He is a key figure in the acid jazz movement, which is a mixture of jazz into hip-hop and funk, and has been dubbed by many as "The Godfather of Neo Soul". He is most well known for his signature compositions "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" and "Searchin", and is also famous for having more sampled hits by rappers than any other artist.
Roy Ayers was born in Los Angeles. Thanks to his trombone playing father and piano teaching mother, he became immersed in music from day one and the story goes that he was given his first set of vibe mallets by his hero Lionel Hampton at the age of 5. Constantly performing and recording since the 1960s, he is one of the most famous jazz vibraphonists. He has produced some of the most loved modern soul-jazz records of all time such as, "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", most influential afro-jazz with musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti (Africa - Centre Of The World) and the most seminal jazz-funk, such as "Running Away". And that's just the surface. 2004 saw the release of "Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased Recordings 1976-1981" which were 'lost' sessions tapes that he had discarded. Gilles Peterson described this as the equivalent of finding a lost Beatles album. No doubt this helped him win the Gilles Peterson 2004 Worldwide Lifetime Achievement Award. Roy Ayers is ageless and evergreen and as per the title of another one of hits, remember "We All Live In Brooklyn Baby".
Timeline
Ayers started recording as a bebop sideman in 1962 and rose to prominence when he dropped out of City College and joined jazz flutist Herbie Mann in 1966.
In the early 70's, Roy Ayers started his own band called Roy Ayers Ubiquity, a name he chose because ubiquity means a state of being everywhere at the same time.
Ayers was responsible for the highly regarded soundtrack to Jack Hill's 1973 blaxploitation film Coffy, which starred Pam Grier. He later moved from a jazz-funk sound to R&B, as seen on Mystic Voyage, which featured the songs "Evolution" and the underground disco hit "Brother Green (The Disco King)", as well as the title track from his 1976 album Everybody Loves the Sunshine.
In 1977, Ayers produced an album by the group RAMP, Come into Knowledge, commonly and mistakenly thought to stand for "Roy Ayers Music Project". That fall, he had his biggest hit with "Running Away".
In late 1979, Ayers scored his only top ten single on Billboard's Hot Disco/Dance chart with "Don't Stop The Feeling," which was also the leadoff single from his 1980 album "No Stranger to Love", whose title track was sampled in Jill Scott's 2001 song "Watching Me" from her debut album Who Is Jill Scott?
In the late 70's, Ayers toured in Nigeria for six weeks with Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, one of the Africa's most recognizable musicians. In 1980, Phonodisk released Music of Many Colors in Nigeria, featuring one side lead by Ayers' group and the other lead by Africa '70.
In 1981, Ayers produced an album with the singer Sylvia Striplin, Give Me Your Love (Uno Melodic Records, 1981). He has also worked in collaborations with soul songstress Erykah Badu.
Ayers performed a solo on John "Jellybean" Benitez's production of Whitney Houston's "Love Will Save The Day" from her second multi-platinum studio album Whitney. The single was released in July 1988 by Arista Records.
Ayers has played his live act for millions of people across the globe, including Japan, Australia, England and other parts of Europe.
Ayers is known for helping to popularize feel good music in the 70's, stating that "I like that happy feeling all of the time, so that ingredient is still there. I try to generate that because it's the natural way I am". The types of music that he used to do this consisted of funk, salsa, jazz, rock, soul and rap.
1990s to present
In 1992, Ayers released two albums, Drive and Wake Up, for the hip-hop label Ichiban Records.
In 1992, Ayers collaborated with Rick James for an album and is quoted to have been a very close friend of his.
In 1993, Ayers appeared on the record Guru's Jazzmatazz Vol.1 featuring on the vibraphone in the song "Take a Look (At Yourself)".
In 1994, Ayers appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African-American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by Time Magazine.
During the 2000s and 2010s, Ayers ventured into house music, collaborating with such stalwarts of the genre as Masters at Work and Kerri Chandler.
Ayers started two record labels, Uno Melodic and Gold Mink Records. The first released several LPs, including Sylvia Striplin's, while the second folded after a few singles.
In 2004, Ayers put out a collection of unreleased recordings called Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased recordings 1976–1981 which allowed fans to hear cuts that didn't make it onto the classic Polydor albums from his more popular years.
Roy Ayers hosts the fictitious radio station "Fusion FM" in Grand Theft Auto IV (2008).
In 2015, he appeared on Tyler, The Creator's new album Cherry Bomb on the track "Find Your Wings".
A documentary the Roy Ayers Project featuring Ayers and a number hip hop producers who have sampled his music and other people who have been influenced by him and his music has been in development for a number of years.
Pharrell Williams cites Roy Ayers as one of his key musical heroes.
Ayers is a recipient of the Congress of Racial Equality Lifetime Achievement Award.
Hey Uh-What You Say Come On
Roy Ayers Ubiquity Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some people need to watch what they say
Watch what you're saying
Someone's gonna hear exactly what you said
Soon you'll be paying in the dead of night
They'll be nowhere to run while you were laying
Laying for the doom that's coming to a head, no kind of praying
Is gonna save us from the past that will surely come
It's deep man, so peep in closely when I'm speaking
Weaklings, it's obvious you can't like up to
Your petty pointless words, yet and still you love to
Run off your jibs, now there come a time for judgment
Punishment, what if we take away your ornaments
And strip you down to the raw deal then I'd reveal the evidence
'Cause you don't really represent
Watch what you're saying
Someone's gonna hear exactly what you said
Soon you'll be paying in the dead of night
They'll be nowhere to run while you were laying
Laying for the doom that's coming to a head, no kind of praying
Is gonna save us from the past that will surely come
Listen here, I'm getting tired of you shooting lip
You better tighten up or you will really slip up
And say something that you mean to do
Turn around and it'll be on you
To save yourself from your call and blunder
And bury your like the world it's under
And like a fool you'll sit and wonder
What, who do you wanna know? Wish no water
No magic spell can save you from your self made hell
You've made your bed and you know darn well
You got a lay it in the and there's no magic potion
To save you from the wheels you've set in motion
The stone is cut, the die is cast, what were you thinking?
Watch what you're saying
Someone's gonna hear exactly what you said
Soon you'll be paying in the dead of night
They'll be nowhere to run while you were laying
Laying for the doom that's coming to a head, no kind of praying
Is gonna save us from the past that will surely come
I can't understand it, they should ban it, can it?
Too much weak talk and not enough real hip-hop
I sense a purpose is filling me to display credibility
And show responsibility, willingly
I'll take on any Johnny Dangerous
Pull his file, for he knows, he cannot hang with this
The illest king, I smack the jokers
No hocus pocus, a real MC when I kick vocals
Watch what you're saying
Someone's gonna hear exactly what you said
Soon you'll be paying in the dead of night
They'll be nowhere to run while you were laying
Laying for the doom that's coming to a head, no kind of praying
Is gonna save us from the past that will surely come
The lyrics of "Hey Uh-What You Say Come On" are a warning to people to watch what they say because their words have consequences. The song begins by telling the listener that the lyrics are the "realness" of life, and some people need to be careful with their words because someone will hear them. The singer warns that the consequences of saying hurtful things can come back to haunt you in the dead of night, and there will be nowhere to run. The song warns that there is a judgment day for those who use their words recklessly.
The lyrics also criticize the state of hip-hop music at the time, saying that there was too much weak talk and not enough real hip-hop. The singer feels a sense of responsibility and purpose to display credibility and show what a real MC sounds like. The song is a call for hip-hop artists to step up their game and be mindful of their words, as they have the power to shape the culture.
Overall, "Hey Uh-What You Say Come On" is a cautionary tale about the power of words and the importance of using them wisely. It is also a call to action for hip-hop artists to be more conscious of the impact of their lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Coming with the realness lyrics of life
Presenting the truth in my words about life
Some people need to watch what they say
Certain individuals should be careful about their words
Watch what you're saying
Be conscious of your words
Someone's gonna hear exactly what you said
Somebody will listen to your words completely
Soon you'll be paying in the dead of night
Later on, you'll regret your words in the solitude of night
They'll be nowhere to run while you were laying
You will have no way to escape, while you lie awake
Laying for the doom that's coming to a head, no kind of praying
Your impending downfall is near and it's too late to pray
Is gonna save us from the past that will surely come
Your past will eventually catch up with you, no matter what
Warning, rappers be like boring they're sleeping
A cautionary message to other rappers who aren't making an impact
It's deep man, so peep in closely when I'm speaking
Listen carefully to my words, they hold profound meaning
Weaklings, it's obvious you can't like up to
Clearly, you're not capable of measuring up
Your petty pointless words, yet and still you love to
Your insignificant words hold no value, yet you keep repeating them
Run off your jibs, now there come a time for judgment
You've talked too much, and now it's time to face the consequences
Punishment, what if we take away your ornaments
You should be penalized. What if we strip you of your useless possessions?
And strip you down to the raw deal then I'd reveal the evidence
We'll expose your true colors by revealing the evidence
'Cause you don't really represent
You do not portray reality
Listen here, I'm getting tired of you shooting lip
I'm tired of you talking recklessly
You better tighten up or you will really slip up
You must be cautious, or you'll make a fatal mistake
And say something that you mean to do
You'll say something you'll regret later
Turn around and it'll be on you
It will come back to haunt you
To save yourself from your call and blunder
To rescue yourself from your own foolishness
And bury your like the world it's under
And it will be so terrible, it'll feel like the world has ended
And like a fool you'll sit and wonder
You'll sit there, foolishly contemplating
What, who do you wanna know? Wish no water
Asking rhetorical questions won't help you; it's futile
No magic spell can save you from your self made hell
There's no way to escape the misery you've created for yourself
You've made your bed and you know darn well
You've made your own decisions, and you're aware of the consequences
You got a lay it in the and there's no magic potion
You must accept the outcome, there's no solution to erase the past
To save you from the wheels you've set in motion
You're trapped in the cycle of consequences you've initiated
The stone is cut, the die is cast, what were you thinking?
Your fate is sealed, you've made your choice, what were you thinking?
I can't understand it, they should ban it, can it?
I'm confused by the weak talk, it should be prohibited
Too much weak talk and not enough real hip-hop
There's too much empty words, and not enough meaningful rap
I sense a purpose is filling me to display credibility
I feel a sense of obligation to present myself as authentic
And show responsibility, willingly
And to demonstrate I'm responsible, on my own accord
I'll take on any Johnny Dangerous
I'm willing to face any challenges that come my way
Pull his file, for he knows, he cannot hang with this
I'll examine his credentials, for he's aware he cannot measure up to me
The illest king, I smack the jokers
As the best in the game, I'll defeat the inferior players
No hocus pocus, a real MC when I kick vocals
I don't rely on magic, I'm a true rapper when I perform
Writer(s): ROY AYERS, WILLIAM HENRY ALLEN
Contributed by Landon K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.