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.
Take You There
Sean Kingston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sip pina coladas
Shorty I could take you there
Or we can go to the slums
Where killers get hung
Shorty I could take you there
You know I could take ya (I could take ya)
I could take ya (I could take ya)
You know I could take ya (I could take ya)
I could take ya (I could take ya)
Shorty I could take you there
Baby girl I know it's rough but come with me
We can take a trip to the hood
It's no problem girl it's my city
I could take you there
Little kid with guns only fifteen
Roam in the streets up to no good
When gun shots just watch us, run quickly
I could show you where
As long you're with me
Baby you'll be alright
I'm known in the ghetto
Girl just stay by my side
Or we can leave the slums go to paradise
Baby it's up to you
It's whatever you like
We can go to the tropics
Sip pina coladas
Shorty I could take you there
Or we can go to the slums
Where killers get hung
Shorty I could take you there
You know I could take ya (I could take ya)
I could take ya (I could take ya)
Shorty I could take you there
You know I could take ya (I could take ya)
I could take ya (I could take ya)
Shorty I could take you there
Shorty come with me it's no worry
I know the bad men them where they ah stay
Police fly pursuit in a hurry
This is no gun play
Don't be scared in the West Indies
It's Jamaica, that's where I'm from
Might see something you're not used to
Welcome to the slums
As long you're with me
Baby you'll be alright
I'm known in the ghetto
Girl just stay by my side
Or we can leave the slums go to paradise
Baby it's up to you
It's whatever you like
We can go to the tropics
Sip pina coladas
Shorty I could take you there
Or we can go to the slums
Where killers get hung
Shorty I could take you there
You know I could take ya (I could take ya)
I could take ya (I could take ya)
Shorty I could take you there
You know I could take ya (I could take ya)
I could take ya (I could take ya)
Shorty I could take you there
Or we (or we)
Can go (can go)
To a place (to a place)
I know you gonna like (oh oh oh)
The beach (the beach)
The breeze (the breeze)
West Indies, I call it paradise
We can go to the tropics
Sip pina coladas
Shorty I could take you there
Or we can go to the slums
Where killers get hung
Shorty I could take you there
You know I could take ya (I could take ya)
I could take ya (I could take ya)
Shorty I could take you there
You know I could take ya (I could take ya)
I could take ya (I could take ya)
Shorty I could take you there
The song "Take You There" by Sean Kingston describes the singer's ability to take his love interest to either a tropical paradise or the rough neighborhoods where he grew up. He reassures her that as long as she's with him, she'll be okay. The song details how the artist can show his lover a different way of life, the one he grew up with, and describes the West Indies, Kingston’s native land. The song serves to inspire love and confidence in the listener by implying that love can transcend social and economic barriers.
The first verse shows the contrast between the two places, with one being a paradise where they can relax and sip on pina coladas, while the other is a rough neighborhood full of danger and violence. However, the singer reassures his love that he could take her to either place, as long as they’re together. The second verse gives a glimpse of Kingston’s background, touching on the realities of the kind of life he lived, with guns, violence, and crime being a common part of his surroundings. However, it also highlights how the singer can show his lover around, take her to his old neighborhood, and show her the beauty in these slums. The chorus repeats how he could take her to these places and emphasizes that he will always be there to keep her safe.
Overall, "Take You There" is a song that highlights how love can conquer anything and everything. It shows that even if someone comes from a disadvantaged background, they still have something to offer and that everyone has a unique story to tell.
Line by Line Meaning
We can go to the tropics
Let's go to a tropical destination
Sip pina coladas
We can enjoy drinks with tropical flavors
Shorty I could take you there
I can take you to that destination
Or we can go to the slums
Alternatively, we can go to a rough, impoverished area
Where killers get hung
Where criminals face punishment
You know I could take ya (I could take ya)
I am capable of guiding and protecting you
Shorty come with me it's no worry
Don't worry, I'll take care of things
I know the bad men them where they ah stay
I am familiar with dangerous individuals and where they reside
Police fly pursuit in a hurry
Police are quick to pursue crime in this area
Don't be scared in the West Indies
Don't fear the West Indies, where I am from
It's Jamaica, that's where I'm from
I am from Jamaica
Might see something you're not used to
You may witness things unfamiliar to you
Welcome to the slums
Let me show you around this rough area
As long you're with me / Baby you'll be alright / I'm known in the ghetto / Girl just stay by my side
As long as you stay with me, I'll keep you safe in dangerous areas since I am known and respected there
Or we can leave the slums go to paradise / Baby it's up to you / It's whatever you like
We have the choice to leave the rough area for a more luxurious destination, or stay here if that's what you want
Or we (or we) / Can go (can go) / To a place (to a place) / I know you gonna like (oh oh oh) / The beach (the beach) / The breeze (the breeze) / West Indies, I call it paradise
Another possible destination is a beautiful beach in the West Indies, which I call paradise
Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jonathan Rotem, Kisean Anderson, Evan Kidd Bogart, Timothy Thomas, Theron Thomas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnnysar8615
Who bumpin in 2024
@bombingbeast706
You know it g
@brianmungai8243
this new generation will never understand how powerful this sean kingston was
@farahmukhtar9394
Bang on true
@Extreme396
I barely knew Sean Kingston as a kid , but his song me love heard it a lot and never knew it’s name lol, I was more of a ice cube and west coast rap guy
@razkable
sean kingston lowkey is one of those artists history will never remember but he had bangers man...underrated...he was the younger generation's akon for a few years there
@ON-od3if
@@razkable only 90s kids will know sean kingston
@juhtay8122
@@ON-od3if Born in ‘00 & remember Sean Kingston vividly in 07-09ish
@madelineepstein3560
who's watching this on march 11th 2024?? still bangs <3
@Danielle-bj4se
Me!!!