Cal-S-thetics & Tone Dogg on the grind...(produced by Cal-S-thetics)
Long Beach city, Cali living was the inital inspiration, but the song was meant to be universal to all city dwellers. I mean the people are the "breath" of the city, the "heart" of the city, the "life" of the city so this "beat" ("pace") personifies that energy. It also is a shout to all those people struggling to get by, working hard to get their bills paid and what not.
The City Beat
(Cal-S)
As the sun peeks over the buildings/
spring to life men women children/
off to school, day-job or the office/
everyones on the clock so be cautious/
('cause) the pace quickens, excitement heightens/
as veins liven with peeps and cars driving/
doin' what they have-ta-do/cruisin' down the avenue/
you're bound to catch an attitude/if don't show some gratitude/
'cause this is their hustle, this is their life/
they're on their lunch break, they're on their grind/
and it spells doom, especially at noon/
when the end of the day couldn't come to soon/
and just when they think they can't take no more/
for sure, 5 o'clock, day done, they're out the door/
back to the traffic in the city streets/
made gold by the sun that lays low in the eve.
(Chorus)
The City Beat, The City beat/
Pounds like my feet on the concrete when I walk/
The city streets, full of peeps/
Tryin' to make ends meet 7 days a week/
The City Beat, The City beat/
Watch your back when your on the creep at night in /
The city streets, full of freaks/
Remember, the city don't sleep so don't sleep.
(Tone Dogg)
It's 8 o'clock and the street lights just came on/
so I'm outro (gone), 'til the breakadawn/
proceeding to PM, a nice summer evening/
smoking and drinking, another Cali weekend/
headlights spark, it's hard to see in the dark/
open the moon roof hatch, tryin' to see the stars/
Roll slow with an attitude/ view on the avenue/
There's some wild animals/ I know where I'm passing through/
keep an eye for cops in the black in white/
neighborhood watch is still hot at night/
I stay cool and don't trip when I cruise the strip/
Jammin' oldies checkin' for the smoothest whip/
Hop on the freeway smashin' with no traffic/
Got a whole city ridin' trying to see what's crackin'/
On the hill I can see the city and it's beat/
the lights never go out so I don't sleep/
(Chorus)
(Cal-S&Tone Dogg)
Working, providing, each person surviving/
versions of life in an urban environment/
individually to the community/
pump together as one in unity/
It's like you and me are the city's heart/
a rhythmic symphony each playin' our part/
and it's never boring, there's 8 million stories/
so peep the recording and don't get caught snoring/
(Chorus)
(Tone)
Everybody, Where ya at?/
If you love where you're from let me hear you clap/
From the front to the back, yeah! just like that/
It don't matter where from on the map/
Just let me hear you say, Where ya at!/
You know how we do when we bring it back/
Represent, Where ya at!/
It don't matter where it is on the map/
We Comin...