This song and video a lot of people can and are relating to. The song touches many a personal chord. By growing up in NY, it seems Alicia Keys did too. I heard this on the Hip-Hop Stations and thought it was a good song especially because of the lyrics. I actually thought to myself, "Whoever this is, this is on fire." Though I would always miss who it was that did it.
The next thing I know they have a Part 2 to it with a female vocal added. I had no idea it was Alicia Keys until I saw the video. She really did a good job with her vocals on this because she sounds just like many of the female vocalists I have heard in Reggae and Dancehall.
Parts of this video remind me of that movie called City of God. Other parts of it remind me of a movie I saw in '97 called DanceHall Queen. I think most people who grew up in the inner city can feel and relate to the truth of what Cham is saying in this video and song. I know I can because it reminds me of growing up in DC in the 70s and 80s and some of the things we saw, witnessed and experienced with our own eyes.
It also reminds me of Out In The Streets, They Call It Murder by Damian Marley (which Alicia Keys also was feelin') because they both speak truths about what is and was going on out here and for them, in their own Jamaican neighborhoods (As Bob Marley did). They don't floss it or try to elevate the life of it. They just tell it like it is. One of the ways Rap music used to be. It moves me the same way The Message did by Grandmaster Flash back in '82. Just telling the truth that we all knew and know too well.
Cham official site: cham-music.com
Alicia Keys official myspace: myspace.com/aliciakeys
Lyrics:
[Intro: Alicia Keys] (Cham)
Here's my, ghetto story (Story)
Been in hell through the fire, now, gonna take it higher (This a survival story, true ghetto story)
Here's my, ghetto story (Story)
So many reasons to sing now, plus now we got the keys to the kingdom (This is my story, real ghetto story, hey)
[Verse 1: Cham]
I remember those days when Hell was my home
When Me and Mama bed was a big piece a foam
An mi never like bathe and my hair never comb
When Mama gone a work me go street go roam
I remember when Danny dem tek me snow cone
An mek him likkle bredda dem kick up Jerome
I remember when we visit dem wid pure big stone
An the boy Danny pop out something weh full chrome
I remember when we run, Fatta get him knee blown
An mi best friend Richie get, two inna him dome
I remember so the avenue tun inna warzone
An, Mickey madda fly him out, cau she get a loan
But, Mickey go to foreign and go tun Al Capone
Mek whole heap a money and sen in our own
Now a we a lock the city and, that is well known
Yesterday Mickey call me pan mi phone
Mi say Mickey.....
[Chorus: Cham]
We get di ting dem
Dem outta luck now
Mi squeeze seven and the whole a dem a duck now
We have whole heap a extra clip cau we nuh bruk now
Rah...Rah..Rah...Rah
[Alicia Keys] (Cham)
We got the kingdom so we have to make way
We take it from the bottom to the top baby
And now the whole community can live greatly
(Rah...Rah..Rah...Rah)
[Verse 2: Alicia Keys] (Cham)
I remember those days when, we was dead broke
And, I could barely find a, dollar for a token
Hop in the train just to get where I'm goin
Po Po's after me I'm runnin like I'm smokin
Remember those days when I went to bed hungry
All I ever ate was white rice and honey
Big dreams in my head empty my tummy
Might crack a smile but ain't nothin funny
I remember playin over needles in the street
Everywhere I go and there was some part of me
Thirteen thirteen was, hookers and hoes
On 11th avenue sellin bodies for dope (Whoa)
Remember cryin sayin that will never be me
Gonna make it someday gotta be somebody
Say, mommy don't worry it's just you and me
But, one day we will get out of this misery (Hey!)
[Chorus: Cham]
We get di ting dem
Dem outta luck now
Mi squeeze seven and the whole a dem a duck now
We have whole heap a extra clip cau we nuh bruk now
Rah...Rah..Rah...Rah
[Alicia Keys] (Cham)
We got the kingdom so we have to make way
We take it from the bottom to the top baby
And now the whole community can live greatly
(Rah...Rah..Rah...Rah)
[Bridge: Alicia Keys]
Here's my, ghetto story (Story)
Been in hell through the fire, now, gonna take it higher
Here's my, ghetto story (Story)
So many reasons to sing now, plus now we got the keys to the kingdom
[Verse 3: Cham]
Jamaica get screw, tru greed an glutton
Politics manipulate and press yutes button
But we rich now ,so dem caan tell man notin
Cuz a we a mek Mama a nyaam Fish an Mutton..Ehhhh
Ova dehso mek mi tell unnu some'in...
Tru mi dey a foreign now a guy kill me cousin
An mi here sey TD deh dey but him sey he wasnt
Anytime mi fly down him a get bout dozen....Cause......
[Chorus: Cham]
We get di ting dem
Dem outta luck now
Mi squeeze seven and the whole a dem a duck now
We have whole heap a extra clip cau we nuh bruk now
Rah...Rah..Rah...Rah
[Alicia Keys] (Cham)
We got the kingdom so we have to make way
We take it from the bottom to the top baby
And now the whole community can live greatly
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