She is the protégé of Grammy Award-winning producer 9th Wonder, the first lady of North Carolina super crew Kooley High, and one of the first artists signed to Jamla Records/It's A Wonderful World Music Group. As the brainchild of 9th Wonder's true school resurgence, Rapsody consistently sets the bar high for all emcees, male and female alike. Paying homage to her hip hop godmothers MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Lauryn Hill, this Snow Hill, North Carolina native represents much more than just the female side of hip hop culture; she is an emcee who represents hip hop culture beyond the lines of gender, proving that anything the boys can do, she can do, too, and better. Her virtuosity and dexterity behind the microphone highlight her presentation, and her humble demeanor attests to her constant pursuit of improvement with every beat and rhyme.
After proving her impeccable craftsmanship with features on 9th Wonder's "Dream Merchant 2," Skyzoo's DJ-Drama hosted "The Power of Words," and numerous Kooley High releases, Rapsody made her solo debut on December 7, 2010 with "Return of the B-Girl," a 20-track project boasting production by 9th Wonder and DJ Premier among others, as well as features from Big Daddy Kane, Mac Miller, Skyzoo, Rah Digga, Phil Ade, and more. A published review praised the record: "A poet-turned-rapper, Rapdiddy (as she's dubbed herself) has always possessed outstanding wordplay, but B-Girl finds her effortlessly nimble delivery -- capable of both gritty and biting or sassy and sultry -- continuing to improve."
Rapsody has shared the stage with hip hop legends and rising stars alike, including Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan, Big Daddy Kane, J. Cole, Wale, Colin Munroe, Tanya Morgan, Suede of Camp Lo, Blu and Exile, and The Clipse, but it's her ability to captivate diverse audiences with her explosively dynamic live performance that sets her apart and has earned her much-deserved accolades from major media sources including Vibe, XXL, HipHopDX, and more. She has captivated audiences at sold-out performances at dozens of venues on The Incredibly Dope Tour with Mac Miller and the Mic Fest Tour with 9th Wonder and her Jamla Records label mates. In her sophomore project "Thank H.E.R. Now," she weaves more intimate stories of her personal experiences and shares the studio and soundbooth with heavy hitters Jean Grae, MURS, Raekwon, Estelle, Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar, Big K.R.I.T., Marsha Ambrosius, and more.
Her style is polished and distinct, and her wordplay and flow are unparalleled in both delivery and execution. As she continues to strive to contend with her hip hop predecessors like Jay-Z and Mos Def, Rapsody is already undeniably one of the strongest and most promising forces in today's hip hop culture.
Laila’s Wisdom
Rapsody Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Remember what she SAID about winter and what the cold do
Everything's a season and some things you gotta go through
Believe me I don' seen it all, you're young talking to the old you
When haters come around look 'em down tell 'em "we don't owe you"
You gon' lose some friends but those circles are better than the ovals
A black man left the Oval
Keep that style you got soulful
Sky's the limit see, I told you
You gon' be the difference between McDonald's, Burger King and Whole Foods
Do your thang and slip thru on 'em they ain't gon' have no clue
You won't need no toll booths, they'll pay attention, Hov do
They'll ask you for advice tell 'em the same thing I told you
Should be a crime to be this fly and awesome
And to think love is all it cost 'em
Feel like Jordan this the ball that Pippen tossed 'em
I'm the underdog and gold is what flossin'
When they told me my chances of losing was higher than divorces
You gotta know your worth and work 'cause I can't force ya
Growing up I shopped at KMart and Ross', celebrated every win
And learned to learn from all my loses
I never signed paperwork without reading the clauses
My parents worked way too hard to not get no credit for it
I'm a trip like Grayson Allen
Y'all never made me VALID
I learn that from Phylicia and Debbie Allen
I'm the other one them another ones screaming like Khaled
We don't match up, ask my stylist
I rock Nike and New Balance
I drink water by gallons, y'all should call me captain
I was told to be the flow and not follow it while y'all actin'
I'm the better version of what you used to think and call talent
I been bankin', check my balance
You a bed away from Skidrow
I owe Sallie Mae but owe my people way mo'
God rested on the seventh day
And worked on me on day fo'
I've been killing for a long time
My lawyers got a caseload
Yeah my lawyers got a caseload
I cracked the code, it's no longer safe for y'all
Kujo still the scariest of all the dogs
After that come all my dawgs
Talent level's thru the walls
I'm the Juggernaut, riding wit my car doh' locked
Coppers known to hang out on these kinda blocks
Don't get shot
They say we 3/5ths human, well the rest of me's an Autobot
I'm really hot
You should ask my team and dem
Jamla's still the squad and my confidence is thru the roof
I appreciate the compliments
Laila's Wisdom, rest in peace, I love you dear
Yo, we good over here, here (here)
We good over here here (here)
Yeah, we good over here here uh
If you wrote me a letter I'll probably make it a kite
I'll fly it in bad weather and pray it get struck by light'
In Rapsody's song "Laila's Wisdom," she delivers lines of advice and wisdom to a young person who may be struggling with the difficulties of life. She asks them not to worry about what anyone else has told them and to remember what someone else had told them about winter and the cold, that everything is a season and some things must be endured. She reassures them that they will get through it and acknowledges that she has seen it all. She advises the young person when haters come around not to let them affect them and to be true to themselves. She stresses the importance of surrounding themselves with good people and states that they will be the difference between fast-food chains and a grocery store, as long as they stay true to themselves. Rapsody acknowledges that they will face struggles, but they are worth it, and they will learn from their losses and celebrate their wins. She tells them that it is important to know their worth and work hard for it, and even though she can't force them to do so, they should never forget that they are worth it.
The song also emphasizes Rapsody's growth as an artist and the work she has put in to achieve success. She has worked hard and is now in a position where her lawyers have a caseload, and she has cracked the code on how to succeed. She shouts out her team and gives thanks for the support they have provided. Rapsody reveals her confidence is at an all-time high and how grateful she is for compliments. Rapsody gives a mention to Laila's Wisdom, who could have been a family member or a friend who provided her with guidance, and always appreciates the advice she has received.
Line by Line Meaning
Look don't worry 'bout anything they told you
Don't stress over what others say about you
Remember what she SAID about winter and what the cold do
Keep in mind the lessons you learned from experience
Everything's a season and some things you gotta go through
Life has its ups and downs, and you have to endure some tough times
Believe me I don' seen it all, you're young talking to the old you
Trust me, as someone who's been through it all, you're speaking to the older, wiser version of yourself
When haters come around look 'em down tell 'em "we don't owe you"
When people who dislike you come around, ignore them and don't give them any attention
You gon' lose some friends but those circles are better than the ovals
You'll inevitably lose some friends, but the new circles you form will be better than the old ones
A black man left the Oval
Barack Obama, a black man, was President of the United States and left the Oval Office
Keep that style you got soulful
Stay true to your unique style
The best of the best gon' fear you
The top performers will see you as competition
Sky's the limit see, I told you
You can achieve anything you set your mind to
You gon' be the difference between McDonald's, Burger King and Whole Foods
You have the potential to make a big impact and create something new and innovative
Do your thang and slip thru on 'em they ain't gon' have no clue
Do your thing and surprise others with your success
You won't need no toll booths, they'll pay attention, Hov do
You won't have to pay for attention, people will notice you like they do with Jay-Z
They'll ask you for advice tell 'em the same thing I told you
When people seek your advice, tell them the same thing you were told
Should be a crime to be this fly and awesome
Being as cool and amazing as you are should be illegal
And to think love is all it cost 'em
Achieving greatness only required love and dedication
Feel like Jordan this the ball that Pippen tossed 'em
You feel like Michael Jordan with the ball that Scottie Pippen passed to him
I'm the underdog and gold is what flossin'
Being underestimated makes it even more rewarding when you succeed
When they told me my chances of losing was higher than divorces
People doubted your ability to succeed more than the likelihood of a marriage ending
You gotta know your worth and work 'cause I can't force ya
It's important to recognize your own value and put in effort towards your goals
Growing up I shopped at KMart and Ross', celebrated every win
As a child, I had humble beginnings and appreciated every accomplishment
And learned to learn from all my loses
I learned to turn failures into opportunities to learn and grow
I never signed paperwork without reading the clauses
I was careful to read the fine print before signing any contracts
My parents worked way too hard to not get no credit for it
My parents deserved recognition for their hard work and sacrifice
I'm a trip like Grayson Allen
I'm unpredictable and wild like the basketball player Grayson Allen
Y'all never made me VALID
Others never made me feel worthy or important
I learn that from Phylicia and Debbie Allen
I learned to believe in myself from actresses Phylicia and Debbie Allen
I'm the other one them another ones screaming like Khaled
I'm another artist who's also shouting out like DJ Khaled
We don't match up, ask my stylist
We don't dress the same, ask my fashion expert
I rock Nike and New Balance
I wear a mix of popular and lesser known brands
I drink water by gallons, y'all should call me captain
I consume a lot of water and should be nicknamed 'Captain'
I was told to be the flow and not follow it while y'all actin'
I was advised to create my own unique style and not just follow the trends like others
I'm the better version of what you used to think and call talent
I've improved and am a better version of what others once thought was talent
I been bankin', check my balance
I've been making a lot of money, check my accounts
You a bed away from Skidrow
You're only one step away from being homeless
I owe Sallie Mae but owe my people way mo'
I owe a lot of money to student loan company Sallie Mae, but I owe even more to my community
God rested on the seventh day
In the Bible, God took a day off on the seventh day of creation
And worked on me on day fo'
God worked on creating me on the fourth day of creation
I've been killing for a long time
I've been doing well for a while now
My lawyers got a caseload
I have a lot of legal issues to deal with
Kujo still the scariest of all the dogs
Kujo, a character in a horror movie, is still the scariest dog to me
After that come all my dawgs
After Kujo, my own dogs are the next most important to me
Talent level's thru the walls
The amount of talent I have is off the charts
I'm the Juggernaut, riding wit my car doh' locked
I'm like the unstoppable Juggernaut from X-Men, riding with my car doors locked
Coppers known to hang out on these kinda blocks
The police are known to patrol these types of neighborhoods
Don't get shot
Be careful not to get shot
They say we 3/5ths human, well the rest of me's an Autobot
Some people believe black people are only 3/5ths of a person, but I'm like a superhuman Autobot (robotic character from Transformers)
I'm really hot
I'm very talented and successful
You should ask my team and dem
You should ask the people on my team how great I am
Jamla's still the squad and my confidence is thru the roof
Jamla (my music label) is still the best and my confidence in myself is very high
I appreciate the compliments
I'm grateful for the nice things people say about me
Laila's Wisdom, rest in peace, I love you dear
This song is dedicated to my grandmother Laila who has passed away, I love and miss her
Yo, we good over here, here (here)
We're doing fine here
If you wrote me a letter I'll probably make it a kite
If you sent me a letter, I'd likely use it as a kite in bad weather
I'll fly it in bad weather and pray it get struck by light'
I'll fly the kite in bad weather and hope it gets struck by lightning as a sign of good luck
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Marlanna Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind