Noted for his intense flow and sharp wit, Francis has won acclaim both as a freestyle battler and as an unapologetic, intellectual lyricist. Francis uses a broad emotional palette to address a wide range of personal, cultural, and political issues. His unconventional style and persona have given him crossover appeal, but at the same time alienated some hip-hop listeners.
Prior to embarking on a full-time career as an MC, Francis displayed his skills in slam poetry. During the late 1990s, he recorded his first demo tape (1996), fronted the now defunct Providence hip-hop band Art Official Intelligence, and hosted a weekly slot on independent radio station WRIU (the "True School Session"). He also formed the Non-Prophets and released a 12” (Drop Bass/Bounce/I Keep Calling, Emerge Records, 1999), following up in 2003 with their first full-length offering, Hope. Francis is a contemporary of underground hip-hop artists such as Slug, Eyedea, Sole and the anticon. collective. He is also loosely affiliated with the vague underground hip-hop super-group The Orphanage.
As a solo performer, Francis won the MC battle at the 2000 Scribble Jam, and in 2001 he came close to repeating as champion (semi-finalist) while performing as his "metal" alter ego, "Xaul Zan". Francis released his first proper solo album, Personal Journals, on Anticon. in 2002. He toured with a live band on the Live Band Dead Poet Tour to support it. Francis subsequently became the first hip-hop artist to sign with Punk label Epitaph, agreeing to a three-album deal. His first album for Epitaph, A Healthy Distrust, was released in early 2005 and was followed up with Human the Death Dance in 2007.
One of Francis' best-known tracks is "Makeshift Patriot", a commentary on the American media recorded one month after the September 11, 2001 attacks which he released on the internet as an MP3 as well as a limited edition 7" single.
In February 2005 Sage dropped his second full length album on the originally punk label Epitaph, it was widely regarded as the best underground hip hop album of the year by critics and fans alike and featured heavily political tracks such as "The Buzz Kill" and "Slow Down Gandhi" and more personal material like that more similar to that of his debut 'Personal Journals' such as 'Bridle' and a few heavily satirical comments on the modern day rap and urban scene such as the satirical comment on youth gun culture 'Gunz Yo'.
Sage has helped to set up the Wiki KnowMore.org which is described as a 'way to keep tabs on the some of the biggest and most dangerous businesses in the world'. He is a vegetarian and also chooses to abstain from drugs and drinking, though doesn't label himself as "straight-edge" because he believes "you shouldn't define yourself by what you don't do."
Sage has set up his own label and signed some of who he claims to be his favorite artists of the moment such as Buck 65 and Proplyphic and Reanimator named Strange Famous (which shares his initials) with which he released his most recent work 'Human the Death Dance'
This album was released in May 2007 and takes a step away from the heavily political 'Healthy Distrust' and heads back to the more personal lyrics of 'Personal Journals' and comments on modern culture. The album features cameos from many Strange Famous artists such as Buddy Wakefield, Buck 65 and Reanimator.
In 2010 Sage released his fourth full length album Li(f)e (the title coming from the famous quote from 'The Cure' on the Non-Prophets album Hope "Life is just a lie with an f in it and death is definite"). The album was extremely well received and one particular single off of the album 'The Best Of Times' received extensive air play on the popular British radio station Radio 1. After Sages Li(f)e tour Sage has stated that he will no longer be doing tours but will still be releasing albums and other materials, instead he will be doing select gigs throughout each year.
On 3 June 2014, Sage released his fifth studio album 'Copper Gone'. It is the first official studio album after Sage Francis announced his hiatus, which lasted for four years.
Broccilude
Sage Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's fresh
That's dope
That's fresh
That's dope
That's fresh
That's fresh
This is what broccoli is all about.
(woman's voice)
And the way you boil broccoli, it's texture, and the green
color is so wonderful... I'm simply amazed.. as a housewife right now
ah hahah.
(man's voice)
Why don't you serve this to president George Bush? You know, he once told
the press that he wasn't too crazy about broccoli, and it actually made the
news!
(woman's voice)
I never imagined broccoli can be put together with something sweet like
this, and the yogurt is not so overpowering either.
(man's voice)
I think he went to the extent of being a, well you could say, evangelist of
broccoli, like an ambassador of sorts. That's his greatness, really.
The lyrics of Sage Francis's song Broccilude are a playful commentary on the social significance of broccoli, a plant famously beloved by some and reviled by others. The repetition of the phrases "That's dope" and "That's fresh" can be interpreted as an expression of appreciation for the versatility and health benefits of broccoli, but also as a nod to its divisive reputation. The conversation between the man and woman voices further elaborates on the cultural significance of broccoli, with the man suggesting that even the president can be swayed by its deliciousness, and the woman expressing surprise at how well broccoli can be combined with sweet flavors. The man's comment about George Bush being an "ambassador of sorts" for broccoli is both a tongue-in-cheek reference to the former president's love of the vegetable, and a commentary on the ways in which our food choices can become political symbols.
The song's title, Broccilude, is a play on the word "interlude", suggesting that this brief conversation about broccoli is a kind of pause or break in the larger narrative of the album. At the same time, the use of a male and female voice, along with the reference to a housewife, adds a layer of humor and commentary on gender roles in the kitchen. Overall, Broccilude can be interpreted as a reminder that even the most seemingly mundane objects or topics can carry deep cultural meanings, and that we should pay attention to the ways in which we talk about and interact with the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
That's dope
Expressing admiration or approval of something remarkable or impressive.
That's fresh
Expressing appreciation or liking for something new or creative.
That's fresh
Expressing appreciation or liking for something new or creative.
That's dope
Expressing admiration or approval of something remarkable or impressive.
That's fresh
Expressing appreciation or liking for something new or creative.
That's dope
Expressing admiration or approval of something remarkable or impressive.
That's fresh
Expressing appreciation or liking for something new or creative.
(man's voice)
This is what broccoli is all about.
The following discussion and admiration is about broccoli.
(woman's voice)
And the way you boil broccoli, it's texture, and the green
color is so wonderful... I'm simply amazed.. as a housewife right now
ah hahah.
The artist, as a housewife, is impressed with the texture and color of broccoli achieved through boiling.
(man's voice)
Why don't you serve this to president George Bush? You know, he once told
the press that he wasn't too crazy about broccoli, and it actually made the
news!
Suggesting serving broccoli to President George Bush who once expressed his disliking for it in the media.
(woman's voice)
I never imagined broccoli can be put together with something sweet like
this, and the yogurt is not so overpowering either.
The singer didn't expect broccoli to pair well with something sweet like yogurt, but the flavor is complimentary and not overwhelmingly dominant.
(man's voice)
I think he went to the extent of being a, well you could say, evangelist of
broccoli, like an ambassador of sorts. That's his greatness, really.
Describing George Bush's advocacy of broccoli as being similar to an evangelist or ambassador, and that it is a notable quality of his character.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
specifictubes
I'm guessing the dislike was from someone who knows this track as Broccoli Break and - not knowing it has another name - felt misled. A bit like, Hey Bobby and The Masters are Back.