Stryder started at the age of 14 on pirate radio sets in East London with other well known grime MCs such as Wiley and Dizzee Rascal. His stage name derives from the video game Strider which he played when he was young and from the nickname "Tinchy" given to him due to his short stature: his height at 5'1" (1.55m) making him the shortest male artist ever to top the UK Top 40. Tinchy made a number of appearances on Sky's Channel U and especially their 1Xtanra radio show taking part in freestyles, sometimes joined by his crew Ruff Sqwad. Tinchy Stryder was part of a spectacular line up at The O2 arena 3D ELEKTRO RAVE alongside Caspa and Rusko, Frankmusik, High Contrast and Dancing Robot Music.[7] Tinchy Stryder was part of well-known grime crew Roll Deep for a while, featuring on some songs including 'U Were Always', which was released years later on Roll Deep's compilations album, Street Anthems.
Many before him have tried and failed; in April 2009 Tinchy Stryder became the first artist ever to reach number 1 in the official national singles charts with a song title featuring the phrase ‘number one’. A self-fulfilling prophecy personified? Well, he’s certainly living up to his music moniker ‘Star in the Hood’.
Over the past six months, 23 year-old Tinchy has signed a recording deal with Island Records and has racked up three consecutive top 3 hits, ‘Take Me Back’ feat. Taio Cruz, released in January debuted at no 39 on downloads alone, the following week on it’s official release the single climbed 36 places to number 3, and maintained a Top 5 position for four weeks. In April, ‘Number 1’ feat. N-Dubz debuted at Number 1 and topped the UK charts for a whopping three weeks, this was followed in August by Tinchy’s second 1 single ‘Never Leave You’ featuring Amelle from the Sugababes.
Tinchy Stryder, is undoubtedly one of the UK’s most exciting artists, The Independent recently said, “If Grime was the football world, Tinchy Stryder would be like your Michael Owens and Wayne Rooney’s of today.” He just completed a sold out arena tour in September 2009, which caused such a demand with fans that he has had to put a larger arena tour straight on for February 2010.
Tinchy, real name Kwasi Danquah, was born in Ghana in 1986 and moved to East London at a young age. He was brought up and still lives in one of the capital’s most dangerous boroughs – Tower Hamlets; yet despite his tough upbringing he has a distinctly positive outlook on life and is determined to provide a positive role model for kids across the country. Having started making music, along with his group ‘Ruff Sqwad’, aged just 13 Tinchy has seen through the years the negative press that the music he loves has received and is on a mission to change this. He recently completed a degree in Digital Arts and Moving Imagery at University of East London.
“It’s important to me to show that black males aren’t all about looking threatening and robbing your granny” Tinchy quips. “It’s not always easy growing up in an inner city area, wherever it is, but in my music I want to show people that you can take that experience and turn it into something positive.”
“I guess my writing is pretty much from my life experience right now” says Tinchy. “That’s why I’ve focused a lot on the whole star in the hood thing – cos I’m still here – where I always have been, but now people know me, so I can’t always go the same places I used to be able to. I’m not in a rush to get out cos I know my area and I love it, but hopefully one day through my music I can.”
By the age of 21, Tinchy was a seasoned MC on the grime and London pirate radio scene. One of the industry’s main players, Wiley of ‘Wearin’ my Rolex’ fame, crowned Tinchy the ‘Prince of Grime’. In 2006 he was booked by two forward thinking teenagers, Archie Lamb and Jack Foster to play one of their club nights they ran while at school; this meeting changed the course of his career. The three of them struck an immediate bond and Tinchy signed to their company Takeover – for management, live, recording, merchandise and publishing. Together they designed the ‘Star in The Hood’ T-shirts which they sold on myspace and ebay and the profits financed the promotion/marketing of Tinchy’s debut album Star In The Hood. It’s now a flourishing clothing line, which has just expanded into retail, with the kind of profit margins that would impress Phillip Green. The buzz surrounding ‘Stryderman’, one of the singles released from the album caught the attention of execs at Island records. Tinchy Stryder, Jack and Archie signed a joint venture with the major at the end of 2008.
Having just released his major label debut, Catch 22, which went Gold within 2 weeks of release and just signing a joint venture deal with EMI Publishing alongside Takeover for a joint music publishing company allowing Tinchy Jack and Archie the opportunity to develop and invest in new talent, the future is looking extremely bright for Stryder.
As 2010 draws near he embarks on pushing the boundaries of Star In The Hood clothing and entering into partnerships with some of the UK’s largest retailers, planning his all new fully live show and summer full of festivals whilst also beginning the recording process for his second major label album with a host of exciting collaborators including re-uniting with Fraser T Smith and working with some of the top US record producers and writers, Tinchy is feeling great about the new year, “I’m out to takeover the world this time round, for 2010 and beyond” he smiles.
My Last Try
Tinchy Stryder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh oh, oh oh, oh
Tryin' to (oh, oh, oh) treat every time like the last
First like my last, I'm ready for the blast
It's my last trip tonight, I promise you it's quitting time
Aw, aw, aw
It's a hard place to fine, but I can see it in my mind
Yea, yea, yea, now
Yea (oh oh, oh oh, oh)
Is she (oh oh, oh oh, oh)
Let me go, let me loose (oh oh, oh oh, oh)
Tinchy stryder
It's like as soon as I step on the stage, it's like a encore
Yea I'm that sure, that is why they clap more
How long will the world come, bonjore
I own this place, where's the keys to my front door, door
This is top flight business, this is first class now I'm caught up in your business
Life is so mean man, white man count my hand
I'm feel like a champion, winning this
Call it a dream come true, (oh oh, oh oh, oh) 'cause I'm living it
All in line,(oh oh, oh oh, oh) like the time with a rymanist
Parallel, yea (oh oh, oh oh, oh) I know it very well
They can't walk in my shoes, let a lone tie a bow with it
Blah
It's my last trip tonight, I promise you it's quitting time
And this couldn't be the last night, I got to leave with a bang ?
It's a hard place to find, (trying to find it) but I can see it in my mind
And I'm ready for the whole ride, get strapped in your seats
Hold tight
See the feeling is so real, sitting back and taking pictures
I'm givin' them a show, I do it for the fans they my people
Step steady careful, fallowing the key rules, fools
Me and them no equal, why, 'cause I'm pouring my hart out to the black don
And treating each show like the last one, I don't plane sequels
This is it, Michale, rest in peace
Tell me what I look like, dark shades on even in the evening (black)
Three chains on my neck for a reason, lp free time
Call this the third strike, strike
(oh oh, oh oh, oh) and I tell you what my view is like
(oh oh, oh oh, oh) through my lens through my twenty twenty eye sight
(oh oh, oh oh, oh)i see thousands sing a long to my lines
'cause I am really on this stage no closer, right
It's quitting time, it's quitting time
And this could not be the last night, I got to leave with a bang ?
It's a hard place to find, but I can see it in my mind
And I am ready for the whole ride, get strapped in your seats
Hold tight
Oh oh, oh oh, oh
Oh oh, oh oh, oh
Oh oh, oh oh, oh (check me)
It's quitting time
It's my last trip tonight, I promise you it's quitting time
And this could be the last night, I got to leave with a bang ?
It is a hard place to find, but I can see it in my mind
And I'm ready for the whole ride, get strapped in your seats
Hold tight
Oh oh, oh oh, oh
Oh oh, oh oh, oh
Oh oh, oh oh, oh
It's quitting time
(time, time, time)
The song "My Last Try" by Tinchy Stryder feat. Eric Turner is an introspective reflection on the current moment being treated as the last. This is reflected in the opening lines of the chorus where the singer is 'treating every time like the last, first like my last'. Even as the singer prepares to go on stage, he is aware that this could be his last big show, and he wants to make it count. This is further reinforced by the line, 'It's a hard place to find, but I can see it in my mind', on realizing how fleeting time can be, the singer wants to make it count.
Throughout the song, the singer reflects on his success and how he's worked hard for it. From owning the place to leaving with a bang, everything is in a bid to maximize his time and effort. The song speaks to the hustle and bustle of everyday life and the need to make the most of every opportunity that comes our way.
In conclusion, "My Last Try" is a song that inspires listeners to make the most of every moment and to treat every experience as if it were their last. The song offers the listener a sense of appreciation for the balance between work and play, and the importance of making every moment matter.
Line by Line Meaning
Tryin' to (oh, oh, oh) treat every time like the last
I am aiming to cherish each moment as if it were my final one
First like my last, I'm ready for the blast
I approach everything with the intensity of a final endeavor
It's my last trip tonight, I promise you it's quitting time
This evening will be my final performance
It's a hard place to fine, but I can see it in my mind
Although it's challenging to find, I have a clear vision of my destination
Yea (oh oh, oh oh, oh)
Expressing agreement and enthusiasm
Is she (oh oh, oh oh, oh)
A rhetorical question, potentially regarding a love interest
Let me go, let me loose (oh oh, oh oh, oh)
Allow me freedom and independence
It's like as soon as I step on the stage, it's like a encore
My performances are received with immense approval from the audience
How long will the world come, bonjore
The world is coming together, and I greet everyone cheerfully
I own this place, where's the keys to my front door, door
I am in control of everything, and I belong here
This is top flight business, this is first class now I'm caught up in your business
I am operating at a high level, and I am now involved in your affairs
Life is so mean man, white man count my hand
Life can be cruel, and I am counting my blessings
I'm feel like a champion, winning this
I am confident and victorious
Call it a dream come true, (oh oh, oh oh, oh) 'cause I'm living it
My reality is what I once only dreamed of
All in line,(oh oh, oh oh, oh) like the time with a rymanist
Everything is perfectly aligned, similar to the timing of a music artist
Parallel, yea (oh oh, oh oh, oh) I know it very well
I am familiar with the dual realities that exist
They can't walk in my shoes, let a lone tie a bow with it
Others cannot understand my struggles, let alone overcome them
It's quitting time
The time has come to stop what I am doing
And this couldn't be the last night, I got to leave with a bang ?
I hope that this is not my final performance, and I want it to be memorable
See the feeling is so real, sitting back and taking pictures
The emotions are genuine, and I appreciate capturing the moment
I'm givin' them a show, I do it for the fans they my people
I am performing for my loyal supporters, who are like family
Step steady careful, fallowing the key rules, fools
I am proceeding with caution and adhering to important guidelines
Me and them no equal, why, 'cause I'm pouring my hart out to the black don
I am not the same as my peers because I am pouring my heart out to my supporters
And treating each show like the last one, I don't plane sequels
Every performance is treated with the same importance, and I don't plan on repetition
Tell me what I look like, dark shades on even in the evening (black)
I am wearing sunglasses, even in the dark
Three chains on my neck for a reason, lp free time
I am wearing multiple necklaces with purpose, and I am enjoying my free time
Strike (oh oh, oh oh, oh)
A metaphorical representation of a winning streak
And I tell you what my view is like
Let me explain the way that I see things
Through my lens through my twenty twenty eye sight
I am viewing things clearly and with precision
I see thousands sing a long to my lines
I am humbled and ecstatic to see so many fans singing my lyrics
'cause I am really on this stage no closer, right
I am truly on this stage, and nothing can bring me closer to it
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KWASI DANQUAH, ESHRAQUE MUGHAL, ERIC TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind