Their debut LP, Dah Shinin', followed soon thereafter, unleashing more heavy artillery from the military-minded BCC. With a canvas of dark, gluttonous beats provided by the gifted Beatminerz production squad, the duo expanded the limits of harsh sounding, neck-snapping hip-hop by adding a melodic element. The crew released their album during the heyday of one of the '90s most influential independent hip-hop labels, Nervous Wreck Records, which many other indies (Rawkus) have patterned themselves around. Their name alone implies violence, but the weaponry they deploy is also of the verbal variety. Tek and Steele both possess signature flows, the former a bit more straight-laced while the latter showcases West Indian influences. Dah Shinin' was a focused album with a sharp compacted sound that still contained depth, albeit strictly from the dark side.
Forced to reincarnate themselves after a legal battle with the Smith and Wesson firearm company, the duo resurfaced in 1997 as the Cocoa Brovaz, a reference to their heritage and also to their marijuana fixation. Their second album (and first as the Cocoa Bs), 1998's The Rude Awakening, was a more sprawling and chaotic venture, as well as being a shade more frighteningly dark. Since 1998, the two partners have released a few singles, including "Super Brooklyn," which features a superbly innovative use of a sample from the old Super Mario Bros. Nintendo game.
They got signed to leading underground record label Rawkus Records but never released an album on the label. Thay joined back up with the Boot Camp Clik in 2002 for the album The Chosen Few. In September 2005, they returned as Smif-N-Wessun for the album Reloaded.
See The Light
Smif-n-Wessun Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My momma showed me the way
The day she pushed me out her womb
and told me Nigga get paid
Stay focused when them obstacles get in your way
Can't let these opportunities keep gettin' away
It gets hard tryn to juggle these responsibilities
But it's a beautiful struggle you can ask Kweli
See the rainbow in the sky
Auntie passed,
See the pain go away when she died
Youngin' looked me in the eyes
Said he can't even cry
Asked him why?
'She in a better place now' he replied
Can't be walking with my face down
Face frown fed up
Bob Marley told me get up
Pac said keep ya head up
Try or fail or fail or try
This ain't about never falling
It's about how ya rise
Can't judge by the surface
It's about what's inside
You only reach a destination if you willing to ride
(Chorus)
This ain't no sad song rap
Or a track you relax on
This to help you stand strong
While you getting your cash on
Ain't no looking back now son
Word, we came mad far
Whoever said it's easy living life as a rap star
You get knocked down
You get back up
You wanna live this lifestyle
You gotta be tough
The chips fall where they may
So the bricks stack up
The number one rule of making it is never give up
KEEP ON...
In this verse of Smif-n-Wessun's "See The Light" song, the rapper reflects on the struggles he faces while trying to make a living in his profession, which is rap music. He starts by acknowledging that love comes with pain and recalls his mother's advice on being determined to succeed. Despite obstacles, they have to stay focused and take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way. The verse also highlights the beauty in struggle by quoting Talib Kweli. The artist acknowledges that although handling responsibilities can be hard, one must never give up on their dreams.
The verse then transitions to Bob Marley and Tupac's advice on staying strong and facing life's challenges head-on. He emphasizes that life is not about never falling but about rising and getting back up despite the odds. He points out that many people judge others by their appearance rather than what's inside, and this is a wrong way of thinking. Finally, the verse ends by encouraging listeners not to give up on their dreams, to keep pushing forward, and rise to their destination's top.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is pain
Love brings the risk of pain
My momma showed me the way
My upbringing taught me valuable life lessons
The day she pushed me out her womb and told me Nigga get paid
My mother instilled a strong work ethic in me from birth
Stay focused when them obstacles get in your way
Maintain your focus despite setbacks
Can't let these opportunities keep gettin' away
Don't miss out on chances to succeed
It gets hard tryn to juggle these responsibilities
It can be difficult balancing multiple obligations
But it's a beautiful struggle you can ask Kweli
Despite the hardships, life is still beautiful
After the rain falls
Following hardship
See the rainbow in the sky
Hope and joy can follow hardship
Auntie passed,
A loved one has died
See the pain go away when she died
Despite the loss, there is relief in knowing she is no longer suffering
Youngin' looked me in the eyes
A younger person sought guidance
Said he can't even cry
He is struggling to cope with his emotions
Asked him why? 'She in a better place now' he replied
He believes the deceased loved one is in a better place
Can't be walking with my face down
Cannot let life's struggles defeat me
Face frown fed up
Feeling overwhelmed and disillusioned
Bob Marley told me get up
Draws inspiration from Bob Marley's music to persevere
Pac said keep ya head up
Draws inspiration from Tupac's music to persevere
Try or fail or fail or try
Keep trying until you succeed
This ain't about never falling
Failure is a natural part of life
It's about how ya rise
What matters is how you come back from failure
Can't judge by the surface
Appearances can be deceiving
It's about what's inside
A person's character is what matters most
You only reach a destination if you willing to ride
Success requires perseverance and hard work
This ain't no sad song rap
This is not meant to be a depressing song
Or a track you relax on
This is not a song to simply sit back and enjoy
This to help you stand strong
This song is meant to inspire strength and resilience
While you getting your cash on
While pursuing financial success
Ain't no looking back now son
There is no turning back
Word, we came mad far
We have come a long way
Whoever said it's easy living life as a rap star
Being a successful rapper is not easy
You get knocked down
Setbacks happen
You get back up
Resilience is key
You wanna live this lifestyle
Being a rapper is a desirable lifestyle
You gotta be tough
It takes mental and emotional strength to succeed as a rapper
The chips fall where they may
Success is not always guaranteed
So the bricks stack up
Work hard and make progress
The number one rule of making it is never give up
Perseverance is the key to success
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kas.Ft
only 50.000 views?!This is one of the most dope motivational tracks ever
DJMicOne
I live for this type of music. The message, baseline, and flow has all the qualities that I like in a track. I could listen to this type of music all day.That thug ish is playedout!
swerwik
I love it!
Bardock
On est a un autre niveau la 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Gordon Freeman
this track is just perfect, respect from Hungary
blanuno .viessevvì prod
rilassante e ad alto livello!!!!!!!!!
AlexOslo
this album is made in Norway in Sweeden.. haha it was time of my life when i was sitting on the flight from Bangkok praying pats one a buddys that at the time was in Trondheim where you had a gigg the day after the one in Oslo i diddent made.. but i belive things happens for a reason. Pats one fixed me up with a fake id since i was just 19... Ken took me backstage meeting General steele, the rappper i have learnd so mutch of. i got all my smif n wess albums and 12" signed.. and we smoked and talkd about the world. its crazy becuse a lot of what we spoke of that night i recognize from the album, like about grandma, never stop strivng, PNC - Poletics n construction partners n crime for life... this is the finest most honest hip hop u can find.. lots of love from Oslo
Michaela Podraná
love that song
The Bronx North Philly
Classic!
MMC
peace up smif n wessun!!!!