Born in Chicago and raised in St. Paul, Slim’s hard past is the creative fuel powering his career. If he raps about a gun, it’s because he’s carried one. If he rhymes about gang violence, it’s because he’s witnessed it.
“Everything’s got a lesson to it,” Slim says.
Growing up during hip-hop’s heyday, Slim’s music reflects his desire to bring the genre back to those roots.
“I was inspired and influenced by the greats, I am a product of greatness therefore I am great,” Slim boasts.
Lyrically, Slim’s precise delivery and unprecedented wordplay challenge his listeners to see through the bullshit drowning commercial hip-hop. Likewise, his beats resonate a stripped down, old school vibe with modern hip-hop flair.
“I grew up in an era where hip-hop wasn’t about bling-bling,” he says. “People had nice watches, they wore gold chains, but nobody talked about it. Hip-hop’s the news of the ghetto and I think there’s more to talk about than money and girls.”
St. Paul Slim played an important role in many successful hip-hop projects, including Atmosphere’s “Strictly Leakage,” Muja Messiah’s “MPLS Massacre,” and the soundtrack for the major motion picture “Justice.” He has performed with respected hip-hop legends like MC Lyte, Black Moon, and Slick Rick. Slim is a repeat performer at the Twin Cities Hip-Hop Celebration.
Shut It Down
St. Paul Slim Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My legs
My chest
My skin turns pale
My face
My eyes
My balance
Begins to fail
It all shuts down again
It all shuts down again
It all shuts down again
It all shuts down again
I can barely breathe
It all shuts down again
It all shuts down again
It all shuts down again
It all shuts down again
The room is nothing but dots and grain
It all shuts down again
Again
It all shuts down again
It all shuts down again
It all shuts down again
It all shuts down again
In "Shut It Down" by St. Paul Slim, the lyrics describe the physical and emotional toll of a distressing situation. The repetition of "It all shuts down again" throughout the song emphasizes a sense of exhaustion and defeat. The first verse paints a picture of physical weakness, as the singer's arms, legs, chest, and skin become pale. Their face, eyes, and balance are affected, leading to a collapse where their head hits the floor. This imagery suggests a complete breakdown, both physically and mentally.
The second verse continues to emphasize the shutting down phenomenon, with the singer struggling to breathe. The room becomes distorted, represented by "dots and grain," further highlighting the overwhelming disorientation and confusion. This repeated shutting down creates a cycle of despair and powerlessness, as the singer finds themselves constantly forced into a state of shutdown.
Overall, the lyrics of "Shut It Down" reflect a deep sense of struggle, exhaustion, and an overwhelming feeling of being overwhelmed by a difficult situation. The repetition of the phrase "It all shuts down again" serves as a powerful reminder of the cyclical nature of these experiences, leaving the listener with a sense of empathy for the singer's ongoing battle.
Line by Line Meaning
My arms
The physical capacity of my arms
My legs
The physical capacity of my legs
My chest
The internal workings of my chest, including my heart and lungs
My skin turns pale
The change in color of my skin due to loss of blood flow or shock
My face
The characteristics and expressions displayed on my face
My eyes
The visual perception and functionality of my eyes
My balance
My ability to maintain stability and prevent falling
Begins to fail
Starting to deteriorate or weaken
And my head hits the floor
Experiencing a loss of consciousness or collapsing
It all shuts down again
The physical and mental functions of my body cease to operate
I can barely breathe
My ability to inhale and exhale air is severely compromised
The room is nothing but dots and grain
The visual perception of the room becomes distorted, with objects appearing as blurry dots and grains
Again
This cycle of shutting down and experiencing physical and mental limitations repeats
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Kasper Deichmann
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TerrinTankira
Minnesota's always gonna have the best underground hip hop scene... brother ali, p.o.s, atmosphere, doomtree, dessa... 651 reppin
@TheMoneyman23456
Hater's are bad, Quit hatin chump. This is good for some rapper's from the twin cities. Hate to break it to ya. St. paul slim, Your killin it.
@bboycommity
peace to the GOD yo son you did your thing on this one....keep shinning 7 make em respect the light!
@katanhgm09
Slim keep doing it big, MINNESOTA!!!
@tbars23
his styles so hot it'll melt all the snow in minnesota
@murtziepistol8415
This song never gets old. Thanks St. Paul Slim
@jadenvanhess2341
Minnesota Repin Tha TwinZ
@stophousegroup
St. Paul Slim is a beast.
@BlackHawkGamifyed
Paul bearer'$ all day
@OSSCz
He got that old school feelin props from- Cz