[Intro] (spoken freestyle over rolling bass + siren sample) Yo, Kingston wake up, sun already hot like fire, Zinc roof a bake, gutter full a tire, Valerie on the riddim, freestyle pure vibes, Poverty an' crime—dis di real yard life. Big up di corner, big up di lane, Mek we chat di truth, no sugar, pure pain. [Verse 1] (rapid freestyle toast) Born ina trench town, belly a growlin' loud, Muma stretch one rice, feed five pickney proud, No light bill pay, candlelight shadow dance, Rats size a cat a run 'cross di zinc fence. Hustle start early—sell bag juice pan di corner, But empty pocket breed t'ief an' gunman honor. Pickpocket ina market, light-finger yout' a dip, Gold chain gone 'fore yuh even feel di grip. Scammer pan di phone, "Muma send di money quick," Romance cyat from foreign, pure trick an' slick. Localized: Bumboclaat empty fridge a stare me back, Rahtid hunger mek righteous man turn jack. [Chorus] (melodic chant, crowd-response style) Poverty a di root, crime a di fruit, Kingston streets a bleed, yuh see di proof! From shotta to scammer, thief ina di night, Yard life hard—we a fight fi see di light! (Hey! Pull up!) Poverty a di root, crime a di fruit... [Verse 2] (freestyle continues, darker bounce) Garrisons divide, color war still hot, Red side, blue side, bullet nuh care weh yuh squat. Extortion man come, "Pay di tax or else," Shopkeeper shake, hand over di weekly wealth. Drug mule yout' swallow pellet fi di flight, Dream a escape but belly full a fright. Housebreak at dusk, jimmied window slide, TV, phone, even di baby shoes dem hide. Lottery scam call, "Yuh win big, just send fee," Old lady pension gone—pure wickedness decree. Pussyhole politician promise road an' school, But pothole deep an' pickney still a fool. Scent a ackee an' saltfish mix wit' gun smoke, Touch di hot zinc, hear di distant shot echo—risk every walk home. [Chorus] (repeat with ad-libs) Poverty a di root, crime a di fruit, Kingston streets a bleed, yuh see di proof! From shotta to scammer, thief ina di night, Yard life hard—we a fight fi see di light! (Bumboclaat! Hold it down!) [Verse 3] (freestyle climax, faster choppy flow) Lottery duppy, three-card trick pan di plaza, Weedman a sell draw but paranoia never farther. Domestic quarrel spill pan di lane, knife flash, Neighbour dem peep through board-house crack an' dash. Cyber crime now—clone card, phish di password, Same hunger different tool, still di same reward. Little yout' aspire fi di gunman glory, 'Cause school book tear up an' future look sorry. Sweat 'pon di brow, heat rise off di asphalt, Sound system far, bass a rattle di sheet-metal vault. We laugh loud still, joke through di sufferation, But rahtid truth: crime born from di deprivation. [Outro] (freestyle fade, spoken) Three minutes pan di clock, riddim still a run, Kingston, mi love yuh even when di pain nuh done. Freestyle pure—poverty, crime, every type dem, From pinch to shotta... yard never quiet, bredren. One love, stay sharp, eyes open ina di dark. Valerie done. Pulled up.
