My Brother Is A Basehead

Album: De La Soul Is Dead (1991)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • De La Soul's Posdnuos wrote this anti-crack narrative out of anger from his own older brothers' problems with drugs. The song is basically a true story but one detail is changed from real life: Unlike the track's subject, Posdnous' sibling went into rehab. He explained to Melody Maker: "Basehead is slang for someone who freebases or smokes crack. When he was basin', I had strong feelings about it."

    "Some people might have thought it was too personal for them to write about, but I really didn't care," Posdnous added. "It helped get it off my chest, plus I thought a lot of people could identify with it and it could help people. Word by word, it's not following what actually happened, but it's close. It relates how we grew up together and how his downfall began."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Music Video Director David Hogan

Music Video Director David HoganSong Writing

David talks about videos he made for Prince, Alabama, Big & Rich, Sheryl Crow, DMB, Melissa Etheridge and Sisters of Mercy.

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.

Grammar In Lyrics

Grammar In LyricsMusic Quiz

Lyrics don't always follow the rules of grammar. Can you spot the ones that don't?

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.