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.
Valentine
Swollen Members Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sensational recreational narcotics
I thought I lost it but I found it
Temptation marches along till I'm surrounded
Inspired by fire the sensual illusion
Caught between the crossfire anger and confusion
Howl at the moon black blanket that's starlit
I'm rarely romantic plowing through tramps
Not to be taken for granted
My past has come back and haunted for real
I've all ready danced with death. a dozen black roses
I pose with babies breath
Be afraid a place where magic is made
I'll rain on your parade with silver razor blades
I'm creepin' over the fence crawlin' through your back yard
My mind states intense
Savage penetration on the rocks with a twist
Now scream and shake your fists
Cause dreams are made of this
For real the opposite transmit telepathic
Roamin' the flats with automatics and back packs
Doin' jacks for Big Macs, accumulatin' stacks to make G's
Nigga please, you artificial
You dropped somethin', it's your heart
An' it's still pumpin', pumpin' you from this existence
It seems to be absolutely mandatory, 'cause you be manipulatin' skin
But no way, because you fake I can trace out your image
Even though you don't cast one, I smell a rat, I'm smellin' that
Stay back at least 150 inches,
You brew tea? an I know you know I can sense it
With the nostrils innocently mixed with 6 hostile stenches
Henceforth the elbow swings dinging, we bring whip to bleed scalps
Swingin' sleep out your mouth
How long you been hibernatin'? Too long!
You're abiding and aiding a felon, to switch your melon
Droppin' grammar like a judges hammer
I feel you mark, feel me feel your chart
You gotta be real an you gotta to have heart
You gotta to be real an you gots to have heart
Stir the blur, nuts and bolts whirl
Stored in electric ports, 4 strong boxes of 10 floors
Shift the weight towards the door, in hopes of escape
When hands on cord, the blazing roof Prev creates
Sound break, concord, eye of the condor
Hand skills of a saboteur, your in for
A war that pours coarse of molten into cords
Strung by the young ones, put me on tour
No folk lore horsemen for poison, pour in skin pores
Soft rhymers, metamorphize their cartoon characters
Grafted from Africa, in this game you got no stature
Not even a factor in this
Whole shit makes me yawn
Snatch your heart out your chest like a '96 ghetto spawn
Antonym of urban, too feminine for this cut-throat mentality
Have ? thoughts in my area, you get snatched out your Suburban
Fallacy with no antidote, in this ? your age get broke
Runnin' from gun smoke, ballin' never rumin'
Silver spoons crumbin' from flavor
Soon there will be no overseer to save ya
When I delve, tell your podiatrist it's a size 12
National ? Soldiers, leakin' a swine
A snake with no spine, I'll see you, I peeped you
You'll see blue, the fake,
A quick death is your fate
Now, I got shit to do
The lyrics to Swollen Members’ song “Valentine’s Day Massacre” depict the dark and erratic thoughts of the singer, conveying their inner turmoil and potentially dangerous tendencies. The opening lines describe the singer as “slightly schizophrenic borderline psychotic” and indulging in “sensational recreational narcotics”. They feel tempted and surrounded by this temptation. The next line, “inspired by fire the sensual illusion”, suggests that the singer is motivated by a dangerous and destructive force. They are caught between the “crossfire anger and confusion” and howl at the moon in a kind of primal, animalistic way.
Line by Line Meaning
Slightly schizophrenic borderline psychotic
I am in a slightly crazy place mentally and borderline unstable
Sensational recreational narcotics
I am taking drugs strictly for leisure purposes or pleasure
I thought I lost it but I found it
I believed my life was spiraling out of control, but I regained my bearings
Temptation marches along till I'm surrounded
I am constantly faced with alluring or tempting situations that eventually take over my life
Inspired by fire the sensual illusion
I am motivated by passion and sensuality that is not necessarily real and only seems so
Caught between the crossfire anger and confusion
I am stuck in a difficult situation that has left me confused and frustrated
Howl at the moon black blanket that's starlit
I am in a dark place, and although there is light in my life, it is not enough to dispel the darkness
I'm rarely romantic plowing through tramps
I seldom indulge in romantic activities but instead engage in promiscuity
And harlots madchild prevails tails of the unwanted
I am successful in the unsavory or unwanted side of life
Not to be taken for granted
My success should not be underestimated
My past has come back and haunted for real
The mistakes of my past have caught up with me and are currently affecting my life
I've all ready danced with death. a dozen black roses
I have already had a near-death experience, and I see death as a sinister entity, represented by black roses
I pose with babies breath
I may seem harmless, but I am still capable of causing destruction
Be afraid a place where magic is made
A place where things happen that defy logic or explanation should inspire fear in those around it
I'll rain on your parade with silver razor blades
I will unexpectedly disrupt and take away any moment of joy you may have thought to experience, with ferocity and desperation
I'm creepin' over the fence crawlin' through your back yard
I am being sneaky and clandestine in my actions, perhaps in pursuit of something secretive
My mind states intense
My thoughts and emotions are especially strong and overwhelming
Savage penetration on the rocks with a twist
I am engaging in sex in a forceful and unconventional manner, likely involving drugs or other intoxicants
Now scream and shake your fists
React with fear as I am coming at you aggressively, ready for confrontation
Cause dreams are made of this
People's desires or fantasies are made up of precisely this kind of dangerous and intense experiences
For real the opposite transmit telepathic
I am the opposite of what I portray myself to be, and this fact is transmitted or communicated mentally
Roamin' the flats with automatics and back packs
I am moving around carrying guns or other weapons along with my necessary gear and supplies
Doin' jacks for Big Macs, accumulatin' stacks to make G's
I am willing to do low-level criminal or unpleasant tasks in order to make some money, likely to earn a small fortune
Nigga please, you artificial
You are a fake and don't belong in this world
You dropped somethin', it's your heart
You are not showing genuine emotion, and it seems like you are missing the essential qualities that make you human
An' it's still pumpin', pumpin' you from this existence
Your heart is still beating, keeping you alive in this world, but it is evident you are not fully living
It seems to be absolutely mandatory, 'cause you be manipulatin' skin
It appears that you prioritize manipulating and taking advantage of people, but it's really not fulfilling or rewarding
But no way, because you fake I can trace out your image
You think you are clever, but I see through your facade and can easily discern the real you
Even though you don't cast one, I smell a rat, I'm smellin' that
You don't necessarily leave physical evidence of your behavior, but I am still able to sense something fishy about you
Stay back at least 150 inches
Keep a safe distance away from me to avoid potential danger
You brew tea? an I know you know I can sense it
You may think you have hidden your actions, but I can tell you are being dishonest
With the nostrils innocently mixed with 6 hostile stenches
Even though I may appear innocent, I am still able to perceive things that are potentially dangerous or harmful
Henceforth the elbow swings dinging, we bring whip to bleed scalps
In the future, as a means of defense, we are not afraid to use any means necessary of causing harm to our opponents
Swingin' sleep out your mouth
Our blows and speech are so fierce that you become disoriented or fall asleep
How long you been hibernatin'? Too long!
You have been inactive and closed off for far too long
You're abiding and aiding a felon, to switch your melon
You are enabling a criminal to continue their illegal activities, and it's time for you to change your ways
Droppin' grammar like a judges hammer
Our speech is authoritative and stern, able to put a stop to any situation quickly
I feel you mark, feel me feel your chart
I understand your position and the things you have been through and hope that you understand mine as well
You gotta be real an you gotta to have heart
To succeed and be respected, one must be honest and genuine, with a strong will and determination
Stir the blur, nuts and bolts whirl
We are attempting to organize or bring some order to a chaotic or confusing situation
Stored in electric ports, 4 strong boxes of 10 floors
We have locked important items or information in secure, electronic storage locations
Shift the weight towards the door, in hopes of escape
We are trying to move objects or circumstances in order to make an escape possible
When hands on cord, the blazing roof Prev creates
When we pull on a cord, a fire or explosion occurs and we are able to exit the building
Sound break, concord, eye of the condor
We are trying to make a definitive move or decision amid an otherwise chaotic situation
Hand skills of a saboteur, your in for a war that pours coarse of molten into cords
We have the skills and equipment necessary to start a large and dangerous altercation
Strung by the young ones, put me on tour
Young, up and coming artists have requested me to go on tour with them
No folk lore horsemen for poison, pour in skin pores
We are not storytelling or spreading rumors, but we are engaging in real, harmful activities
Soft rhymers, metamorphize their cartoon characters
Other artists are fabricating or exaggerating their personas and image for the sake of their music
Grafted from Africa, in this game you got no stature
Coming from African descent, you have limited influence or respect in this music industry
Not even a factor in this whole shit makes me yawn
You are so irrelevant or insignificant to us, that it bores us to even acknowledge your existence
Snatch your heart out your chest like a '96 ghetto spawn
We will take away your heart or soul with a ruthlessness that is reminiscent of the violence of the 1990s inner city neighborhoods
Antonym of urban, too feminine for this cut-throat mentality
You are the opposite of what is expected or traditional in this industry, and your behavior is not seen as strong or aggressive enough
Have ? thoughts in my area, you get snatched out your Suburban
If you are thinking or plotting something against us, we will take swift and merciless action against you no matter where you might be hiding or living
Fallacy with no antidote, in this ? your age get broke
There is no solution or way out for you in this phony or competitive world, and the stress and pressure will eventually break you
Runnin' from gun smoke, ballin' never rumin'
You are constantly fleeing danger or conflict, while we remain confident and bold
Silver spoons crumbin' from flavor
Even those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth may not have the necessary skills or taste to succeed in this industry
Soon there will be no overseer to save ya
There will come a time when there will be no higher authority or power to protect you, and you will have to fend for yourself
When I delve, tell your podiatrist it's a size 12
When I investigate or go into detail about something, I go all the way and leave no stone unturned
National ? Soldiers, leakin' a swine
We are like soldiers who are fighting for some national or cultural cause, and our opponents are like swine or pigs that are easy to beat or take advantage of
A snake with no spine, I'll see you, I peeped you
You are a person who is untrustworthy and lacks integrity or strength, and we have already identified and recognized you in our environment
You'll see blue, the fake
You will be exposed for who you really are, and your true self will be evident for all to see
A quick death is your fate
You will not survive if you continue down the path you have chosen
Now, I got shit to do
I have other business or matters to attend to now that I have spoken my piece
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind