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
Lead The Way
Sweatshop Union Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't nobody gonna lead the way
It's up to you and me to make the differences we're trying to see
And take control of our own minds
(How many people got control of their minds?)
Take control of our own minds
Stop letting them shape and mold until we go blind
Set your mind state free
[Verse One]
Once you open the door, their ain't no closing it you're
A soldier at war, living within the core of the storm
Just like the war on CNN, a war where these men send
Missiles at innocent victims and swore to defend them
I'm talking about the war for your soul and the core of the goal
Ownership of everything and total control
Over every facet of life that we live
Hell, that's the reason that we rap on the mics to these kids
Trying to reach them so they'll stand up and fight to resist the system
Help their minds get equipped quicker cause the cycle just gets sicker
The more that we sip liquor and hope that it gets rid of
The problems and makes life better, it's more video
I'm not a bullshitter man, everything that glitters can't
Be gold, we sold our souls for so little land
Now, we gotta stop following these fake leaders
And stand proud and stop swallowing what they feed us
[Chorus]
Ain't nobody gonna lead the way
It's up to you and me to make the differences we're trying to see
And take control of our own minds
Stop letting them shape and mold until we go blind
[Verse Two]
Yo,
Once you open your eyes, there ain't no going back to closing your mind
It shows in the shine, not knowing you're frozen in time
From Atlantis to Suma
Babylon to Rome and
To the avid consumer who just travels on the road from
Plato to NATO, to the gavel that they hold
To the billions of children, like cattle that they sold
Every day it's like a battle for your soul
Be aware of all the weapons that you have at your disposal
Know, without a doubt in your heart and soul that
No man can stop you from reaching the hardest goal but
You, allow it to happen
Cowards, you got the power to stop them
The power to trap them and lock them in
They can't live without your fear, like it was oxygen
So breathe in deep and expel the fear and toxins
Stand with me, you might feel the sand shifting
And step away from the sins of our ancestry
[Outro]
Ain't nobody gonna lead the way
It's up to you and me to make the differences we're trying to see
And take control of our own minds
(How many people got control of their minds?)
Ain't nobody gonna lead the way
It's up to you and me to make the differences we're trying to see
And take control of our own minds
Stop letting them shape and mold until we go blind
The song "Lead the Way" by Sweatshop Union is a call for people to take control of their own minds and not rely on so-called leaders to make a difference. The intro sets the tone for the song by insisting that it's up to individuals to make the changes we want to see. The lyrics acknowledge the many battles that people face and how easy it is to become complacent when it seems like nothing is changing. The verses speak to larger societal issues, such as war and consumerism, that are ultimately reflections of individual mindsets.
The chorus serves as a reminder that nobody else is going to lead the way - it is up to each person to make a difference. This is not just about taking action, but also about taking control of one's thoughts and perspectives. The second verse focuses on the power that individuals have to change the course of history, despite the challenges that they may face. The outro reiterates the central message that it's up to individuals to take responsibility for shaping the future.
Overall, the song is a powerful call to action that emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for one's own life and not relying on external forces to effect change. It encourages listeners to question the status quo and to think critically about the messages they receive from those in power.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't nobody gonna lead the way
No one can do the work for you
It's up to you and me to make the differences we're trying to see
It's our responsibility to create change
And take control of our own minds
We need to be in charge of our thoughts
(How many people got control of their minds?)
How many people can truly control their thoughts?
Stop letting them shape and mold until we go blind
We can't let outside influences control us completely
Once you open the door, their ain't no closing it you're
Once you start seeking truth, you can't unsee it
A soldier at war, living within the core of the storm
We are constantly fighting for what's right amidst chaos
Just like the war on CNN, a war where these men send
The media and the powerful send us into battle
Missiles at innocent victims and swore to defend them
They claim to defend us while harming the innocent
Ownership of everything and total control
Those in power want to own and control everything
Trying to reach them so they'll stand up and fight to resist the system
Sweatshop Union wants to inspire listeners to resist oppression
Help their minds get equipped quicker cause the cycle just gets sicker
They want to empower people to fight back against the worsening system
The more that we sip liquor and hope that it gets rid of
We use distractions to cope with the issues
The problems and makes life better, it's more video
Distractions don't solve the underlying problems
We sold our souls for so little land
We've given up our values for petty gains
Now, we gotta stop following these fake leaders
We need to stop letting corrupt leaders control us
And stand proud and stop swallowing what they feed us
We need to stand up for what's right and resist oppression
Once you open your eyes, there ain't no going back to closing your mind
Once you seek truth, you can't ignore it
It shows in the shine, not knowing you're frozen in time
Our ignorance keeps us trapped
Every day it's like a battle for your soul
We are constantly struggling between right and wrong
Be aware of all the weapons that you have at your disposal
Use all your resources to fight back
No man can stop you from reaching the hardest goal but
Don't let anyone tell you that you can't succeed
You, allow it to happen
We contribute to our own oppression
Cowards, you got the power to stop them
We need to be brave and resist oppression
The power to trap them and lock them in
We can prevent the corrupt from gaining more power
So breathe in deep and expel the fear and toxins
We need to overcome our fears and insecurities
And step away from the sins of our ancestry
We need to break away from the oppressive and corrupt systems of the past
Contributed by Thomas K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.