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.
Take You There
k-os Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you gave me joy that took away the pain
And now your saying you're not so really sure
But you've heard these words so many times before
We can be down, for forever and ever and a day
I won't play around
Love you for always
All I think, is your love that's real
You know I take you there
Yeah, what
You know I
You know I take you there
So I said my love for you is not for sale
Cuz to them love is nothing but a game
I remember I thought I'd never find
Someone true enough to elevate my mind
So we can be down forever and ever and a day
I won't play around
Love for always
(Cuz I feel you baby)
All I feel is love that's real
Baby release your head
Cuz I can take you there
You know I.. what..
You know I can take you there
You know I What?
Come on I..
You know I take you there
You know I, what..?
Ah
[x2]
Check it
Yo
Let me ignite the whole fight
Baby, I get slab when the spot get blown
Yo, my seed was sown
When I met you, you was bouncing hard
Word to god
Let any of these niggas knows, no nigga can pull your card
Check it
How many times you gotta be diss another fella
Cuz He tried to play you rather chill, accpaella
But i'm smart enough a hoe
When I see it
And baby girl I check your flow
You never be it
It's plain to see
You're not the same to me
So we manifest love to the same degree
No more wonder the way I am when I'm
Kickin' it with my
Some rows be all good some be all..
But, I'm metaphysical
Spiritual individual
Critical with residuals
Loving you was difficult
But I.. wanna take you there
Forever like a hip hop song
Baby, tougher than leather
Forever ever and a day
I wont play around
Love for you for always
The lyrics to k-os's "Take You There" speak to the singer's profound emotions for the person they are addressing - a love that is real and true. The opening lyrics establish that the singer was previously in pain until this person brought them joy. However, the person is now unsure of their feelings. The singer, undeterred, asserts that they won't play any games and that their love is not for sale. They see their love as something that can last forever, always real and never pretending.
The next verse speaks to the difficulty the singer had in finding someone who could "elevate their mind," and now that they have found this person, they want to make sure they appreciate and cherish each other. The chorus repeats, reinforcing the sentiment that the singer can take the person they are addressing to a place of real, true love. The final verse includes a spoken word section, in which the singer acknowledges the challenges of loving this person and their desire to overcome them. They want to be with this person forever, like a hip hop song. The repetition of "forever and a day" throughout the song serves to emphasize that the love the singer is expressing will not fade with time. Overall, the song's message is one of deep love, commitment, and a desire for authenticity in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I was standing all alone out in the rain
I was completely isolated and in physical distress.
And you gave me joy that took away the pain
You brought me happiness that erased my prior suffering.
And now your saying you're not so really sure
However, now you seem hesitant and uncertain.
But you've heard these words so many times before
But it seems like you've been in this situation before and have become numb to it.
We can be down, for forever and ever and a day
We can continue this relationship for an infinite amount of time.
I won't play around
I will be serious about this.
Love you for always
I will love you endlessly.
Cuz I feel you!
Because I deeply understand and connect with you.
All I think, is your love that's real
The only thing on my mind is the genuine love you have for me.
You know I take you there
I have the ability to bring you to a better place in life.
Baby release your head
Let go of your worries and concerns.
So I said my love for you is not for sale
I explained that my love for you can't be bought or sold like a commodity.
Cuz to them love is nothing but a game
To others, love is just a trivial form of entertainment.
I remember I thought I'd never find
I recall thinking that I would never come across someone like you.
Someone true enough to elevate my mind
Someone genuine enough to help me think more positively.
Come on I..
Encouraging the listener to continue following along with the song.
Let me ignite the whole fight
Allow me to turn up the energy of this song.
Yo, my seed was sown
A reference to procreation or creation of art.
When I met you, you was bouncing hard
When I first met you, you had a lot of positive energy.
Word to god
An affirmation of honesty and sincerity.
No nigga can pull your card
No one can manipulate or deceive you.
Critical with residuals
Skeptical, but still acknowledging and appreciative of the positive outcomes.
Loving you was difficult
Expressing that the process of loving the listener hasn't been easy.
Forever like a hip hop song
Our love will last forever, like a timeless piece of music.
Baby, tougher than leather
Our love will be resilient and durable, able to withstand any obstacle.
Contributed by Mackenzie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jackie9847
soon as that flute came in i added this to my favorites !!!!
@warfreddy6968
Wtf. I only ever heard the other two singles.
This is such a find. His catalogue through Exit was seriously perfect.
@aminkhalil
I'm from Philly in my mid 20's, consider myself sumwat of a crate digger and Im just hearing about this dude. and he's been out for like 16 years!
@Christo_808
Thank you so much for the links. k-os is one of the few reasons that I still listen to hip-hop. I've been looking for his indie stuff for years. Hopefully, one day he will properly release this. Cheers.
@senbon1000
so glad i found this <3 thanks for posting :) my gosh...my ears are gasming
@dpetway1
Man... thank you!!! Indeed this track is a good look... I am a huge K-os fan,but never heard this... The only musician i have seen twice in concert in the past 15 years... One day, i hope to hear K-os, Saul Williams, Mos Def and Talib Kweli in the same concert. Maybe something connected to Tribe called Red? You never know...
@DarkINsides06
This really good, puts me in a clam state of mind.
@jerrycking
hey y'all I'm jerry king, I wrote and produced this song with K-os and Victor romeo. check the discography. I didn't even know they released it! Well I'm glad they put it out. We did the whole thing in like 3 hours.
@itsTonyAnvil
great upload
@exkimo64
Alright, it's damn near impossible to find Musical Essence in good or full quality so I'd figure I'd ask. Thank you very much.