Rapsody is the new force in hip hop, and she's blazing the trail for a new … Read Full Bio ↴Rapsody is the new force in hip hop, and she's blazing the trail for a new generation of emcees, showcasing effortless lyrical mastery in an age of celebrating the culture of a hip hop renaissance. "Hip hop in its essence is real; I'm still hearing every rhyme."

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.

Maya
Rapsody Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah, yeah, alright
So my voice could, uh
The beat could come down a tiny tiny bit, and my voice could come up a lot
(I can't)
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, yeah

I can't be no bird in a cage

My bad, I don't run away, no
We got the juice, we got the crew
Momma always told me don't waste your time
I can't be no bird in a cage
My bad, I don't run away, no
Knock on wood, it's gon' be a long night
Stay movin' forward, don't waste yourself

Yeah, stay movin' forward and elevate from the floor
And the old you had big drive, the new you drive like Delorean
Until you do more than luring
The future's important, they tell me do what you can
Man, I'ma do it like Jordan
Gotta check myself, momma
Told me, just like old Morgan, Freeman
A caged bird sings a song for freedom
Goin' borderline crazy thinkin' 'bout the children
Michael Jackson told us all, get off the wall, back then
Ain't no strings, like Tito, no puppet, Danny DeVito
It's your idle time, get you nowhere, less you Burino
I ain't a new slave, my new wave, the new negro
Ain't on the web, but it's W. E. B, key holes unlock 'em
No thinkin' toxic, you mis-educated, like Lauryn with the 'locks in
If you confuse my boxin' with me being boxed in (never)
It's my native language, ain't gotta say it in Moccasins
Whatever I be rockin' in, I speak the truth, like 222 times 2, yeah
That's 444, better than before
Be three times the lady like we sang in Commodores
Knowin' I can't, I can't

I can't be no bird in a cage
My bad, I don't run away, no
We got the juice, we got the crew
Momma always told me don't waste your time
I can't be no bird in a cage
My bad, I don't run away, no
Knock on wood, it's gon' be a long night
Stay movin' forward, don't waste yourself

I can't be no bird in a cage (I can't be that)
Can't let emotions hold me prison to rage (I can't do that)
Every time they pop off, I don't even engage (I can't say that)
Knowin' if I act up, I ain't actin' my age (I don't play that)
Some days are Morpheus, other times I'm just like Trey
Which means, some days I need savin', other times I wear the cape
They tell me in due time, when even babies come late
So I'm go for mine 'cause I ain't got none to waste
Born ready, like I came out in some cleats, double laced
To run the world with, they tell me it's gon' be a long way (it's a long way)
Knock on wood that we make it through the day (that's a long day)
I ain't the one to cross, I left that burden to Lecrae
I got a plot for every block, until I'm king like Luke Cage
It's super, that's my word, the only time the two relate (a caged bird)
So many many many moves to make
And I approach 'em like Michael on a Motown stage (hee hee)
I walked the moon before I walk the graves all day
Delay nuttin' sista you ain't got no time to waste, singin'
(I can't) You can't what?
(Control it)

I can't be no bird in a cage
My bad, I don't run away, no
We got the juice, we got the crew
Momma always told me don't waste your time
I can't be no bird in a cage
My bad, I don't run away, no
Knock on wood, it's gon' be a long night
Stay movin' forward, don't waste yourself

I can't
I can't, control it

Overall Meaning

The song "Maya" by Rapsody K.Roosevelt is a song about freedom and the importance of taking control of your own life. The opening lyrics, "I can't be no bird in a cage," sets the tone for the rest of the song. Rapsody highlights the importance of self-liberation and not wasting one's time. She emphasizes the power of moving forward and the significance of individual freedom. The line "stay movin' forward, don't waste yourself" serves as a reminder to listeners that time is valuable and should not be wasted on things that do not serve a purpose or bring fulfillment.

Throughout the song, Rapsody references different cultural icons like Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, and Luke Cage. She highlights their contributions to her understanding of the importance of individual freedom as well as their significant impact on the world. The lyrics showcase her own ambition and desire to make a positive impact. The song is a call to action to the listener to take control of their lives and to pursue their passions with vigor.

Line by Line Meaning

So my voice could, uh
Lower the beat a little and raise my voice a lot

I can't be no bird in a cage
I refuse to be trapped or restricted

My bad, I don't run away, no
Sorry, I won't flee or abandon my responsibilities

We got the juice, we got the crew
We're strong and powerful because we're united

Momma always told me don't waste your time
My mother taught me not to squander my time

Knock on wood, it's gon' be a long night
Hope things go well, but expect a challenging night

Stay movin' forward, don't waste yourself
Don't dwell in one place, continue progressing

Yeah, stay movin' forward and elevate from the floor
Rise up, keep growing and getting better

And the old you had big drive, the new you drive like Delorean
Your old self was ambitious, but the new self is even more so

Until you do more than luring
You haven't achieved enough to be fully satisfied

The future's important, they tell me do what you can
The coming days are valuable, so make the most of them

Man, I'ma do it like Jordan
I'll achieve greatness like Michael Jordan did

Gotta check myself, momma
I must reevaluate how I'm doing, like my mother taught me

Told me, just like old Morgan, Freeman
My mother advised me the way Morgan Freeman might narrate

A caged bird sings a song for freedom
A bird trapped in a cage will still seek and express its liberty

Goin' borderline crazy thinkin' 'bout the children
I'm nearly losing my sanity worrying about the children

Michael Jackson told us all, get off the wall, back then
Michael Jackson urged us to be active and lively

Ain't no strings, like Tito, no puppet, Danny DeVito
I'm not manipulated like a puppet on strings

It's your idle time, get you nowhere, less you Burino
If you're not productive, you'll make no progress

I ain't a new slave, my new wave, the new negro
I'm not a modern slave, I'm part of a new African American wave

Ain't on the web, but it's W. E. B, key holes unlock 'em
I'm not on the internet, but I understand its power to free people

No thinkin' toxic, you mis-educated, like Lauryn with the 'locks in
Don't have negative thoughts and don't be misled by things like Lauryn Hill's hair

If you confuse my boxin' with me being boxed in (never)
Don't mistake my fighting for being cornered or oppressed

It's my native language, ain't gotta say it in Moccasins
I speak the truth naturally, no need to dress it up in fake traditions

Whatever I be rockin' in, I speak the truth, like 222 times 2, yeah
No matter what I'm wearing, I always speak the absolute truth, like 444

That's 444, better than before
444 is an improvement over what came before

Be three times the lady like we sang in Commodores
Be three times as classy, principled and elegant, as in the Commodores' song

Knowin' I can't, I can't
I'm aware that I'm unable to do something

Can't let emotions hold me prison to rage (I can't do that)
I can't let anger imprison me or control my actions

Every time they pop off, I don't even engage (I can't say that)
I won't bother responding to every provocation or insult

Knowin' if I act up, I ain't actin' my age (I don't play that)
Realizing that if I misbehave or overreact, it'll be immature

Some days are Morpheus, other times I'm just like Trey
Some days I'm powerful and wise like Morpheus, other days I'm vulnerable like Tre

Which means, some days I need savin', other times I wear the cape
This implies that some days I need help, while other times I'm the one doing heroic things

They tell me in due time, when even babies come late
People advise me to be patient, even babies don't arrive on time

So I'm go for mine 'cause I ain't got none to waste
So I'm pursuing my goals aggressively, because I have no extra time

Born ready, like I came out in some cleats, double laced
I came out prepared and eager, like someone ready to play sports

To run the world with, they tell me it's gon' be a long way (it's a long way)
I'm being told that it'll be tough to change the world, but I'm ready for the journey

Knock on wood that we make it through the day (that's a long day)
I hope we survive the obstacles and hardships that we'll face today

I ain't the one to cross, I left that burden to Lecrae
I'm not someone to provoke or challenge, that's Lecrae's domain

I got a plot for every block, until I'm king like Luke Cage
I have a plan for every situation, until I achieve greatness like Luke Cage

It's super, that's my word, the only time the two relate (a caged bird)
It's exceptional or impressive, that statement is only similar to 'a caged bird' in terms of word usage

So many many many moves to make
I have a lot of strategic decisions to make

And I approach 'em like Michael on a Motown stage (hee hee)
I tackle them with the energy and confidence of Michael Jackson performing for Motown

I walked the moon before I walk the graves all day
I'm willing to explore uncharted territories and push the limits of what can be done

Delay nuttin' sista you ain't got no time to waste, singin'
Don't postpone anything, sister, you have no time to squander, just keep singing

I can't
I am unable to do something

I can't, control it
I can't restrain or direct something according to my will

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Victor Cooke, James Poyser, Erica Abi Wright, Patrick Douthit, Marlanna Evans

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS