“I Wish”: The One-Hit Wonder on Jealousy
In the era of 90’s rap, songs were characterized by hard-hitting beats, lyrical prowess, and the meaning that came with these lines. Gang violence was intertwined with rappers, and much of the culture was poised towards the harsh reality of hustling and street life. Today, sandwiched within this mess of creative lyricism and repping their clique, one unassuming song stands out.
Skee-Lo’s “I Wish” doesn’t talk about drive-by shootings, oversexualized women, dealing drugs, or the struggles of living in the “hood”. Instead, his song starts with funky, blaring synths and upbeat drums. Soon after, Skee-Lo’s nasal voice raps simple lyrics about how he wishes for simple things other rappers have, like height, basketball skills, and a new car. This obvious envy of other rappers spoke to me and reminded me of what I lack. Yet, after a little more thought, the song also taught me to be wary of jealousy towards others, as their lives could be very different than what they look like.
When I listened to “I Wish” the first time, something immediately stood out: the lyrics were painstakingly easy to understand: “I wish I was a little bit taller”, “I wish I was a baller”, and “I wish I had a girl who looked good, I would call her” are all simple lines, with none of the complicated rhyme schemes and double entendres that other rappers often use. They also connected to the rapping industry at the time—artists looked big and manly, with gold chains swinging around their neck (balling) and surrounded by attractive women. Skee-Lo, on the other hand, is small in stature, unsuccessful at the time of the song’s release, and gets no girls. Obviously, he’d want someone else’s life, instead of living his own. In a way, the lyrics spoke to me because of their simplicity. Although they could seem bland and lacking in rapping skills to other observers, they were relatable to everyone, no matter their background, and reminded me that everyone has idols and icons that they envy. Everyone wants, even if just a little, to become the people they look up to.
To properly review “I Wish”, we must understand the circumstances of the rap industry at the time. These artists Skee-Lo wanted to become weren’t just popular in the hip-hop fan base—they were popular worldwide. A little bit of context: before the 1990s, hip-hop was just an afterthought of the music industry. But, beginning with this decade, everything changed. The rise of chart-topping rap groups like Public Enemy and N.W.A. revolutionized the Billboard Hot 100 and influenced the next generation beyond measure. Some even say that the rise of hip-hop was “the single most important event that has shaped the musical structure of the American charts” (Mauch 2015). When taking these factors into account, Skee-Lo’s wishes seem even more justified. A small-statured, underground artist like him would clearly look up to and be envious of the household names and powerhouses in the industry as well. Because of this, I understand him even better, and this adds another layer of authenticity to his song.
However, the song's lyrics pose a more ironic meaning if we continue to take the historical context into account. By wanting to be in the shoes of other, more famous rappers at the time, such as Ice Cube, 2Pac, and The Notorious B.I.G., Skee-Lo ignores the fact that, when taking a closer look, these rappers’ lives were anything but sweet. Just two years after “I Wish” was released, two of the three rappers listed above—Tupac and Biggie—were dead, killed in the crossfire of gang violence that was so heavily intertwined with hip-hop.
In the aftermath of these events, would Skee-Lo still want to trade lives with these people he so looked up to before? His dream of being a “baller” with diamonds dangling from his neck didn’t seem so glamorous after all. Sure, you get the flashy things like nice cars and beautiful women, but you also gain the struggles of making it out of the hood, and experience the fear of living at risk of being shot every day. In light of this, it is safe to say that Skee-Lo’s wishes of wanting to be a famous rapper aged horribly. The cheery vibe of his song dims when this is taken into account.
It’s important to note that the goal of the song was not to highlight the troubles of street life—the song was an easygoing, humorous track meant to be a welcome change. If this was the goal, Skee-Lo nailed it right on. However, I am worried that the street violence so common at the time was not reflected in the lyrics, which directly touches the audience. In fact, this song makes the audience want to trade lives with some of the famous rappers. The song lyrics are too superficial to convey the dangers of being a famous rapper at the time. Therefore, when Skee-Lo talks about the finer things in life, he neglects to show the audience the struggle of growing up in underprivileged communities that many of these rappers had to face, which is an oversight that is not beneficial to his message.
No matter the above, most might say that Skee-Lo’s superficial rapping was a breath of fresh air from all the “gangsta rap” at the time, portraying tough guys as even tougher. Although I agree that it is a welcome change, we must not get lost in the meaning of the rap and blindly envy other individuals. Skee-Lo probably understands the tough times other rappers had to get through to get to the pinnacle of the music industry. He grew up with them and was friends with many of them. Yet this is hidden from the audience in his one-hit wonder. Therefore, after listening to this song, the main takeaway I have is this: it’s an enjoyable, lighthearted track for sure, but be cautious about being too envious of others—you usually don’t know the full context of their lives.