Staying busy, the Last Emperor released several singles to a loyal fan following who hung on to his every word. During this period, Last Emperor began to gain the respect of top notch producers like Prince Paul (De La Soul, Stetsasonic, & Gravediggaz), DJ Muggz (Cypress Hill & Soul Assassins), & Diamond D (D.I.T.C) - all of which he would come to recorded with. As a result, fans of hip-hop music were introduced to classics like "Secret Wars", "Monumental", "Animalistics", "Charlie", "Meditations", and "Do u Remember".
As his star began to shine brighter, Emp gained notice outside of the tri-state area and obtained his first deal, on a major label nonetheless, with Dr. Dre's (N.W.A & Death Row Records) Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope. Becoming a protรฉgรฉ of Dr. Dre., and recording an album for his Aftermath debut, the Last Emperor waited over 2 years for a release date that never materialized. After asking to be let go, the Last Emperor soon found himself in a bidding war that landed him on Rawkus Records. Being label mates with BlackStar (Mos Def & Talib Kweli), Pharaoh Monch (Organized Konfusion), Shabaam Saadiq & Company Flow, many considered the Rawkus Records situation to be a perfect fit for Emp's quick witted delivery and vivid story telling ability.
Now signed to Rawkus, the Last Emperor released a few singles including "the Umph" with Smif-n-Wesson (Boot Camp Clik) as the lead-up to his debut full length release. After being signed to Rawkus for about 6 months, unsuspectingly, the label closed its doors and stopped releasing any music. As a free agent again, the Last Emperor formed his own label, Red Planet Music, and inked a distribution deal with Raptivism Records. He released his debut full length "Music, Magic, Myth" on Red Planet Music and hasn't looked back since.
The Last Emperor has shared the stage with everyone from Redman, Common, Mos Def, The Roots, Talib Kweli, Murs, and KRS-1. He's toured domestically and outside the U.S. with Pharaoh Monch, Brother Ali, the Gorillaz, and (Wu-Tang Clan's) Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah and U-God. He has been produced by such greats as Dr. Dre, Diamond D, Prince Paul, DJ Muggz, Evil D & Mr. Walt (Blackmoon & Beatminerz) not to mention the countless collaborations with artists like Siagon, Masta Ace, DeLa Soul, M1 (Dead Prez), Rakaa Iriscience (Dilated Peoples), and Rza (Wu-Tang Clan).
Since "Music, Magic, Myth", Emp put out a mixtape called "Hidden Treasures". He has also released a vinyl only 12โ single called โBlack Apache/Gangsta Grooveโ and is currently preparing a free download title "Science Team.....GO!" All this music leads up to his next full length album scheduled to release this year on Red Planet Music tentatively titled; โLast Emperor: and the Wizards Wardrobeโ.
The Last Emperor remains a relevant necessity in Hip-Hop music. His consciousness and love for the culture can only better an industry plagued by mediocrity and normalcy. Fortunately for all, the wait is over. Get ready world because this is the year of the Last Emperor.
Do You Remember?
The Last Emperor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I turn down the music on my FM dial
I beg of you to come and listen for a while
And look at this wonderful world through the eyes of a child
This is my chance to escape today
And I don't want to see my dreams chased away
Inside the palace gates is where I stay
'Cause the world is no longer a safe place to play
Who wanted to live the life that every child should enjoy
I heard it once of twice before
The world is yours for you to explore
I heard my calling as a child and I answered it
When I grow up and finally get my chance to fit
I'll be the sort of man you can't forget
I used to stair up at the sky on my camping trips
In this quiet night of quiet stars
Of quiet chords on my guitar
Kids out there, I know it might be hard
But I realize how alive you are
[CHORUS]
One day I'll travel from the East to the West
And tap into the hidden strength that all men possess
I'll always be young, see a young mind is fresh
And its clear my memories will one day disappear unless
Do you remember?
Yes I remember
Do you remember?
Some say the price of life has a costly amount
When it comes to fights, I might've lost me a bout
But I've never lost my head 'cause that would cost me a scalp
So when my heart became cold like the Austrian Alps
I used to use my aggression, just to hurt mics
In '86 my whole crew was in to dirt bikes
Like the GT Predator or a Mongoose
Listen as I ride the rhythm and let the rhymes loose
This is what makes my life so real
I'll take my chances and spin the wheel
I can't wait to grow up so I'll know the deal
But right now I'm a child and this is how I feel
My younger days were sort of tragic despite
I learned to unify the pen and pad with the mic
I might need a little magic tonight
'Cause to me imagination is the fabric of life
My rhymes helped me many times grow'n up
Before keep'n it real, all the days are blow'n up
I put on shows in my room- nobody show'n up
I'm just a little guy now, but when I'm old enough
[CHORUS]
That was my train of thought
The lyrics to The Last Emperor's song Do You Remember? reflect on the nostalgia of childhood and the desire to hold onto the innocence and wonder that we often lose as we grow older. The opening lines convey a sense of feeling outdated, but the singer turns to music to rejuvenate their spirit and view the world through the "eyes of a child." The world is portrayed as no longer safe, requiring the singer to retreat to the "palace gates." They reference the story of Pinocchio, who longed to experience the joy of childhood, and they express a desire to capture that magic in their own life.
The second verse touches on the struggles of life, likening it to a fight. However, the singer is determined not to lose their head, even as their heart grows cold. The singer reflects on their youth, using aggression to express themselves through music. Despite a tragic upbringing, the singer learned to find magic in their imagination and used their rhymes to cope with difficult times. They express a longing to hold onto that child-like wonder, even as they acknowledge that memories fade over time.
The chorus brings the song back to the theme of reminiscing on the past and preserving memories. The singer describes their desire to travel and tap into inner strength before their memories disappear. The repetition of "Do you remember?" emphasizes the bittersweet reflection on the past, implying that memories can sometimes be hard to hold onto.
Line by Line Meaning
At times, I feel old like I'm going out of style
Sometimes I feel like I'm outdated and out of touch.
So I turn down the music on my FM dial
In response to feeling old, I turn down the music on my radio to reflect.
I beg of you to come and listen for a while
I plead with you to take a moment and listen to me.
And look at this wonderful world through the eyes of a child
I ask for you to see the world in a way that's innocent and free.
This is my chance to escape today
This is an opportunity to get away from the present moment.
And I don't want to see my dreams chased away
I fear that my dreams will be forgotten or ignored.
Inside the palace gates is where I stay
I remain secluded, protected from the dangers of the outside world.
'Cause the world is no longer a safe place to play
The world is too dangerous to take risks or have fun freely.
Its like the story of the little wooden boy
Comparing the situation to Pinocchio and his desire to be a real boy.
Who wanted to live the life that every child should enjoy
Desiring a life of freedom, playfulness, and happiness.
I heard it once of twice before
The story has been told to me multiple times already.
The world is yours for you to explore
The world is full of endless opportunities waiting for me to discover.
I heard my calling as a child and I answered it
As a child, I knew what I was meant to do in life and I pursued it.
When I grow up and finally get my chance to fit
When I reach maturity, I'll fit in and have a place in the world.
I'll be the sort of man you can't forget
I'll make a lasting impression and be memorable.
I used to stare up at the sky on my camping trips
On my camping trips, I'd often gaze up at the stars and sky.
In this quiet night of quiet stars
This peaceful night is full of silent, beautiful stars.
Of quiet chords on my guitar
The only sound that can be heard is soft strumming on a guitar.
Kids out there, I know it might be hard
I understand that being a kid can be difficult.
But I realize how alive you are
I'm aware of how young people are full of life and energy.
One day I'll travel from the East to the West
Someday I'll journey from one side of the world to the other.
And tap into the hidden strength that all men possess
I'll discover the inner strength that resides in all human beings.
I'll always be young, see a young mind is fresh
I'll maintain a youthful mindset, which keeps my ideas new and inventive.
And its clear my memories will one day disappear unless
It's clear that my memories will not last forever unless...
Do you remember?
Do you recall a similar experience?
Yes I remember
Yes, I can remember a specific instance.
Some say the price of life has a costly amount
There are some who believe that living life is expensive.
When it comes to fights, I might've lost me a bout
While fighting in life, I may have lost a few times.
But I've never lost my head 'cause that would cost me a scalp
I've never lost control of myself because it would have bad consequences.
So when my heart became cold like the Austrian Alps
My heart became cold and unfeeling like the mountains in Austria.
I used to use my aggression, just to hurt mics
I used to take out my anger by rapping and damaging microphones.
In '86 my whole crew was into dirt bikes
In 1986, my entire group of friends were fans of dirt bikes.
Like the GT Predator or a Mongoose
We were specifically fond of bikes like the GT Predator and Mongoose.
Listen as I ride the rhythm and let the rhymes loose
Listen to me flow smoothly and spit clever rhymes.
This is what makes my life so real
Being passionate about something makes my life more authentic and fulfilling.
I'll take my chances and spin the wheel
I'll take a risk and try something new, even if the outcome is uncertain.
I can't wait to grow up so I'll know the deal
I'm excited for the future when I'll be a more knowledgeable adult.
But right now I'm a child and this is how I feel
For now, I'm still a kid and these are my current thoughts and feelings.
My younger days were sort of tragic despite
Despite some unfortunate instances in my childhood...
I learned to unify the pen and pad with the mic
I learned how to bring my writing and rapping together harmoniously.
I might need a little magic tonight
I could use some help or inspiration tonight.
'Cause to me imagination is the fabric of life
Imagination is the foundation upon which everything else is built, for me.
My rhymes helped me many times grow'n up
My rapping and creative expression helped me through difficult times in my youth.
Before keep'n it real, all the days are blow'n up
Before being true to myself, my life felt like it was falling apart.
I put on shows in my room- nobody show'n up
I performed in my bedroom, even though no one was there to witness it.
I'm just a little guy now, but when I'm old enough
I'm currently very young, but I hope to accomplish great things when I'm older.
Do you remember?
Can you recall a similar experience?
Yes I remember
Yes, I can remember a specific instance.
Do you remember?
Can you remember another instance?
Contributed by Landon G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@damareshizukani7957
No Song in this World can take me to the place where this Song takes me.
@good_smoke
on God
@jamalgray8694
New LAST EMPEROR/MADSOL album entitled "PROGRAMME" out now on BANDCAMP. Peace.
@highflyer7416
This song has played in my head for 20+ years.
@telepathy90
Your not alone
@killukrue
to beautiful to every be forgotten
@yammaalyamman3320
keep staring at the starts on your camping trips! I always be young see young minds is fresh
@seanspuffy
Same. I miss Last Emp so bad.
@mflowers2755
My brother and I would ball all day and pop in the AND 1 mixtape before bed. We both ended up getting scholarships and I was fortunate to go pro after college. This song was a big part of growing up for me. Greatest time of my life was watching my brother develope into a great player.
@charliedontsurf9155
Hot summer evenings , playground basketball , listening hip-hop mixtapes , ... yeah i remember ...