Debelle's debut album, Speech Therapy, was released in the United Kingdom on 31 May 2009. The album has had three singles released, "Searching", "The Key", and "Go Then, Bye". It won the Barclay Mercury music prize in 2009. The Mercury judges said she was a "remarkable new voice in British hip-hop, tough, warm and reflective". One judge, the broadcaster and conductor Charles Hazlewood added: "She's just quietly telling her stories in the most beguiling way."
Speech began writing poetry aged nine and started rapping lyrics in the schoolyard aged 13. Back then, initial inspiration came courtesy of Michael Jackson, which quickly turned to Blackstreet, Mary J Blige, TLC and reggae.
The first thing about Speech Debelle that strikes the ear is a contrast. Her voice is warm, youthful and listenable, and if you heard her in the background you might assume that her lyrics were the same. You’d be better placed tuning into them. In common with her new label-mate Roots Manuva, she’s astoundingly honest in her music, detailing and exorcising some very personal demons. That isn’t to say she’s another run of the mill rapper with more complaints than insights. Quite the opposite. Like all musicians worth listening to, she draws you into her universe and makes you glad you visited. There’s always a thaw to the chillier moments.
‘Searching’ is her debut single, and a perfect example of the offbeat, folky production that will litter the forthcoming album, as well as the whisper-in-the-ear quality of her vocals. One thing is certain, hip-hop has never been done in quite this way before. ‘Searching’ makes you wonder why not.
The Key
Speech Debelle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause some reasons are without their explanations,
This is my song so let me explain the situation,
But wont air your business out girl, cause that’s a bait ting,
I seen you at the station like its work your going,
Money have fe mek so just keep doing what you’re doing,
It’s crazy cause together we could have made g’s,
Cause I did and truthfully you bright like me,
Your need for attention makes you attract the beef,
Ironically I use to say you were a bad cow,
You a funny little girl with a funny little style,
I know you heard the truth I know you read between the lines,
I might circle the truth but I will not tell a lie,
I remember the time I came your yard with a knife,
I don’t wanna tek life but I would of tek life,
But im bigger than that now I can walk from a row,
My days on road has shown me life is like gold,
And plus this world is big enough for us both,
I know you was down I also know that you coped,
I hope that mean you learnt to slow your roll,
And keep your mouth closed,
A proper attitude is better than fancy close,
So as the chapter close that’s how the story goes,
As I’ve grown I’ve learnt that friends turn to foes.
CHORUS
I heard you got your yard now
Fully grown now
It’s not an armshouse
Cause I ovastand
Ovastanding is the key key
Ovastanding is the key key
I heard you got your car now
I seen you round town
It’s not a armshouse
Cause I ovastand
Ovastanding is the key key,
Ovastanding is the key key
BRIDGE
I don’t really care what you feel like
I aint got no time to waste on you
I don’t really care what you wanna say
You can keep talking till your blue in the tooth
I’m getting older now starting to make sense of it,
Seeing the signs reading minds like hypnotist,
Understand the figures like arithmetics and my guess is,
People are bad mind,
Insecurity breads hate it’s a fact find,
In fact im sure it’s incurable,
Some people positive while some people are negative and totally oblivious to the harm they cause,
For every Malcom X there is a president bush,
For every ambitious soul, there’s a coach potato,
Real said turn off the arcade man the games over,
This is the takeover taking the haters over,
Maybe if they had something else to do they wouldn’t watch you,
Too busy with they bizz but now with kids having kids it’s gonna get worse than this,
Only just realising what mama said,
By the sweat of mans brow he shall eat bread,
Stay focused on your path like a vegan dread,
And remember they hate to see you smile,
Your unique style, your everything there not,
If you sitting in a room with darkness and the lights come on
You’d have to cover your eyes, overstand the lines,
Check the paragraphs speaking in parables,
Call this the manual for caging animals the haters.
In the first verse of Speech Debelle's song "The Key," she reflects on a past relationship with someone who was her friend turned foe. She acknowledges the strength and patience that her former friend showed while keeping some of their personal issues to themselves. Although Speech Debelle could have used this opportunity to expose her former friend, she chooses not to put her business out there because she understands the harm it could cause. Speech Debelle acknowledges her former friend's potential and how they could have made a lot of money together. However, she also acknowledges that her former friend had an insatiable need for attention, which often led to unnecessary conflict. Speech Debelle realized that being bigger than the petty fights and feuds was better than settling old scores.
In the chorus, Speech Debelle acknowledges that her former friend has achieved some success in life, such as owning a house and a car, and that she has come a long way from where they were when they knew each other. She repeats the phrase "Ovastanding is the key key," which means that understanding and respect are essential in maintaining good relationships, even if things did not work out in the past. In the bridge, Speech Debelle acknowledges that some people are negative and cause harm to others because of their insecurities. She urges people to stay on their path, stay focused, and not let the haters bring them down.
Line by Line Meaning
OK, I can see you held it down and learnt patience
I recognize that you've remained strong and developed the skill of waiting for explanations that may never come.
Cause some reasons are without their explanations
There are situations that we may never understand the reasons for.
This is my song, so let me explain the situation
I want to use this opportunity to clarify things from my perspective.
But won't air your business out girl, cause that's a bait ting
I won't disclose any of your private information, as that would be a malicious act.
I seen you at the station like its work you going
I noticed you at the train station, as if you were commuting to work.
Money have fe mek so just keep doing what you're doing
You have to make money, so continue doing what you're doing to earn it.
It's crazy cause together we could have made g's
It's unfortunate that we never teamed up because we could have made a lot of money.
Cause I did and truthfully you bright like me
I succeeded in my endeavors, and I know you have the talent and potential to do the same.
The only real difference is you slyer than me
The main distinction between us is that you're more cunning than I am.
Your need for attention makes you attract the beef
Your desire for attention causes conflict to arise often around you.
Ironically I used to say you were a bad cow
Ironically enough, I used to refer to you as a troublemaker.
You a funny little girl with a funny little style
You have an amusing personality and unique way of carrying yourself.
I know you heard the truth I know you read between the lines
I'm certain that you have discerned the truth beyond what's been explicitly said.
I might circle the truth but I will not tell a lie
I might not be fully transparent, but I won't purposefully provide false information.
I remember the time I came your yard with a knife
I remember when I visited your home with a weapon.
I don't wanna tek life but I would of tek life
I don't want to take anyone's life, but I would have done so at that moment.
But I'm bigger than that now I can walk from a row
I've grown and now have the capacity to avoid violent confrontations.
My days on road has shown me life is like gold
My experiences in the streets have taught me that life is invaluable.
And plus this world is big enough for us both
There's plenty of space in this world for us to coexist peacefully.
I know you was down I also know that you coped
I know that you were going through a hard time, but you managed to overcome it.
I hope that means you learnt to slow your roll
I hope that experience taught you to take things slower and be more cautious.
And keep your mouth closed
I suggest you avoid gossip and unnecessary talking.
A proper attitude is better than fancy clothes
Instead of focusing on material possessions, having a positive attitude is more important.
So as the chapter closes, that's how the story goes
As this situation comes to a close, that's how things panned out.
As I've grown, I've learnt that friends turn to foes
I've come to realize that even close friends can turn against you.
I heard you got your yard now, fully grown now
I heard that you have your own place now, and have become more mature.
It's not an armshouse, cause I ovastand
This isn't a cheap, run-down living situation because I understand your circumstances.
Ovastanding is the key key
Having a deeper understanding of things is crucial.
I heard you got your car now, I seen you 'round town
I heard that you have a car now, and have spotted you driving in the area.
I don't really care what you feel like
I'm indifferent to your emotions or opinions.
I ain't got no time to waste on you
I don't have time for frivolous interactions or negativity.
I don't really care what you wanna say
I'm not interested in hearing what you have to say.
You can keep talking till you're blue in the tooth
You can talk as much as you want, but it won't change how I feel or what I'll do.
I'm getting older now starting to make sense of it
I'm growing older and starting to make sense of the world around me.
Seeing the signs reading minds like hypnotist
I'm able to interpret signs and predict people's behavior like a hypnotist.
Understand the figures like arithmetics and my guess is
I'm able to comprehend numbers like arithmetic, and my guess is...
People are bad mind
Many people have negative intentions.
Insecurity breads hate it's a fact find
Hate often stems from a place of insecurity.
In fact I'm sure it's incurable
Actually, I'm positive that it's not possible to cure some people of their negative attitudes.
Some people positive while some people are negative and totally oblivious to the harm they cause
Some people are naturally positive, while others are negative and cause harm without realizing it.
For every Malcom X there is a president bush
For every visionary leader like Malcom X, there are corrupt leaders like President Bush.
For every ambitious soul there's a coach potato
For every driven person, there's someone who's lazy and unmotivated.
Real said turn off the arcade man the games over
In reality, it's time to stop playing games and face the facts.
This is the takeover taking the haters over
This is a hostile takeover, aimed at defeating those who hate on us.
Maybe if they had something else to do they wouldn't watch you
Perhaps if they had more productive things to do, they wouldn't be so fixated on criticizing you.
Too busy with they bizz but now with kids having kids it's gonna get worse than this
They're too fixated on their own lives, but with younger generations having children at a young age, the situation may worsen.
Only just realizing what Mama said
It's only now occurring to me how wise my mother's words were.
By the sweat of man's brow he shall eat bread
Humans have to work hard to provide for themselves and survive.
Stay focused on your path like a vegan dread
Stay on your own path, like a vegetarian who is committed to their lifestyle.
And remember they hate to see you smile
Those who dislike you hate to see you happy.
Your unique style, your everything they're not
Your personal style and qualities are distinctive and set you apart from others.
If you're sitting in a room with darkness and the lights come on, you'd have to cover your eyes
If you're in a bad situation and things suddenly get better, it can be overwhelming.
Overstand the lines, check the paragraphs speaking in parables
Read between the lines and look for hidden meanings, as you would when interpreting parables.
Call this the manual for caging animals the haters
This could be considered a guide on how to tame the haters and keep them at bay.
CHORUS
The chorus of the song repeats the message that understanding is key.
BRIDGE
The bridge is a dismissive response to those who bring negativity and hate.
Contributed by Sophia K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@coastwalker
beats all that gangsta rubbish that is in the charts by miles. Great tune & everything, deserved winner of the Mercury
@voidsmith
This sounds much like an old school classic, I can feel the flow and subtlety of ATCQ in this song, with a lovely personal touch of course. So nice that some artists return to those basis. Cheers from France!
@anohanaa
i heard this in target
@ayden.t4363
Same bruv lmao
@SimsVideoWatcher1
Same
@stinsonkeyon7218
Me too!😮
@dakoots
I guess all targets play it cause they played it at mine too.
@dereklewis4321
SAME! Just last night. Had to shazam that real quick. She is fire
@ronfurg
I came on Debelle's Speech Therapy through the Present Magazine. Great track.
@Leibinz
Congrats on the Mercury Prize