As an artist, it is important to be understood; to have people understand the message you are trying to convey. Therefore, though I have no formal training, I have decided to translate the works of hip hop artists (aka rap artists) for those, who although older and out of touch with modern art, still want to be well-rounded as art enthusiasts.
The piece below is by an artist name Sean Corey Carter, who is also known in the world of art as Jay-Z and sometimes, HOVA. The name of the piece is 'H to the IZZO'. First, is the original verse, and after you will find a rough translation. I hope that this will help those who are not fluent in poetic language and metaphor. Thank you.
H to the Izzo by Jay-Z
Ladies and gentlemen, put our hands together for the astonishing...
(girls singing)
H to the izz-O...V to the izz-A...
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the 8th wonder of the world
The flow o' the century...oh it's timeless...HOVE!
Thanks for comin' out tonight
You coulda been anywhere in the world, but you're here with me
I appreciate that...uuunnnh...
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Fo' shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down in VA
Was herbin' em in the home of the Terrapins
Got it dirt cheap for them
Plus if they was short wit' cheese I would work wit' them
Boy and we...got rid of that dirt for them
Wasn't born hustlers I was birf' in em
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Fo' sheezy my neezy keep my arms so freezy
Can't leave rap alone the game needs me
Haters want me clapped and chromed it ain't easy
Cops wanna knock me, D.A. wanna box me in
But somehow, I beat them charges like Rocky
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Not guilty, he who does not feel me is not real to me
Therefore he doesn't exist
So poof...vamoose son of a bitch
CHORUS
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Fo' shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down in VA
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
That's the anthem get'cha damn hands up
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Not guilty ya'll got-ta feel me
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
That's the anthem get'cha damn hands UP!
Holla at me...
I do this for my culture
To let 'em know what a nigga look like...when a nigga in a roadster
Show 'em how to move in a room full 'o vultures
Industry shady it need to be taken over
Label owners hate me I'm raisin' the status quo up
I'm overchargin' niggaz for what they did to the Cold Crush
Pay us like you owe us for all the years that you ho'd us
We can talk, but money talks so talk mo' bucks
CHORUS
Yeah...
Hove is back, life stories told through rap
Niggaz actin' like I sold you crack
Like I told you sell drugs...no...
Hove did that so hopefully you won't have to go through that
I was raised in the pro-jects, roaches and rats
Smokers out back, sellin' they mama's sofa
Lookouts on the corner, focused on the ave
Ladies in the window, focused on the kinfolk
Me under a lamp post, why I got my hand closed?
Cracks in my palm, watchin' the long arm o' the law
So you know I seen it all before
I seen hoop dreams deflate like a true fiend's weight
To try and to fail, the two things I hate
Succeed in this rap game, the two things is great
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
What else can I say about dude, I gets bizzay
CHORUS
(girls singing)
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A... (4x to fade out)
Translation:
Welcome ladies and gentleman to an event that will no doubt seem like the 8th Wonder of the World
A story so compelling, it will seem timeless. Thank you for being here this evening,
You could have spent the night anywhere in the world, but you’ve decided to see me and I appreciate you for it.
I, under the alias of HOVA, spent time playing basketball in Virginia when I was younger. I was so good that I humiliated lesser players in Maryland. I provided people there with services at a discount. I was also understanding and generous if my customers were short a few dollars, though, admittedly, the provision for those services weren’t exactly legal. Still, if I’m to be perfectly honest, we did eliminate any substances in the end that would cause problems with the authorities. I learned to survive in dangerous circumstances and taught others to do the same. I did these things under the alias of HOVA. Most certainly, my brothers in arms, I was well off at the time; and I felt that the world of poetry needed my talent. Those who were jealous of me, I dare say, wanted me dead. The authorities came to my home and the District Attorney tried to entrap me. Yet, my lawyer was extremely proficient and I remained free of charges. Under the alias of HOVA, the judge determined that I was not guilty. I was forced to dismiss those who did not commiserate with me and before long those individuals were gone from my life.
Please speak out if can you relate to what I am saying. I am most certainly telling my story through poems for cultural reasons. I would like people from my culture to be inspired by what I have achieved. I would like to teach them how to survive adversity. The arts industry in particular needs to be revamped because those who have power in the industry are trying to keep me quiet, lest I empower you with the truth. I am holding those men accountable for how the fathers of poetry were treated. Those men need to compensate artists who have suffered.
I have returned to tell my stories through this art medium and I do so even though some of my audience often behaves as if I am sanctioning bad behaviour. But I tell my stories so that others who come after me will not make the same mistakes that I once did. I was raised in questionable surroundings, where many people around me were bad influences; And at some point, I became influenced by them and often had to conceal myself from the authorities in order to keep from being sanctioned. I’ve seen some hard times and I’ve seen people’s dreams deflate at the same rate as a person’s weight who is suffering from substance abuse. If there are any two things that I truly dislike it is trying and failing. But to try and succeed, especially as a poet, means the world to me. The only other thing I can say about my life is that I never give up.
Source of original lyrics: http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/H-to-the-Izzo-lyrics-Jay-Z/234B1AF53D9C3C0A48256AB50010403B
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