-Jim Derogatis Chicago Sun Times.
""This local hip-hop outfit--a quartet, not a trio--makes it's backing tracks the hard way, getting their grooves mostly from real bass and drums. Ron of Japan's trumpet skitters around them, but competes only slightly with rapper Stuart's lucid poetry, which would give these guys an edge even if they used samples."
Monica Kendrick Chicago Reader.
Slinky jazz hooks, live trumpet and vibes, and laid-back flows make Chicago's J.Davis Trio pretty much instantly likeable for anyone who enjoys De La Soul or A Tribe Called Quest. Granted, the band wears "Swingers-caliber" shirts and describes itself as "Martini-flavored", but this doesn't dilute it's funky grasp on hip-hop. Here, the group celebrates the release of its new album, "These Things Happen", its first album since 2002's "The New No.2".
- The Onion
The Answer
The J. Davis Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We were stripped away from original continents
Brought our people to this colony on Dutch ships
And enforced us to obey you with the politics
Needed labor done so we became the servants
And if we didn't do it, you would hit us with the whips
The constitution only labeled us as three-fifths
Giving others the thought to become so prejudice
Never had the chance to give your blood a last kiss
Dehumanized, we barely had a fucking pot to piss
Plantations, where it seemed like we were hopeless
Severely punished if we attempted for betterment
So we were discrete about religion and activist
Mainly in the south, we had to face this madness
Dealing with some shit you cant't even imagine
After the civil war, we started a celebration
Had a taste of freedom after doing emancipation
But the Jim Crow laws became the new declaration
Advocating that blacks and whites needed separation
How the fuck we equal, but dealing with segregation?
My people fighters so you know it's going to be confrontation
They refused to give up their seats on the transportation
At a time, where America was super racist
Blood on the leaves just because of violations
Battle for equality, we're tired of being patient
Bold leaders, man, it led to assassinations
The courage and charisma of my people is amazing
History shows it's problems that we're always facing
Now today, we're dealing with the mass incarceration
Started with President Nixon and Ronald Reagan
Too many of my brothers in that prison population
Yeah, but we prevail, we will prosper, amen
The J. Davis Trio's "The Answer" is a lyrically powerful and insightful song that explores the struggles and injustices that African Americans have faced throughout American history. The verses are a poignant reminder of the atrocities that have been committed against African Americans, from being brought over as slaves to facing segregation and discrimination even after the Civil War. The song highlights the fact that even though some progress has been made towards equal rights and opportunities, there is still a long way to go, especially in terms of the disproportionately high number of Black men that are incarcerated in the United States today.
In the first verse, The J. Davis Trio sheds light on America's brutal history of slavery and the dehumanizing treatment of African Americans. The second verse continues in the same vein and touches on the issue of segregation, which was institutionalized through Jim Crow laws, and the Civil Rights Movement that followed. The third verse tackles the issue of mass incarceration and how it has been driven by America's war on drugs.
Overall, "The Answer" is a brave and heartfelt call to action for justice and equality, one that is as relevant today as it was when it was released.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear America, we're aware of our heritage
We acknowledge our roots and the history we share with the United States.
We were stripped away from original continents
Our ancestors were forcefully taken from their homelands.
Brought our people to this colony on Dutch ships
We were transported to this country on Dutch ships.
And enforced us to obey you with the politics
We were forced to follow the political rules and laws set by the United States.
Needed labor done so we became the servants
Our people were used as servants and laborers.
And if we didn't do it, you would hit us with the whips
We were punished with physical violence if we did not comply with the demands of our oppressors.
The constitution only labeled us as three-fifths
The U.S. Constitution only recognized us as three-fifths of a person, dehumanizing us.
Giving others the thought to become so prejudice
This dehumanization led to others viewing us with prejudice.
Seen as property, our families were forced to split
We were treated as property, leading to our families being torn apart and separated.
Never had the chance to give your blood a last kiss
We were deprived of the chance to say goodbye to our loved ones before they were taken from us.
Dehumanized, we barely had a fucking pot to piss
We were stripped of our humanity, and often lacked even basic necessities.
Plantations, where it seemed like we were hopeless
Plantations represented a place where we were stuck, unable to escape our oppression.
Severely punished if we attempted for betterment
We were punished harshly if we tried to make our situation better.
So we were discrete about religion and activist
We had to be careful about practicing our religion and engaging in political activism.
Mainly in the south, we had to face this madness
Most of this oppression happened in the southern United States.
Dealing with some shit you can't even imagine
We faced unimaginable difficulties and hardships.
After the civil war, we started a celebration
We commemorated the end of slavery and celebrated our newfound freedom after the Civil War.
Had a taste of freedom after doing emancipation
We experienced a temporary sense of liberation after being freed from slavery.
But the Jim Crow laws became the new declaration
The Jim Crow laws replaced the previous laws, further oppressing us and institutionalizing segregation.
Advocating that blacks and whites needed separation
The Jim Crow laws required the separation of white and black people.
How the fuck we equal, but dealing with segregation?
We are supposed to be equal, but are still forced to deal with segregation.
My people fighters so you know it's going to be confrontation
Our people are fighters and will not back down from a confrontation with those who oppress us.
They refused to give up their seats on the transportation
We fought for our right to be treated equally and even sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott by refusing to give up our seats on public transit.
At a time, where America was super racist
During the time of the Civil Rights Movement, the United States was extremely racist.
Blood on the leaves just because of violations
Our fight for freedom and equality resulted in many violent acts and deaths.
Battle for equality, we're tired of being patient
We continue to fight for equality and are tired of waiting for it to be granted to us.
Bold leaders, man, it led to assassinations
Many leaders who fought for our rights were assassinated, showing the lengths some would go to maintain the status quo.
The courage and charisma of my people is amazing
Our people have shown incredible bravery and personality in the face of adversity.
History shows it's problems that we're always facing
Our community has faced problems throughout history.
Now today, we're dealing with the mass incarceration
Today, we are dealing with the systemic issue of mass incarceration.
Started with President Nixon and Ronald Reagan
The policies leading to mass incarceration began with the presidencies of Nixon and Reagan.
Too many of my brothers in that prison population
Many of our brothers are currently incarcerated due to systemic oppression.
Yeah, but we prevail, we will prosper, amen
Despite all of these challenges, we will rise above and find success in our own way.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Justin Truman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind