Fundisha – Lessons is an R&B and pop album full of helpful and meaningful life lessons. Fundisha had a message in her with songs such as Daddy, Lessons, Gotta Be Me, and Pull A Left Eye. We need more messages like this today in our music.
Fundisha – Lessons is one of the lesser known So So Def Recordings releases which not many people knew about. Not many people know Fundisha had recorded a solo album. You might remember that Fundisha sung chorus lines to all of Bow Wow’s hits such as Thank You, Take You Home, and Basketball.
Fundisha – Lessons was originally scheduled to be released on the date of June 18, 2002. However the release date for her debut album was cancelled shortly after So So Def merged with Arista Records. This was after the So So Def merger with Arista Records. A lack of charting singles is another reason why her album was shelved. The single Life I Live was only a moderate hit and fell off the charts quickly.
The other reason why her was shelved is because she got pregnant and Jermaine Dupri could not promote her album properly. Her pregnancy led Jermaine Dupri to shelve her album and drop her from the So So Def label. Which is a shame because Fundisha – Lessons was one of the most eagerly awaited R&B albums of 2002.
Live The Life is one of those songs that a message about one of life’s lessons. Fundisha sung about various perspectives of her life from her angle. She explained what her experience was like growing up “in the hood”. The song was included on the soundtrack for the movie Hardball.
The song has a catchy poppish R&B chorus with lyrics that went:
[Chorus:]
Have you ever ever ever
In your whole whole life?
Seen the the things that I’ve seen
Or live the life?
People don’t know what I go through
Or imagine what it’s like
Growing up in the hood
Have you ever ever ever
In your whole whole life?
Seen the things that I’ve seen
Or live the life?
People don’t know
What I go through
Or imagine what it’s
Like being misunderstood
Have you ever in your whole whole life seen the things that Fundisha has seen or live the life? People don’t know what Fundisha goes through. Or imagine what it’s like growing up in the hood. Or imagine what it’s like being misunderstood.
Maybe if you could walk a mile in her shoes, you would feel all the things that she goes through. And then you tell her what you would do to try and make your dreams come true. When you feel like your back is up against the wall and every time you try to rise you fall. But yet you find the strength to hold on and keep the faith despite it all.
Have you walked ever outside scared you might lose your life? Don’t know if you’ll live to see 29. May even be a kid. You have to be a strong in order to stand. But Fundisha has got bigger dreams inside of her head. She don’t wanna end up the next one dead. So she prays everyday for a better way.
Imagine growing up seeing dead bodies showing up outside your residence. Hood dreams but nobody is blowing up. 1 out of 2 barely make it. Half of the people you grew up are incarcerated. Fundisha wouldn’t trade her life for the love or the money. Don’t try and play her for a dummy. Dreams must be something in these project walls. She trusts in God. That’s why she never falls.
You Make Me was a song is dedicated to her children. She wanted to express her feelings about her children on her Lessons album to let them know how special they are to her. The song has a fun vibe due to the melody, production, instrumentation, lyrics, and harmony.
People told Fundisha that she would mess up my life. However she could not just deny the feelings
she felt inside of her. So sweet and indecently her children pop on the scene. She tells her children, “You just don’t know how much you mean to me.” Her children make her smile, laugh, feel, and make her happy. She is so glad she her children in her life.
She had to make a way for her children to have everything they need. She’ll dry all their tears away and calm their fears when they cry. They remind her of how blessed she is.
Wanna Be is about how everyone wants to be famous and have their name in the spotlight. Everybody wants to be an artist, do a show, and be in the video. Everybody wanna do their thing. But not everybody can. These were lessons inspired by the lord and her pastor. The subject matter is similar to Lil Mo – Supa Star.
Fundisha has been in this game for years. The music industry. Blood sweatin’ tears came to fault for this. Real live gangstas wanna be rappers. Real live singers wanna be actors. And ya’ll ain’t even ready for that. So you say you wanna be a superstar. Wanna live the life and drive a nice car. Wanna rock the ice and have a big house.
She is the truth of living proof or danger. She’s told it since her youth because many are called but few are chosen. Fundisha spreads the word like Abraham and Moses. Her life is bright. It might hurt eyes. But do realize it’s a gift from God.
Everybody wants to sing and rap. And everybody wanna be an artist, do a show, and be in the video. Everybody wanna do their thing. But everybody can’t.
Never Taught, Never Told is about how a girl that Fundisha was friends with who grew up in a chaotic home with abusive parents who never taught her about love. She ended up leaving her chaotic home because she felt like she didn’t belong there and falls in love with a man who later became abusive towards her. In the end she wonders why her parents never taught her about love. Never Taught, Never Told is tragic tale of love and abuse.
Fundisha remembers growing up in Newark, New Jersey and hanging out with the girl next door. She never wanted to go home because her parents were always fighting. Fundisha ran into her the other day and asked her how she was doing. She just started crying and her heart really went out to her. Fundisha asked her what was wrong. As she began to wipe the tears from her eyes, this is what she told Fundisha.
Her mother never told or taught her how to be a lady. If she did she never would have never had this baby. Her father never taught her right from wrong as he was never home. Poppa was a rolling stone.
The girl’s father was an alcoholic and her mother was addicted to marijuana. Drug addiction was the reason why they never paid much attention to her. Because of the lack of attention from parents, this girl would walk in the streets at night instead of being at home when she was supposed to be.
Her parents never heard her cry because they would be constantly fighting. Sleep deprivation is something she often experienced due to her parents constant bickering.
She was living in a house that was not a home. She ended up leaving her chaotic home because she felt like she didn’t belong there. Then she fell in love with a man who said that he loved her but all he did was hit me with his hand. He was abusive towards her. She thought things would get better but only got worse after she gave birth to a child. She wishes her parents would have taught her to love herself in order to love a man. Also she wonders why her parents never taught her about love.
However her mother did teach her everything happens for a reason. And God knows how much you can bear. God will make a way out of nowhere. She’s trying to feel this thing right now. She’s gotta feel this thing right now because God made a way for her one day.
Pull A Left Eye is about how Fundisha wants to get violent with her man because she drives her crazy. Pull A Left Eye is a song recorded just around the time Left Eye of TLC burnt her boyfriend’s house down to the ground.
Fundisha asks her man, “How many times do I have to tell ya that I can’t be with someone I can’t trust?” and tells him, “I don’t wanna fuss no more Sweet and sour, every hour. You run around tis’ fell down. Got me walkin around with a frown . She tells him enough is enough and tells him, “Enough is enough. I can’t take this anymore. I’m about to lose control.” How many times does Fundisha have to tell her man that she can’t be with someone she can’t trust? Why did he have to push her this far? He is going to make a Left Eye.
He has been out all night again. It’s been it’s the same answer every time she asks. She calls and receives no answer. Her man is unresponsive and evasive. That’s not the way to make her happy. She’s gotta leave him alone before she pulls a Left Eye.
Tearin’ up all his stuff. Now she got her match struck. That’s how she feels right about now. That’s what he gets for tossing Fundisha around.
Fundisha would never let him drive her crazy. She tries so hard to make it work. Things with went wrong. Now she is singing this song. She is about to lose control. Why did he have to push her this far? How much can one take before a day break? She’ll try hard not to lose her cool.
Gone Too Soon was a song Fundisha wrote for her debut album. Fundisha remembers writing this song for her first album. She had a few of her first experiences with losing people that she loved. The song deals with the pain and sorrow of losing a loved one. That is why there a mournful feeling of pain.
I rate this album 5/5*****!!
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