Crabbuckit

i find that k-os' music is starting to be recognized by both those who enjoy music for catchy beats as well as those who seek music or hip-hop with a conscience. one cannot judge a song solely because it may be overplayed on the radio (to those not from Canada, this song has recieved massive airplay, not sure about the states). though this is by no meanins k's greatest song, it describes his situation as moving up in the music business while contrasting his advancement of hip-hop with those mainstream bling artists who are stuck like crabs in buckets making music about the same old things.

K-os is unknown in the states. im one of the lucky few that do know, and i share him with all i can. he is hip hop. he is r&b. he is amazing.

Here is a part of a transcript from a recent interview Much Music had with k-os. It explains what "Crabbuckit" is about.

Matte: NICE, MAN, NICE. SO-- AND SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR MUSIC AND "CRABBUCKIT," I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF WEIRD-- WELL, NOT WEIRD-- SHOULD I SAY I WOULDN'T EXPECT THE SONG TO BE SUNG BY A CANADIAN BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE TERM ORIGINATED FROM LOUISIANA, RIGHT? WHAT WERE YOUR MOTIVATIONS ON THAT TRACK?

I MEAN, I HAD ALWAYS HEARD, I SAW THAT-- I SAW THAT TERM IN THE MOVIE "BAMBOOZLED." WATCH "BAMBOOZLED"; IT'S A GOOD MOVIE. BUT I SAW HIM TALKING ABOUT THAT, CRABS IN A BUCKET, BUT I THINK THAT'S JUST HOW I FELT AFTER I GOT OFF TOUR WITH THE ROOTS AND I CAME BACK TO TORONTO. EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T GOING OUT A LOT, I GOT THIS VIBE THAT-- I DIDN'T WANT-- IT'S ALMOST LIKE IN TORONTO SOMETIMES ARTISTS DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START DISSING THEM-- LIKE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE-- IT'S LIKE PEOPLE SORT OF FEEL LIKE THEY WOULD RATHER GET FIVE-- FIVE STARS IN AN INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE THAN ACTUALLY TAKE THEIR CAREER TO THE NEXT LEVEL. AND I FELT THAT THAT WAS HOLDING ME BACK IN A WAY. I FELT LIKE TORONTO IS SUCH A COOL CITY. THERE'S NO MAINSTREAM IN TORONTO, SO BASICALLY WHY WOULD YOU TRY TO MAKE A RECORD THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS COMMERCIAL? YOU CAN JUST BASICALLY STILL GET LOVE FROM PEOPLE BY DOING SOMETHING THAT'S VERY OBSCURE AND UNDERGROUND. WELL, I SORT OF WANTED TO JUMP PAST THAT, LIKE THAT WAS HOLDING ME BACK FROM MAKING THE MUSIC THAT I REALLY LOVED, WHETHER INSPIRED BY THE POLICE OR THE BEATLES OR BOB DYLAN OR, YOU KNOW, DURAN DURAN OR LIKE BOBBY McFERRIN. I DON'T REALLY CARE. I JUST LIKE LOVE EVERYTHING. SO THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. I FELT THAT THE CRAB IN THE BUCKET WAS NOT JUST-- EVERYBODY, WAS MYSELF, WAS MY WHOLE THING, MENTALITY OF GROWING UP IN CANADA AND THINKING THAT I COULD ONLY MAKE MUSIC THAT SOUNDED LIKE THIS, OR I WANT TO BE SO COOL ALL THE TIME. LIKE FORGET ABOUT BEING COOL. IT'S LIKE YOU CAN BE COOL AND NEVER ACTUALLY MAKE MUSIC THAT'S PROLIFIC, BUT I WOULD RATHER BE LIKE OUT THERE AND DOING WHAT I DO AND HAVE PEOPLE QUESTION WHAT I DO BUT BE LOVING WHAT I DO AND DO A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

I've never heard this song (or anything by k-os) on the radio (I'm not Canadian), but I think he's incredible and I think this is the best song on the CD.

i'd never heard of this song or artist until today... but now that i heard it i love it and can't stop listening to it or get it out of my head.. (we're doing it as a tap dance!) so does anyone have any ideas what it's about as a whole? i have a few ideas here and there but can't really tie them together.

Reading Khan's transcript, I think it describes the song perfectly. I like how, despite the fact that the topic is so heavy (being held back by fears) the song is so light and airy. It's sort of like 'I've got fears, but the only thing I can do is move past them. So I'll live for the moment, and wake up to the critics and nay sayers tomorrow.'

Plus, any rap/hip hop/R&B song that references the Tragically Hip is OK in my book :D

This, along with many other K-os songs, is rich with pop culture references. Especially the Hip reference I like (=

Happy Canada Day! Born and raised in Detroit, I have and still listen to a lot of Canadian radio, especially considering the anemic state of pathetic radio we have now, which only pander to their corporate gods. As a boy, the first place I heard Motown, and probably the first place Motown got airplay, was "CKLW", a Canadian AM station which used to chime in w/ "the motor city" after their call letters, even though they broadcast from Canada. I like this song, along w/ many of the other great artists like Sam Roberts, Tragically Hip, etc.

To me, i find this one of the worst and most overrated songs ever. End of story.