The Prodigy first emerged in the underground rave scene in the early 1990s and achieved popularity and worldwide recognition with UK number one singles such as "Firestarter" and "Breathe", both singles coming from their UK and US chart topping album The Fat of the Land (1997). A third single from the album, “Smack My Bitch Up”, was also successful. They earned titles like "the premiere dance act for the alternative masses" and "the Godfathers of Rave", and remain one of the most successful electronic acts of all time. They have sold an estimated 25 million records worldwide, and won numerous music awards during their career, including two Brit Awards for Best British Dance Act, three MTV Video Music Awards, two Kerrang! Awards, five MTV Europe Music Awards, and received two Grammy Award nominations.
The Prodigy were founded in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by keyboardist and songwriter Liam Howlett. He had taken piano lessons in his youth and gained the ability to play difficult passages in just a few run-throughs. After he decided to pursue a music career, Howlett met dancer and vocalist Keith Flint in mid-1989 at a rave at which Howlett was DJing. After Flint requested Howlett make a mix tape for him, Howlett obliged, returning a cassette several days later with a collection of his own songs on the other side. Howlett had scratched the word "Prodigy" onto the cassette, the same name as the Moog Prodigy analogue synthesiser, and Howlett's moniker. The tape was well-received by Flint and keyboardist Leeroy Thornhill who developed new dance sequences to the music and suggested to Howlett they begin a group together. They were soon joined by MC and vocalist Maxim, then known as Maxim Reality, and female dancer and vocalist Sharky, a friend of Flint's. Together they became the first line-up of the Prodigy.
On 4 March 2019, Keith Flint was found dead at his home in Essex, just weeks after playing six live dates in Australia and New Zealand. On 5 March, the band announced on Twitter that "all forthcoming concerts in 2019 would be canceled, effective immediately".
Following Flint's death, fans began using the Twitter hashtag "Firestarter4Number1" on various social media platforms to get "Firestarter" to top the British singles charts again. This was done out of respect for Keith Flint and to raise awareness of suicide among men.
On 20 August 2019, one day before his 48th birthday, Liam Howlett posted on the band's official Instagram page, saying he is "back in the studio making noise [...] brand new Prodigy tunes are gonna roll", referring to his intention to keep on releasing music under the Prodigy moniker.
Along with the Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim, the Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s. The Prodigy, however, is not considered entirely representative of the genre as their production "often reflected the more intelligent edge of trip-hop, and rarely broke into the mindless arena of true big beat" according to AllMusic. The Prodigy are also considered alternative dance, techno, electronica, breakbeat hardcore, and rave.
Liam Howlett cited early electro as a big influence, mentioning tunes like "Clear" by American music group Cybotron and "Al Naafiysh" by Hashim. Liam Howlett also cited The Bomb Squad, Public Enemy, and Rage Against the Machine as influences.
When I See You
The Prodigy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That nigga P double got that shit fo'sho
5, 6, 7, to the 8
You niggas make me laugh straight to the bank
You niggas got problems with me?
Can't wait till, we're in the same room, in the same place
You just dropped the brick get outta my face
To the whole black race, rap race
Stop wasting budgets, buy your self a place
My song will embarrass you, you're in the wrong game
I'll make you look stupid, sound real lame
Compare to this sixteen bars of pain
When I write I get tight, I'll be ready to bang
'Cause in real life out in the world it get worst
I'll brace car, buy guns and bang for your shirt
There's gon' be some shit when I see
Good fella nigga but I'm 'fenna get evil
Up, put 'em when his pants was down
Look, now I got 'em running on camera now
There's gon' be some shit at this party
Everybody leaving except for one body
Got his self killed over that Bacardi
We handle the shit then it's back to the party
Ayo, dunn take the blunt while I fuck this nigga up
Keep burning our flag and he fronting like he tough
Niggas come on home from jail like they 'sposed to have me
Under some type of pressure, go fuck your mother
You really wanna step to me?
Get online and go around the block, who next to get live?
On P-Tv, better not have step
'Cause everybody watching they all gon' witness
My power and strength, they see it's not a toy
You're trying to pet a lion, I'm a enjoy me an arm for dinner
May God forbid I, get a whole of the rest of you I'll be a sinner
And thou shall not kill, unless they trying to kill me
And then shall finger pop the Uzi
Now the bitch's all wet, bitch ass nigga, I'll make 'em fall back
When I hit 'em in his titties, catch 'em in the city
Doing real dirty 'cause his face real pretty
Niggas bleed more when they're drunk off the Henney
You fucked up my shirt, mad dna
The Prodigy's song "When I See You" is a diss track directed towards rap artists who are trying to gain popularity with their music but have no actual skills to back it up. The opening lines of the song are, "Yeah, it go, 1, 2, 3, to the 4, That nigga P double got that shit fo'sho." These lines establish the rapper's confidence in his skills and his willingness to take on anyone who tries to challenge him.
The song's lyrics give insight into the rapper's worldview and outlook on life. He is unapologetic and is not afraid to speak his mind. Throughout the song, the rapper critiques the rap game, its artists, and its culture, offering harsh and unfiltered opinions. He claims that many artists are not genuine and are simply trying to jump on the bandwagon to gain fame and fortune.
The song's chorus repeats the lines, "There's gonna be some shit when I see you," which establishes a tone of confrontation and sets the stage for the rapper's verbal assault on his enemies. The lyrics are aggressive, and the imagery used in the verses is violent and confrontational, putting the listener on notice that the rapper is not to be trifled with.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, it go, 1, 2, 3, to the 4
Let's get this started with a classic rap countdown
That nigga P double got that shit fo'sho
I'm confident in my skills as a rapper
5, 6, 7, to the 8
Continuing with the countdown, let's keep it moving
You niggas make me laugh straight to the bank
I find it amusing how much you underestimate me while I make money
You niggas got problems with me?
Do you have issues with me that need to be addressed?
Can't wait till, we're in the same room, in the same place
I'm eager to confront you face-to-face and resolve any conflicts
You just dropped the brick get outta my face
Stop wasting my time with your inferior musical efforts
Your album sound like shit, fucking disgrace
Your music is terrible and an embarrassment to our race
To the whole black race, rap race
Your subpar music reflects badly on our entire community of Black rappers
Stop wasting budgets, buy your self a place
Instead of throwing money at bad music, invest in something worthwhile
My song will embarrass you, you're in the wrong game
My music is so superior to yours that it will humiliate you
I'll make you look stupid, sound real lame
Your skills as a rapper are so weak that I'll make you seem foolish
Compare to this sixteen bars of pain
My rhymes are so powerful that they cause emotional distress
When I write I get tight, I'll be ready to bang
My writing skills are so sharp that I'm always prepared for a battle
'Cause in real life out in the world it get worst
The rap game is nothing compared to the harsh realities of the real world
I'll brace car, buy guns and bang for your shirt
I'll do whatever it takes to defend myself and my reputation
There's gon' be some shit when I see
There will likely be confrontation and conflict when we meet
Good fella nigga but I'm 'fenna get evil
I may seem friendly, but I can turn nasty if provoked
Up, put 'em when his pants was down
I'll catch you off-guard and take advantage of your weakness
Look, now I got 'em running on camera now
I'll capture your humiliation and broadcast it for all to see
There's gon' be some shit at this party
This event may turn violent and chaotic
Everybody leaving except for one body
Someone will likely end up dead or seriously injured
Got his self killed over that Bacardi
Alcohol can lead to bad decisions and dangerous situations
We handle the shit then it's back to the party
We'll deal with the aftermath of the violence and resume the festivities
Ayo, dunn take the blunt while I fuck this nigga up
Hold my blunt while I physically attack this person
Keep burning our flag and he fronting like he tough
This person is disrespecting our country and acting tough to provoke us
Niggas come on home from jail like they 'sposed to have me
Some people think they're owed respect after serving time in jail
Under some type of pressure, go fuck your mother
I won't be intimidated or pressured into submission; go screw yourself
You really wanna step to me?
Do you honestly think you can challenge me?
Get online and go around the block, who next to get live?
Go find someone else to try and test your skills against
On P-Tv, better not have step
Don't mess with me on live television or you'll regret it
'Cause everybody watching they all gon' witness
The entire world will see your defeat and humiliation
My power and strength, they see it's not a toy
I'm not to be underestimated or taken lightly
You're trying to pet a lion, I'm a enjoy me an arm for dinner
You're playing with fire and I'll come out on top, ready to conquer
May God forbid I, get a whole of the rest of you I'll be a sinner
If I ever get my hands on you or your associates, it won't be pretty
And thou shall not kill, unless they trying to kill me
I won't resort to violence unless it's necessary to defend my own life
And then shall finger pop the Uzi
But if I must, I'll use whatever weapon I have available to me
Now the bitch's all wet, bitch ass nigga, I'll make 'em fall back
I'll humiliate and emasculate this person until they back down
When I hit 'em in his titties, catch 'em in the city
I'll physically assault this person in public, causing a scene
Doing real dirty 'cause his face real pretty
I'll go to extreme measures despite this person's good looks and charm
Niggas bleed more when they're drunk off the Henney
People are more likely to get hurt, fight, or bleed when intoxicated
You fucked up my shirt, mad dna
You stained my clothes with your blood or DNA, indicating a violent confrontation
Contributed by Camilla O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@nikibossa3754
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@michkorzeniewski
Year 1992 in Poland...I was 14. Hardly anyone there had any experience of western life, culture and freedom at that time. I remember my neighbour went on holidays and let me use his cable tv. I was watching MTV for one week. And this is how I first got to know these guys, seeing Everybody In The Place video. And I was absolutely overwhelmed. I recorded it on my VHS and then lost myself dozens of times. 23 years later I met Keith Flint in Isle of Man where I live now and gave him a lift. He was a motorycle enthusiast and the island is famous for the most dangerous motorbike road races in the world. We had a short chat but I could see instantly he was a decent guy and empathic person. Natural, straight forward but attentive one. I told him I was going to see him in a few weeks in Poland with thousands of fans at the Opener festival. He didn’t even hesitate, just smiled and offered me VIP tickets. I am truly sad and feel like something really good is gone. Rest in peace Mr Flint 💚
@rightleft4529
Wow, lucky men, i'm very sad to
@veritycollis9333
Awesome ❤️
@spacejacket2271
What a fantastic memory.
@lebomoro
Very nice words. Thank you
@ArtfulRogers
miko lucky man too have met him
@ps3man091
The 90’s in England, what a time to be alive
@ianoreilly9468
It sure was..what a time..they were fantastic days..
@lynnski7639
@Ian O`Reilly cj's til comedown sheffield 91 total confusion lol
@johnwright1641
I'm feeling the effects of it now though.. misspent youth and that. Me knees are buggered, and my nappers gone....