Originally, the group was known as the Stetson Brothers, but they changed their name to Stetsasonic for their debut, On Fire, due to their preference of Stetson hats. The album received mixed reviews, though the follow-ups, In Full Gear and Blood, Sweat & No Tears were critically acclaimed.
The group broke up soon after the release of Blood, Sweat & No Tears. Frukwan and Prince Paul worked with the Gravediggaz, while the latter also became a well-respected record producer, as did Daddy O, who worked for Mary J. Blige and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others.
Miami Bass
Stetsasonic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[ Daddy-O ]
My first taste of Miami Bass
Came on my first tour, this I gotta relate
I was at the hotel, had nothin to do
Flipped on the radio, heard the 2 Live Crew
Started dancin around, left and went downtown
Then I said to myself: New York ignited the Bass
But in Miami is where they got the deepest bass
Miami Bass
(Pump that bass)
[ Fruitkwan ]
This may be hard to believe
But in Miami I ain't even wanted to leave
I seen a girl so fly, she caught my eye
With her Benzi box kickin a song, give it a try
So she rolled down her tint with a look that said 'come'
I got real close, and then the telephone rung
You couldn't say I wasn't in a serious place
Cause in Miami the girls got the deepest bass
Miami Bass
(Pump that bass)
[ Delite ]
While cooling in Miami in my fresh limo
I seen a fly girl, so I said hello
She was quite polite, so real and so nice
She asked for my name, I said my name is Delite
I said, "Now where do you go on a Saturday night?"
She said, "Downtown, I know the place that's right"
An ace for your taste, a smile for your face
Cause Miami is known for the deepest bass
Miami Bass
(Pump that bass)
[ Fruitkwan ]
Going for swim when the ocean is rugged
A six plus on my kick is how I love it
Heavy rotated, bass is waded
Radio jocks don't understand how it's rated
Want my opinion? It's all about winning
Cause I think big, and in Miami I'ma dig in
Grab me a piece of what I'll never replace
Cause I still say the girls got the deepest bass
Miami Bass
(Pump that bass)
[ Daddy-O ]
Now know that it's true, from Stetsasonic to you
That we're from New York, our allegiance is true
We're not makin a fuss, but my man, you can trust
That the bass from Miami is a serious must
So loosen up your body, let your mind be free
Forget all your worries, the drink's on me
And after a while we're gonna wiggle our waist
Cause in Miami is where they got the deepest bass
Miami Bass
(Pump that bass)
The song "Miami Bass" by Stetsasonic is a tribute to the music genre that originated in Miami in the 1980s. The lyrics describe the group's experiences discovering and enjoying Miami Bass music during a visit to the city. Through their interactions with various people and their observations of the culture and environment, they come to appreciate the unique and powerful sound of Miami Bass. They emphasize the appeal of the deep bass that is a defining feature of the genre and its ability to get people moving and enjoying themselves. The lyrics celebrate the connection between music and community, and the way that Miami Bass brought people together to dance, have fun, and appreciate a shared cultural experience.
Overall, the song is an homage to Miami Bass and the role it played in popular music during the 80s and beyond. It highlights the energy and enthusiasm of the Miami music scene and its importance in shaping the sound of hip-hop and other genres. The lyrics also show how music can bring people from different backgrounds and places together, fostering a sense of shared purpose and celebration.
Line by Line Meaning
(Pump that bass)
An exclamation to pump up or increase the bass in the song
My first taste of Miami Bass
Daddy-O is talking about his first encounter with Miami bass music
Came on my first tour, this I gotta relate
Daddy-O heard Miami bass music while he was on his first music tour
I was at the hotel, had nothin to do
Daddy-O was stuck at the hotel with nothing to do
Flipped on the radio, heard the 2 Live Crew
Daddy-O turned on the radio and heard 2 Live Crew, a popular Miami bass group
Started dancin around, left and went downtown
Daddy-O started dancing and went to downtown Miami
Bought up some mo' shit, cause the shit was down
Daddy-O bought more Miami bass music because he enjoyed it so much
Then I said to myself: New York ignited the Bass
Daddy-O acknowledges the origin of bass music in New York
But in Miami is where they got the deepest bass
Daddy-O recognizes Miami as the place with the best bass music
This may be hard to believe
Fruitkwan is introducing a statement that may sound unbelievable
But in Miami I ain't even wanted to leave
Fruitkwan enjoyed Miami so much that he didn't want to leave
I seen a girl so fly, she caught my eye
Fruitkwan saw an attractive girl
With her Benzi box kickin a song, give it a try
The girl was playing a song on her portable speaker and Fruitkwan wanted to listen to it
So she rolled down her tint with a look that said 'come'
The girl signaled Fruitkwan to come closer
I got real close, and then the telephone rung
Fruitkwan was interrupted by a phone call
You couldn't say I wasn't in a serious place
Fruitkwan was in a serious mood at the time
Cause in Miami the girls got the deepest bass
Fruitkwan thinks that Miami is where the girls have the best rhythm and dance moves
While cooling in Miami in my fresh limo
Delite was riding in a fresh limo in Miami
I seen a fly girl, so I said hello
Delite saw an attractive girl and greeted her
She was quite polite, so real and so nice
The girl was very polite and nice
She asked for my name, I said my name is Delite
The girl asked for Delite's name and he introduced himself
I said, "Now where do you go on a Saturday night?"
Delite asked the girl where she goes on Saturday nights
She said, "Downtown, I know the place that's right"
The girl recommended a good place to go downtown
An ace for your taste, a smile for your face
Delite was happy with the girl's recommendation
Cause Miami is known for the deepest bass
Delite acknowledges that Miami is known for its bass music
Going for swim when the ocean is rugged
Fruitkwan went swimming in rough ocean waters
A six plus on my kick is how I love it
Fruitkwan prefers his music to have a strong bass
Heavy rotated, bass is waded
Fruitkwan enjoys heavy rotation of songs with a strong bass
Radio jocks don't understand how it's rated
Fruitkwan thinks that radio DJs don't understand how to rate good music
Want my opinion? It's all about winning
Fruitkwan's opinion is that good music is all about winning the audience's attention
Cause I think big, and in Miami I'ma dig in
Fruitkwan thinks that Miami is a great place to find good music and he intends to explore it
Grab me a piece of what I'll never replace
Fruitkwan wants to experience Miami's music scene, which he may not find anywhere else
Cause I still say the girls got the deepest bass
Fruitkwan still thinks that Miami has the best female dancers
Now know that it's true, from Stetsasonic to you
Daddy-O wants to affirm that Stetsasonic also acknowledge Miami's bass music
That we're from New York, our allegiance is true
Daddy-O reminds the listeners that Stetsasonic are from New York
We're not makin a fuss, but my man, you can trust
Daddy-O is asserting that Stetsasonic are not trying to cause a stir, but their opinion is trustworthy
That the bass from Miami is a serious must
Daddy-O believes that Miami's bass music is a must-listen
So loosen up your body, let your mind be free
Daddy-O wants the listeners to relax and enjoy the music
Forget all your worries, the drink's on me
Daddy-O is offering to buy drinks for the listeners to aid in enjoying the music
And after a while we're gonna wiggle our waist
Daddy-O wants the listeners to dance to the music
Cause in Miami is where they got the deepest bass
Daddy-O reiterates that Miami is the place with the best bass music
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARNOLD E. HAMILTON, GLENN K. BOLTON, LEONARDO ROMAN, MARTIN P. NEMLEY, PAUL HUSTON, PAUL E. HUSTON, SHAHID WRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mark Haney
Always one of my faves from them. Growing up in FL, and loving both Hip-Hop and Miami Bass, it was refreshing to hear a Hip-Hop group acknowledge what was going on down here at the time. I hated that the 12" single didn't have an instrumental though. I wanted to do so much blending with that beat!
Craig Furst
I followed Miami Bass even from Phoenix, AZ. I loved Techmaster PEB and Bass 305, which were the underground homies putting out dope records. There were so many Miami greats to name.
creoleDJ
Mad love & respect for this group. One of the VERY few New York acts that early on gave props to the South! 👍🏾
Fredicago Illanoise
I love how Daddy O and Prince Paul did the beat but got Mr. Mixx and Luke from The 2 Live Crew to mix the joint. Dope!!!
Jason Windebank
Great to hear this again gotta love stetsasonic
Mark Haney
By the way, love the moving clouds.
Red Simmons
Just pepped that Dope 👌🏽✅
rdeleonlxiv
That’s how they move “hurricane “ is coming 😉
limodrivermike
my favorite tune on the album
David Shelton
I still love this groove.