In 1990 Usher joined an R&B local quintet called the NuBeginnings, which was organized by local music svengali, Darryl Wheeler and then he decided to pursue a career in music. Aside from recording, Usher has ventured into business. He has established his own record label, US Records, and is a part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. He has also dabbled in acting, with a recurring role on the teen sitcom Moesha, and roles in the films The Faculty (1998, with Josh Harnett) She's All That (1999, with Freddie Prinze, Jr.) and Texas Rangers (2001, with Ashton Kutcher).
Keep Dreamin'
usher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh
This is what I sound like after 5 years
(You back kid)
Why do I feel I still got the floor
(You back kid, Bad Boy for real, Let's go)
Before '99 I was born again
Man I think I'm born to win
Me broke, that's a oxy moron
Forget a bus, I bought a drop to tour on
G-4's What I soar on, uh
You thinkin I ain't hot you so wrong
Sorry for the prolong
But now life goes on
Long list of hits and it goes on
I wake up, and I don't even feel like a star
And man I'm getting a million a bar
Indeed I need not take no lie
Man, ya'll gone make me cry
It's kinda eerie when you hear me
Ya hairs stand up
Been a change of plan
Rip your old plan up
Instead of hatin'
Help me lift the big man up (As we proceed... come on... yeah)
[Hook]
Awake these people up and show them they Keep Dreamin'
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Wake these people up and show them they Keep Dreamin'
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Some days I make thousands
Some days I make millions
Spend my day chillin'
Coupe's with suede ceilings
Everybody out there wanna know what Mase got
Way hot, gray drop, Maybach, gray yacht (Whoooo)
And that's just the way it be
Favor, people wanna pay for me
When I'm in Mr. Chows, they waive the fee
And I don't chase money man
Money chase me
I give my wife things that she dream and more
I give a little bit, and she fiend for more (lets go)
I'm back like Moses to bring the law (Come on)
Brand new saint Mase in mean velour
I had bling before you ever seen the tour
Fans from Iran and Singapore
And grown men beg me to bring them on tour
Even if it mean they gotta sleep on the floor (Let's Go!)
[Hook]
Awake these people up and show them they Keep Dreamin'
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Wake these people up and show them they Keep Dreamin'
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
I used to be the guy stood next to Diddy
Crucified, for bringin sex in the city
Even though the girls think I'm extra pretty
How I know? I ain't got no extra wit me, oh
With the fist tight flow
Wit a wrist like whoa
What if this might blow
Aint no if I...
No
I'm the man to plan the way
This ain't my life
I've become a saved (Say what)
Put up a good fight
Like its mandalay
Hate the game, but it made a man a man
Gone for a while, its like I ran away
God time now, and I don't plan to play
I'm only here for the one thing you lack
And make dj's scratch is he is he back
Kids in the hood stutter it's a it's a fact
It's the kid resurrected it's a it's a wrap
(As we proceed, to give you what you need, he's back)
[Hook]
Awake these people up and show them they Keep Dreamin'
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go (I wanna see yall out there)
Wake these people up and show them they Keep Dreamin'
(Let's work this, let's work now)
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Wake these people up and show them they Keep Dreamin'
(Let's work, Turn the lights on somebody)
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go (Let's work)
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go (Let's work)
Wake these people up and show them they Keep Dreamin'
(hahahaha... I like this right here, I like this right here)
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go
Breathe Stretch Shake, Let it Go (For real, Bad Boy)
(AHHHH!)
The song "Keep Dreamin'" by Usher is an inspirational track that emphasizes his upbringing and success story. The lyrics are a direct homage to his past, present and future achievements. The opening dialogue in the song states that it's been five years since this voice was heard, which indicates the amount of time since Usher released his last album. He then goes on to state that he's born again, a reference to his rebirth as an artist, and that he's destined to win. The following lyrics talks about his wealth and his status in society, but with a soft-spoken approach. Usher emphasizes on his personal life, luxurious lifestyle and how he still stays grounded.
The song's chorus, "Awake these people up and show them they keep dreamin'," references the societal struggles people face and highlights their aspirations to succeed despite their circumstances. Usher encourages them to breathe, stretch, and shake off their worries and join him as he rises. Usher encourages his fans to have faith in their abilities and persevere towards their dreams. The song also has a motivating rap verse from Mase, saying that he's back and better than ever after disappearing from the music scene. Usher's use of catchy beats, outstanding lyrics, and motivational messages makes this song memorable.
Interesting facts about "Keep Dreamin'" include that it is a track off his album "Here I Stand," which was released in 2008. The song was co-written by Usher, Sean Garrett, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Rico Love. The song was produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. The track features rapper Mase, who came out of a lengthy retirement, and this was his first-ever collaboration with Usher. The song reached number 98 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 94 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
More interesting facts about the song include that it samples the track "This Is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan. This song was performed live on six occasions, one of which was on his "One Night Stand" tour. The music video for "Keep Dreamin'" featured never-before-seen footage of Usher's life behind-the-scenes. The song was recognized on the RIAA Gold & Platinum Program list, granting it a gold certification with over 500,000 units sold in the United States alone.
Chords:
Verse: Bb major, F major, D minor, G minor, C major
Chorus: F major, Bb major, C major, G minor
Line by Line Meaning
Before '99 I was born again
I had a fresh start before the turn of the century
5 years later and I'm on again
After a 5-year span, I'm back on top
Man I think I'm born to win
I have the natural ability to succeed
Me broke, that's a oxy moron
It's contradictory for me to be broke
Forget a bus, I bought a drop to tour on
Rather than touring on a bus, I bought a convertible
G-4's What I soar on, uh
I travel on a G-4 private jet
You thinkin I ain't hot you so wrong
You're mistaken if you don't think I'm talented
Sorry for the prolong
Apologies for taking so long
But now life goes on
Life moves forward despite difficulties
Long list of hits and it goes on
I have a lengthy record of successful music and it continues
I wake up, and I don't even feel like a star
Sometimes, I don't feel famous
And man I'm getting a million a bar
I'm earning a million dollars for each rap verse
Indeed I need not take no lie
I don't need to lie
Man, ya'll gone make me cry
You guys are going to make me emotional
It's kinda eerie when you hear me
It's creepy when people recognize me
Ya hairs stand up
Your hair stands up in excitement
Been a change of plan
The plan has changed
Rip your old plan up
Get rid of your old plan and adjust to the new one
Instead of hatin'
Rather than being negative
Help me lift the big man up (As we proceed... come on... yeah)
Assist me in raising the higher power
Some days I make thousands
On some days, I make thousands of dollars
Some days I make millions
On other days, I make millions of dollars
Spend my day chillin'
I spend my day relaxing
Coupe's with suede ceilings
I drive a car with a suede roof
Everybody out there wanna know what Mase got
Everyone wants to know about my success
Way hot, gray drop, Maybach, gray yacht (Whoooo)
My branded items are very popular and valuable
And that's just the way it be
That's just how things are
Favor, people wanna pay for me
People want to spend money on me
When I'm in Mr. Chows, they waive the fee
At fancy restaurants, they often waive the fees for me
And I don't chase money man
I don't solely pursue wealth
Money chase me
Wealth comes to me
I give my wife things that she dream and more
I provide my wife with all she could desire and more
I give a little bit, and she fiend for more (lets go)
She always wants more, even when I give a little bit
I'm back like Moses to bring the law (Come on)
I returned to make a positive impact like Moses did
Brand new saint Mase in mean velour
I am reborn like a saint, dressed in luxurious velour
I had bling before you ever seen the tour
I had jewelry before you knew me as a touring artist
Fans from Iran and Singapore
I have fans from all around the world
And grown men beg me to bring them on tour
Adults ask to come on my tours as fans
Even if it mean they gotta sleep on the floor (Let's Go!)
They're so dedicated that they'll sleep on a floor to come on tour
I used to be the guy stood next to Diddy
I was once Puff Daddy's sidekick
Crucified, for bringin sex in the city
I received negative attention for referencing sex in my music
Even though the girls think I'm extra pretty
Despite the attention, some women find me attractive
How I know? I ain't got no extra wit me, oh
I don't possess any additional charm
With the fist tight flow
A tight flow with powerful lyrics
Wit a wrist like whoa
A skillful delivery style
What if this might blow
What if I were to become extremely successful
Aint no if I...
It's not a matter of if, but when
No
Definitely
I'm the man to plan the way
I am the one who can lead the path
This ain't my life
This fame is not all I have
I've become a saved (Say what)
I have changed for the better
Put up a good fight
I give my all in difficult situations
Like its mandalay
Like a rough battle
Hate the game, but it made a man a man
I don't like the music industry, but it has helped me grow
Gone for a while, its like I ran away
I was gone for a bit, but now I'm back
God time now, and I don't plan to play
It's my time now, and I'm serious about my future
I'm only here for the one thing you lack
I am here to provide what others are missing
And make dj's scratch is he is he back
I'll create a stir among DJs with my comeback
Kids in the hood stutter it's a it's a fact
Children in the neighborhood are excited that I'm back
It's the kid resurrected it's a it's a wrap
I'm the revived kid, and it's a done deal
I wanna see yall out there
I want to see my fans having a good time
Let's work this, let's work now
Let's get this started and make it happen
Turn the lights on somebody
Let's turn up the energy and excitement!
For real, Bad Boy
I'm serious, I belong to Bad Boy Records
(AHHHH!)
An expression of excitement and exhilaration
Contributed by James A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@WShakesphere
This song should be on all streaming platforms. I bought the whole cd for this song alone. Many folks don’t even know about this cut here. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@traveilarmundsims1670
Back when the lyrics in BLACK MUSIC were very encouraging & inspiring. 90's love all day
@b2fly2000
My man Joe's pen here! And also on the backvocals!!!! 🥰😍😍🤩🥰
@apprentessgooden2680
I went to school with Usher, this came out when the Olympics was in Atlanta. #Chattanooga 💪🏿
@user-if2nl6pz5n
It reminds me the years of 90s
@mbongenimdakane4702
25 years and Usher is still my favourite... This song got me through a lot and still does
@pumpkin19521
His vocals are insane, he makes you believe every word he’s singing, this is what i love about Usher’s songs he brings the lyrics to every song alive 👑🎤🔥🔥🔥and draws the listener in. Love me some Urshababy!! 🥰🥰🥰
@samukelisiwefortunatekhuma6615
I heard this song yesterday on Metro FM, and i immediately fell in love with it , it was disappointing to not find it on Spotify so had to come to You Tube just to hear it one more time
@Thatiam8
It's on album that was for the 96 Olympics called "Rhythm of The Games" .
@apprentessjgooden2263
I went to school with Usher and my father went to school with his father, i heard this for the first time during the 96 Olympics in Atlanta, i was blown away, I'm proud of this young brother, he's definitely the pride of Chattanooga, Tennessee.