1-2-3-4U
Us3 Lyrics
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I come to town to light up the mic once the flight touches down
But it’s not just me it’s Us3 so it must be funky trust me
Fingers still dusty from digging in the crates for jazz breaks
Master tapes or acetates
Low fi so I use a high sample rate to compensate
Pure bass not from concentrate
Now you wanna taste so you salivate
We’re dishing food for thought from the soul kitchen
No chicken but the drumsticks are hitting the spot
Gotcha licking your chops
Don’t bite cos it’s sizzling hot
See we’re mixing a pot of gumbo
Funk, soul, with some hip hop and a little drop of jazz on top
Just add some rock some be-bop ah scooby doo
Guess what Europe, we love you too
And it’s just for you
Come on every 1
Who you’re listening 2
Us3 the crew
Playing just 4 you
Way down in the concrete jungle of Harlem
There was a young man on the road to stardom
He had many raps and it wasn’t a problem
To rock shows in winter, spring, summer and autumn
Now I don’t like dissing people like most do
I’d rather speak freely on the struggles we go through
So listen up close if you see me approach you
And just pay attention cos you know you’re supposed to
Too many people in this world are jobless
Or work long hours even though they’re impoverished
I’m not preaching I’m just trying to be honest
Cos it’s not for me to treat people like objects
Forget opinions let’s get to the facts
I’m trying to end world poverty like Jeffrey Sachs
So don’t try to tell me to relax
When we base our education on a property tax
Come on every 1
Who you’re listening 2
Us3 the crew
Playing just 4 you
Now keep in mind you’ll find this time it’s a live band
No hype man all I need on stage is a mic stand
And Wiseguy by my side, but now it’s Akil
And DJ First Rate on the wheels of steel
Cutting scratching but Gaston’s what’s happening
Just rapping for you cos you’re the main attraction
Time for me to punch in like Action Jackson
Crafting raps with a passion like I’m Gaston
But it’s Akil D and I know that you feel me
The real G’s chill on my block on 115th street
I rock beats for the people that cops beat
I’m on a hot streak and competitors got beef
In the song "1-2-3-4U" by Us3, the rapper talks about traveling from New York to London with Us3 to light up the mic. He emphasizes how funky Us3's music is and how he gets dusty from digging in the crates for jazz breaks. The song explores different genres such as funk, soul, hip hop, and jazz, and mixes them together to create a unique sound. The lyrics are also reflective, as the rapper talks about the struggles people go through and the need to address poverty.
The song's opening lines "Live from the New York underground but I’m now London-bound, I come to town to light up the mic once the flight touches down" refer to the rapper's journey from New York to London. This can be interpreted as an attempt to connect the two cities and cultures, and to showcase how music can bring people together. The rapper also mentions how he and Us3 are digging in the crates for jazz breaks, which refers to the process of searching for and sampling old jazz records.
The second verse of the song is more introspective, as the rapper talks about his approach to music and his desire to address social issues. He emphasizes the need to be honest and to speak openly about struggles, poverty, and the value of education. The chorus of the song, which repeats the line "Come on every 1, who you’re listening 2, Us3 the crew, playing just 4 you," emphasizes the importance of connecting with listeners and creating music that has a positive impact on people's lives.
Overall, "1-2-3-4U" is a song about the power of music to unite people and address social issues. It highlights Us3's unique sound and approach to music, and emphasizes the importance of creating music that speaks to people's experiences and struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Live from the New York underground but I’m now London-bound
I used to perform in New York, but now I’m in London to put on a show.
I come to town to light up the mic once the flight touches down
I’m here to perform and make the mic come alive as soon as I arrive.
But it’s not just me it’s Us3 so it must be funky trust me
It’s not just me performing, it’s me and my band Us3, and our music is funky.
Fingers still dusty from digging in the crates for jazz breaks
I’ve been searching for old jazz tunes to use in my music, and my fingers are still dusty from digging through old record crates.
Master tapes or acetates
I use old master tapes or acetates to create my music.
Low fi so I use a high sample rate to compensate
My music has a low-fi quality, so I use a high sample rate to compensate for the lack of clarity.
Pure bass not from concentrate
The bass in my music is pure and not artificial.
Now you wanna taste so you salivate
My music is so good that it makes you want more and get excited.
Just grab a plate and dig in
Listen to my music and enjoy it.
We’re dishing food for thought from the soul kitchen
Our music carries meaningful messages and comes from a place of deep emotion.
No chicken but the drumsticks are hitting the spot
We’re not playing around, our music is good and satisfying.
Gotcha licking your chops
Our music is so good that it leaves you wanting more and excitedly anticipating what comes next.
Don’t bite cos it’s sizzling hot
Don’t overindulge, our music is just that good and it’s hot.
See we’re mixing a pot of gumbo
Our music is a combination of different genres and styles, like a pot of gumbo.
Funk, soul, with some hip hop and a little drop of jazz on top
Our music blends funk, soul, hip hop, and jazz together for a unique sound.
Just add some rock some be-bop ah scooby doo
We like to experiment with new sounds and mix rock and be-bop together to see what happens.
Guess what Europe, we love you too
We appreciate our fans in Europe and love performing there.
And it’s just for you
Our performance is dedicated to you, our fans.
Way down in the concrete jungle of Harlem
Harlem is a city place where I used to perform.
There was a young man on the road to stardom
I was once a young man on the path to becoming a famous musician.
He had many raps and it wasn’t a problem
I had a lot of raps and songs to play for my audience.
To rock shows in winter, spring, summer and autumn
I performed all year round, no matter the season.
Now I don’t like dissing people like most do
I don’t enjoy teasing, insulting, or criticizing people like others might.
I’d rather speak freely on the struggles we go through
I’d rather have an honest conversation about the problems and challenges we face in life.
So listen up close if you see me approach you
If you see me approaching you, listen to what I have to say.
And just pay attention cos you know you’re supposed to
Listen to me carefully because it's important.
Too many people in this world are jobless
A lot of people in the world are unemployed.
Or work long hours even though they’re impoverished
Some people work hard but are still poor and struggling to make ends meet.
I’m not preaching I’m just trying to be honest
I’m not trying to preach, I’m simply trying to share the truth.
Cos it’s not for me to treat people like objects
I believe in treating everyone with respect and as a human being.
Forget opinions let’s get to the facts
Let’s focus on the truth rather than subjective opinions.
I’m trying to end world poverty like Jeffrey Sachs
I’m working hard to end poverty in the world, like economist Jeffrey Sachs.
So don’t try to tell me to relax
Don't tell me to calm down or stop working for what I believe in.
When we base our education on a property tax
Our educational system is based on funding from property taxes, which creates an unfair disadvantage for those in low-income areas.
Now keep in mind you’ll find this time it’s a live band
This time we’re performing with a live band, not just recorded music.
No hype man all I need on stage is a mic stand
I don't need someone else to hype up the audience, just a microphone stand for me to perform.
And Wiseguy by my side, but now it’s Akil
I used to perform with Wiseguy, but now Akil is performing with me.
And DJ First Rate on the wheels of steel
Our DJ First Rate is on the turntable scratching records.
Cutting scratching but Gaston’s what’s happening
Our DJ is cutting and scratching music, but I’m the main focus and what the audience is most interested in.
Just rapping for you cos you’re the main attraction
I’m performing for you, the audience, because you’re the reason we’re here.
Time for me to punch in like Action Jackson
I’m ready to perform and put on a show, like the movie character Action Jackson.
Crafting raps with a passion like I’m Gaston
I’m putting all of my energy and passion into performing, like the character Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.
But it’s Akil D and I know that you feel me
My name is Akil D, and I know that you’re really connecting with my performance.
The real G’s chill on my block on 115th street
Real gangsters hang out on my block on 115th street where I grew up.
I rock beats for the people that cops beat
I make music for people who are victims of police brutality and oppression.
I’m on a hot streak and competitors got beef
I’m doing really well and my competitors are jealous and upset about it.
Contributed by London F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.