Jill
Scott
Soulful singer Jill Scott was born and raised
in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From English
school teacher, to insightful poet, to successful
songwriter and singer, Scott has opened her
heart up for all to see. While performing poetry
locally in Philadelphia, Scott was invited by
the legendary hip-hop group The Roots to perform
on their Grammy award-winning single You Got
Me. This song, which also featured Erykah Badu,
put Scott on the map and earned her the nickname
the “new Erykah.”
Scott was eventually signed to Hidden Beach
Records in 2000. She released her debut album
Words and Sounds Vol. 1. This album included
the hit single A Long Walk in which Scott uses
a fresh neo-soul sound to speak eloquently of
love and life.
Following her first album, Jill took a couple
years off to enjoy her new marriage to husband,
Lyzel. She then began work on her next album,
Beautifully Human, which was released in August
2004. This second album focuses on love and
features intelligent prose on family, faith
and community and more jazzy and hip-hop grooves.
Anyone who appreciates poetry and enjoys this
sultry style of music would love either of Jill
Scott’s albums. Listening to her can remind
young women of their beauty and independence
in a very re-affirming and inspirational way.
My Petition from the Beautifully Human album,
is a different type of love song. In this song,
Scott expresses dismay and frustration with
the U.S. government which, just as lovers do,
falls short on its promises to its citizens.
I
want to, I want to have faith in you
I
really do but you keep lying to me
It
hurts
I
believe, I believe you owe it me
Give
it to me like you said you would
(©
2004 Sony Records; From: www.azlyrics.com)
I believe that Scott uses this song to speak
about her frustrations as an African-American
woman in our society. Our nation’s anthem,
referenced in this song, proclaims everything
that America has to offer. However, Scott argues
that there are many people in our country who
are lied to and to whom these promises are not
extended. It is a politically-motivated, yet
beautifully poetic, song that I recommend to
all.
Reference: http://www.geocities.com/neosoulmasters/jillbio2.htm
http://www.soultracks.com/jill_scott.htm
http://www.azlyrics.com/s/scott.html
|
