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."
Stare & Whisper
XV Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"They just stare and whisper wherever I go
They just stare and whisper, now everyone knows"
They just "stare and whisper"
Police is watching, the streets is talking
"Now everyone knows"
[Verse 1:]
And that my rapping crew makes situations worse
So I can I give my view on how you give us views?
Like we just rap, hoop, talk loud and barbecue
Man, they don't hear the dude, they all skip the message
You perplexed with my complexion, man, get to stepping
And they don't know that I'm close to a deal
They get a counterfeit marker on my $5 bill
I wear my hat the the side, roll with a couple of thugs
Bump my shit in the ride, turn it all the way up
Call a cutie a honey, call a hoochie a hoe
Middle fingers to the cops, yeah, you already know
I wear a do-rag to lay down my waves, but somehow
They turn that around to I'm in a gang
Instead of staring, just try to wave and say, 'Hi'
And keep moving, cause I'm a do me and stay fly
They just
[Chorus:]
"They just stare and whisper wherever I go
They just stare and whisper, now everyone knows"
They just "stare and whisper"
Police is watching, the streets is talking
"Now everyone knows"
[Verse 2:]
Rappers are culture killers, we got the vultures with us
We tell the world that we cold killers and drug dealers
I'm so iller and realer than most
Feel it, I'm killing the flow
And still you'll be feeling the ghost within ya
And I'll be damned if I let some label choose my look
You can't describe me through the pictures in you're rapping books
You can't allow the money stacking in my platinum jeans
Allow you to think that you know me in the magazines
Just allow the scene and the songs I bring
X out the thoughts you brought and describe to the V
Don't allow my status being king of the city
Take your perception quickly
Cause I'm a gentleman like Mr. Bentley
Sometimes I don't want to be bothered with talk
And like, "How can I get on? " I just hear it too often
So when I say I'm busy, guess I'm being unfair
I bet I'll make my way to Heaven with all of these Stans
They just
[Chorus:]
"They just stare and whisper wherever I go
They just stare and whisper, now everyone knows"
They just "stare and whisper"
Police is watching, the streets is talking
"Now everyone knows"
The lyrics to XV’s song “Stare & Whisper” address the misconceptions and stereotypes that rappers face in society. The chorus describes how people watch and whisper about XV wherever he goes, suggesting that he is constantly under a microscope. XV explains that people first notice him as a rapper, and then proceed to make assumptions about him based on his appearance and music. He points out that people often overlook the substance of his message and focus instead on his outward presentation. Despite this, XV refuses to conform to societal expectations and instead chooses to remain true to himself. He encourages people to make an effort to get to know him and other rappers as individuals rather than simply judging them based on surface-level assumptions.
The first verse of the song focuses on the stereotypes that exist around rappers. XV talks about how people assume that rappers are only good for rapping, playing basketball, and throwing barbecues. He highlights the fact that people often ignore the deeper meaning behind his music and instead focus on his appearance. He also touches on the issue of racial profiling and how people are quick to judge him based on his clothing and the company he keeps.
The second verse delves deeper into the internal struggle that XV faces as a rapper. He acknowledges the negative image that rappers often portray in the media, but also refuses to let the industry dictate his appearance or message. He argues that people’s perceptions of him are based on external factors such as his clothing, rather than his actual personality. He concludes by expressing his frustration with people who constantly ask him how to get into the industry, without taking the time to truly understand his craft.
Overall, XV’s “Stare & Whisper” shines a light on the misconceptions and stereotypes that rappers face in society. It urges people to look beyond the surface and make an effort to get to know rappers as individuals rather than simply judging them based on their appearance or music.
Line by Line Meaning
They just stare and whisper wherever I go
People stare and gossip about me no matter where I am
They just stare and whisper, now everyone knows
People's stares and whispers have spread, and everyone seems to have an opinion about me
Police is watching, the streets is talking
Law enforcement is keeping an eye on me and people in the neighborhood are talking about me
That I'm a rapper, dude, that's what they notice first
People's perception of me is largely based on my profession – they see me as a rapper first and foremost
And that my rapping crew makes situations worse
My association with other rappers seems to exacerbate negative opinions about me
So I can I give my view on how you give us views?
I would like to express my perspective on how society perceives rappers
Like we just rap, hoop, talk loud and barbecue
People seem to have a limited, stereotypical view of rappers as people who just rap, play basketball, talk loudly, and grill food
Man, they don't hear the dude, they all skip the message
People ignore the substance of my music and instead focus on negative stereotypes about rappers
You perplexed with my complexion, man, get to stepping
If you're bothered by my skin color, you can move on and stop staring at me
And they don't know that I'm close to a deal
People who judge me don't realize that I'm on the verge of signing a major record deal
They get a counterfeit marker on my $5 bill
People may falsely accuse me of criminal activity or being involved in counterfeiting money
I wear my hat the the side, roll with a couple of thugs
I sometimes dress in a stereotypical 'gangster' style and hang out with people who are perceived as tough or dangerous
Bump my shit in the ride, turn it all the way up
I listen to my own music loudly in my car
Call a cutie a honey, call a hoochie a hoe
I use slang terms to refer to attractive women
Middle fingers to the cops, yeah, you already know
I have a confrontational attitude towards law enforcement
I wear a do-rag to lay down my waves, but somehow
I wear a do-rag to style my hair, but for some reason, people interpret that as a sign of being in a gang
They turn that around to I'm in a gang
People assume I'm in a gang based on my appearance and clothing choices
Instead of staring, just try to wave and say, 'Hi'
Rather than staring and whispering behind my back, people could try being friendly and greeting me
And keep moving, cause I'm a do me and stay fly
People shouldn't worry about me – I'll do my own thing and keep looking stylish
Rappers are culture killers, we got the vultures with us
Some people believe that rappers contribute to a negative cultural influence and attract unsavory characters
We tell the world that we cold killers and drug dealers
Rappers often portray themselves as tough and involved in criminal activity in their music
I'm so iller and realer than most
I consider myself to be more talented and authentic than many other rappers
Feel it, I'm killing the flow
I'm delivering my verses with skill and confidence
And still you'll be feeling the ghost within ya
Even after my music is over, it will continue to resonate with listeners and leave a lasting impression
And I'll be damned if I let some label choose my look
I refuse to let a record company dictate my image and style
You can't describe me through the pictures in you're rapping books
Rap lyrics alone don't do justice to my full personality and identity
You can't allow the money stacking in my platinum jeans
Don't let the fact that I have lots money and success cloud your perception of me as a person
Allow you to think that you know me in the magazines
Don't assume that you understand me or my life just because of what you've read in magazines or online
Just allow the scene and the songs I bring
Let my music and the world I create speak for itself
X out the thoughts you brought and describe to the V
Forget any preconceived notions you had about me and my music
Don't allow my status being king of the city
My position as a successful rapper in my hometown isn't the whole story of who I am
Take your perception quickly
Change your opinion and attitude towards me swiftly
Cause I'm a gentleman like Mr. Bentley
Despite my tough image, I consider myself to be a polite and respectful person
Sometimes I don't want to be bothered with talk
I sometimes prefer to be left alone and not engage in conversation
And like, "How can I get on?" I just hear it too often
I'm tired of people constantly asking me how they can get into the music industry
So when I say I'm busy, guess I'm being unfair
When I decline to talk or hang out, it's because I'm too busy, not because I don't like people
I bet I'll make my way to Heaven with all of these Stans
I'm grateful to my fans and believe that they will help me achieve success and happiness both in this life and the next
Contributed by Jordan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
zion4400
Been tryna find this!
itsmistersmoke
Thank you. Stay hidden.