Evolution Of A Man

Album: Cadillac Records soundtrack (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Q-Tip wrote "Evolution of a Man" for the 2008 film Cadillac Records, which tells the story of the Chess Records label that ran from 1950 to 1975. Chess stands as one of the most important labels in music history, important to both blues and rock and roll. The Rolling Stones immortalized the company's home address with their song "2120 South Michigan Avenue."

    Most of Chess Records' acts were African American musicians who came out of rural areas in an era of unrepentant institutional racism. Those artists included (but certainly weren't limited to) Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Etta James.

    With "Evolution Of A Man," Q-Tip tells the story of that group of musicians. He raps from a first-person perspective, but the story can be applied to some degree to any of those musicians. The song is about coming from a small town ("I'm a big fish in a small pond") with a lot of talent, determined to win fame and fortune no matter the obstacle ("no matter if you got the upper hand").
  • This is based on the 1955 Bo Diddley song "I'm A Man," which was released on the Chess label.
  • In the American South in the 1950s, racists often derogatorily called black men "boy." That's what's meant in the chorus, which goes "you ain't dealing with no boy, I'm a grown-ass man."
  • Al Kapone does the chorus on this one. Kapone is a legend of the '90s Memphis, Tennessee underground hip-hop scene. His song "Get Crunk, Get Buck" is on the soundtrack album Hustle & Flow.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

The Girl in That Song

The Girl in That SongFact or Fiction

Billie Jean, Delilah, Sara, Laura and Sharona - do you know who the girls in the songs really are?

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Actors With Hit Songs

Actors With Hit SongsMusic Quiz

Many actors have attempted music, but only a few have managed a hit. Do you know which of these thespians charted?

Charles Fox

Charles FoxSongwriter Interviews

After studying in Paris with a famous composition teacher, Charles became the most successful writer of TV theme songs.

Rock Revenge Songs

Rock Revenge SongsMusic Quiz

John Lennon, Paul Simon and Lynyrd Skynyrd are some of the artists who have written revenge songs. Do you know who they wrote them about?