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Ka's Honor Killed The Samurai explained: a thread
This is one of my favorite albums of the decade so i'm hoping this explanation pushes those who haven't listened yet to give it a shot
RTs appreciated
This is one of my favorite albums of the decade so i'm hoping this explanation pushes those who haven't listened yet to give it a shot
RTs appreciated
Don't let the title fool you, while Ka does use some Japanese cinema as samples in this album, the concept isn't actually related to the Samurai.
Ka gives us an insight on how his ideal life is like, which is one that follows the Samurai's beliefs. These include being humble,
Ka gives us an insight on how his ideal life is like, which is one that follows the Samurai's beliefs. These include being humble,
helping others and most importantly, valuing knowledge over materialistic things.
Sadly real life works differently, sometimes you're forced to turn your back on these beliefs, especially when you're growing up in an area such as NYC, the city where Ka is from.
Sadly real life works differently, sometimes you're forced to turn your back on these beliefs, especially when you're growing up in an area such as NYC, the city where Ka is from.
People there are put in situations where they're forced to kill people, sell drugs and do whatever it takes to escape poverty and therefore value money over knowledge.
When a Samurai breaks his beliefs, he "loses his honor", hence the title of the album: Honor Killed The Samurai
When a Samurai breaks his beliefs, he "loses his honor", hence the title of the album: Honor Killed The Samurai
The first song "Conflicted" sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the album. Ka mentions how a good person sometimes has to do bad things in order to survive as a NYC street soldier.
"Rarely peace, and barely a beast" is how Ka describes it.
"Rarely peace, and barely a beast" is how Ka describes it.
On "Just" and "That Cold and Lonely", Ka touches on how the impulses to fight that lead into inner-city violence are crucial to survive.
Onto the darkest song on the album, "Mourn at Night" talks about Ka's escape from that life, recalling that he and his sister were fighting to
Onto the darkest song on the album, "Mourn at Night" talks about Ka's escape from that life, recalling that he and his sister were fighting to
live. He cleverly recaps that with: "We was born in the thorns, few arose
Once a town's noose, now in soundproofs pursuing golds."
The album continues with Ka wishing he had been productive during his earlier life and how he's saddened about how today's youth will face the same
Once a town's noose, now in soundproofs pursuing golds."
The album continues with Ka wishing he had been productive during his earlier life and how he's saddened about how today's youth will face the same
fate that he had. He wishes he could change that. The latter is the main point of "Ours": "On days wish I could save the children that we was
We didn't spare they eyes from all the killings and the drugs."
This broad theme continues in the rest of the album and finishes on the
We didn't spare they eyes from all the killings and the drugs."
This broad theme continues in the rest of the album and finishes on the
last song: Ka's Death Poem.
Didn't want to make this thread too long so this is only a quick recap, but the album and Ka's brilliant lyricism is way denser than i gave him credit for in this thread.
Thank you for reading!
Didn't want to make this thread too long so this is only a quick recap, but the album and Ka's brilliant lyricism is way denser than i gave him credit for in this thread.
Thank you for reading!
