Your Body As A Price.

A gripping, true narrative by the talented Jessie Reyez, recounting an experience she shares with many women in the industry. Not only do female artists deal with this, think of moments in your life where this world has asked you to somehow pay the price to success with your body instead of your work. Below is the short film that describes the incident as well as the original lyrics to the song with Jessie's own explanation of the lyrics in italics (courtesy of genius.com). Full music video is in the media section of this site!

[Chorus]
20 million dollars in a car
Girl, tie your hair up if you wanna be a star
(So much money and attainable dreams right beside you
You want them?
Tie your hair up and get ready to suck dick for your dreams
That’s what this guy said
Fuck this guy though)

Left, right, left, right, left, right, right, right
(Marching, left foot, right foot
Like soldiers or thoughtless drones
Lacking morality or consciousnessThe final “right right” is homage to Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange” – a film about a dystopian society where shit is senseless and dark. My entire life I dreamed of a moment like this , disney-like, where someone in power would hear me sing and be willing to help. This night flipped my perception on it’s head -like Kubrick’s depiction of morality in Clockwork. Will IDAP, the wicked producer of the song, put me onto a lot of films while we were working together. They also influenced the energy we were playing with- this one in particular.)

30 million people want a shot
How much would it take for you to spread those legs apart?
Left, right, left, right, left, right, right, right

[Verse 1]
Oh I'm the gatekeeper
Spread your legs
Open up
You could be famous
(It’s so hard to get your foot in the door in the music industry
Some people take advantage of being on the inside and you being on the outside
You’re so hungry and ready to work and chase your dreams
They see this and if you have something they want- they’ll taunt you and ask for an exchange
Alot of times – they’ll ask for your body)

If you come up anywhere else, I'll erase you
(“If you don’t take the opportunity I’m handing you and you try to find one somewhere else, I’ll black ball you from the industry and make sure no one else is willing to fuck with you”)

Drink up bitch we got champagne by the cases
Don't you know? Don't you know?
We are the gatekeepers
Spread your legs
Open up
You could be famous
You know we're holding the dreams that you're chasing
You know you're supposed to get drunk and get naked
(Particularly as women in the industry – you get objectified often.
For example, if you come to a late night session and you’re not a close friend or a fellow artist, you will be depicted as a hoe -even if you’re not. You walk in and more often than not, you are viewed as delivered pussy.
If that’s what you want to be- that’s cool- but coming from a woman that isn’t trying to be that- it sucks.
You’re expected to get drunk
You’re expected to be easy
Might sound offensive but this is just real shit)

[Verse 2]
Oh I'm the gatekeeper
Spread your legs
Open up
You could be famous
Wait 'til 5 years down the road and you're failing
(Taunting me
Saying that I’m throwing away my chance and that I won’t reach my goals if I don’t take advantage of the shot that he’s giving me. Saying that when I’m older I’ll look back on the night where I ruined my chances of success.)

Keep fucking these regular dudes that are nameless
(Saying that I should be using my pussy properly and fucking strategically)

Don't you know? Don't you know?
That we are the gatekeepers
Spread your legs
Open up
You could be famous
Girl, on your knees
Don't you know what your place is?
(He’s saying “Submit. You’re less than. How could you think you have worth in this situation or a right to say no.”)
Got gold on my dick, girl, don't you wanna taste it?
(He’s accomplished and he’s living his dreams. He’s saying that his dick is the closest thing I can taste to success and my ticket to my goals is submitting.
Ps. fuck this guy)