The alias "k-os" is pronounced "chaos" and is an acronym for "Knowledge of Self," although in a later interview he also said that it stands for "Kheaven's Original Sound." His music incorporates a wide variety of music genres including but not limited to rap, funk, rock, and reggae. The lyrics frequently focus on promoting a "positive message" while at times expressing criticism of mainstream hip hop culture's obsession with money, fame and glorification of violence. A musician as well as a producer, k-os has written and produced a large portion of all four of his albums. k-os usually performs with a live band, something that is uncommon in the hip hop genre. He sometimes plays guitar and keyboard both during live performances and in the studio.
k-os received his first musical exposure with the single "Musical Essence," released in 1993. After the release of his second single "Rise Like The Sun" in 1996 he withdrew from the industry because he was dissatisfied with his musical style. He reappeared briefly in 1999 and released his debut album Exit in 2002. The album received positive reviews but sold relatively few copies. He released his second album Joyful Rebellion in 2004, which received platinum status in Canada. Joyful Rebellion received positive reviews, but at times was criticized for speaking extensively on the state of hip hop. k-os's third album, Atlantis: Hymns for Disco, was released in 2006, and his fourth album entitled Yes! was released in April of 2009.
Masquerade
k-os Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Masquerade) One two, see this?
Right here this is heat, yo, yo
Massive massive
(Hook: K-OS)
There's something deep inside
That's telling you that love's so much more
When everything's alright
You know it's time for the writing wars
If it's just a masquerade
(K-OS)
When I feel the way of my lost innocence
Looking for emotions that are fallacy
Everything is waiting on that dominance
Hoping for new opuses and alibis
And I'm with you, oh oh oh
If I could starve from falling
And I bet you, oh oh silenced the
Voices in your head but there's no place to go
(Hook: K-OS)
There's something deep inside
That's telling you that love's so much more
This is just a masquerade
(K-OS)
I sit back with the microphone
Watchin' these MC's turn to actors
Producin' all the factors
That flip life, into a masquerade
We like a bunch of mannequins
Battery operated, inoculated
With five sentences connect us to the Earth
Rich sinners since the days of my birth
For what it's worth, dissuaded love
I'm steadily spreadin' love over the beat down
Let's meditate and feel the heat now
Like beautiful rain, on the desert plain
Cause the sun parch the ground on the weak sound
I break it down, to elements H to O
A place to go, that you can't escape the flow
Does not exist, I love the truth so I persist
Intelligent men? Or just "Gorillas in the Mist"
Clenchin' a black fist, for the size of dollar bill
I leave the space so you can think about it now so just chill
(Hook: K-OS)
(There's something, there's something deep in)
(There's something)
There's something deep inside
That's telling you that love's so much more
This is just a masquerade
When everything's alright
You know it's time for the writing wars
If it's just a masquerade
Black shit, ration, tryin' to step up
But they can't even cash it
Kick that shit
(Kamau)
(First saved message)
In this venture, nothing gained
I've only just touched the surface
Once nervous, when writing for a worthless purpose
It was once more than this, before the heart left the beat
The soul left the speech, I'm still trying to reach
My niche, and teach the love again
Inside the hate of a present day
Got stepped after, being genuine we're swept away
Before the importance of diamonds, bells
And a platinum place, fallen from grace
Not my campus with another trace
Of the same thing I came in, this thing is worth saving
Standing in the pockets holding tongues of what I'm saying
Blaming myself only for supporting what they're playing
I may peek through the storm, but now it's raining
Unchanging of late, it's hard to be creative
Although creating is native to me, I tried to be
Even patience couldn't save it, from the days of pages
They couldn't believe I would say this
No longer without wings, Kamau is what my name is
Too many undermine, what I underline
Placing my poetry underneath their making of rhymes
It was a creation of frustration
Brown bricks or blank slates
Subway trains and cardboard bound with masking tape
It was the sound of the evening, the way the day grew late
Words tumble from lungs over my tongue
And gave a new taste to my fate
It doesn't even matter how the chatter would paint us
With love on our side they could barely stand against us
Um, what up? Uh Kheaven, what's goin' down?
Um I got your message, and uh yeah, basically call me back
Basically call me back and tell me
Sorry about the length of the message, but you know
You feelin' it? Aight man peace
(End of message)
In "Masquerade," k-os raps about the false emotions and facades that people use to hide behind. He describes feeling lost and searching for genuine emotions, while observing other rappers who act like actors on stage. He proclaims his commitment to spreading love and truth, even in a world that values material wealth. The chorus reinforces the idea of the masquerade, urging listeners to recognize that there is something deeper than what they see on the surface.
Throughout the song, k-os also references his own struggles with creativity and authenticity. He shares a voicemail from fellow rapper Kamau, who laments the pressure to conform to mainstream expectations and the difficulty of creating meaningful art. K-os and Kamau both recognize the importance of staying true to oneself, even in the face of criticism and commercialism.
Overall, "Masquerade" is a reflection on the complexity of human emotions and the societal pressures to hide our true selves. By exposing the masquerade and promoting love and truth, k-os encourages listeners to embrace their authentic selves and appreciate the depth and complexity of their emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
There's something deep inside
There's a profound feeling within us
That's telling you that love's so much more
It's telling us that love is greater than what we see
This is just a masquerade
What we see is merely a disguise
When everything's alright
When things seem to be in order
You know it's time for the writing wars
It's time to express ourselves
If it's just a masquerade
If things are not what they seem
When I feel the way of my lost innocence
When I miss being innocent
Looking for emotions that are fallacy
Searching for feelings that are not genuine
Everything is waiting on that dominance
Everything is dependent on being in control
Hoping for new opuses and alibis
Seeking inspiration and excuses
And I'm with you, oh oh oh
I'm by your side
If I could starve from falling
If I could avoid making mistakes
And I bet you, oh oh silenced the
And I'm sure you've quieted down
Voices in your head but there's no place to go
Inner thoughts that won't go away
I sit back with the microphone
I take a break with the mic in my hand
Watchin' these MC's turn to actors
Observing rappers become fake
Producin' all the factors
Creating all the circumstances
That flip life, into a masquerade
That turn life into a false reality
We like a bunch of mannequins
We seem like lifeless objects
Battery operated, inoculated
Acting on auto-pilot, immune to reality
With five sentences connect us to the Earth
A few words that ground us to reality
Rich sinners since the days of my birth
Accumulating wealth while living imperfectly
For what it's worth, dissuaded love
Love that has been discouraged
I'm steadily spreadin' love over the beat down
I'm adding love to a harsh reality
Let's meditate and feel the heat now
Let's focus and feel the intensity
Like beautiful rain, on the desert plain
Refreshing and much-needed change
Cause the sun parch the ground on the weak sound
The harsh reality affecting the weaker individuals
I break it down, to elements H to O
I simplify it to the basics
A place to go, that you can't escape the flow
An inescapable situation
Does not exist, I love the truth so I persist
A non-existent option, but I still pursue honesty
Intelligent men? Or just "Gorillas in the Mist"
Are educated men truly wise or just like wild animals?
Clenchin' a black fist, for the size of dollar bill
Holding a fist in protest against monetary greed
I leave the space so you can think about it now so just chill
I pause to give time for reflection
In this venture, nothing gained
No progress made
I've only just touched the surface
I've only just begun
Once nervous, when writing for a worthless purpose
In the past, I was anxious about writing for nothing
It was once more than this, before the heart left the beat
Life was once better before joy was gone
The soul left the speech, I'm still trying to reach
The passion is gone, but I'm still trying to reconnect
My niche, and teach the love again
My specific purpose, to share love once more
Inside the hate of a present day
Amidst the negativity of today's world
Got stepped after, being genuine we're swept away
Being real is hard when people overlook you
Before the importance of diamonds, bells
Before material possessions became crucial
And a platinum place, fallen from grace
Lost the status and respect once held
Not my campus with another trace
Not my previous state of mind
Of the same thing I came in, this thing is worth saving
Can still salvage this situation
Standing in the pockets holding tongues of what I'm saying
Holding onto my words
Blaming myself only for supporting what they're playing
Regretting supporting something negative
I may peek through the storm, but now it's raining
I may have moments of hope, but now facing difficulties
Unchanging of late, it's hard to be creative
Lack of change makes it hard to be original
Although creating is native to me, I tried to be
Although I'm capable of creating, I tried something else
Even patience couldn't save it, from the days of pages
Even with perseverance, writing is still a struggle
They couldn't believe I would say this
Surprising others with my words
No longer without wings, Kamau is what my name is
I'm no longer stuck, Kamau is who I'm identified as
Too many undermine, what I underline
Too many overlook the truth
Placing my poetry underneath their making of rhymes
My art is overshadowed by their music
It was a creation of frustration
Creating out of anger
Brown bricks or blank slates
Either building from what's available or starting anew
Subway trains and cardboard bound with masking tape
Minimal resources used to create art
It was the sound of the evening, the way the day grew late
Inspired by the end of the day
Words tumble from lungs over my tongue
Words flowing out of me
And gave a new taste to my fate
Changed the direction of my life
It doesn't even matter how the chatter would paint us
It doesn't matter how others perceive us
With love on our side they could barely stand against us
Unified with love, making it hard for others to oppose us
Uh Kheaven, what's goin' down?
Hey Kheaven, what's up?
Um I got your message, and uh yeah, basically call me back
I got your voicemail and will call you back
Basically call me back and tell me
Just call me back and say
Sorry about the length of the message, but you know
Apologizing for the long message
You feelin' it? Aight man peace
You understand what I'm saying? Okay, goodbye
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KEVIN DERON BRERETON, RUSSELL KLYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind