In 2008, an invite to the prestigious Red Bull Music Academy in Barcelona, taking counsel from the likes of of DJ Toomp, Chuck D, Bun B, Omas Keith, and Dennis Coffey, and sharing alumni status with artists like Teebs, Onra, Dorian Concept, and Pursuit Grooves. The trip was a breakthrough moment for Ta-Ku as he channeled his experience and new found motivation to liberate a slew of free beat tapes within months of his return. Shortly after flooding the internet with a diverse array of releases, his output was rewarded with subsequent collaborations involving CyHi Da Prynce (G.O.O.D. Music), John Robinson, Raashan Ahmad, (Paper Chain labelmate), Joe Scudda, Outasight, Kid Daytona, Phil Ade, Raaka, (Dilated Peoples) amongst many others. Ta-Ku's work ethic continued to garner worldwide attention and within two years of his return from the Red Bull Music Academy he'd become a regular fixture on countless blogs and online zines, securing himself a prized feature on Giles Peterson's esteemed Brownswood Electr*c Compilation.
In 2011, Ta-Ku aspires to take his hip-hop roots and apply them to further experimentation within the electronic and new soul realms. His musical identity continues to evolve with the progressive nature of the genres he has contributed to, illustrated most recently with a Soulection endorsed 24 mixtape and his debut EP and 12" releases through PROJECT: Mooncircle and DakerThanWax respectively.
He has recently released an EP by the name of LATENYC on L.A's HW&W Records in the lead up to his instrumental LP release SCARLETTE. LATENYC is 9 tracks of instrumental future soul music and features Melbourne vocalist Chet Faker.
Most recently he has released the albums, 50 Days for Dilla (Vol. 1) and 50 Days for Dilla (Vol. 2), via HW&W Recordings, in dedication to J Dilla.
Releases Available Now thru:
Brownswood
PROJECT: Mooncircle
HW&W Recordings
Paper Chain
Free Form
Feelin' Music
Soulection
Daker Then Wax
Contact : info@ta-ku.me
www.soundcloud.com/takugotbeats
www.ta-ku.me
www.twitter.com/takubeats
www.facebook.com/takugotbeats
Hopeful
Ta-ku Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
tell me, is that what you need?
All signs around, they say move ahead.
Could someone please explain to me
your ever present lack of speed?
Are your muscles bound by ropes?
Or do crutches cloud your day?
Oooooo
and street signs point the way.
You gonna stand around till 2012 A.D.?
What are you waiting for,
a certain shade of green?
I think I grew a gray
watching you procrastinate.
What are you waiting for,
a certain shade of green?
Would a written invitation
signed, choose now or lose it all, all
sedate your hesitation? jazz
Or inflame and make you stall?
You've been raised in limitation,
but that glove never fit quite right.
The time has passed for hand-me-downs,
choose a new, please evolve,
take flight.
You gonna stand around till 2012 A.D.?
What are you waiting for,
a certain shade of green?
I think I grew a gray
watching you procrastinate.
You gonna stand around till 2012 A.D.?
What are you waiting for,
a certain shade of green?
I think I grew a gray
watching you procrastinate.
Ooooooo
The hottest songs from Incubus
The song "Hopeful" by Ta-ku is a reflection on the frustrations that come with watching someone waste their potential by procrastinating and being held back by their own fears and limitations. The certain shade of green mentioned in the lyrics may refer to envy, as the singer is envious of those who do not waste their potential and choose to take action towards their goals. The singer is urging the person to take action and stop hesitating, using metaphors like "muscles bound by ropes" and "crutches cloud your day" to represent the limitations that are holding them back.
The song also suggests that the person has been raised in an environment that has limited their potential and that they need to break free from these limitations and "choose a new, please evolve, take flight." The lyrics encourage the person to take risks and not be afraid to fail, as the only way to reach their full potential is to try and fail until they succeed.
The repeated line "You gonna stand around till 2012 A.D.?" may be a reference to the Mayan calendar ending in 2012 and the misconception that the world was going to end, suggesting that time is running out and the person needs to take action before it's too late.
Overall, "Hopeful" is a powerful and motivational song that encourages listeners to not waste their potential and take action towards their goals, even if it means taking risks and facing failure.
Line by Line Meaning
A certain shade of green, tell me, is that what you need?
What is holding you back? Is it something as simple as needing a specific shade of green to move forward?
All signs around, they say move ahead.
Everything in your environment is urging you to move forward.
Could someone please explain to me your ever present lack of speed?
Why are you consistently slow to take action or make progress?
Are your muscles bound by ropes? Or do crutches cloud your day?
Are you physically or mentally hindered from taking action?
My sources say the road is clear, and street signs point the way.
Despite any obstacles or doubts, there is a clear path ahead.
You gonna stand around till 2012 A.D.? What are you waiting for, a certain shade of green?
Are you going to continue to procrastinate until a future date? Is it really because of something as trifling as wanting a specific color?
I think I grew a gray watching you procrastinate.
Observing your hesitance and lack of action has caused me great stress and anxiety.
Would a written invitation signed, choose now or lose it all, all sedate your hesitation? jazz Or inflame and make you stall?
If presented with a clear invitation and a sense of urgency, would it motivate or hinder you?
You've been raised in limitation, but that glove never fit quite right.
You may have grown up with limitations or expectations, but they do not define you or fit your unique circumstances.
The time has passed for hand-me-downs, choose a new, please evolve, take flight.
It is time to move beyond what has been given to you or what you have always done. Embrace new opportunities and take flight towards your goals.
Contributed by Julia V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Michelle Huang
this song sounds like first love to me. it reminds me of all the hope i put into loving someone for the first time, with the expectation that the other person would take care of my heart forever. this is all the innocence and all of the trust that i had put in him that comes with the all of the first times of loving someone: feeling comfortable with someone for the first time, kissing someone for the first time, laying with them and connecting with them for the first time, really knowing someone for the first time, being in love with someone for the first time.
this song also reminds me of the same desperate, struggling hope i felt when i knew i was losing him. this song reminds me of me saying "please. we can do this together." this song reminds me of saying "please don't hurt me. please protect my heart. i thought you always would."
Josh
i'm in this situation atm and you put my feelings into words with this
Jhon Ciro
yall tweakin lmao
chloe :l
Michelle Huang that made me cry because thats hella relatable rn omfg WHATS WRONG WITH ME
Tedzee
don't waste yourself and turn the page, focus on the fact that : "is it 1OO% sure that your dreams are impossible?" Stand up now.
Colter G
Amazing! I've been looking forward to this album for the longest time. You're a huge inspiration to me. Not only as an artist, but as an individual. Thank you for your music, and thank you for living your life the way you do. You've impacted lives, especially mine, in the best of ways.
S
i wish the beat began earlier and lasted longer it's so good
TheAccountification
Yeah; I feel like the beat could’ve developed more and even more of a focus in the song. This could’ve easily been like a 5 minute song because of it, but it also doesn’t overstay its welcome as is. Idk, I think there should be two versions
yaree lovee
I broke up to songs to break up to and I'm making up with this. This album came perfectly into my life. Thank you.
Blitzo.Glyphics
Smooth... wasn't expecting the beat, came in so nicely