Tweet's first steps into a career in the music industry first began when she enrolled in her local Performing Arts School. In 1990, at the age of 19, Tweet gave birth to her daughter Tashawna. The name came from a mixture of both parents name "T" from Tweet and "shawn" from Shawn, and the addition of two "a"s.
In the early nineties Tweet joined the female quintet Sugah, leaving her daughter with her parents in Panama City, Florida, while Tweet relocated to Virginia. Sugah was comprised of Tweet, Susan Weems, and Rolita and was a part of Devante Swing's Swing Mob collective. While there, she met Timbaland, Magoo, Missy Elliott (who at the time was a part of the Hip-Hop/R&B group Sista), Playa, and Ginuwine who were also all apart of the Swing Mob collective. During her time with Sugah, Tweet formed a close friendship with Elliott.
Around 1999 with Sugah going nowhere, no album to show, and many broken promises, Tweet returned to her parents' home in Panama City penniless and depressed. Tweet fell into deeper depression after a string of bad relationships and a number of jobs, all the while hiding her depression from her family. The depression got so bad she had planned to commit suicide. The day before she was to go through with her fateful decision she received a phone call from an old friend. That friend was Missy Elliott. She was calling to ask if Tweet would contribute background vocals on her latest album Miss E ...So Addictive. Tweet felt she could tell Elliott about her situation and what she was going through. To this day she calls Elliott her "Guardian Angel".
In 2000 Tweet began recording vocals for Elliott's album and was also reunited with her old friends from the Swing Mob days, Timbaland, Magoo, Playa, and Ginuwine. She also recorded vocals for Timbaland & Magoo's follow-up to their platinum selling 1997 debut album Welcome To Our World and Timbaland's solo album Tim's Bio: Life From Da Bassment. In 2001 Elliott released her Platinum selling third album Miss E ...So Addictive with Tweet contributing vocals to five tracks. 2001 also the release of Ja Rule's Pain Is Love, Beat Club Records Bubba Sparxxx's Dark Days, Bright Days, Petey Pablo's Diary Of A Sinner: 1st Entry and Timbaland & Magoo's Indecent Proposal, all of which Tweet contributes vocals. Meanwhile, Tweet was signed to Elliott's record label, through Elektra Entertainment Group, The Goldmind Inc. with the help of an impromptu performance of "Motel" for Violator Management's Mona Scott. Not only was she signed to The Goldmind Inc. but also to Violator Management. With this Tweet began recording her debut album. In November of 2001, Tweet made her debut on the single's charts as a feature artist along with Ginuwine on Elliott's "Take Away", a tribute to Elliott's late friend Aaliyah. Timbaland & Magoo's "All Y'all" featuring Sebastian (Timbaland's younger brother) followed.
n March 2002, Tweet flew onto the charts with her debut solo single "Oops (Oh My)", a risqué song about self-loving and masturbation. The song was produced by Timbaland and featured guest vocals by Missy Elliott. The single hit #1 on the R&B Charts and #7 on the US Pop Charts, with the help of a Remix featuring Fabolous.
In April, Tweet released her debut album Southern Hummingbird to rave reviews. The album featured production by Craig Brockman, Nisan Stewart, guitarist John "Jubu" Smith, Timbaland (who contributed four tracks) and Tweet herself. It also featured guest vocals by Elliott "Oops (Oh My)", Bilal "Best Friend", BeatClub Record's Ms. Jade "Sexual Healing (Oops Pt. 2)" and featured a bonus new track from Elliott "Big Spender". The album was filled with soul stirring vocals and lyrics taken from Tweet's own life experiences, some of which were at the time written on napkins. The album spwanned another two singles, Timbaland produced "Call Me" and the radio single "Smoking Cigarettes", which had a video shot for it and directed by Little X but was never released. The album reached #3 on the Billboard album charts, behind Murder Inc.'s Ashanti self-titled debut album. That year Tweet appeared as a guest vocalist on Trina's second single from her hit album Diamond Princess. The song was called "No Panties" and was written and produced by Missy Elliott and Nisan Stewart. Tweet also appeared on Meshell Ndegeocello's Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape, Karen Clark Sheard's 2nd Chance, Ms. Jade's Girl Interrupted, Whitney Houston's Just Whitney... and Elliott's 2x Platinum selling album Under Construction. Tweet appeared on four of the tracks and also made a cameo performance in both videos released from the album, "Work It" and "Gossip Folks". Tweet was nominated for a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award (among others) for Best New Artist but lost out to her rival Ashanti. But that year Tweet was awarded the Key To The City for Rochester, New York. Along with Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim, DMX, Toni Braxton, Queen Latifah, Ananda Lewis, Playa, Jamie Foxx, Lil' Mo, AJ, Free (among others), Tweet appeared in the late Aaliyah's posthumous hit single "Miss You".
With 2003 came more guest vocals appearances, Madonna's American Life The Remixes Single, Monica's After The Storm, Mark Ronson's Here Comes The Fuzz and Angie Stone's Stone Love on the 2004 Grammy nominated song "U-Haul". Tweet turned to acting, having a cameo appearance in the film Honey, directed by music video director Billie Woodruff and starring Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer, Lil' Romeo, Joy Bryant and Missy Elliott. Tweet's other acting credits include an episode of the comedy series The Parkers in 2002, in which she performed "Oops (Oh My)" and "Smoking Cigarettes". Tweet also appeared on the Honey Soundtrack on the Missy Elliott produced "Thugman" which sample's The Wu-Tang Clan's "Y'all Been Warned". Tweet also performed the Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins produced track "Hypnotic" in the film, but it doesn't feature on the soundtrack.
Tweet's third studio album, "Love, Tweet" has had several delays. As of late Summer 2010, Tweet was currently heading to L.A to finish recording the album as confirmed via Twitter on September 14, 2010 also the album may be double disk. The albums' lead single is "Love Again." The album is said to be complete. No official release date is known at this time.
Small Change
Tweet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well I didn't think twice,
No room (no room) left in my life for you
What did your world come to? (come to)
But thank you, 'cause I made it through right into the light
And this here's not the last song that I'll ever write about you
But this time you've lost your mind
Boy can't you tell?
You must be sorta deranged
Your worth is less than small change
You crying to me is more than insane
Your worth is less than small change
Now that I got my ish right without you (no you)
You come back inside with news
You want me to share my views
Get the picture: take a look, and close your book...
That's my advice
Let's just be friends
That's better and it's quite alright
You got that?
Look here, there is no way that I'm coming back
Don't beg me to stay
You must be sorta deranged
Your worth is less than small change
You crying to me is more than insane
Your worth is less than small change
You must be sorta deranged
Your worth is less than small change
You crying to me is more than insane
Your worth is less than small change
There's no coming back, boy
Boy, something's mighty strange, boy, with you
Deranged, boy
You must be sorta deranged
Your worth is less than small change
You crying to me is more than insane
Your worth is less than small change
The lyrics of Small Change by Tweet feature a woman who has moved on from a past relationship and is rejecting the advances of her ex who wants to come back into her life. She expresses that there is no room in her life for him anymore and questions why his world has come to that point. She shows gratitude for the past relationship and how it has taught her to move on into the light but is clear that this will not be the last song about him. The chorus of the song highlights the ex's current value which is less than small change and that it is insane for him to think that she will come back to him.
Tweet's lyrics highlight the importance of boundaries and the need to move on from toxic relationships. She expresses her independence and self-worth while rejecting her ex's approach. Her acknowledgement of the past relationship as a lesson encourages self-growth and moving forward. The chorus emphasizes the worthlessness of the ex and signals the end of the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I've thought about it, yeah
I have considered the situation and come to a conclusion.
Well I didn't think twice,
I have made up my mind and there is no hesitation.
No room (no room) left in my life for you
I am moving on and there is no space for you in my life.
What did your world come to? (come to)
I am perplexed at your current state of affairs.
But thank you, 'cause I made it through right into the light
I am grateful to have moved on and found clarity.
And this here's not the last song that I'll ever write about you
I still have more to say about our relationship.
Goodbye, I wish you well
I am bidding farewell and hoping for the best for you.
But this time you've lost your mind
I believe you have become irrational and unreasonable.
Boy can't you tell?
Can't you see that you've gone too far?
You must be sorta deranged
I am convinced that you are crazy.
Your worth is less than small change
You are not valuable to me or anyone else.
You crying to me is more than insane
Your emotional outpouring toward me is irrational and unacceptable.
Now that I got my ish right without you (no you)
I have sorted out my life without needing you.
You come back inside with news
You have returned with news or information.
You want me to share my views
You are seeking my opinion or perspective.
Get the picture: take a look, and close your book...
Understand where I am coming from and move on.
That's my advice
That is my recommendation for you.
Let's just be friends
I am suggesting a platonic relationship.
That's better and it's quite alright
It is a better option for us and acceptable.
You got that?
Do you understand?
Look here, there is no way that I'm coming back
I am not returning to our previous relationship.
Don't beg me to stay
Do not plead for me to remain in this relationship.
There's no coming back, boy
There is no possibility of us reconciling.
Boy, something's mighty strange, boy, with you
There is something deeply concerning about you.
Deranged, boy
You have gone insane, boy.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLENE KEYS, CRAIG BROCKMAN, NISAN STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind