Born and raised on the Northeast side of Wichita, Kansas, XV (born Donavan Johnson) was not your average kid on the block. Suffering from an incredibly rare phobia known as Excelsiorophobia, he is deathly fearful of placing a hat firmly upon his cranium. He has fought this fear his entire life, as you can clearly see, placing baseball caps at various angles atop his head. Despite suffering from this career and personality defining phobia, he has persevered to establish a life that resembles some normalcy. Of course he played basketball, rode his bike and reenacted scenes from Power Rangers, like any other youthful spirit would. But his interests varied from those of his three brothers. With a born love for music like his father, who was a record label A&R and an employee at BET, XV began writing songs at the age of 9. Though he was raised by his Mom and Step-Father, the love of music was instilled in him, as well as various other talents such as, writing screenplays and designing websites.
"When I said I wanted to be something, I mean't it! My Grandmother would take me to the library on the weekends and get me every book I needed to learn how to make a movie. I was far from your average kid. When kids were at recess, I would be in class using the school camera to shoot fake news reports. I'm a big dreamer."
The desire to be bigger than his body was fulfilled when XV found Hip-Hop. Being able to express emotions, fantasies, and dilemma's using a clever sense of wordplay makes XV the extraordinary lyricist he is today. His ability to display the perils of the street life, the consciousness of a purist, and relate to suburban youth, stems from his socialness in school. Having friends who were gangbangers, preacher's kids, and rich white boys, allowed XV to break the boundaries many rappers place themselves in, and explore artistic ways to speak to all types of people. Acquiring the moniker, XV, from the roman numerals of "15", the age he was when he decided to begin taking his craft seriously and producing his own music. Inspired by mostly east coast MC's such as Jay-Z, Biggie, Mase, Mos Def, Cam'ron and Talib Kweli, XV recorded, produced, and released his first independent album in 2002. In 2003, his album, "The Answer", received rave reviews on various hip-hop websites.
Without any industry help or management, XV continued to work hard to create a buzz for himself and his record label, Royalty Recordz. Though he got his start performing live at his high school's talent shows, XV went on to opening up for The Ying Yang Twins, Mike Jones, Lil' Rob, Jon B., and defeated four local Hip-Hop acts with over 600 votes to open up for G-Unit. XV then went on to placing a song on Midway's NARC videogame, which led to XV creeping slowly out of the Kansas boundaries in search of a larger base of recognition. That recognition came after XV began making his mark on the mixtape scene with the "Royalty City" Mixtape series and "The Definition" mixtapes, featuring labelmates Bling and Sez Batters. Acknowledgement came from artists such as The Game, Paul Wall, Maino, Sheek Louch and DJ's such as Whoo Kid and On Point. The base has been built, now it's time to strengthen the foundation.
"The title 'COMPLEX' was created when I was trying to describe my album to Bling. It was like being told to describe a three-dimensional piece in two-dimensional form. The title also reflects a characteristic carried amongst most prodigies. I feel the most abstract and idealistic people in the world are complex, because there's so many different layers to them. Albert Einstein was complex, Picasso was complex, Tupac was complex. This album is basically my search for clarity."
With 13-tracks laced with thought-provoking, clever and sometimes cocky lyrical content, XV's search seems to come to a happy medium. His fresh and original topics vary from stereotyping to the differences in urban and suburban america. COMPLEX will be the first major-scale album from XV, and features production from himself, Seven and Benjamin Kash. The album's lead single, "Give You Everything", produced by Seven, is a charming, and sometimes humorous, narrative about a materialistic girlfriend that XV can't seem to break up with. The song that is sure to be a radio smash and bring clarity to the complexity of XV is, "Boy From Kansas". "It was the last song I wrote for Complex, so I feel like it's the most open song about me. My next album is going to be called, 'Clarity', and 'Boy From Kansas' was a step towards that. No matter where you're from, you can relate to that song."
It is a constant struggle for an artist to find himself, and many get lost in the search. It's also a battle for a brand new artist to come out and just be themself. XV is proof that it is a battle that you can win. With an album filled with honesty, positivity, humor, vulnerability and hardly any obscenities, finding clarity may not be an issue for XV any longer. "I'm a regular human-being. I get mad in traffic, I curse, I think about sex 98% of the day. But, in the end. When they read about me or find my time capsule 500 years from now. I want them to say that I was a positive dude. And that's who I am in my music."
Bad News
XV Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Didn′t you know I was waiting on you
Waiting on a dream that'll never come true
Didn′t you know I was waiting on you
My face turned to stone when I heard the news
When you decide to break the rules
Cause I just heard some real bad news
I'm like one mess away from picking up a mop
And one question away from if my album drops
Will I make to the stage but never get any props?
Niggas don't got time for me so they don′t watch
Places where I′ve been, I run into past friends
Say "You still do music?" and it makes me just want to stop
Niggas making top ten lists
And I've paid my dues like rent so I deserve my spot
Yeah, my rap peers try to shun me
You sprinting in a marathon trying to outrun me
Mickey Factz charging for tracks like he outdone me
When I said, "Let′s do something" when he wasn't doing nothing
But I get it, music business needs business
Bet if I was from New York shit′ll be different
But I'm just a boy from Kansas just spitting
So I gotta take my crown cause they wouldn′t fucking give it
The fan base I got really means a lot
Fly Boy Club tees at every show I rock
But will I act like them when I pop?
Get Mistah F.A.B.s intern and start charging for drops?
Sometimes I ask how they don't know my name
Six years ago I was featured on hiphopgame
A few years after that I was fucking with Game
Onpoint, Whoo Kid, who's The Kid In The Green?
Back Pack, that′s rap through the eyes of me
The kid that nobody listens to, they aspire to be
I reached out to Affection, wasn′t looking in my direction
So I guess my talent see ain't required to see
Nerdy kids being admiring me
My mom said, "Just live for what you dying to be."
I′m dying to see the day that I finally get on
Sometimes I think I wanna make it just to prove people wrong
I did this song on my own and never asked for handouts
I think I don't fit in but I never stand out
Frustrated with the game in a room with no windows
So I turn on the track and decided to air it out
Am I saying something they don′t really care about?
Cause me talking about clothes will probably just wear them out
Haha! How could the blogs say I'm not nice?
The only dude from Wichita that′s been on Nahright
'09 so time to show and prove
My flow better — My show improved
The Kid With The Green Back Pack is on the move
And if this sound don't do it I don′t know what to do
Cause I′m dealing with real shit in my real life
Cause when you left it all, how do you feel right?
The quiet type so I don't say much
So every girl I talked to I lost in them holiday months
Valentine′s coming up, Patrick's Day around the corner
So they all fall in love cause I don′t got time for 'em
Then I lost my phone with a few on my connects
Never expected that would bring me closer to my ex
They say I′m just a W away
From putting the W in the game
And that statement make me wanna think different
Cause I'm helping the niggas that was saying I was lame
I'm about my dollars but I will never change
If you obscure and I don′t like you, I won′t like you with the fame
I told Seven I'mma try to be the same
And never turn into these new niggas in the game
I don′t wear chains or Bapes or tattoos
And to say I ain't nice you gotta be cashews
So when Everybody′s Nobody is that dude
Tell them cats who ain't listen that you got some bad news
The song Bad News by XV is a track that explores the struggles of being an up-and-coming rapper in the music industry. XV's verses speak to the difficulties he faces in getting recognition for his hard work, and the feelings of frustration and isolation that come with being overlooked. He reflects on moments of rejection from other artists in the industry, like Mickey Factz charging for tracks, and the lack of support from old acquaintances who ask if he is still making music.
Kanye West's verse adds a layer of complexity to the song with his refrain, "Didn't you know I was waiting on you?" The line conveys a sense of disappointment and betrayal, suggesting that someone has let him down. He talks about waiting for a dream that will never come true, and the crushing feeling he experiences when he hears bad news. The line about his face turning to stone underscores the weight of the news he received and how it impacts him on an emotional level.
Overall, Bad News is a song that tackles the uphill battles that independent artists face in a cutthroat industry. It highlights the need for persistence, dedication, and a thick skin to survive the challenges and rise to the top.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm like one mess away from picking up a mop
I'm on the edge of giving up and resorting to menial work
And one question away from if my album drops
I'm uncertain if my music will even make it to the public
Will I make to the stage but never get any props?
I fear I might perform but never get the recognition I deserve
Niggas don't got time for me so they don't watch
People don't pay attention to me because they're too busy with other things
Places where I've been, I run into past friends
I keep meeting old acquaintances in the places I've performed
Say "You still do music?" and it makes me just want to stop
When people ask if I'm still making music, it's demotivating
Niggas making top ten lists
Other artists are being recognized while I remain unnoticed
And I've paid my dues like rent so I deserve my spot
I've worked hard and deserve a place in the music industry
Yeah, my rap peers try to shun me
Other rappers ignore me or exclude me from their circle
Bet if I was from New York shit'll be different
If I was from a more popular city, I might have more success
So I gotta take my crown cause they wouldn't fucking give it
I have to work hard to earn my recognition because it won't be handed to me
I'm dying to see the day that I finally get on
I'm eagerly waiting for my big break in the music industry
Sometimes I think I wanna make it just to prove people wrong
I want to succeed in music to prove those who doubted me wrong
I think I don't fit in but I never stand out
I feel like I don't belong and go unnoticed
Am I saying something they don't really care about?
I worry that no one is interested in what I have to say
Cause me talking about clothes will probably just wear them out
I don't want to talk about superficial things like clothes because it's overdone
My mom said, "Just live for what you dying to be."
My mom advised me to pursue my dreams and passions
I lost my phone with a few on my connects
I lost my phone with important contact information
Never expected that would bring me closer to my ex
Losing my phone made me reconnect with my ex
I'm helping the niggas that was saying I was lame
Despite being criticized in the past, I'm still helping out those who doubted me
And to say I ain't nice you gotta be cashews
It's ridiculous to claim that I'm not talented
Tell them cats who ain't listen that you got some bad news
Let those who dismissed me before know that I've now achieved success
Writer(s): Produced By Kanye West
Contributed by Mateo L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@EvoTheArtist
Still Amazing 7 years later. He was supposed to be on XXL back in 10' but they gave it to OJ and Pill. smh
@TheMagicfan77
Personally, my favorite song off everybodys nobody. But XV drops some real shit.
@Darionthisguy
he always adds that little somthin extra that makes his covers unique and his
@dfresh1524
sick, first time hearing xv today. nice background to song, so tru
@Bigcashmoney12
Yo I'm so mad that XV isn't becoming as popular as lil Wayne when he's so much better than him.
@615royal
the best. luv and respect
@ScoopDaWhat
keep makin songz!
@tmack20051987
This is tight
@lookalooey
sleep? on Vizzy? man I'm WIDE THE FUCK AWAKE. lol
@MrsMARS325
xv is some real bad newwwwwwwws. XD