Lyrics!: The Roundtable Vol. 1

A simple celebration of the spoken word.

{Note: Vol. 2, whenever we get there, is all female artists}
{Note 2: Stuff Tomorrow}
{Note 3: Nooooooooooooooooo behaviour}
{Note 4: NONE!}

"My powaz mek the wicked disappear
My powaz manifest and Rastaman seet clear
My powaz mek the wicked disappear
My powaz manifest and Rastaman seet clear
My powaz mek the wicked disappear
Selassie I seh fi harness it and tek good care
Any hour babylon fi disappear
Black Man yah nah fi fraid to acknowledge yah fears!

Clutch in gear!
Clutch in gear!
Pressure haffi, go explode the frontier
Hey babylon, yah destruction get near
Standin on di Afrikan shore, mi ah stare
Chant Nyahbinghi, thump di bass and di snare
Mi seh yu nah fi ask if a turban mi wear
If ya Black, ya Black
Well if not, then what do you care?
So much frustration and tears"
-Pressure Busspipe from 'My Powaz'

"Some juvenile no tek no talk
Inna broad daylight, dem ah walk wid di gun
Skylark wid di gun
Siddung pon sidewalk wid di gun
Serious, nah laugh wid di gun
Dem life ah go dung wid di gun
When Kingfish come, mi si nuff a dem ah run wid di gun
Dem flex wid di gun
Tek fence wid di gun
Talk bout self de fense wid di gun"
- Busy Signal from '2 Much Gun'

"Mi dun si dem move!
Mi dun si dem flex!
Mi get fi ovastand seh nuff ah flex lak Rex!
Mi dun si dem move!
Mi dun si dem flex!
What kind a move dem ahgo mek next!

Mi tell dem live clean and dem gone live dutty
Selassie I commandment?
Dem run go bruk it
Dem heart, it no clean
Dem mind, it smutty
Watch how dem ah move lak a dogs and puppy
Caan escape!
No care how dem lucky
Watch how dem ah flex lak Jason & Chucky!
Well you no si seh dem a walkin duppy!
Dutty livity!
Mi ah beg unuh fi lef it!"
-Jah Mason from 'Si Dem Move'

"Mek gal bend up dem back lak chiropractor
In di Soca thing, I am di Soca reactor
I am bad, lak a nuclear reactor
Mek people wave up dem rag, just like helicopter
IN DI SOCA BIBLE I AM DI FIRST CHAPTER!
Any time I perform, dem bwoy caan perform after!
Soca Monarch night is going to be a disaster!
Shake down stadium, from pillars to rafters!"
-Mr. Killa from 'All Gettonaz'

"I don't want no CD, no MP3
Don't want no love to come download me
So fed up with technology -
Computer lovin is not for me
Let's take it old school, like '83
Put me pon di table, like a record - spin me
I wanna feel ya needle baby (DAMN!)
Scratch it, scratch it, scratch it, scratch it, scratch it for me!

Like a record, spin, spin, spin, spin me yeah
You're my DJ spin, spin, spin, spin me yeah
Love the way you play, spin, spin, spin, spin me yeah
Me yeah, me yeah, me yeah!

Put me on wax, oh yeah I want that
And then you press me and I'll press back
Love when you set me all in your rack
I know that I'm at the top of your stack
And you can pitch it if you wanna go slower
And you can mix cause you got the power
Just when you thought it was gonna end
You wheel me, wheel me, wheel and come again!"
-Alaine from 'Spin Me'

"Carnival in TnT is so special to alla we
Like we need blood in wi veign
That's how wi feel about Port of Spain
When di posse dem come in town
Beating pan and all bongo drum -
It's madness everywhere
Carnival is yah true freedom
Mek a noise or a joyful sound
And jump up in di air!

Everybody tek a jump, tek a jump, tek a jump up now!
Start to wave, start to wave, start to wave up now!
Start to wine, start to wine, start to wine up now -
Because - It's Carnival!"
-Ms. Destra Garcia from 'Carnival'

"Rastafari recognize the root of it all!
This ya iniversal concept is the truth of it all!
You must remember babylon denomination dominate dominion, amphibian, opinion - the spook of it all
Africa levitify and purify earth
I am not doubting my essence, mi nah scrutinize worth
Plant mi okra, mi ganja - maximize earth
Multi-complex
Complexion: Blacker than dirt!
Permedial structure, six pointed, erect and invert
Like locks to Rasta, ferments are antennas of earth
Breath of life, better life inna Kilimanjaro!
Africa strive, gathering might, now the cock it a crow
Trumpet sound! Gather around!
Just lift up unoo voice!
Man anoint ganja joint, the ash give it spice
We got - foods for your belly and the herbs to heal
Plain and simple, know it as it is. WHOA!"
-NiyoRah from 'African Chant'

"There's so much that we can do
And so much that we can say
Everyday that pass by, I keep getting stronger
Morality is fading is away
The children have nowhere to play
Indeed we are here, can't let this go further!
Go tell dem seh:

LION RULE THE EARTH!
And don't send parasites
Tell you all you caan come close!
Mek you know you caan come close!"
-Aima Moses from 'Don't Come Close'

"The earth start shaking, the sky start falling, this is not a place for me
Volcano erupting, the mountain collapsing, it's a calamity
I need to go where the big diamonds shine
Where I can slow down and clear up mi mind
Oh Zion!
Yes, I need to be myself -
Close to my Motherland

I wanna go home!
Oh Jah take me away
All my people they are lost, dem so far away
Go home!
To my island in the sun
4,000 miles away from babylon
I wanna go home!
I don't want to be elsewhere!
Dem gone far away!
Go home!
To my island in the sun
4,000 miles away from babylon

I saw so many places
I met so many faces
Still many more to see
My book have many pages
My life so many stages
It's just my livity
Babylon by bus man, mi caan stop
I'm trodding the world right, round di map
Mi tired but mi legs gonna keep mi right up
Yes I Jah, I shall never give up!
-Alborosie from 'I Wanna Go Home'

"It's all about simplicity
Living in a unity -
With your Brother, your Sister, your Uncle and Auntie
Simplicity!
As a bird in di tree
Fly away impurity
Fyah bun negativity

I could ah live in di old time days
When it's King Selassie I everyone ah praise
Living in the order of the perfect way
No joking, skylarkin, got no time to play
And Mama tek care of the youths so dem nah stray
Together as a family nuff time wi ah pray
Papa work hard to provide everyday -
And so it haffi stay
But the system designed to make things complicated
And everyone seem so frustrated!
Everywhere mi go, it's X-rated
But a you ah create it!"
-Queen Omega from 'Simplicity'

"Would try fi fight mi down
Try fi push I around
I know - Jah is always there
Would rejoice if I drown or get crush by di pound
I know - Jah is always there
In everything I do and in everything I say
I know - Jah is always there
HE brightens up my days
So to HIM I always pray
I know - Jah is always there!

Jah give I di blessing
Wicked heart, you, I'm addressing
Seh neva try to hold I down
I teach yah lesson
Who Jah bless, you cannot be cursing
And Hail Selassie I upon HIS throne
Everywhere I go, I know Jah is always there!
Therefore I know, inna mi goings I must have no fear!"
-Warrior King from 'Jah Is Always There'

"Bwoy no come dis yahso
Nah go live fi tomorrow
Lyrics weh mi have ah fullup a carT and bruk a wheelbarrow
Mind you lose yu marrow
Family inna sorrow
Weh di music constant, cross di world and mi ah run yahso
Claim seh yu ah lock yahso
But mi open up yah tow
Build some more school so ghetto youth dem can teach yah know
Seet deh now, mi have yahso
Right ya now mi rock yahso
Right ya now, I'm talkin to di man weh inna dat mirror

Mi badda dan di rest yah know
Tougher dan di rest yah know
Al dem ah talk, mi seh a mi dem caan test ya know
Good, better, best yah know
Neva let it rest ya know
Good become better and di better becomes best yah know"
-Beenie Man from 'Badder Than The Rest'

"Likkle children live what they learn
No bodda gwan lak a nah your concern
Good example must set for dem today
Doh lead dem astray
Don't mess up dem self-esteem
No bodda tampa wid di youths dem dream
Youths don't change your beautiful skin
Everybody couldn't be a browning!

If a bleach a must di one fi mi clothes
Neva rub mi forehead and mi nah go rub mi nose
I no want fi look like the King of Pop
So mi drop a thunderball inna dem bleaching shop
If a bleach, a must di one fi mi clothes
Mi ask dem why dem dweet and still nobody knows
Some seh dem waan to look like the King of Pop
So mi drop a thunder ball inna dem bleaching shop

Legalize di herb and ban di bleaching cream
Cuz a peer white man mi see ah walk pon di scene
Blue soap ah sell more than rice and sardine
Is like dem forget about Martin Luther dream
I no wear skirt, just look pon mi good
Mi neva wear tights so mi bun Robin Hood
And watch the type of clothes weh you go buy dung at di mall
And mind people think you have ties with Ru. . .
Some bwoy ah wear blouse and ah talk bout dem ah jig
Black woman no cut yah hair fi wear di Indian woman wig
Watch dem!
How dem look like Leprechaun?
Cah dem bleach out dem face and forget to rub dem hand
No colour lak Black, longtime mi know dat
And when mi si di Black puss, mi nah turn back
If I bleach, I mussi tek crack
I rather stay Black, Marcus Garvey love that!"
-Exco Levi from 'Bleaching Shop'

"There's nothing to worry about
Cause he'll be there
I have no doubts

In times like these when you find yourself in trouble
Take it easy, take it slow, don't make it double
In times like these when you find yourself alone -
No matter where you are, you walk in trouble zone
You feel the sky is falling on your head
Don't worry cause He said He would be there
He will guide you, trust me
He will brighten up the dark
Shine His glory on you, help you out when times get hard
No matter how big your troubles may be
With Him by your side, they're always tiny
You need not worry
Need not struggle
Need not fret
Cause all He really wants for you -
Is the best!"
-Sara Lugo from 'Nothing To Worry'

"Dis here a di King, di Prophet and di Higher Priest
There is no better way for me to trample the beast
Mi celebrate Jah Jah victory and Mussolini defeat
The power of Selassie I has no limit
Children be ready fi di Emperor!
Selassie is the Conqueror!
The People Protector
HE is our saviour

Glory!
Glory!
Glory dat wi hail
Haile Selassie I and Marcus and Emmanuel
If you don't love my people and my culture, go to hell
Anyway mi ahgo sing it and ah ring it like a bell"
-Takana Zion from 'Glory' featuring Capleton

"Wreckage, wreckage!
Di system fi crash
Mystery babylon ah go collapse
Di one ya name
Wreckage, wreckage!
Di system fi crash
Bun di babylon flat!
Wreckage, wreckage!
Di system fi crash
Mystery babylon ah go collapse
Di one ya name
Wreckage, wreckage!
Di system fi crash
Biggup all di poor and have-nots

A Rastafari a di first
HIM touch Geneva Conference and HIM utter every words
Peer gun bun up, none of dem couldn't serve
Yow dem man clean, none a dem neva work
That's why dem waan to diss di Rightful Ruler fi di Earth
Seh dem want to, kill off di born and birth
Posion gas dem use kill off di boys and girls
Boom drop!
Yow, mek mi parent dem ah splurt
Di warriah dem ah, fi go dive inna dirt
Slit dem throat because dem coming blood thirst
Watch dem helicopter bust and lite a surge
Caan diss di little children weh inherit di earth
Biggup Nannyville and biggup dung a Dunkirk
Selassie I seh fi put di woman inna dem skirt
Selassie I run di century weh dem call 21st
Alla di enemy haffi get up and splurt
Slaving di people and talk bout dem ah work
Babylon, mek you fi switch and convert
Tell di ghetto youth dem seh praise Rastafari every night and day
Earthquake shake di earth!
-Sizzla Kalonji from "Wreckage"

"Run di place!
Run di place!
How dem a gwaan lak seh Assassin caan dun di place?!
Run di place!
Run di place!
People seh a upside down, dem waan mi tun di place!
Run di place!
Run di place!
Memba seh wi have di fyah tune weh ah bun di place!
Run di place!
Run di place!
'Talk How Mi Feel', yeah da one deh come stun di place!

Well Assassin is a DJ weh di people rate
A lyrics?
You know wi have whole heap fi waste
If a riddim?
Riding like wi deh steeple chase
So mi waan know a wah dem mek wi pree di case?
Hah!
A mussi true mi nah bleach mi face
And true certain thing you caan gimme fi taste
Mi nah buy di charts dem
Nah cheat di race
No, wi nah pick up no freaky ways
Fi wah?"
-Agent Sasco from 'Run Di Place'

“Don’t let the poor and the needy be devour
The chastisement of poverty is in imminence ya
Inna di whole world, mi mean look at the big picture
An eleven foot, six hundred pound tiger
Him get fed up, all of a sudden -
What dem ah pet him mouth fah?
Inna an instant, he remember his true nature
Not to mention black mamba and king cobra
Mek any weh ga, thank ya, for well being oh Jah!
Did distillation of the balance tek iniquity law?

Dem did camp pon diamond and gold inna Africa
And have retirement home down inna Ecuada
Dem did ah flood out media ya wid dem propaganda
Then the dangerous situation need mediator
See wah groove to dis ya riddim ya, no bodda wid dat
Mek di whole Dancehall come alive with what
A riddim of comfort, a riddim of hope, a riddim of niceness out ya
The brightness of a one countenance change another demeanour
Inna one bag a desperate decision out ya
In dis time, neighbour ahgo haffi help neighbour
This ideological divide, way deep down ya
Mek dictator come compel dem supporter
Fe draw hardware, dem ah draw, not pon canvas Jah”
-Vaughn Benjamin from 'Black Mamba'

"No food fi di poor and di hungry
Shootout pon di boundary
Clothes dutty and mi caan go a laundry
If mi get a white shirt, dat a luxury
Big boss, have you any work in the factory?
Cah mi caan find flour, saltfish and ackee
Time past till all mi hair get natty
Mi no waan tun inna John Gotti
So mi juss, hold up mi head high -
High to di sky
Dem caan stop a man weh ah try
Mi nah stoop fi di M-O-N-E-Y
Cah mi doh want a piece of di babylon pie
Jah Jah know is an ocean of tears I cry
Fi di youth dem weh missing and di one dat die
I si how dem bring drugs and boom, bye bye
So mi nah stop bun dem till di day I die!
Is like dem waan mi kill mi bredrin fi a loaf of bread
But I shall not live on bread alone
Mi nah go sellout mi bredda dem fi loaf of bread
Dem waan mi dead, dem waan di john crow fly ova head
Tell dem my heart still beats like an Afrikan drum
Juss words and power from an Afrikan son
You don't have to rich to be happy
Mi si smiles pon poor people face and dem doh even have it"
-Gappy Ranks from 'Peace & Joy'

"Some artists nowadays -

Look like a gaze dem ah gaze
They're making music to gain some fame
But it's all in vain
But when Messenjah and him crew touch down
A strictly worries in town
Wi lick dem with words, power and sound
A roots & culture wear di crown
Some a dem ah push bad vibes and dem nah hold no rem
Dem ah gwan lak dem a di roots, but dem a di branch and stem!
Dem shoulda know wi ruling so from way back when!
Dem know dat Papa Luci is a living legend!
Dem caan tek di fyah weh Jah Messenjah send!
Seh nuff a dem come ya and deceive Jah children!
Dem ah gwan lak dem a mi friend, but dem a bag a heathen!
Mi bun dem and scorch dem again! [SCORCH!]
Well then-

Carry mi music over rub a dub market
And a di music sell off!
Carry mi music over rub a dub market
Even di producer haffi laugh [Ha ha ha ha]"
-Luciano from 'Rub-A-Dub Market'