Canadian hip-hop heavyweights Sweatshop Union, one of the hardest working ensembles to ever emerge from British Columbia, have been making righteous, politically charged music for over a decade but on their newest album Infinite (summer 2013), they’re ready to really enjoy themselves.
The 6-member crew took their time with this album, spending a year to gather sounds and lyrics, whereas previous records have been completed in mere months. It bridges the gap between conscious music and fun party jams, exploring heavy themes but it’s also built for kicking back and vibing. The group believes that the record’s strength lies in this dichotomy.
Infinite (nominated 2014 WCMA) follows 2011’s Bill Murray EP, which won the Western Canadian Music Award for Hip-Hop Album of the Year, and raised their profile beyond their grassroots following, some time after pair of Juno nominations from their previous work together (Natural Progression & United We Fall | 2004 & 2006).
The new LP contains a range of sounds, combining old-school hip-hop with futuristic, electro headbangers, not to mention some ballads and spoken word interludes. It accomplishes the tricky task of reflecting the outfit’s individual tastes, as they inform SSU’s collective vision.
The group is prolific and moves quickly but as of this moment, Infinite stands as the most eclectic record in the Sweatshop Union catalogue. Listeners will find it tricky to categorize but it’s clear the collective had a lot of fun making this music and they hope it’s contagious. After all, despite its title, Infinite reflects a group of men who know that life is short and that they need to savor all the joyful moments that making music together provides.
Discography
* Sweatshop Union 2001
* Local 604 2002
* Natural Progression 2004
* United We Fall 2005
* Water Street 2008
* Bill Murray EP 2011
* Infinite 2013
High Grade
Sweatshop Union Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The pre-bling rap, that Johnny Cash meets bb King rap
Yo, bring that back
When you hear it you can feel it in the pit of your soul
This is the high-grade shit and you know
I could've been a doctor, earned a living properly
No problems with anything at all
Have a fancy office with some paintings on the wall
And a s*** secretary in it, playin with my –
Yeah it may have been cool
But I chose to rock shows instead of staying in school
And I know a lot of folks who probably say it was stupid
Like "He used to get such good grades as a student"
But I keep makin that music and makin my moves
With the crew, always on the road
Prayin the future brings us enough so we're not scraping for loot
Everytime we come home and rent payments are due
That's why sometimes I'm not in the greatest of moods
Watching sub-par rappers with Mercedes and jewels
So we spit fire at them and after they're raw torched
We point and laugh at them like... ?
Boo! Boo!
It was the worst thing I've ever heard!
It was terrible!
Horrendous!
Well it wasn't that bad...
Oh yeah?
There were parts of it I liked...
Yeah, I liked a lot of it
Yeah, It was good actually
It was great!
It was wonderful!
Bravo!
More! More! More!
We put the boom back in the boom-bap
The pre-bling rap, that Johnny Cash meets bb King rap
Yo, bring that back
When you hear it you can feel it in the pit of your soul
It's the high-grade shit and you know it
Now if I come off rude, it's a temporary mood
It's probably just that I need to get a plate of food
If you see me on the ave and I walk right by
Please assume that I didn't see you walk right by
If you heard I'm making money and it's changing my life
Please believe that I know my wrongs and I'm making them right
And if I die tonight and this is my last song
Send a prayer to my grandma to get my ass home
Take a walk with that negative talk, jack
This is true life, no remake in the contract
Who me? I be making them bomb tracks for days
Yo, you heard the songs that we make
We put the boom back in the boom-bap
The pre-bling rap, that Johnny Cash meets bb King rap
Yo, bring that back
When you hear it you can feel it in the pit of your soul
It's the high-grade shit and you know it
It was wonderful!
Bravo!
I loved it!
It was great!
Well, it was pretty good
Well, it wasn't bad...
There were parts of it that I weren't very good, though
It could've been a lot better
I didn't really like it
It was pretty terrible
It was bad!
It was awful!
It was terrible!
Get them away!
Boo!
The song “High Grade” by Sweatshop Union is an ode to classic and authentic hip-hop music. The lyrics emphasize the importance of staying true to oneself and making music that has a deep impact on the hearts and souls of the listeners. The first verse of the song talks about bringing back the “boom” in hip-hop, referring to the classic boom-bap beat that defined the genre in the 90s. The line “Johnny Cash meets bb King rap” pays homage to the blending of different genres and the influence of blues and country on rap music. The chorus of the song talks about the power of music to touch people on a profound level, calling it “high-grade shit.”
The second verse of the song is a reflection by one of the members of the group on his decision to pursue a career in music instead of taking the traditional path of becoming a doctor. The lyrics highlight the struggles and sacrifices that come with pursuing a career in the music industry, such as financial instability and the pressure of constantly creating new content. The rapper also touches upon the jealousy and competition that exists within the industry. The chorus is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the message that true hip-hop is more than just a catchy beat or a flashy persona, but rather is about creating music that has a real impact on the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
We put the boom back in the boom-bap
We have reintroduced the soul of old school rap into our music
The pre-bling rap, that Johnny Cash meets bb King rap
We have combined country blues and soul with rap
Yo, bring that back
Play that music again! It's too good to stop!
When you hear it you can feel it in the pit of your soul
Our music has an intense emotional impact and touches the deepest parts of your being
This is the high-grade shit and you know
Our music is of the highest quality and everyone can recognize and appreciate it
I could've been a doctor, earned a living properly
I had the opportunity to pursue a conventional profession that is considered respectable
Never had to worry about no cops and robbers
I wouldn't have to deal with illegal activities, including crime and law enforcement
No problems with anything at all
I would have a smooth, trouble-free life
Have a fancy office with some paintings on the wall
I would have a luxurious workspace with expensive decorations
And a s*** secretary in it, playin with my –
I would have a secretary who is probably typing away at her computer
Yeah it may have been cool
It could have been a great lifestyle with material comforts
But I chose to rock shows instead of staying in school
I decided to pursue music rather than a traditional education
And I know a lot of folks who probably say it was stupid
Many people would consider it a foolish career choice
Like 'He used to get such good grades as a student'
They may have thought I was throwing away a promising future
But I keep makin that music and makin my moves
I continue to create music and pursue success in the industry
With the crew, always on the road
I am constantly touring with my bandmates
Prayin the future brings us enough so we're not scraping for loot
We hope to make enough money to avoid living paycheck to paycheck
Everytime we come home and rent payments are due
We return home to financial obligations that need to be paid, including rent
That's why sometimes I'm not in the greatest of moods
I can experience negative emotions due to the financial stress of trying to make it in the music industry
Watching sub-par rappers with Mercedes and jewels
It can be frustrating to see less talented rappers with flashy possessions
So we spit fire at them and after they're raw torched
We lyrically attack these less deserving rappers until they are completely destroyed
We point and laugh at them like... ?
We ridicule them and get satisfaction knowing that they can't compete with our skills and success
Boo! Boo!
We did not approve of what we just witnessed
It was the worst thing I've ever heard!
We believe their music was terrible
It was terrible!
We strongly disliked their performance
Horrendous!
We thought their music was absolutely terrible
Well it wasn't that bad...
We didn't hate it but believe it could have been better
Oh yeah?
We were skeptical of the quality of the music we just heard
There were parts of it I liked...
Although we didn't love the entire performance, we appreciated some parts
Yeah, I liked a lot of it
We enjoyed most of the performance
Yeah, It was good actually
We believe it was a good performance overall
It was great!
We thought the music was fantastic and executed brilliantly
It was wonderful!
We were extremely impressed by the performance
Bravo!
We express our admiration and compliments for the great performance
More! More! More!
We loved the performance so much that we wanted to hear more and were left wanting more
Now if I come off rude, it's a temporary mood
If I appear to be unpleasant, it may be due to a temporary emotional state
It's probably just that I need to get a plate of food
I may be irritable due to hunger
If you see me on the ave and I walk right by
If you notice me on the avenue and I don't acknowledge you, it was probably unintentional
Please assume that I didn't see you walk right by
Please don't take offense; I may not have noticed you
If you heard I'm making money and it's changing my life
If you have heard that I'm financially successful, it may affect my behavior and lifestyle
Please believe that I know my wrongs and I'm making them right
I am aware of my mistakes and trying to correct them
And if I die tonight and this is my last song
If I were to pass away suddenly, this would be my final musical work
Send a prayer to my grandma to get my ass home
Please pray for my safe return home to my grandmother
Take a walk with that negative talk, jack
Leave all the negativity and discouragement behind
This is true life, no remake in the contract
This is the reality of life with no do-overs or second chances
Who me? I be making them bomb tracks for days
I am continuously creating explosive, high-quality music
Yo, you heard the songs that we make
You have listened to the amazing songs we have created
Contributed by Reagan I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nick Susco
This is the kind of music I want to hear on the radio. Much with meaning.
David Weeks
How do more people now know about these guys. I think they are brilliant!
trybal007
As i've always said....REAL HIP-HOP! It's nice to see you again!
Shannon Healy
You guys are AMAZING!:D
Tom Bils
This is why hip-hop is still real.
IrishMediaNerd
Love the Muppets Mix In. And the Chorus is pure HIG GRADE. Johnny Cash is my fav artist of all time. Love this song its very Positive. Real talk from the Irish Media Nerd.
Logan Davidson
Met these guys at their concert, Such nice dudes!
ThaKid YouKnow
there are 303 reasons why sweatshop is always welcome in the mile high state. I love how they always come back
Baked Frodo
They need to come back! I regret missing their show with Grieves.
Johnny J
this is such a chill song, I love it.