After a troubled relationship with his mother, Sylvan moved out of his mother's home at the age of 17 and thereafter, repeatedly moved back in and out of her house.
In 2009, he was the champion of Jermaine Dupri's "Survival of the MCs" competition, beating 660 other hip hop performers and earning a deal with Dupri's newly founded TAG Records. However, months after Sylvan won his deal with TAG Records, the record company folded. Subsequently, Sylvan began releasing content online following the era of the online mixtape circuit, building a solid following under his then name "QuESt."
Into 2011, Sylvan was living independently and was working full-time as a janitor. In late 2011, Sylvan's father moved in with him after being released from jail and convinced Sylvan to allow him to take care of financial responsibilities.
Six months after giving his father responsibility of the finances, Sylvan and his father were evicted on May 10, 2012. Following being evicted, losing his job weeks earlier and giving his father his car, Sylvan almost decided to quit rapping. He also had doubts of success after not getting recognition despite releasing works, contacting individuals in the music industry and performing independently. He decided to speak with his A&R representative where she told him to take his time and not to do anything.
Sylvan moved to San Diego, CA feeling he needed a "change in scenery" after experiencing his hardships. Deciding to take his time, Sylvan decided to tour with rapper Logic on his Welcome To Forever Tour in early 2013. After building a relationship with Visionary Music Group president Chris Zarou, it was announced in August 2013 that Sylvan joined Chris Zarou's record label, Visionary Music Group (VMG).
On September 2, 2014, Sylvan released the Searching Sylvan mixtape. Following its release, The Huffington Post named Sylvan on their 11 Artists You Need To Know For The Rest Of 2014 list, with The Huffington Post stating “[Sylvan] is about to prove himself one of the most promising storytellers in hip-hop" and that Searching Sylvan was not "just one of the best mixtapes or hip-hop releases this year ... [it] is one of the best albums all year". Near the end of 2014, The Huffington Post again placed Sylvan on a list, placing Searching Sylvan #6 on The 15 Most Underrated Albums Of The Year.
In December 2014, Sylvan announced that he had decided to leave Visionary Music Group due to differences with the management, stating that there was "no ill will towards them". Weeks after separating from his previous label, Sylvan created the WiseUp music collective. He returned to Florida to reconnect with friends and family, speaking on an industry panel in the spring before heading to Orlando to prepare his next body of work.
In June 2015, Miami New Times listed Sylvan as one of 5 Miami Artists You Should Know, stating that "he’s been taking Miami by storm since 2009. It's 2015 now, and he’s still going strong."
On September 2, 2015, Sylvan released a statement on his website which announced how he has dropped QuESt as his stage name and will go by his birth name. The statement was accompanied by a featured journal on VSCO which detailed what he had gone through in the past year, such as finding himself as an artist.
"There was this one time, me & my engineer went to this coffee shop we became super fond of. There was this barista I knew that was working that afternoon. We played a new record and she loved it.
She always knew my name was "QuESt", but never heard any of my previous work besides that song. I remember paying for my cup of coffee, and my real name popped up from the card scan: Sylvan LaCue. She said, 'This is your real name?... This fits you a hell of a lot better than QuESt, just saying.' Ironically, I guess I was Searching Sylvan all along..."
Sylvan also announced that he would be dropping a project titled Far From Familiar. The album is a direct sequel to "Searching Sylvan" and is produced by WiseUp's in-house production team, The Marvels. In November 2015, he released The Watcher 3 to herald his return and offer an unapologetic and observant report on the current state of the industry. A little over week, Studio City appeared. Both were received well by fans and blogs alike.
On December 15, 2015, Sylvan announced the EP Evangeline, which was scheduled to be released for free, on December 18, 2015. The EP is a "love story" according to Sylvan, that takes place after the events of his debut album, Far From Familiar.
In anticipation of the new project, Sylvan released Fall From Grace, the first official single on February 4, 2016 via Complex Magazine. The song was originally titled So Help Me God before being renamed the night before in response to Kanye's indecisiveness over his album title. Sylvan revealed the inspiration behind the song on his Twitter following its release.
"I wrote 'Fall From Grace' at the lowest time of my life last year....That song is all about asking God to save me from myself. Imagine feeling invincible & knowing you're doing all the wrong things & thinking all the wrong thoughts. That's what 'Fall From Grace' is."
Far From Familiar was released on April 8, 2016.
In an article released the day before the release of Far From Familiar, Lacue explained his ambitions in an interview with The Fader. He explained that the final track of Far From Familiar, "At What Cost?", was him finally obtaining peace with himself, stating, "I chose to close out with this because it's also the title of my next project". Lacue also said that he was focused on expanding his brand, WiseUp & Co., and that he planned to go on tour in 2016.
Loner
Sylvan Lacue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want to be the, loner
I don't want to be the, loner
You don't want to be the, loner, no
Nobody wants to be alone
On this corner sitting on your throne
Momma said to get it right
Nobody wants to be alone
On this corner sitting on your throne
Open your eyes
Momma say, momma sa
Nobody wants to be alone
On this corner sitting on your throne
Momma said to get it right
Gotta live today cause you're here to die
Nobody wants to be alone
On this corner sitting on your throne
Open your eyes
Momma say, momma sa
Please excuse me, but fuck you niggas
Made it so hard to trust you niggas
They don't really care 'bout us my nigga
Wanna be starting like Mike
Quincy Jones, no hype
Thriller thoughts before off the wall when I'm home alone I get M'cally calls like
Well I just got word from myself I'm the greatest
So far ahead of my time at the finish line waiting to wish myself congratulations
No need for praises
Give me like 500 dollars a lawyer with patience
Some simply & penny a girl in her 20's my Lisa Bonet with a good education
She do it pretty well
Rolling with niggas who know the city well
LA girls in crop tops & denim
Little inspiration for the competition God damn
No clue who to talk to
But still feeling like the man when I walk through
Godl chains gold watch let the clock bloom
Hollywood feeling like I'm putting on a costume
20 missed calls no small talk. Trying to chase a nigga down like a mall cop
Ex send a text looking like a hallmark. I'm fucked up pray to God I don't fall off
I'm just caught up & driven in love with ambition I pray I'm forgiven. This life I been living you know I don't listen been all by myself all I got is my vision a loner
Nobody wants to be alone
On this corner sitting on your throne
Momma said to get it right
Gotta live today, cause you're here to die
Nobody wants to be alone
On this corner sitting on your throne
Open your eyes
Momma say, momma sa
Nobody wants to be alone
On this corner sitting on your throne
Momma said to get it right
Gotta live today cause you're here to die
Nobody wants to be alone
On this corner sitting on your throne
Open your eyes
Momma say, momma sa
In "Loner" by Sylvan Lacue, the artist expresses a deep sense of loneliness and isolation. He repeatedly sings "I don't want to be the, loner," acknowledging his fear of being alone. The song's opening lines suggest that no one wants to be alone, and the description of him sitting on a corner, isolated on his throne, emphasizes this sentiment. Throughout the verses, he speaks about the challenges of trusting others, feeling misunderstood or neglected, and the difficulty of finding meaningful connections.
Sylvan expresses a deep desire for validation and recognition from others for his accomplishments, but ultimately concludes that his purpose is to work on himself and his goals. He mentions wanting a lawyer with patience, and a girl who is both beautiful and intelligent like Lisa Bonet, but there is a sense of detachment from these desires. Sylvan is focused on his own growth and ambition, and he acknowledges that he may need to be alone in order to achieve his goals.
Overall, "Loner" is a powerful exploration of the emotional complexities of loneliness, and Sylvan Lacue's raw and honest lyrics invite the listener to reflect on their own experiences with loneliness and isolation.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to be the, loner
Expressing a desire to not feel isolated and alone
You don't want to be the, loner, no
Acknowledging that others also don't want to be alone
Nobody wants to be alone
Reiterating that nobody wants to feel isolated
On this corner sitting on your throne
Feeling trapped and stuck in one's own space
Momma said to get it right
Encouragement to live life with purpose
Gotta live today, cause you're here to die
Emphasizing the importance of making the most of life
Open your eyes
Encouragement to be aware and present in the moment
Please excuse me, but fuck you niggas
Addressing the frustration and lack of trust towards others
Made it so hard to trust you niggas
Further expressing distrust towards others
They don't really care 'bout us my nigga
Feeling like others don't have genuine concern for one's well-being
Wanna be starting like Mike
Aspiring to greatness like Michael Jordan
Quincy Jones, no hype
Referencing Quincy Jones as a musical inspiration
Thriller thoughts before off the wall when I'm home alone I get M'cally calls like
Thinking about Michael Jackson's album Thriller and feeling alone
Well I just got word from myself I'm the greatest
Having a strong sense of self-confidence and belief in one's abilities
So far ahead of my time at the finish line waiting to wish myself congratulations
Feeling like one has achieved success before it has even happened
No need for praises
Not seeking recognition or validation from others
Give me like 500 dollars a lawyer with patience
Desiring financial stability and legal support
Some simply & penny a girl in her 20's my Lisa Bonet with a good education
Describing an ideal partner
She do it pretty well
Appreciating one's partner's talents and abilities
Rolling with niggas who know the city well
Surrounding oneself with people who are familiar with the area
LA girls in crop tops & denim
Describing the fashion style of women in Los Angeles
Little inspiration for the competition God damn
Feeling inspired by competition and wanting to succeed
No clue who to talk to
Feeling lost and unsure of who to turn to
But still feeling like the man when I walk through
Maintaining a sense of confidence despite feeling lost
Godl chains gold watch let the clock bloom
Boasting material wealth
Hollywood feeling like I'm putting on a costume
Feeling like a fake in the superficial world of Hollywood
20 missed calls no small talk. Trying to chase a nigga down like a mall cop
Feeling overwhelmed by missed calls and people trying to communicate
Ex send a text looking like a hallmark. I'm fucked up pray to God I don't fall off
Receiving a message from an ex while struggling and hoping to stay on track
I'm just caught up & driven in love with ambition I pray I'm forgiven
Feeling consumed by ambition but hoping for forgiveness
This life I been living you know I don't listen been all by myself all I got is my vision a loner
Reflecting on a life of solitude and relying on one's own goals and aspirations
Contributed by Brooklyn N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.