Rotton! Rotton! (YO!) Rotton! Rotton! Rotton! (Yo, London and Jamaica) Rotton! (Yo yo!)
[Chorus] Why is it, so rotton? (Tony Rotton alongside man like Jahmali yo) Why is it, so rotton? (Original ghetto true boy for the peoples army yo yo) Why is it, so rotton? (That's all we do) My people don't ask Tony Rotton (Don't ask me) How is it, so rotton? (Don't ask Jahmali) My people have you forgotten?
[Blak Twang] You don't need to be worried 'bout what my name is or if I'm famous You should be concerned if your burnin' in haters with fire blazes Feel the fire burn up ya charts, burn up ya playlist Fire for the haters and fire for the fakers Pump up the volume wake the neighbours Brethren raise it, all o' the youth outta the ghetto break the cages It's been ages, since you 'eard my style But you know my style is rotton and you know rotton can't spoil yo Nuff hard to switch tryna become rich In District Six, sense lyrics an' chat bare foolishness It's a holy puna and drop it from the bottom lips I'm droppin' the programme like a microfish, check this I'm still Thames Knick, still the thunder brick Still bang like pots and pans in ya kitchen sink Still don't snitch a whip, still rent, still carry a stink And I'm still rotton so put it in print, yo yo
[Jahmali (Blak Twang)] [Chorus] So rotton, so rotton (That's right) My people have you forgotten that it is, so rotton? (You know what tho') My people have you forgotten Why is it, so rotton? My people don't ask Tony Rotton (Uh huh) How is it, so bitter? {??? ???}
[Blak Twang] Before you ask why, am I gettin' high like my blood pressure Try lookin' into my eyes and seein' the world through my retina Or step'a in my boots and see jus' how far it gets ya In a low-budget area where the man, you feel inferior Fear for your life from prejudice and stereotype we're all alike, smoke, drink, cuss, fight, all in a night Yeah right! It's killers in the mist who share pipes and wear tights There's healers in the mist who bear light and wear white There's Jesus in the mist, there's demons in the mist There's even them rowdy 'Gorillas In The Mist' Why ya minds so milli, c'mon brethren don't be silly Ghetto red hot and chilly, and the burnin' inner cities Ya best might sta', miner 'a flash ya light'a Mind the 'S' or one night snipers gon' dim out ya life, cha'! How much longer will this madness last before the youth should realise and raise up, and start to blast!
[Jahmali (Blak Twang)] [Chorus] Why is it, so rotton My people have you forgotten, (Yo yo) that it is, so rotton? My people have you forgotten (Jahmali) Why is it, so rotton? (Tony Rotton...) My people don't ask Tony Rotton (...And Jahmali) Why is it, so rotton? My people have you forgotten?
[Blak Twang] It's gettin' diabolical, nuff of dem are comical All they wanna do is chronicle, money jewels, and tight abdominals They ain't sayin' nuttin' new, all they do is copy you UH UH UH, brothers and sisters what's the World comin' to? Ah public enemy number one, runnin' true Chuck demons, vanity and bomb fire 'pon ya crew JUS' who the ras' who wanna romp wit' the formidable? Rottonostra, chart topper, proper untouchable DEF, London, I represent for all of you West, East, South, North and NW The terrible terrorist 'ere to bring trouble to phoney MPs chichin' man and bum-ruppin' BOO Bomb them like barbeque, steam like green callao SLEW them and then fry them like fish and vegetable Don't make me vexed wit' you don't mess with my vegetables Don't mess with my seeds, my weeds or I'm gettin' you
[Jahmali] [Chorus] Why is it, so rotton? My people have you forgotten that it is, so rotton? My people have you forgotten Why is it, so rotton? My people don't ask Tony Rotton Why is it, so rotton? My people have you forgotten?
So rotton, yeah So rotton, yeah So rotton Tony, Tony, Tony Rotton So help them Lord Show them Lord Help them Lord Show them Lord Help them Lord
[Chorus] Why is it, so rotton? My people have you forgotten that it is, so rotton? My people have you forgotten Why is it, so rotton? My people don't ask Tony Rotton Why is it, so rotton? My people have you forgotten