Israeli cellist Udi Bar-David, guitarist William Eaton, American composer Philip Glass, Tibetan flutist Nawang Khechog and flutist Paul Horn. A 2005 collaboration with slack key guitar master Keola Beamer fused two very different indigenous American cultural forms and resulted in the album Our Beloved Land. He has expressed his philosophy and views of Native American culture in the modern world in an interview with Native Digest.
The Library of Congress has more than 30 of his recordings preserved in the American Folklife Center.[6]
His Earth Spirit and Canyon Trilogy albums are the only Native American albums to be certified gold and platinum, respectively, by the RIAA.
Nakai developed a system of tablature notation (commonly known as Nakai tablature) that could be used across a wide variety of flute keys and tunings. He published this in The Art of the Native American Flute (1996) with James Demars, Ken Light and David P. McAllester. This provided resources and support for other musicians playing the Native American flute.
In 2005, he was inducted into the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame. He was awarded the Arizona Governor's Arts Award in 1992. He received an honorary doctorate from Northern Arizona University in 1994 and the NAUAA Dwight Patterson (1934) Alumnus of the Year Award in 2001. Nakai earned a master's degree in American Indian studies from the University of Arizona.
Voices
R. Carlos Nakai Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bitch suck on my dick you know that you love it
Ain't flippin patties, nah this ain't McDonalds
Run up on my block, pussy boy you gonna miss it
Hearin voices in my head, tellin me to kill ya
Hearin voices in your head, tellin you to shut up
You ain't gonna live today, boy you better pay up
I gotta top single coming out this year
Rhymin this shit I don't know what to do
Voices in my head? Nah voices in my ear
Feel like Marshal Mathers the way i flow on this track
Ain't nobody like that shit you know I'm coming way back
TikTok showin love? Nah they showin this dick
Man hop on this shit, I'm tired of this beat
You know what to do, snap on this shit
Voices, i gotta kill em all
I.K you will never destroy me
Why you think your the best
I will put you in a body bag
No test, it doesn't even hurt bro
Oh, but your gonna destroy me?
Damn bro, must've been a cap
In my comments, deleted it after you Said it, damn bro don't wanna do this
Again, hoe, bro, hoe, let me get this
Got these voices in my head
Telling me i need to kill myself
Damn bro not gonna talk about that though
Oh, R3NDER back as i spaz
Don't even need a track
I can stay on beat easily
Fuck derek, no one cares, I don't care
About what you said, yeah diablo was Just a fake shot
I cannot provide an interpretation of these lyrics to R. Carlos Nakai's song Voices as they do not match the actual lyrics of the song. The lyrics provided appear to be from a different song by a different artist and are not appropriate for interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
Second year here and i made it
I have successfully reached my second year of making music
Bitch suck on my dick you know that you love it
I am confident in my abilities and success, and am indifferent towards criticism
Ain't flippin patties, nah this ain't McDonalds
I am not working a menial job; my music career is legitimate and successful
Run up on my block, pussy boy you gonna miss it
Threatening anyone who tries to take me down or come to my neighborhood
Hearin voices in my head, tellin me to kill ya
My success has given me a sense of power which might lead to me becoming dangerous in pursuit of it.
Hearin voices in your head, tellin you to shut up
Critics and haters are being told not to interfere with my success
You ain't gonna live today, boy you better pay up
Those who stand in my way should not expect a good outcome
I gotta top single coming out this year
My next music single is going to be the best
Lil Nas X has been gay for several years
Commenting on fellow artist Lil Nas X being openly gay
Rhymin this shit I don't know what to do
I am physically and mentally in a creative loop
Voices in my head? Nah voices in my ear
There is an actual beat and music production in my ear that is inspiring me
Feel like Marshal Mathers the way i flow on this track
Comparing myself to Eminem, the rapper with intense and distinct rhyming style
Ain't nobody like that shit you know I'm coming way back
I am confident that my music is unique and will propel me to even greater success
TikTok showin love? Nah they showin this dick
I am more popular than a TikTok trend or craze
Man hop on this shit, I'm tired of this beat
I am enthusiastic to create music but bored with my current beat or production
You know what to do, snap on this shit
I am directing others to show their skill and talent in the industry alongside me
Voices, i gotta kill em all
I must defeat any internal or external obstacles to achieve success
I.K you will never destroy me
I am warning a fellow artist who may threaten my success
Why you think your the best
I am questioning another artist's superiority over me
I will put you in a body bag
I am confident in my ability to overcome any threat and win, even if it requires extreme measures
No test, it doesn't even hurt bro
I am so confident and so good that even if you test me, it won't hurt or affect me
Oh, but your gonna destroy me?
I am being sarcastic and questioning someone's ability to take me down
Damn bro, must've been a cap
I am dismissing someone's argument or claim as false
In my comments, deleted it after you Said it, damn bro don't wanna do this
I am acknowledging and addressing negative comments or confrontations online
Again, hoe, bro, hoe, let me get this
I am taking control of a situation or conversation and disregarding insults or derogatory words
Got these voices in my head
There are internal struggles or doubts that require overcoming
Telling me i need to kill myself
I am struggling with mental health and thoughts of suicide
Damn bro not gonna talk about that though
I am not comfortable discussing or sharing details about my struggles with mental health or suicide
Oh, R3NDER back as i spaz
I am hyping myself up and feeling confident as I perform
Don't even need a track
My skills and talent alone are enough for success
I can stay on beat easily
I am able to maintain a beat and rhythm effortlessly
Fuck derek, no one cares, I don't care
I am dismissing someone or a situation as insignificant or unimportant
About what you said, yeah diablo was Just a fake shot
I am responding to criticism or controversy, defending my previous music release against false accusations
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Ashton Lively, Lucas Parton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind