Born on February 3, 1990, Sean Kingston spent his early youth in the Half Way Tree section of his parents' hometown of Kingston, Jamaica – hence his name, before moving to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at age six. By 1996, Sean's love of music led him to a prodigious performance of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You", forever changing his path. "My mom heard me, and she started bringing me around to family members. Then, I graduated from singing, and started picking up rapping from listening to Ice Cube and Slick Rick." The gangster raps of Cube and the storytelling of Rick the Ruler had a profound effect on the boy, who also was exposed to heavy doses of Buju Banton, Dennis Brown, and Rakim from his young parents. Not only did their music affect Sean, but so did their traits. "I feel like I'm my father, 'cause I got a hustler's mentality; if I want something, I'm gonna get it. I'm like my mom, because we're picky about what we do, but we're always gonna make the right choice," says the 19-year-old today.
By his early teens, Sean Kingston was performing his raps throughout South Florida. "I did talent shows and showcases, but I never really battled," he says of his effort to get discovered. With Ft. Lauderdale twenty miles north of Miami, Sean has already shared stages with Trina, Pitbull, Ludacris, Pretty Ricky, and Trick Daddy. Like Trick, Sean has definitely felt the allure of street life. Beginning with a breaking-and-entering charge at age 11, Sean has seen his share of trouble. As the youngest of three supportive siblings, this let down the boy's mother, presently incarcerated herself for identity fraud. "I've been through a lot. I did 21 days in jail, been to boot camp, got sent to Jamaica, slept in cars with my family; I had a rough life," says an appreciative Sean today.
Around 2004, Sean began incorporating elements of his Reggae heritage with his rapping abilities. The gifts have allowed Sean's music to have a unique blend of street raps with Caribbean flare and catchy, homegrown hooks. This one-of-a-kind presence eventually led Sean Kingston's music to the ears of chart-topping producer Jonathan "J.R." Rotem (The Game, Rick Ross, Britney Spears, 50 Cent, Rihanna, Dr. Dre, etc.), who quickly saw potential in the teenage rapper. "He sent me two of his early tracks, and I recorded them, and sent them back in two days," says Kingston. Soon after J.R. and Zach Katz signed the artist to their Beluga Heights record label – and subsequently Cinematic Music Group for Management, a three-way bidding war between Warner Brothers, Atlantic, and Epic/Sony developed.
In addition to having J.R. producing the majority of the album, producers Cool & Dre, DJ Khaled, Just Blaze and others are expected to contribute tracks. In terms of guests, Sean looks forward to appearances by Akon, Rick Ross, Baby Cham and Damian Marley.
As hip-hop moves away from the limited expectations of "kiddie rappers," Sean thinks today's young listeners deserve more, "When people hear my music, I want them to be inspired. Whether a White kid or a Black kid, I want them to know, 'Damn, imagine me being in his predicament.' I want to send messages, and I rep for the streets as a real ass n$#%@. It's all about being true." As most 16-year-olds are concerned with getting a job, Sean Kingston is sitting in the driver's seat of hip-hop's future, and like late great Biggie Smalls, he's got a story to tell.
Shoulda Let U Go
Sean Kingston Lyrics
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Oh, oh
I'm losing my mind, 'cause she's one of a kind,
Oh, she's so fine, gotta make her mine,
Everything I do is only for you, 'cause you're my boo,
Yes it's so true.
Looking so sad 'cause I'm feeling so through,
Missing the days of being with you,
'Cause I was stuck to you, girl.
Feel like I'm trapped and I cannot get loose,
'Cause I'm so lost I don't know what to do,
Yeah, I'm so bad and I'm confused, but I'm still stuck to you, girl.
'Cause even when I met you, yeah I knew I couldn't have you,
I knew that I would try, and mess it up, what can I do?
And even when you're gone and all my friends all say I'm crazy,
Say it ain't right, I want you to have my baby.
[Chorus]
Oh, shoulda let you go
Oh, shoulda let you go
Oh, shoulda let you go
Oh, let you go
Now I'm sitting home, feeling all alone,
Wish you had a clone, 'cause girl you got me gone.
Here in this chair, wishing you was here,
But now it's getting clear, that you don't even care.
My heart is so broken it's splitting in two,
Looking so sad 'cause I'm feeling so through,
Missing the days of being with you,
'Cause I was stuck to you, girl.
Feel like I'm trapped and I cannot get loose,
'Cause I'm so lost I don't know what to do,
Yeah, I'm so bad and I'm confused, but I'm still stuck to you, girl.
'Cause even when I met you, yeah I knew I couldn't have you,
I knew that I would try, and mess it up, what can I do?
And even when you're gone and all my friends all say I'm crazy,
Say it ain't right, I want you to have my baby.
[Chorus]
(Shoulda let you go)
But if I walked away, I know you'd come crawling back,
(Shoulda let you go)
You're playing hard to get, and I know it's all just an act.
'Cause even when I meet you, yeah I knew I couldn't have you,
I knew that I would try, and mess it up, what can I do?
And even when you're gone and all my friends all say I'm crazy,
Say it ain't right, I want you to have my baby.
[Chorus]
Let you go, go, go, go.
The song "Shoulda Let U Go" by Sean Kingston portrays a man who is struggling with his emotions after a painful breakup. He admits to himself that he should have let go of his former partner, but he can't help but want her back. The song implies that the woman in question may be playing hard to get, causing additional confusion for the singer. He's enamored with her and believes she's special, but he's also clear-eyed about how much she's hurt him.
The chorus of "Shoulda Let U Go" is a repeated refrain that follows each verse. It reinforces the idea that the singer is holding onto something that may be detrimental for him. The phrase "shoulda let you go" is a reminder that sometimes, holding onto something that's past its expiration date can hurt more than it helps. Throughout the song, the singer seems to be coming to grips with the idea that the relationship is over and he must move on.
"Shoulda Let U Go" is a relatable and emotionally-driven song that skillfully captures the tumultuous feelings one may experience during a breakup. Its catchy tune and lyrics make it a memorable song of love and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm losing my mind, 'cause she's one of a kind,
I am going crazy because she is unique and special.
Oh, she's so fine, gotta make her mine,
She is incredibly attractive, and I am determined to win her over.
Everything I do is only for you, 'cause you're my boo, Yes it's so true.
I do everything for you because you are my partner, and I mean it sincerely.
My heart is so broken it's splitting in two, Looking so sad 'cause I'm feeling so through, Missing the days of being with you, 'Cause I was stuck to you, girl.
I am devastated because I am no longer with you, and I miss the time we spent together as I still have strong feelings for you.
Feel like I'm trapped and I cannot get loose, 'Cause I'm so lost I don't know what to do, Yeah, I'm so bad and I'm confused, but I'm still stuck to you, girl.
I feel stuck and unable to move on, though I am unsure and confused about my emotions, I am still unable to let you go.
'Cause even when I met you, yeah I knew I couldn't have you, I knew that I would try, and mess it up, what can I do? And even when you're gone and all my friends all say I'm crazy, Say it ain't right, I want you to have my baby.
Since the day I met you, I knew I could never be with you, but I couldn't help but try to pursue you although I knew I'd cause problems. Even now, even after being warned by my loved ones, I still want to be with you and even imagine starting a family.
Oh, shoulda let you go Oh, shoulda let you go Oh, shoulda let you go Oh, let you go
I regret not letting you go and allowing myself to move on from you; now, I am stuck with these intense feelings for you.
Now I'm sitting home, feeling all alone, Wish you had a clone, 'cause girl you got me gone. Here in this chair, wishing you was here, But now it's getting clear, that you don't even care.
I am alone, but I wish I could have a version of you to be with me. As I spend my time thinking of you, I am coming to realize that you possibly don't return feelings for me.
(Shoulda let you go) But if I walked away, I know you'd come crawling back, (Shoulda let you go) You're playing hard to get, and I know it's all just an act.
I know if I were to leave you, you would try to win me back, and your attitude towards me is all something you employ to make it seem like a challenge.
Let you go, go, go, go.
I wish I could let you go and move on from this complicated situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JUSTIN FRANKS, KISEAN ANDERSON, NOEL FISHER, JOEL MADDEN, BENJI MADDEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind