In 1996, Mad Child and Prevail went to the B-Boy Summit in San Diego, California, where Mad Child won several rap battles and was initiated into the Rock Steady Crew, legendary to the hip hop/b-boy scene. The Crew is held in great respect as hip hop's highest collective - to join one must win a contest of skill against one of the highest ranked members. Swollen Members is one of only three rap groups affiliated with Rock Steady.
That same year, the duo began recording their first tracks, with help from many of their friends from the scene - MCs, DJs, and producers, including Rob the Viking. Rob would continue to work with the group through the years, eventually joining them later. From the praise they were receiving, they decided it was time to release their material as a group. With the subsequent release of three 12" singles on Mad Child's record label Battleaxe Records, the group quickly established themselves in the scene and built a respectable following. The next logical step was to release an album, which was titled Balance and released in 1999.
Balance received wide critical acclaim and has been claimed by the band to have sold in excess of 50,000 copies. Featuring collaborations with artists such as Everlast, Divine Styler, and Dilated Peoples, the album also netted Swollen Members the 2001 Juno Award for Best Rap Recording.
Following Balance, Swollen Members recorded and released Bad Dreams, which successfully dodged the so-called "sophomore curse" many artists suffer upon their second release. Bad Dreams was released on November 13, 2001, featuring guests such as Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, Son Doobie, Joey Chavez, and former member Moka Only. Like their debut, Bad Dreams was surprisingly successful for an independent rap album and brought Swollen Members global acclaim. Surprisingly, it appealed to both underground and mainstream audiences, with several singles reaching platinum status in Canada.
The album also earned Swollen Members their second Juno Award, and four MuchMusic Video Awards. The group continues to tour, visiting every major market possible and performing hundreds of shows a year; some with nearly 15,000 audience members. The media continues to give their music and live shows excellent coverage around the globe, and both new and old singles receive solid airplay on college and commercial radio. Their tracks have also been featured in a multitude of films, television programs, extreme sports videos, commercials, video games (especially games produced by Electronic Arts, which has a studio in their hometown of Vancouver), and compilation albums, the sales of which total in the millions when combined.
Swollen Members have appeared on numerous television shows, in addition to having several of their live shows televised. Like their singles, their music videos have been heavily played on both the Canadian MuchMusic and the American MTV, as well as on many independent video shows.
2002's Monsters in the Closet, their third release, brought them greater fame than ever before. Where Moka Only and Rob the Viking had only peripherally assisted the duo before, they now became official members of the group. Monsters included several unreleased tracks and remixes, as well as collaborations from fellow British Columbian Nelly Furtado and Saukrates of Def Jam. Production credits included Evidence from Dilated Peoples.
2003 brought Heavy, released yet again to critical acclaim and powerful sales, despite dismal video play time on MuchMusic. The band considers it the bridge between their underground origins and their potential for fame. Unfortunately the album was controversial among Swollen Members' fanbase. Many fans claim that Swollen Members have removed many elements of their style which had awarded them in the past. The lines were drawn between fans who began to listen to Swollen Members when Monsters in the Closet came out and fans attracted by the earlier two albums (especially Balance). They continue to tour, playing both local and international shows to the delight of their hometown fans.
In 2005 Moka Only decided to break off from the group for a second time and continue work on his solo career.
In 2006 Swollen Members released their fifth full album, Black Magic. It is understood that Mad Child and Prevail made an attempt to return to their previously critically acclaimed style and method. Their previous album Heavy was seen by the band as a disappointment, and isn't listed on their official site discography.
In August 2006, Swollen Members released their new single "Put Me On - Feat. Everlast" off of their new album, "Black Magic".
Their next CD is scheduled to be released at the end of the summer of 2008. According to the band's website, Mad Child will soon release a solo album.
Torture
Swollen Members Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We don't force it
Just remember we don't force it
We don't forfeit
Aw naw we don't forfeit
Don't forget
Yeah this gold I spit, I told 'em we rollin' with swollen shit
Poison apple move through orchard
I approach you, walk in circles
Spirit of the hunter I could hunt you
Locked in emotional realm
My private world is painful
And I don't care if it rain in my window pane inside I'm a insane angel
No gold at the end of my rainbow
Get a hold of myself 'fore my brain go boom
Sittin' in my room consumed with doom
Doors open force flow through me
Springtime bloomin' daphodiles
Still got a six shot revolver
My gangster friends wont get this album
Not my problem
I hibernate but I still called 'em
[Chorus: x2]
Revel in my glory, kneel before me
Or the straight jacket come around
Grey casket underground
Name captivate a crowd, leave 'em in suspense
Maximum overdrive last of my kind alive
Mastermind every single movement like a puppeteer
Go for the throat again, no friend we don't pretend
Send you to the other end flames on the flesh burn
Meet nephastopholese, heat make it hard to breathe
Leave while you have the chance I could change my mind
Advantage of ricochet adventures in anime
Tear away the back drop revealing the hopeless
Incentive to innovate, allow me to demonstrate
Pinpoint and penetrate the heart like a steel shaft
Birds circle my prey this verse workin' my way
The thirst never left me I just had to find it
Hazardous is chemical no MC identical
[Chorus: x2]
Exert energy, hurt enemy
Love run raw through the veins of my army
Nothin' feel better than the strength of my movement
My revolution, offer solution
Triple seven on a path less traveled
Psycho psychedelic thoughts unravel
Master thief drink psycho juice
With like-minded maniacs who like abuse
Insult to injury, full color imagery
Revenge will be the motivation, open wounds, lacerations
Focus my fascination, nose to the grindstone
This is not an accident battle axe accurate
Immaculate structure my alphabetic framework
Strength of a monolith, brains of a novelist
Ominous approach engulf words like a bonfire
Spiritual vision quest, sacred as eagle's nest
[Chorus: x2]
The song "Torture" by Swollen Members is a rap song that delves into deep emotions and experiences. The first verse talks about the state of someone's mind and how they try to ward off negative thoughts. The singer feels like there's a "poison apple" in the orchard that they must maneuver their way through. They're walking around in circles, trying to escape the hunter (suggesting the feeling of being hunted by their own thoughts). They are stuck in an emotional realm that is painful, but they don't want to let it consume them. They try to hold on to their sanity, even though they feel like it's slipping away. They're surrounded by beauty, such as blooming daphodiles, but they still feel consumed by doom.
The second verse talks about the singer's power and position. They revel in their glory and want others to kneel before them. If they don't, they may end up in a straight jacket or grey casket. The singer is a mastermind of their own movements and doesn't pretend to be anyone's friend. They're not afraid to burn their enemies, leaving only flames on their flesh. They're also not afraid to go after what they want and will do whatever it takes to get it. The singer is a bit unhinged and almost terrifying in their willingness to hurt others.
Line by Line Meaning
We don't force it
We do not coerce anyone to do what we do
Just remember we don't force it
Please don't forget that we don't force anyone
We don't forfeit
We never give up or surrender
Aw naw we don't forfeit
No way we are giving up
Don't forget
Remember this
Yeah this gold I spit, I told 'em we rollin' with swollen shit
I boast of my great lyrics and I've said it before that we are a part of the Swollen Members group
Keep a deeper state of a mind less tortured
Maintain a high level of thinking without being stressed
Poison apple move through orchard
Something harmful is moving around unnoticed
I approach you, walk in circles
I come close and start to circle around
Spirit of the hunter I could hunt you
I have the skill and desire to track you down
Locked in emotional realm
Stuck in an emotional state
My private world is painful
The world I'm in is tormenting
And I don't care if it rain in my window pane inside I'm a insane angel
I am indifferent to the outside weather but inside I feel like a crazy angel
No gold at the end of my rainbow
I'm not lucky to find anything special at the end of the road
Get a hold of myself 'fore my brain go boom
Take control of my emotions before I lose it completely
Sittin' in my room consumed with doom
Sitting in my gloomy room feeling overwhelmed
Doors open force flow through me
The doors unlock and a sudden energy takes over me
Springtime bloomin' daphodiles
The flowers are blooming in spring
Still got a six shot revolver
I still have a gun with six bullets
My gangster friends wont get this album
My criminal associates don't appreciate this album
Not my problem
I am not responsible for their tastes or reactions
I hibernate but I still called 'em
I hide from them, but I still contacted them
Revel in my glory, kneel before me
Celebrate my greatness and kneel before me
Or the straight jacket come around
Or be confined by a straitjacket
Grey casket underground
Dead and buried
Name captivate a crowd, leave 'em in suspense
My name intrigues the audience and leaves them wondering
Maximum overdrive last of my kind alive
I operate in the highest gear, the last of my species that's still alive
Mastermind every single movement like a puppeteer
I control every aspect of my actions like a puppet master
Go for the throat again, no friend we don't pretend
Attack mercilessly, no pretending to be friendly
Send you to the other end flames on the flesh burn
Send you to the afterlife with your body burned by flames
Meet nephastopholese, heat make it hard to breathe
Encounter an overwhelming force and struggle to breathe
Leave while you have the chance I could change my mind
Escape while it's still possible, I may change my stance
Advantage of ricochet adventures in anime
Take advantage of the bouncing effects in anime's storytelling
Tear away the back drop revealing the hopeless
Remove the facade and expose the futility
Incentive to innovate, allow me to demonstrate
Motivation to create something new, let me prove it
Pinpoint and penetrate the heart like a steel shaft
Aim precisely and affect someone deeply
Birds circle my prey this verse workin' my way
Like birds of prey, I am slowly getting closer and closer with this verse
The thirst never left me I just had to find it
I never lost my desire, I just needed to rediscover it
Hazardous is chemical no MC identical
Dangerous like a chemical, there's no other MC like me
Exert energy, hurt enemy
Use all my strength to harm my opponent
Love run raw through the veins of my army
My group is fueled by love and passion
Nothin' feel better than the strength of my movement
The power of our movement is very fulfilling
My revolution, offer solution
My way of changing things comes with a possible solution
Triple seven on a path less traveled
Going down an unusual path with great results
Psycho psychedelic thoughts unravel
Crazy, mind-altering thoughts are unleashed
Master thief drink psycho juice
A skilled criminal drinks a mentally altering substance
With like-minded maniacs who like abuse
With other people who enjoy being mistreated
Insult to injury, full color imagery
Adding more insult to an existing injury, using vivid descriptions
Revenge will be the motivation, open wounds, lacerations
The driving force is revenge, with the intention of causing more pain and harm
Focus my fascination, nose to the grindstone
I channel my passions and work hard
This is not an accident battle axe accurate
This isn't random, it's a precise attack
Immaculate structure my alphabetic framework
My writing is impeccable and well-organized
Strength of a monolith, brains of a novelist
As strong and enduring as a stone structure, with the creativity of a writer
Ominous approach engulf words like a bonfire
A dark and foreboding manner that consumes the listener like a fire
Spiritual vision quest, sacred as eagle's nest
A meaningful journey to discover and connect with oneself, as sacred as an eagle's nest
[Chorus: x2]
Repeating the chorus two times
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind