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
now
Sweatshop Union Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo, something should've told me these days would come,
Faith is at a low and life weighs a ton
Wanna lay down and die but I'm way too young
And no, we didn't come all this way for none
Flash back, 5 years we was brave and dumb
Wanna rap, change the world, rearrange the sun
The paper never came so now we jaded, son
Never been about the money, it's more the time we spent
Keep thinkin' I'm too old to shuck and jive for rent
Friends ask me what's wrong I've got a lot to tell 'em
How can I tell them I no longer feel in line with them?
Travel the world, autographs we be signing them
Had enough girls but honestly I'm tired of them
Trying to win, still living in this life in sin
And I would give it all away to some enlightenment
Right now
Right now, feel like I'm wasting my time
It's like I'm waiting in line with no patience to finally make it
And I'm trying to find a place to recline
And relieve this stress that weighs on my mind
'Cause right now it's all so fake and
I'm trying to escape and find a little space in time to myself
For my mind to be healthy enough to deal with some of the cards that I dealt to myself
Right now
It's been a long road it seems
Just trying to mold reality from hopes and dreams
And now, I'm not so sure it's the life I wanted
Might just call it quits, get a wife and all that and just settle down
It's the truth if I sound a little bitter don't get it misconstrued
Just a bit confused, sick of drifting through this life
I want to see it from a different view
But I ain't got what I wanted to get off my chest, off it yet
Not about to stop and step away
'Cause someone never dropped a cheque,
Was never in it for the money, y'all let's not forget
I mean, I've got respect and that should be enough
I guess 5 years back it would be but what's next?
Now don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for all this success
And I'm not depressed, I'm just stressed
Right now
Feel like I'm wasting my time
It's like I'm waiting in line with no patience to finally make it
And I'm trying to find a place to recline
And relieve this stress that weighs on my mind
'Cause right now it's all so fake and
I'm trying to escape and find a little bit of space in time to myself
For my mind to be healthy enough to deal with some of the cards that I dealt to myself
Right now
The song "Now" by Sweatshop Union depicts the struggle of four individuals as they navigate through life, facing insecurities and questioning if their struggles are worth it. The lyrics suggest that they feel disillusioned with the direction their lives have taken and that they have lost faith in their ability to achieve their dreams. Lines such as "Wanna lay down and die but I'm way too young," "Trying to win, still living in this life in sin," and "I'm sick of drifting through this life" paint a picture of individuals who are feeling stuck in their current situation. However, the lyrics also convey a sense of hope that the pain will subside - "trying to escape and find a little space in time to myself, for my mind to be healthy enough to deal with some of the cards that I dealt to myself."
The lyrics address the larger theme of societal struggles and the fact that success and happiness are not guaranteed, even with hard work. The artists express their dissatisfaction with society's priorities, where money and success are often prioritized over personal fulfillment and authenticity. The words "Never been about the money, it's more the time we spent" and "never in it for the money, y'all let's not forget" express that the artists prioritize passion and authenticity over financial reward.
Overall, "Now" is a powerful commentary on the struggles of people who are pursuing their dreams in a world that often pressures them to conform to society's expectations. It encourages listeners to prioritize personal fulfillment and authenticity in their life journey rather than adhering to societal expectations and chasing success at any cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, something should've told me these days would come,
I should have been warned about these difficult times
Faith is at a low and life weighs a ton
My belief in things is low and life feels heavy and overwhelming
Wanna lay down and die but I'm way too young
I am feeling hopeless and helpless but I am too young to give up
And no, we didn't come all this way for none
We did not come this far just to give up now
Flash back, 5 years we was brave and dumb
Remembering back five years, we were both brave and foolish
Wanna rap, change the world, rearrange the sun
We wanted to make a difference through music and change the world even if it was impossible
Had hopes so we waited 'til the paper come
We had a lot of optimism and waited for opportunities to come to us
The paper never came so now we jaded, son
Opportunities did not come as expected and we are now disillusioned
Never been about the money, it's more the time we spent
We value time spent together more than we care about making money
Keep thinkin' I'm too old to shuck and jive for rent
I feel like I'm too old to continue doing things I don't love just to earn money
Friends ask me what's wrong I've got a lot to tell 'em
My friends ask what is bothering me and I have a lot to share
How can I tell them I no longer feel in line with them?
I don't know how to tell them that I am no longer on the same page as them
Travel the world, autographs we be signing them
We get to travel and meet fans from around the world signing autographs
Had enough girls but honestly I'm tired of them
Although I have been with many girls, I am tired of that lifestyle
Trying to win, still living in this life in sin
I am still trying to succeed but I feel like I am still living a sinful life
And I would give it all away to some enlightenment
I would give up everything for some clarity and spiritual enlightenment
Right now, feel like I'm wasting my time
Currently, I feel like I'm not making any progress
It's like I'm waiting in line with no patience to finally make it
It feels like I'm waiting for something big to happen without any patience
And I'm trying to find a place to recline
I am trying to find a place to relax and de-stress
And relieve this stress that weighs on my mind
I am trying to alleviate the heavy burden of stress that is weighing on my mind
'Cause right now it's all so fake and
At this moment, everything seems artificial and insincere
I'm trying to escape and find a little space in time to myself
I am trying to run away from everything and find some personal time
For my mind to be healthy enough to deal with some of the cards that I dealt to myself
I need to take care of myself mentally to handle the consequences of my own actions
It's been a long road it seems
We have come a long way but it seems like a long and tiring journey
Just trying to mold reality from hopes and dreams
We are trying to shape our reality based on our hopes and dreams
And now, I'm not so sure it's the life I wanted
Now, I am not sure if this is the life I really wanted
Might just call it quits, get a wife and all that and just settle down
I am considering to give up on this life and start a new chapter by getting married and settling down
It's the truth if I sound a little bitter don't get it misconstrued
If I sound resentful, I am speaking the truth, don't misunderstand
Just a bit confused, sick of drifting through this life
I am a little confused and tired of living aimlessly
I want to see it from a different view
I want to look at things from a different perspective
But I ain't got what I wanted to get off my chest, off it yet
I still have things to say that I wasn't able to express yet
Not about to stop and step away
I am not going to quit and give up now
Cause someone never dropped a cheque,
I am not in it for the money because money never came to me anyway
Was never in it for the money, y'all let's not forget
I never did this for the money, don't forget that
I mean, I've got respect and that should be enough
Although I don't have money, I have respect and that alone should be sufficient
I guess 5 years back it would be but what's next?
Respect was enough five years ago but what's next for me now?
Now don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for all this success
I am grateful for all the success that I have achieved
And I'm not depressed, I'm just stressed
I am not depressed, I am just dealing with a lot of stress
'Cause right now, feel like I'm wasting my time
Right now, I feel like I'm stuck in a rut and wasting my time
It's like I'm waiting in line with no patience to finally make it
It's like I'm waiting for something big to happen without any patience
And I'm trying to find a place to recline
I am trying to find a place to relax and de-stress
And relieve this stress that weighs on my mind
I am trying to alleviate the heavy burden of stress that is weighing on my mind
'Cause right now it's all so fake and
At this moment, everything seems artificial and insincere
I'm trying to escape and find a little bit of space in time to myself
I am trying to run away from everything and find some personal time
For my mind to be healthy enough to deal with some of the cards that I dealt to myself
I need to take care of myself mentally to handle the consequences of my own actions
Contributed by Isaiah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.