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.
Warrior
Swollen Members Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Please don't push my back against the wall, wall
You violate my team, I'm going off, off
I'm a warrior
I'm a warrior
{Mad Child}
I'm wearing black like Darth Vader
I fuck white bitches, I make love to black ladies
Get head from hookers with no condom, I'm that crazy
I told that bitch on x, "That is not my baby."
Then ran from that bitch like that bitch had rabies
All these little faggots dressing like it's the eighties
Pink shirts and tight jeans, I am not participating
You a violator, I'm an annihilator
You just a grimy hater, I'll raise the crime rate up
I'll beat you up, steal your drugs and I'mma try them later
Soon as I get on methadone I'll make your dreams come true
Cause I'm a gladiator with the problem substance abuse
Mixing coke and oxycontin just for something to do
And if you're fucking with my crew I'm pointing something at you
Cause pills or no pills I'm still a battle axe warrior
Take you to the top and my group notorious
That's right bitch, my clique victorious
{Tre Nyce}
Please don't push my back against the wall, wall
You violate my team, I'm going off, off
I'm a warrior
I'm a warrior
{Young Kazh}
Definition of the word, cat, Julius Caesar
Young Octavius, mics and blunts, you know I'm blazing them
Young Herman Cortes, I go against the Aztecs
Call me Napolean bitch, I'm the baddest
Guerrilla warfare, introduce you to my madness
Baby Adolf, I'm trying to conquer the atlas
Or big daddy style, Young Kazh known for wilding
Japanese Samurai so pull up your iron
{Tre Nyce}
Blow your motherfucking brains on your front seat
Calculated bang, turn your brains into lunch meat
Sudanese hungry, black Ted Bundy
Got em pulling every track back like a bungee
Yeah your bitch love me, fuck em if they hate me
Come in dark nights, I make them a trauma patient
Armed to the teeth boy you'd better believe it
I don't kill you I'mma turn into a paraplegic
{Tre Nyce}
Please don't push my back against the wall, wall
You violate my team, I'm going off, off
I'm a warrior
I'm a warrior
{Prevail}
Yo see them dark shadows by the fire escape?
Crowbars in the hands, chainsaws and blades
Sharp fangs like Blade, daywalkers nightwatch
Not one of my brothers will fall on my watch
I'm a sentinel identical to those on X-Men
With origins from the country they made Weapon X in
Prevail, Prevail, the P make it capital
Tick-tock goes my timebomb, lots of shrapnel
High cost of living got me cutting expenses
Stay sharp eating bowls of razor blades for my breakfast
Iodine is milk, rubbing alcohol for orange juice
I'm real fired up and running at you full force, duke
{Tre Nyce}
Please don't push my back against the wall, wall
You violate my team, I'm going off, off
I'm a warrior
I'm a warrior
The lyrics of Swollen Members' song Warrior portray the fierce and unrelenting attitude of its members towards their opponents. The chorus emphasizes their warrior mindset, warning not to push them against the wall and provoke them. With every verse, the rappers go deeper into the brutal world they inhabit, highlighting their toughness and unwillingness to back down. Mad Child brings up his love for black women and his unrestrained behavior with sex workers. He also mentions his addiction to drugs, which adds to his unpredictability in fights. Young Kazh transforms into different conquerors from history, each with their own legacy of violence and domination. Tre Nyce adds his own flavor to the song, talking about his ruthlessness and willingness to turn his enemies into paraplegics. Prevail's verse brings in a sense of camaraderie, where he will protect his fellow members at any cost. Overall, the song delivers a message of aggression and dominance, where only the toughest warriors will survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Please don't push my back against the wall, wall
Don't corner me, or I'll attack.
You violate my team, I'm going off, off
If you mess with my team, you're done for.
I'm a warrior
I'm tough and not afraid of a fight.
I'm wearing black like Darth Vader
I'm dressed in all black.
We're wearing black like we play for the Raiders in a black Mercedes
We dress like we're part of a tough football team driving around in a fancy car.
I fuck white bitches, I make love to black ladies
I have interracial relationships, but I treat all women with respect.
Get head from hookers with no condom, I'm that crazy
I have risky sexual encounters.
I told that bitch on x, "That is not my baby."
I used drugs to deny the possibility of fathering a child.
Then ran from that bitch like that bitch had rabies
I fled the situation quickly.
All these little faggots dressing like it's the eighties
I dislike men who dress in a particular way.
Pink shirts and tight jeans, I am not participating
I don't dress in trendy, flamboyant clothing.
You a violator, I'm an annihilator
I am a destroyer of those who cross me.
You just a grimy hater, I'll raise the crime rate up
Those who talk bad about me will experience a rise in crime.
I'll beat you up, steal your drugs and I'mma try them later
I'll commit assault and robbery, stealing and experimenting with drugs.
Soon as I get on methadone I'll make your dreams come true
I'll achieve great things once I'm clean from drugs.
Cause I'm a gladiator with the problem substance abuse
I am a fierce fighter, but I have a drug addiction.
Mixing coke and oxycontin just for something to do
I take drugs just for the sake of it.
And if you're fucking with my crew I'm pointing something at you
If you mess with my team, I'll come after you with a weapon.
Cause pills or no pills I'm still a battle axe warrior
Whether I'm on drugs or not, I'm still a fierce fighter.
Take you to the top and my group notorious
I'll lead my team to success and notoriety.
Definition of the word, cat, Julius Caesar
I am like Julius Caesar, with a vast vocabulary.
Young Octavius, mics and blunts, you know I'm blazing them
I rap and smoke weed with the best of them.
Young Herman Cortes, I go against the Aztecs
I'm a conqueror who goes up against tough opponents.
Call me Napolean bitch, I'm the baddest
I have confidence and boast about my abilities.
Guerrilla warfare, introduce you to my madness
I fight a sneaky, unconventional battle and will show you how crazy I can be.
Baby Adolf, I'm trying to conquer the atlas
I aim to conquer the world.
Or big daddy style, Young Kazh known for wilding
I'm also known for my wild, unpredictable behavior.
Japanese Samurai so pull up your iron
I'm a skilled fighter like a Samurai, so bring your weapons.
Blow your motherfucking brains on your front seat
I'll kill you where you sit.
Calculated bang, turn your brains into lunch meat
I'll attack with precision and make a mess of you.
Sudanese hungry, black Ted Bundy
I'm Sudanese and could be a violent murderer like Ted Bundy.
Got em pulling every track back like a bungee
I impress and surprise everyone.
Yeah your bitch love me, fuck em if they hate me
I'm confident and don't care what others think of me.
Come in dark nights, I make them a trauma patient
I'll hurt and damage those who cross me.
Armed to the teeth boy you'd better believe it
I'm heavily armed and don't mess around.
I don't kill you I'mma turn into a paraplegic
If I don't kill you, I'll still hurt you badly.
Yo see them dark shadows by the fire escape?
Did you notice the ominous figures by the fire escape?
Crowbars in the hands, chainsaws and blades
They are armed with dangerous tools.
Sharp fangs like Blade, daywalkers nightwatch
Their fangs are as sharp as a fictional vampire, and they can function at all times of day.
Not one of my brothers will fall on my watch
I won't let any harm come to my crew.
I'm a sentinel identical to those on X-Men
I am like a protector from the fictional superhero team.
With origins from the country they made Weapon X in
I have origins from the same place as a fictional supervillain.
Prevail, Prevail, the P make it capital
My name is capitalized with a 'P'.
Tick-tock goes my timebomb, lots of shrapnel
I am a ticking time bomb with explosive consequences.
High cost of living got me cutting expenses
I have to save money due to high living costs.
Stay sharp eating bowls of razor blades for my breakfast
I remain alert and ready for anything, even if I have to endure pain.
Iodine is milk, rubbing alcohol for orange juice
I consume unusual substances.
I'm real fired up and running at you full force, duke
I'm highly motivated and charging at you with all my strength.
I'm a warrior
I am a fierce fighter.
Contributed by Micah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ichwill7536
Played on a lacrosse team named warriors and used to use this as a pump up song. 10 years later still get chills listening to it
@qikas_nan5288
South Fraser Warriors?
@ichwill7536
@@qikas_nan5288 yeah i cant remeber if it was "the warriors" or "warriors" or the exact specific name. I just remeber it tied nicely into the song and 13 year old me thought it was cool
@nickredman3052
I’ll give you
@BB-xy8wt
That's mad gay bruh frfr ong
@AMM3.
I was a huge fan.. then I was off on the dope for a decade.. I've been sober for 2 years.. my brain is clearing.. and I remembered swollen members. What an awesome day 😎
@moisturisedgnome1181
I imagine you have to be on some kind of substance to enjoy this
@cornholio6526
i go drink beer for you cheers
@babble2010
Did you get clean the will-power/cold turkey method or did you attend any type of 12 step meetings like N.A. or Smart Recovery?
@horacerandyholt81
Was one of a hell of a concert.. Those guys through on a good show