He is noted for an asthmatic whispering lyrical style that is half-rapped, half-sung. As a producer and a musician he is known for having an aversion to perfection preferring to build up a dark, rich and layered sound. Culturally, Tricky bridges white and black Britain particularly in his fusion of rock and hip-hop, high art and pop culture. He drew his influences from rap (Public Enemy) to post-punk (he covered a Siouxsie and the Banshees's song Tattoo).
Throughout his work, Tricky blurs the normally clear sexual definitions found within hip hop. Despite the heavy influence he drew from American hip hop in his debut album, Maxinquaye, he fights against typical sexual representations by, for example, dressing as a woman on the side sleeve of his album cover. Within many of his tracks he blends elements of varying types of music, and use his lyrics to create a much more ambiguous and blurry reality of sexuality.
Maxinquaye remains his most commercially and critically successful album to date. About it, Tricky originally said in an interview with Raygun in October 1996 that he wanted to make an 'out-an-out punk record' and that "I thought it was going be heavier. I thought it was just going to be an out-an-out punk record. But you end up straying. What I wanted to do was a total fast album. Some of the tracks are fast and hard, but they didn't come out like that." He also said that he hated being stuck with the trip-hop tag so "That's why I did Nearly God, and that's why I did Pre-Millennium Tension. You can't see them as trip-hop albums. So I just keep running away from it. But the farther you run, it's still there. They'll find you." Ever since, Tricky' style has evolved away from obscure, sample-based textures to a more contemporary, electronic sound.
Tricky was in Massive Attack and appeared in the movie The Fifth Element as well as the music video for Parabola by Tool. He has collaborated extensively with other artists on tracks on his various releases, including Bjork, Alanis Morissette, Cyndi Lauper, Anthony Kiedis , John Frusciante and Flea (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), Martina Topley-Bird, and Alison Goldfrapp of Goldfrapp also many others.
After his initial success in the latter 1990's, he started his own label called Durban Poison. Currently he is heading a new imprint called Brown Punk.
Divine Comedy
Tricky Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We make funds
They make guns
Bigger ones
Kill the sons
Kill the sons
They make guns
Bigger ones
Kill the sons
Kill the sons
It's like everybody's got a criminal conviction
How can you say that with conviction
It's who I am polygram
Fuck you niggas
Fuck you niggas
Who I am polygram
Who I am
Fuck you niggas
It's alright with me
If you don't like the sight of me
Don't lie to me
Do you like the inside of me
I wanna own the whole music industry
And everything in it
Wait a minute
Let my people sing it
Not just black people
All people, everybody's welcome
And everybody who disagrees can shove off
I'm frustrated
Lyrical paradin'
Do I have to be italian to make it
I wanna get hooked up
Quit lookin' poor in me
What'd you call me
Who I am polygram
Who I am polygram
Fuck you niggas
Fuck you niggas
Who I am
Fuck you niggas
Who I am
I don't give a fuck
If you got money, would you
You're alright with me
I'm alright with you
All people,all races
Everybody's welcome
And everybody who disagrees shove off
I'm frustrated
Lyrical paradin'
Guns,grenades
Do I have to
I'm frustrated
Guns,grenades
Do I have to be italian to be made
I wanna get hooked up
Quit lookin' poor in me
What'd you call me
What'd you call me
I wanna own the whole music industry
And everything in it
Wait a minute
Let my people sing it
Not just black people
All people, everybody's welcome
Who I am polygram
Fuck you niggas
Fuck you niggas
You wanna live well stackwell
Fuck you niggas
I wanna leave with blackwell
Fuck you niggas
You wanna live well stackwell
Fuck you niggas
I wanna leave with blackwell
Who I am polygram
Fuck you niggas
Who I am polygram
We make funds
They make guns
Bigger ones
Quicker ones
Kill the sons
It's like everybody
Fuck you niggas
Who I am polygram
Fuck you niggas
Who I am polygram
Who I am
Who I am
What's next sex
You break necks
What's next sex
Breaks necks
Stackwell
Fuck you niggas
I wanna leave with blackwell
I wanna own the whole music industry
And everything in it
Wait a minute
Let my people sing it
Fuck those niggas
Who I am polygram
Fuck you niggas
I wanna own the whole industry
And everything in it
Everything in it
People sing it
Everything in it
Everything in it
My people sing it
I don't give a fuck
If you got money, would you
If you're alright with me
I'm alright with you
Everybody's welcome, all races
Fuck those niggas
Who I am polygram
Fuck you niggas
I need more money
I need you to get me more money
For my record deal
Fuck you niggas
For a million dollars
For a hundred bucks
Go make some guns
Make some funds
Go make some guns
Make some funds
Bigger ones
Quicker ones
Who I am polygram
Who I am polygram
Stackwell
I wanna leave with blackwell
Fuck you niggas
Stackwell
I wanna leave with blackwell
Fuck you niggas
Fuck you niggas
Stackwell
I wanna leave with blackwell
Stackwell
I wanna leave with blackwell
Fuck you niggas
Who I am polygram
Who I am polygram
Fuck you niggas
I wanna own the whole industry
And everything in it
Wait a minute
Who I am
It's who I am
It's who I am
Fuck you niggas
Fuck you niggas
I wanna leave with blackwell
Fuck you niggas
It's like every black man
In the music industry
Has got a criminal conviction
How can you say that with conviction
This means no disrespect to anybody
Who works at polygram
Unless you're a racist fucker
This is who I am
This is who I am
Who I am
Stackwell
Leave with blackwell
You know you'll leave with blackwell
Stackwell
Make those guns
Make those guns
Kill the sons
Kill the sons
Bigger ones
Quicker ones
Fuck you niggas
Stackwell
I'm gonna leave with blackwell
Stackwell
I'm gonna leave with blackwell
Fuck you niggas
Peace
The lyrics of Tricky's song Divine Comedy highlight the artist's frustration with the music industry and the social inequalities that exist in society. The line "We make funds, they make guns, bigger ones kill the sons" speaks to the connection between capitalism and violence, and how the pursuit of profit often comes at the expense of human life. Tricky's desire to "own the whole music industry and everything in it" reflects his frustration with the industry's gatekeepers and the restrictions they place on artists, especially those who are not white and do not fit into mainstream stereotypes.
Tricky's use of the N-word in the song is controversial and has been criticized by some as promoting harmful stereotypes. However, Tricky has defended his use of the word, stating that it is about reclaiming it and taking ownership of it rather than perpetuating racism. The line "It's like everybody's got a criminal conviction, how can you say that with conviction" speaks to the disproportionate representation of people of color in the criminal justice system and the stigma that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
We make funds
We make money
They make guns
They make weapons
Bigger ones
More powerful weapons
Kill the sons
Violence leads to the deaths of young people
It's like everybody's got a criminal conviction
Black men in the music industry are often stereotyped as criminals
How can you say that with conviction
How can you say that with such certainty?
It's who I am polygram
My identity is tied to the music industry
Fuck you niggas
An expression of anger and frustration at systemic racism
Who I am polygram
My identity is tied to the music industry
Who I am
My true self, identity
It's alright with me
I don't mind
If you don't like the sight of me
If you don't like my appearance
Don't lie to me
Be honest with me
Do you like the inside of me
Do you like my personality and character?
I wanna own the whole music industry
I want power and control in the industry
And everything in it
I want complete dominance
Wait a minute
Hold on a second
Let my people sing it
Let my community express themselves through music
Not just black people
All marginalized groups
All people, everybody's welcome
Inclusivity and diversity
And everybody who disagrees can shove off
I don't want to hear from those who are intolerant
I'm frustrated
I'm upset
Lyrical paradin'
Songwriting, expressing myself in music
Do I have to be italian to make it
Is my success tied to my ethnicity?
I wanna get hooked up
I want to establish connections and partnerships
Quit lookin' poor in me
Stop underestimating me
What'd you call me
What did you refer to me as?
I don't give a fuck
I don't care
If you got money, would you
If you had wealth, how would it affect you?
You're alright with me
I'm okay with you
All people, all races
Inclusivity and diversity
Guns, grenades
Weapons of violence
Do I have to be italian to be made
Does my success depend on my ethnicity?
You wanna live well stackwell
Do you want to be wealthy?
I wanna leave with blackwell
I want to achieve financial success in the music industry
Quicker ones
More rapid success
What's next sex
What comes after success?
You break necks
You achieve success at any cost, even if it harms others
Breaks necks
Achieving success comes at a cost
Stackwell
Financial success
Fuck those niggas
Expressing frustration at systemic racism
I wanna own the whole industry
I want to have complete power and control
Everything in it
Complete dominance and control
My people sing it
My community expresses themselves through music
If you're alright with me
If you accept me for who I am
Everybody's welcome, all races
Inclusivity and diversity
I need more money
I require greater financial success
I need you to get me more money
I need your help to achieve greater financial success
For my record deal
In order to secure a successful recording contract
For a million dollars
In order to secure a large sum of money
For a hundred bucks
In order to secure a small sum of money
Go make some guns
Encouraging violence and weaponry
Make some funds
Earn money
It's who I am
My identity is tied to the music industry
It's like every black man
Stereotyping of black men
In the music industry
In the world of music business
Has got a criminal conviction
Stereotyping black men as criminals
This means no disrespect to anybody
I don't intend to offend anyone
Who works at polygram
Specifically addressing Polygram employees
Unless you're a racist fucker
With the exception of those who are intolerant
Leave with blackwell
Achieve financial success
You know you'll leave with blackwell
You will achieve financial success
Peace
A sign-off expressing goodwill and hope for harmony
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADRIAN NICHOLAS MATTHEW THAWS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind