Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases Reggae artist Shaggy's 2000 song "Keepin' it Real". The lyrics of this song are included in this post along with selected comments from the discussion threads of several of its YouTube examples of this song.
I've also included my comments about the high value placed on "being real" in Black American (USA) culture (and, probably in other cultures throughout the world).
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, inspirational, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Shaggy for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these YouTube examples.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/04/cheryl-lynn-to-be-real-information.html for the companion post "Cheryl Lynn - "To Be Real" (information, lyrics, sound file, comments)"
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT
The saying "keepin' it real" is an African American Vernacular English originated sayings/phrase that reflect the high value placed on being "genuine" (meaning: being authentic, being true to yourself, being true to your roots, not being fake, not trying to be something that you're not.)
Some of those sayings/phrases that reflect this value are:
-bein' real
-bein' for real
-keepin it real
-get real
-real talk
-[give yourself a] reality check
-(don't) fake the funk
The African American Vernacular English phrases "for real" and "for real for real" ("frfr") are used as affirmations to mean "really", definitely", "You're absolutely right". These phrase also reflect the high regard "being real" has in Black American culture (in the USA).
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Shaggy's 2000 song "Keepin' It Real" encapsulates the high value placed on keepin' it real without losing hope because of the difficulties that you experience.
Note that Shaggy was "Born Orville Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968...
Shaggy left his native Jamaica at age 18 to join his mother in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, where he soon found himself a place in the local New York reggae scene.
...in 1988. After a difficult year trying to find work with a steady paycheck and wanting to escape the gun-to-your-head mentality of the streets of Brooklyn where the only work that could be found was illegal, Shaggy joined the United States Marines. He thought it was a way out of poverty and a vacation from the harsh streets of Brooklyn, but was misled and found himself in the middle of the Gulf War. He also found himself driving an armored HumVee tank through an Iraqi minefield."...http://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/shaggy
-snip-
Thus, although Shaggy's music genre is Jamaican originated Reggae, his use of the phrase "keepin' it real" comes from Black American culture.
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LYRICS: KEEPIN' IT REAL
(Orville Richard Burrell, stage name: "Shaggy")
Uh - that's right
Reality check
You know what I mean
Street lives eh
Scorpion yeah uh
When I was young
I use to dream of being rich
Have a lot of houses and cars
Couldn't know which one was which
And finding me a chick and getting hitched
Living the fairy tale life perfect without a ditch
You think that this would bring me happiness
If at the end of every rainbow
There was a treasure chest
Sometimes having more is really less
So take a look inside yourself
You'll realize you're really blessed
No matter how inside you're blue
There's always someone who has it worse than you
Sometimes you gotta pay your dues
So don't worry just push on through
[Chorus:]
Keeping it real
Gotta big up all my peoples who be working on the future
Though they know they gotta struggle
Keeping it real
To all my homies working on the 9 to 5
And doing right to keep themselves up out of trouble
Keeping it real
Although sometimes I know it seems impossible
There ain't no need in drowning in your sorrows
Keeping it real
If things are as bad as they can be
You can be sure there'll be a brighter tomorrow
And I forgot to have myself the house, the mansion, and the Benz
I'm not the type of brother who be making mad ends
I got myself a girl but we be kickin' it as friends
Is not enough for me now that depends
Again- not everthing you want is everything you really need
The standard of society is motivated by greed
Are you prepared to follow
Tell me are you prepared to leave
So persevere and you'll succeed
[Chorus]
[Hook]
All the harsh realities
Appears to come in two's and Three's
Don't worry cause
There'll be a better day
One thing I can promise you
Just keep on keeping on
I swear to you
There's gonna be a brighter day
[Chorus]
Back in the days
I use to dream of being rich
Have a lot of houses and cars
Couldn't know which one was which
And finding me a chick and getting hitched
Living the fairy tale life perfect witout a ditch
You think that this would bring me happiness
If at the end of every rainbow there was a treasure chest
Sometimes having more is really less
So take a look inside yourself
You'll realize you're really blessed
No matter how inside you're blue
There's always someone who has it worse than you
Sometimes you gotta pay your dues
So don't worry just push on through
[Chorus]
That's right, see me, yeah
Give thanks fa what you have, ya know
And when you think that its bad
There's always somebody that's worse
Know what I'm sayin'
Give Jah blessing, see me
Wa-wa, Wa-wa
Wa-wa, wa-wa
Source; http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/shaggy/keepnitreal.html
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Shaggy--Keep'n It Real
Oro?, Uploaded on Jan 29, 2008
From the Album, "Hot Shot"
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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREADS OF SEVERAL YOUTUBE CLIPS OF SHAGGY'S "KEEPIN' IT REAL" VIDEO
(These discussion threads are given in no particular order. The comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.)
Discussion thread #1
[This sound file is embedded above]
1. Ian Gillmor, 2008
"I heard this song in the movie "Holes"."
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2. kiymora, 2008
"oh man ya'll, this song used to go hard in the house of blues on decatur. i don't know but it seemed like everytime people start leaving they would put this on and it would get so hype but it would be so late. this was the "ok, one more then go home, better have yo ass in class" song . it was played a lil faster so i never knew what he was saying until i heard it on the radio. i was like "oh, dats my song from the club!" i heard the lyrics and he was talking some real talk. i love this song!
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3. gabriel sanchez, 2015
"keepin real never fake be yourself to everyone and raza"
-snip-
"Raza" is a Spanish word meaning "race".
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4. dj simplistic, 2015
"real talk 100"
-snip-
"100" probably means "100%"
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5. Candice MCT, 201
"Love Love this song!!! It's real :)"
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Discussion thread #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WjczVL1bc0 Shaggy-Keeping it Real, Shaggy15643, Uploaded on Apr 13, 2009
1.stef anno, 2016
"Like it, shaggy is definitely keeping it Real!😊😉🎼🎺🎵🎵🎹🎸🎶"
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2. YoungHittah, 2016
"came to my childhood home of 15 years had an eviction note on the door. this is the song that kept my family together. #MusicHeals💯💯"
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Discussion thread #3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmTOM2fuFwk Shaggy - Keepin' it real with lyrics
[Note that some commenters wrote that some of the lyrics were wrong.]
2012
Alan Hugins
"this song brings me up when im blue"
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Sri Naina Chowdary Polavarapu
"keepin' it real - this song is dope :D"
-snip-
"Dope" = African American Vernacular English term meaning "very good".
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gemmagemmz
"My crappy day bought me here :-) It's not so crappy anymore :)"
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ScooterNoodle
"if i am ever feeling down i always listen to this song and i feal better i luv this song :)"
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T Jay
"this one of new orleans fav song at clubs and partys"
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Jonathan Monnet
"they used to play this in the club all the time in new orleans."
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2013
Eddie Mac
"So much truth in that. "No matter how you're sad and blue, theres always someone who has it worse than you. Sometimes you gotta pay your dues, but don't worry just push on through". Need to hear that sometimes."
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EastJazzman
"When I have doubts or worries I always listen to this song, it has such a great message it relaxes me and makes me feel better."
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AdvancingInReverse
"This is my "cheer up, me." song."
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2015
Charlie Park
"People shall I say so many fake people on Facebook is what brought me here. Shaggy - Keepin' it real with lyrics"
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kiizam km
"when i was young i used to enjoy the beats but now i heavily concentrate on lyrics coz its reality of life just"
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Discussion thread #3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYeZu-fLg-g Shaggy at Club 9ONE9: Keep'n It Real, DragonOfParkour, Uploaded on Jan 19, 2012
"Rhonda Brooks Magraff, 2015
"This was my inspirational song while driving in and out of town between working and seeing my family after Hurricane Katrina."
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Evan McClure, 2017
[another commenter's name written as a reply] "i like the message of this song in life you do what ya gotta do and earn your keep nothing comes easy"
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