Kingston Three-Second Warning

[Intro]

[air horn blast]

Three-second warning

Youth dem swarming

Whole lane roaring (rah!)

[Verse 1]

Hot sun burning asphalt

Shop front soundbox shake

Sidewalk full a side-eye

Each man guarding plate

Badmind talk pon corner

Rusty zinc fence vibrate

Phone light flash

Dem filming

Mi still marching straight

[Chorus]

Kingston three-second warning

When the street start count

Stop yawning

One… two… three

Man storming

If you soft

Better walk out early

Kingston three-second warning

Every rude bwoy rise by morning

One… two… three

Dem swarming

Stand firm or your pride get curly

[Verse 2]

Talk cheap

Youth

Pay tax

Word spread fast like taxi

Rum cup knock pon grating

Old man laugh

“Dem ya mad

See?”

Steel gate slam like snare hit

Sirens sing distant key

Whole block smell like fry fish

Still raw tension ’round we

[Chorus]

Kingston three-second warning

When the street start count

Stop yawning

One… two… three

Man storming

If you soft

Better walk out early

Kingston three-second warning

Every rude bwoy rise by morning

One… two… three

Dem swarming

Stand firm or your pride get curly

[Bridge]

[percussion drops to bare clicks]

Count that three

Nuh beg

Nuh plea

If you nah ready

Street nuh wait

Yuh see (yeah)

Count that three

Head hot

Heart freeze

Only one heartbeat

Ride this energy

[Chorus]

Kingston three-second warning

When the street start count

Stop yawning

One… two… three

Man storming

If you soft

Better walk out early

Kingston three-second warning

Every rude bwoy rise by morning

One… two… three

Dem swarming

Stand firm or your pride get curly

[Outro]

[air horn

Crowd shouts fading]

Three-second warning

Street keep scoring

Kingston calling (hey!)