Grime Town :- LAY IT DOWN PROJECT (Rough draft)

[OsCKilO]

This is the first attempt by the young People involved in The "Lay it Down" anti youth Violence Project.


The participants are all 14 years old.



The Genre that they are performing is usually filled with negative messages.

They turned the tables on this and produced a Positive message against youth Violence.


There will be another version of this as the Kids are not happy with the backing track.


But I am very proud of them.

Grimetown

By (In Order)
Hayden
(Chorus Guest Vocal By Helen)
Junior
Michael
Ashraf
Erkan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUiVtBlih-E

Lyrics

They said put down the knife so I picked up a pen.
"Do Music"... That's what my friends recommend.
No need for the beef (Trouble)...
No need for fighting....
No more knives Going under my bed...
No more Running from Fed (Police)....
No Wondering if my life's gonna end....
Got my Pad and my Pen...
No Mac (Gun) and a Skeng (Blade)....
Certain I won't get stabbed in my end (Town/zip/post code)
I got my Pad and my pen...
Some times I say "yes all good" (to gang Culture)....
But I'm gassed (angry) coz (Because) I know i.t's Mad in my ends...
Not a mad man but I go Mad in my ends (area)...
Bare (Lots of) Knives in My ends..
I Ain't Got one....
Think you're a Gangster... But you're not one...
Not Bad... Positive content...
Coz No Kids Get Stabbed in the wrong end.



Lay it down
Do ya' wanna be six feet underground?
I didn't think so.
No You don't
No You don't
No You don't
No You don't Know
No You don't
No You don't.....




People that Role with (Carry) Guns you should stop cuz (Cousin/friend)
Coz (Because) when you go to school you will Flop (Fail) bruv.
You Hurt Peoples Family... Kill Peoples Faculty...Having seen the world we are Living in.
It's like little tin (a Cage of metal.. Knives being the bars)......
Stay out of gangs.
Stop the Bang Bangs (Guns/shootings)...
Stop the knife crime....
Coz you will go to prison for a reason...
And you will stay in prison for the whole season...





People on the Street... Keep Tempting.... (Pressure from peers etc...)
No Need for a Knife...
Squash it.. Don't end (Kill) them....
It's too easy to get sucked in...
There's a Few roads in the cold streets, they raise Co-D's (Co defendants.... I presume)...
I'm 14, hope I make it to 25....
The roads are tough....
Insert (Stab) and Bye Bye....




Lay it down
You don't wanna put six feet underground...
Want your life taken by fed? (be placed in prison)
Might as well end up dead....
Turn that frown up side down..
To your Mum your her jewels on her crown.
Doesn't matter if your white or brown.
Stay in school.



Lay it down
Do ya' wanna be six feet underground?
I didn't think so.
No You don't
No You don't
No You don't
No You don't Know
No You don't
No You don't.....


You "Chat Grease" (talk nonsense and try and instigate a fight) when your with your Co-D's (Partners in crime)...
But you won't "Chat Grease" when you are on your own "G" (Gangster..term used sarcastically) ....
A Word don't phase me, Because your behind like the "5.0" (Police) when they chase me ...
Keep my name out your mic (Gang music often insults rival factions...)....
You don't know me....
Drop the Knives, and "Remain on the Low Key" (Stay out of trouble)...
"Fam" (Family- term of endearment)  {of}Course it's a hard life....
But you don't need to Roll (Walk) with a sharp Knife,
or Pack heat, Style Nine (carry a 9mm gun)...
I would Have done that If I never had My Music to Pass time...
You don't want no hassle from the "Po-Po" (Police).....
Like Helen (Female singer on track) Said, No you don't know.....

Lay it down....


They said put down the knife so I picked up a pen.
"Do Music"... That's what my friends recommend.
No need for the beef (Trouble)...
No need for fighting....
No more knives Going under my bed...
No more Running from Fed (Police)....
No Wondering if my life's gonna end....
Got my Pad and my Pen...
No Mac (Gun) and a Skeng (Blade)....
Certain I won't get stabbed in my end (Town/zip/post code)
I got my Pad and my pen...
Some times I say "yes all good" (to gang Culture)....
But I'm gassed (angry) coz (Because) I know i.t's Mad in my ends...
Not a mad man but I go Mad in my ends (area)...
Bare (Lots of) Knives in My ends..
I Ain't Got one....
Think you're a Gangster... But you're not one...
Not Bad... Positive content...
Coz No Kids Get Stabbed in the wrong end.




It's Over...
Lay It Down.....

This track is part of the competition to win a Micro BR...

I am Having Trouble deciding who Should win one out of the five Participants...

They have already won eight MBR's for their school....

Now we have two to give away as Prizes.

There are a Number of factors that they will be scored on...

One of these is the relevance of the message they portray in their rap.


Can You guys let me Know which 2 rappers you think has put across the best message in their part.

The Feedback will also help the participants with their final draft/track.



Thanks for being part of this project.



Peace


T (OsCKilO)

[cuthbert]

Sounds quite pro and polished to me - I have to admit I'm not up on my genres, especially with what the young whippersnappers listen to these days. This is hip-hop, right?

Nice job, fellas! 

[Oldrottenhead]

yo

[OsCKilO]

This is hip-hop, right?

Kind of.......

A form Hip hop in London has turned into something very negative as of late...

Here is a you tube of the kind of music i'm talking about...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-CtG54jruI
Do not watch if you are easily offended.
This is in the same town as the school.




Much of the Genre portrays Angry, misguided young men who are trying to start little empires based on drugs and crime.

The defeatist attitude they adopt is disgusting.

It's all about Quick bucks and bogus ideals based on a botched assimilation of U.S Gang culture.

What makes it worse is that the model has been taken to the extreme.
   
They seem liberally acceptant of a gang culture completely foreign to London and the UK.

[cuthbert]

I thought Hayden and Michael probably put it over best, but they all did very well. Seriously.

[dasilvasings]

Hi OsCKilo,

I was a E8 for about 4 months then I moved to N16. So I lived in hackney for about 2 years!

It was +/- 4-5 years ago. I never had any kind of problem, and I ended up actually liking it, especially Stokey - in my street, there was a sinagogue, a mosque, and then Abney Park, the most beautiful park/ cemetery I ever saw, much better than Highgate.

I think you should be proud of your kids and your project. It is pretty good stuff. IMHO, I liked the first and last altough they are similar. I always liked the "pen is mightier than the sword" metaphors. These two messages clearly state an alternative to violence. Besides I always thought the "don't do" is always negative. "do this instead" is much more captivating. Alternative is an escape, negation is a dead end. I could continue with cheap talk, but I guess you see my point.

Cheers, and send my regards to Abney Park!

[FreddyBoyo]

Since you asked, I think the 2 best verses are these:

1-
People on the Street... Keep Tempting.... (Pressure from peers etc...)
No Need for a Knife...

2-
You "Chat Grease" (talk nonsense and try and instigate a fight) when your with your Co-D's (Partners in crime)...

If you want to help them push it further, ask them to explore what happens after they've "laid it down". How is this the better choice?

FreddyBoyo

[The Gobi Desert Canoe Club]

Not for me to say say what or who is the best or the better rapper/lyricist I know nothing of this genre but if music can help these guys make a better life for themselves I'm all for it. Willie

[SE]

Hi excellent tune, sounds really well produced, liked all the vox,and by the way thanks for the translation would have had no idea other wise.
But if I had to pick one it would be Ashraf, because  of the line.


You don,t need to roll with a sharp knife
Or pack heat, style nine
I would have done that
If I never had my music to pass time.

Just seems to me that these kids need to be shown another way, that they can feel is cool and maybe music can do that.
I know that there are a lot more pressures involved and it,s not so simplistic, but someone has to make a start somewhere and you and other people like you are doing that so you have my respect.

                                                          John

[Gritter]

It all sounds great...really well put together. Those kids got talent and each has his/her own stylee. This is good shit man.