From the big big big big smoke to the big big big big apple
Whether you drink drink drink drink coke or sip sip sip sip Snapple
From the Capital to capital I'm trying to get that capital
Until my name's up in bright lights and capitals
In the big big big big city, it's a bit bit bit bit crazy
Where babies are having babies that grow up and rob old ladies
I've been on the hustle daily trying to get rap to pay me
Cause working in gap or Sainsbury's ain't gunna get that Mercedes
Born in the eighties in London but African raised
And I've dreamed of packing those raves since back in the days, it's
Dreams
In the cla**room banging on tables till the teacher says
Derek sit back and behave
It seems in my 22 years so much has happened
But I'm still progressing, bank balance going up per annum
But when you're doing rapping Charlie, seems to take a shooting or stabbing
To go platinum Charlie
I ain't gunna let that happen Charlie
[Chorus:]
City life I love you
Even though the skies are grey
I'll never place no place above you
People trying to hustle every night and day
Some are living the high life
Under the bright lights
While others get high and throw their lives away
And every night I pray that I don't go insane
And end up just another product of the city
It's a bit bit bit bit crazy up in the big big big big smoke
If you're a lil lil bit bit lazy you'll end up a lil lil bit bit broke
Overseas it seems british folk are known for sniffing coke
Being quick witted, and wicked rich and sitting in boats
So every time I travel abroad I've gotta set the records straight
And represent for all the people who can't afford to flipping go
I'm just an ordinary bloke amoungst all these different strokes
Trying to stay afloat without doing no fraud or dealing dope
Street lights, street life, all a flipping joke
But I've come up a bit, had a good heart that toughened up a bit
Look in the mirror kissed the good guy good bye
Then exchanged my pucker-up lips for a stiff upper lip
Little rob's jacking, watch him hold'em up with arms
Kids are getting k**ed round these sides
And certain role models ain't doing jack but holding up their arms
And that's just to do peace signs-these times are crazy
[Chorus:]
No place for the weak every race is chasing paper seven days of the week
And the streets just sound like music, 'cause kids care recording criminal
Records- the police are the beat
The steaks are high and everybody wants to eat
Youths use weapons as ladders to step up on these high streets
Equals violence, then comes the violins
Then comes the sirens, then comes the silence
Life's the best teacher and I'm trying to study hard
So I can graduate up into the upper cla**
Front line like queen latifah in set it off
Take notes like a bank robber in a rubber mask
Frontline like Chiefa we take while others ask
Duct tape the rap game, rape the pop world
Make off take another path, maybe politics
No mate don't take that for another laugh
[Chorus:]