This film contains some scenes which some viewers may find upsetting,
very strong language, and discriminatory language and content some may find offensive
MUFFLED CHATTER
KEY CL1CKS 1 N LOCK
KEYS RATTLE
Follow.
To the right. Stop there.
DOOR ENTRY BUZZES
To the right.
And right.
Stop there.
KEYS RATTLE 1 N LOCK
1 n.
Stinks in here...
Come in, my youth.
Come in, man.
Cha.
Me name's Simeon.
It was Alex, don't it?
You want a tea, or something fi drink?
The bottom bunk is mine, yeah?
For the proximity to the shitter.
Boy, me 'dep on hunger strike and me belly bad.
I'm sorry about the smel* stil* but dem things s00n pass, man.
I'll give you a little space, yeah?
Anything you want, just...just help yourse*.
Ah! Do you want to end up in hell?
Is that what you want? Cos that's precisely
what's going to happen if you carry on playing up!
Now, I know you've been fighting!
You get up them stairs and wash them dirty little hands before dinner!
And you go straight to bed!
I don't want to hear a word from you tonight, you understand? Yes, Auntie.
OFF1C1AL: Alec Alphons0 Wheatle,
born on 3rd january '963.
Alphons0, an illegitimate child,
was received int0 care under section one of the Children's Act '948
on '7th April '964
as the private foster mother, with whom he was placed
by his putative father, was unable to continue caring for him.
His mother, Mrs G, a married woman, deserted him at birth.
He was placed in a council nursery initial*
and transferred in February '966
to the children's home where he is now living.
On admission, he was suffering from severe eczema,
but this has improved and he is making good progress.
Alphons0's mother has had n0 contact with him since birth.
D1ARRHOEA SPLATTERS
S1MEON S1GHS
SPLATTER1 NG CONT1 NUES
Ah! jah...
Nice! jah!
BOY: Wheatle's wet his bed again. Auntie!
Shut up! You dirty little bastard!
Ow!
As if I don't do enough for you.
I am sick to death of your disgusting behaviour.
HE MUMBLES What have I done to deserve you?
You are a horrible, nasty little boy!
ALEX COUGHS
D1ARRHOEA SPLATTERS
S1MEON S1GHS
SPLATTER1 NG CONT1 NUES
S1MEON GROANS
jah!
How many fucking times, dread?! You can't use the shitter in the
yard instead of stinking up this place?!
Me not proud, you know, youth.
Me say sorry 0nce and I say it again. Dirty fucking Rasta!
You're lucky I don't fuck you up.
Fuck me up? You'd better fuck me up good, you know.
Anyhow you left me standing, you finish your life.
Joker, dread.
As if you could do me.
Listen!
ALEX GROANS
Calm yourse*, youth!
Calm yourse*!
What me say? Huh?
Listen, listen. Calm yourse*.
All right, all right, all right.
All right, my youth. All right, man.
All right, all right.
Listen, man. I want to hear.
What is your story?
My story?! What?
I ain't got n0 f ricking story!
All right. All right.
All right. All right. All right.
All right. Listen.
ALEX WH1 NES
Have all night, you know. HE SCREAMS
All night me have,
and my ears is ful* 0pen.
Huh? So just start at the beginning.
ALEX WH1MPERS
MUS1C: Satta Massagana by The Abyssinians
What do you call it?
Reggae music.
What, the song?
Nah, not the song.
Why, you like it?
I love it.
Turn that c00n wog crap 0ff!
We ain't in Africa now!
What you gonna do, f00*
Don't worry about him.
Listen to the lyrics, man. C00l down your temper.
HE 1M1TATES AN APE I'm not scared of that dickface.
Shut your mouth before I fill it for you!
Wheats, back down!
Fight! Fight! Wheats, have him.
Fucking have him! Go on.
He's stuck, man.
Oi, get off him ! Teachers, teachers, teachers!
Get 0ff me!
Oi ! Oi!
Fuck's sake!
Fucking kill you!
Fuck 0ff and take that shit music with you!
Get him out of here!
Dontt make it worse for yourse*. Shut up!
Come here, you. Come here!
Stay there, monkey!
W1STFUL MUS1C
RAD10 PRESENTER: Our castaway this week is a writer of short stories,
of children's b00ks and of screenplays - Roald Dahl.
Could you adjust yourse* to isolation on an island?
ROALD DAHL: Very easily, yes.
I l00k for it more and more in my life today.
I hate to say it, but I would love it.
How much does music mean to you?
It means a great dea* but not in a...not in a professional way.
I n the 0ld days, before I was married,
I never used to start writing in the morning
before putting on some very great music,
like a Beethoven quartet, er, and sit and listen to it
in...in the hopes that some of this greatness
would rub 0ff on me and that I would, er, write...
As a matter of fact, it helps quite a lot because it is impossible...
MUS1C: Everyday Wondering by johnny Clarke
1 ND1ST1 NCT CHATTER
Shut the gate.
These are your keys. Dontt lose them.
These are the rules. Learn them.
Any questions?
Good.
DOOR OPENS
Fuck my frigging days!
Man seen boy fall from 0uter space looking less like him
claffy to raatid.
Wha...? What? A blow0h!
No tomf00lery.
Are you cuck00 or are you the beast?
Dennis, behave yourse*. HE SUCKS TEETH
The man is 0nly ramping with you.
Don't listen to his chats.
I'm Dawn.
My r00m's just over there.
It's...Alex, innit?
You're serious* busting PVC?
Frig my days, he is!
He's wearing PVC!
From where on this Earth did you land? Shirley Oaks. I n Surrey.
Surrey?
And they dress you there with garms made by the farm anima*?
HE LAUGHS
You got any corn?
You got...any...corn?
I've got some Pot N00dle they sent me 0ff with.
Oh, God! Oh, Lord!
BOTH LAUGH
Wh0 the...? Who the fuck is this boy?
Eh? Money, man.
Money.
Corn is money.
You got money?
Why? Leave him money alone.
I just want to take the p00r sap shopping, innit?
Otherwise next man will jump on him and mash up his claat.
Don't worry about the corn, Mr PVC.
And just meet me 0utside in tw0.
And just lose the jacket.
You understand? You see that?
He's hearing, but he's not listening, you know. Just get out!
Now, cr00k ya ear, Mr PVC.
Whatever man say,
never trod int0 Dunn & C0.
That's where them dirty greybacks shop.
1 ain't ramping, you understand? This is serious.
You see that? That's Farah.
Like what 1 is modelling.
Anything Farah is on target.
Jah! You're not ready yet.
And we have a priority more pressing than slacks.
Come, come. Let's trod.
S00n come, brethren. S00n come.
Hm? HE CHUCKLES
A blow0ut Afr0 him want. A blow0ut.
Him speak? Of course him speak.
Just give him a blow0ut now.
Man have to ask if he want a blow0ut.
All right. Alex, tell him you want a blowout.
I want one.
A blow0ut, yes. Absolutely. I want one.
HE LAUGHS So, what you say?
Dontt start pon me, dread.
So many youth get bust up in a cell.
Something gonna snap, man.
You hear what happened to Coffin Head? Mm- hm.
Beastman arrest him 0utside the Kentucky,
throw him in a cell, bruk up him
nose and boot up him ribcage. Fi what?
Man, a man want life for life.
Thatts what the Brixton Panther man say, innit?
Things are gonna blow up.
You hear what blow up?
Fi*hy Rocker's va*e amplifier in the dance.
People was vexed.
Galdem on the street cussing up the boxboys,
but they can't get n0 cab to take them to the next dance.
You follow any of the sound system?
I do love reggae music.
Waaah! See, all the African man love reggae.
What is in 0ur bl00d.
I'm not African. Come again?
I'm not African, I'm...
Uh, dread, you is African.
I'm not. I might be black, but I'm from Surrey.
Oh, God ! Bwoy! Him cuss-cuss in here.
Babylon have you washed.
Babylon have your brain in the Fairy Liquid.
HE SUCKS TEETH Wh0's Babylon?
Where'd you get this youth from? And what this youth chatting about?
"Wh0's Babylon?" Babylon not a person.
1t's de politrickster and the system that oppresses all black people.
So where is it on the map?
HE LAUGHS
Man just arrive in Brixton today.
Or just Planet Earth, I don't know. Bwoy, you have to find your roots.
Alexander the Great jokerman.
Boy, you have to find out who the fuck you is!
HE SUCKS TEETH
KNOCK1 NG ON W1 NDOW Yes, I.
All right? Hail Selassi- 1. All right.
HE CHUCKLES
HE SUCKS TEETH
What's wrong? Beast.
Get ready to b0*. What? Why?
What you doing, man?
You serious* are frigging cuck00!
You can't do that! Do what? Fuck with the beast round here.
They'll mash you worse than any bad man.
No, they won't. What?
They're here to help you.
What?! Yes, they will.
They will t00, Wheats.
Them truncheon butt de sufferer.
On this 1 real* ain't ramping, man.
About to chip for my life.
About to run, man.
Wel* I can't run in these shoes.
I've got really bad blisters.
Floyd call it correct. You is a jokerman.
Come, come, let's trod.
You like them shoes there?
Yeah. Try it on, man.
All right, you'll l00k c00l in those, mate. Yeah, man.
Mm. That's it.
How do they fee* Yeah, g00d, but...
Comfortable? Yeah, but...
Yeah, all right, all right.
All right, blow, man.
What? What did you say? Fucking leg it, Wheatle!
But I haven't tied my laces yet!
Oi ! Where you going? Oi ! Come here!
MUS1C: Zion by The Flames
Cup your hand. Cup your hand.
1t make your mouth dry, but give you a nice, slow buzz.
I have smoked before, you know.
Mm? So give me three quid and the rest of the collie yours.
Yeah, man.
Come, come.
Let's trod.
Wa -gwaan?
MUS1C CONT1 NUES
Can 1 give you 7p tom0rrow when I get my giro?
Nah, youth.
How many time me have to tell you?
Return tom0rrow. It'll be gone by then.
Come on, Lincoln.
1 spend all my money in here every week.
Please!
Dennis! Hey, Dennis. Hi, man.
What happen to you, man? Don't use me name, dread.
Wh0's selling the weed, then?
Why have you made the frigging announcement, man?
What wrong with you, eh?
HE SUCKS TEETH Come.
Come, let's trod, man.
Careful of the car, Dennis.
Shut up, man. Come.
All right, me dog. You g00d?
Me c00l. Yeah, man, yeah, man, yeah, man.
Can I have a draw, please?
Yo, where the fuck this youth come from?
Him c00* man. Him safe.
I have some corn. Yo, y0, y0. Listen.
You know how many man get j00k up on this road for little more
than nothing? Eh?
HE SUCKS TEETH Yo, remove ya.
Me said remove ya!
Badger. You known me from time, man.
Give my spar a *2 draw and be happy for the business.
Hm?
Him safe, man.
HE SUCKS TEETH
Only cos true you is my brethren.
Respect, man.
Come.
WH1SPERS: Here's the money.
Respect.
All right, now the tw0 of you fuck 0ff.
HE SUCKS TEETH
You got to be more Brixton, Wheats.
You been here six month, and you not learn nothing?
Like blurting out my name for every undercover beast to take note.
HE SUCKS TEETH
What am I supposed to call you, then?
Maybe dread, or brethren, or spar, or...
I don't fucking know.
And you want to let go of that frigging bumpkin walk, t00.
You walk like that scarecrow on the TV.
Shut up.
Nah, you have to strut as a black man strut.
Any dread can spot you from a mile.
Now, we have to chat about the money side, but...
...I can learn you a few things.
1 've just spent all my corn.
If me a teach you, me have to have compensation for my time.
You understand.
1 've got 30p.
30p?
That is satisfactory for a few pointers.
Now walk.
Lift up your head, man, and slow it down, Wheats.
You is marching like you the Stormtr00per hunting the Jedi.
You got to be the Jedi doing the hunting of the Stormtr00per.
What are you blinking talking about?
You sound like them raas baldhead, man.
"What are you blinking talking about?" Wel* fuck you, Dennis!
1 ain't had n0-one teach me jack shit in my life.
A mum or dad, brother or sister, no-one my whole life.
1 ain't had nob0dy!
Was 0nly ramping with you, brethren.
The truth?
I can't know how deep your pain.
You're the real thing, man. No hyping.
But I always kept eyes out for you, innit, Wheats?
Listen to me.
Christmas s00n pon us,
and my mother puts on a serious spread.
You want to come sample the Jamaican jam on the day?
I don't like Christmas. Wha?!
Nuff boiled chicken, rice and peas,
roast potatoes, stuffing, hot corn...
All right, all right. As long as you quiet your beak about it.
You'll come? Yeah?
HE LAUGHS
I'm warning you - all my family are a bit...
...mad up.
It'll be g00d for you.
Now, me reckon me 0we you 10p 0ff this lesson.
You was proving be a faster learner, t00, Wheats.
But I ... I'll hold 0nt0 that,
because that's going to be 20p for your next lesson, innit?
It's like a little deposit, yeah?
Head high.
Chest out.
* Jah would never give power
* To a baldhead
* Run come crucify the dread... *
Hey!
Hurry up, man.
Happy Christmas, Mummy.
You just come?
Where you been? F00d c00k long time.
Hi, Sylvia.
This is my spar, Alex.
Fix him up a drink first, eh?
Is me for fix it? Thirsty boy.
Jah.
Come. Sit down.
Everybody, this is Alex.
Can you hold the baby?
So, are your parents Jamaican?
I don't think s0, n0.
What do you mean, you dontt think s0? Where they from, then?
SHE SUCKS TEETH Anyway...
...give me the baby.
Very cold start. Tell me how the garage is going.
The garage is going g00d, family. I got a Cortina I just picked up last week.
All right, that's g00d. I need you to come round, help me do some work on it.
Yeah. How's your f00tball going?
BABY CR1 ES
I heard about it. 4-0 you lot lose.
I was in goal as well. DENNIS: Hold that.
Secret family recipe, you know.
All right, Uncles? What's going on, Uncle? You g00d?
Yeah, man.
Can't wait to have some yam. Wh0 want f00d, come now.
Hey!
CHATTER CONT1 NUES
Guys, come get your food.
Coming, Auntie. Coming, Mum.
My mother give me one piece of chicken, man.
HE SUCKS TEETH
How much piece of chicken did you get?
Got a nice piece there. You got one? Tw0 piece. You got tw0 piece?!
Yeah, man. What?!
Come out of my seat, man. Come out of seat, boy.
Move.
You want more gravy?
1s it spicy?
You nuh like spice? Itts all right,
me can get you some drink from the tray. No. No, thank you.
1t l00ks delicious.
What happen to you? Take your time.
The food no have no legs.
Your mother not cook for you?
Sometimes.
Sometime?
Sometime me no know why me bother.
D1STANT CHATTER
WATER RUNS
Me 'dep on hunger strike.
Ten days now, you know. Hm.
1f they can serve halal and kosher, they must can serve ital.
Huh?
Me believe fighting for that is worth all sufferation.
But, bwoy, it wreak havoc with my bel*, you know?
And for that, me sorry till me can't sorry no more, my youth.
Why are you even here, dread?
I was arrested at the gates of Westminster Abbey
with a pickaxe, big s0.
Me tell the judge
me intent upon destroying the tomb of Edward the Confessor
in retaliation for the desecration of all of the Egyptian king
by the European man.
Me gonna bruk it up!
He give me six months.
So, you're serious about your stuff, then, innit?
Rasta is not...is not a religion.
1s my life.
What are you writing?
Why you ask me that?
No reason.
Me write some.
Just notes, man. I don't real* have the talent.
What me blessed with is for the love of reading.
Reading's what shaped my life.
Is that your family?
Yeah. The woman in the white dress are me mother.
The minister's sister.
Keep in touch?
Not for a long while now, n0.
HE SUCKS TEETH Cha.
Enough about me now.
Me never suffer like you, you know.
You know how me end up in a prison, right?
So, come on, youth, man, what happened to you?
I t00k a wrong turn. No, man.
Listen up now.
Not one man, woman or a child
ever learnt anything in life
without making a mistake.
For me, it was always about the music.
That was it, dread.
# One g00d ting about the music
# When it hits you You feel no pain, yeah
# Me say one g00d ting about the music
# When it hits you, you feel n0 pain
# Come and say hit me with music
# Come and say hit me with music now
# Cos dis a Trenchtown rock Don't watch that Trenchtown rock
# Big fish or sprat, Trenchtown rock
# You reap what you sow Trenchtown rock
# On* jah-jah know. #
jah know the gong speak!
Yeah, my youth. Come here, man!
HE LAUGHS
Yes, my youth?
Have corn for this, but not this one.
Can you keep it for me, just for a couple of days?
I rie. You have until Friday. Safe.
Respect, Lincoln. Respect.
You is t00 fat. You can't see how you need church?
Fat stinkin' dog. You is a... You...
You is a scrawny little rat boy, you know that?
You not see how your trouser, them a burst out? L00k how your head
big like breadfruit, dog. Big like breadfruit?
You know what? You l00k like some sewer rat, you know.
You know that?
Dog, you is the fattest man in Brixton. You know that?
And guess what? Me still take your gir* you know.
You know that? You can't take my girl. I can't? Ask her. You can on* take my girl McDonald, dog.
And what? That's... Listen, you is a sausage dog. Brethren, you see your nose?
You're like Blackwall Tunnel or something like that, you know what me say? You is a dumpling.
I'll squash you, brethren. I destroy you. You is a jamaican panda.
A Jamaican panda? Shut the fuck up, man,
before me chop 0ff your tw0 lip, them, and make two imitation sausage out of them to raatid! Say it.
Me? Yes, fatman. You must be mad, you know. I'm not mad, you is just fat.
Frig my days!
Valentine Golding. Come find you, innit?
Welcome, sir.
What, you did all this? Mm- hm.
Check my new suitcase.
Philips 423?
Dread, how you lay your hands on this record?
Spent every penny of my G-cheques.
Me sometimes keep a l00k out for the bad men up on the line
to make a little extra corn.
Can still run fast, innit?
And the beast never seem to bother me.
Check this.
Corn is money.
Ooh! Hey, that's the skills man have to have.
Yes, man.
I knew it.
You ain't changed. I have.
A little bit.
You're mad, you know that, right?
Ah, shut up. LAUGHTER
The leg-back's mine, you know, brethren.
Where's mine, man?
1 keep telling you. You're not ready, man.
Today's going to be the best night, I swear to God.
Mind yourse*, dog.
Dat's Festus Coxsone's 0perator.
You telling me, brethren. Carefu* man. Careful.
That's how much leg- back are going to be in there,
brethren, with that bass, man.
Man, there's going to be every type of girl here.
Girl from North London.
South London. West London.
South-east London. LAUGHTER
Bruh!
Me gone.
Yo, baby, y0.
Hold on. Whoa, whoa, whoa. 1.50 for coming in.
What you mean?
Give me 1.50 to come in, 0therwise fuck 0ff. Move from the d00r.
Man, fuck this.
All the cries girls are with the sound man.
To get dem leg - back is simple.
HE SUCKS TEETH
Yeah.
We need 0ur 0wn sound.
That's it.
That's right, man. But we have to make it proper.
That's crucial.
Of course, dread.
To raatid.
We can call 0ur sound Crucial Rocker Sound System.
Crucial Rocker.
Crucial Rocker, to raatid, yeah.
To raatid.
HE CHUCKLES
But we haven't got any equipment. Ah, don't worry.
Me know where.
ELECTR1C SAW WH1 RS
Thank you, Dawn.
1 n tune to the great boss sound of Crucial Rocker,
flash up your lighter. Easy.
We want to have at least 10O watts a channel in the amp.
Then we can be nuff match for Tupper King and all them dreadheads.
We thieved enough p* for at least three boxes. But you ain't got nothing to put in them.
What a blow0h! We never had nothing to start with.
Watch, this sound is going to be wicked and wild. Trust me.
# Wicked and wild
# That's the sound of the underground
# See me there in a Brixton town
# Give the beastman a crucial pound... # Eh!
Crucia* crucial! # Wicked and wild
# That's the sound of the underground
# Give the beastman a crucial pound... #
GRUNT1 NG
Fuck my days!
Get in!
Get in. '2, '2.
DOG BARKS Frig, man!
There's a dog. There's a dog ! Hurry up! Move, man, move!
Move, move!
Hurry up, man!
Fuck it!
1 'm here to see Cutlass.
1s Cutlass there?
Mr Rankin, I mean.
And what if him is?
Him might want chat a likkle business.
Wholesale business.
Youth?
1 've come to talk business.
Take 0ff your clothes.
What?
Take 0ff your clothes.
Take 0ff your brief.
1 ain't carrying n0 wire, dread.
1 ain't n0 undercover beast.
Wh0 control Moa Ambessa sound?
Beres.
Wh0 are the mic men, then, fi Frontline I nternational?
We*0n Youth and Si*er Fox.
Wh0 run tings down the Villa Road?
Sofern0 B.
Wh0 0perate the sound?
Big Youth.
But some man call him Chabba.
All right.
Still me question your dialect. Your accent sound t00 English.
But all right, my youth.
How much collie you want?
Ha* 0unce, dread.
But the brethrens 1 sell to smoke top- ranking bush.
LAUGHTER
You know the runnings!
What name dem call you, my youth?
My friends call me Wheats.
My sound is going to be called Crucial Rocker.
I rie a'ight, Crucial Rocker!
HE LAUGHS
Next time you want to make your 0rder, n0 forward here.
Call this number.
Pull up your brief now.
Youth!
I like your jacket.
CUTLASS LAUGHS
Crucial Rocker!
Big Wheats, me n0 have n0 weed left, s0 me need 30z, all right?
30z, and just come link me back next week, I ... I deal with you proper. I give you something nice,all right?
Nah, I don't know about that one, Badger. What you mean, you n0 know about that?
You see the road, big man, you have to know everything about everybody.
Yeah, but, if 1 give you them 30z, how do I know you'll give them back to me?
Oh, you know me, I give it back. Boy, me l00k like criminal to you? Eh? You think that me ever rob
big Wheats? Yeah, yeah. What happen to ya, dog? Whatever, Badger. I need to go pee, all right?
Wait there, yeah? Go on, go piss, come back and we talk some real
business, yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go on, man.
HE S1GHS
You got any gear? What ya talk about, big man?
Yo, y0, move from me, man. What the fuck you all doing, boy?
Come here. Yo, get the fuck 0ff me!
SHOUT1 NG
Come here! Fuck 0ff!
Get in the back! Move the coon!
Get the fuck 0ff me!
CRASH1 NG
Get in the back! Get him in!
BADGER SHOUTS OUT
SCUFFL1 NG AND SHOUT1 NG
TYRES SCREECH
THUDD1 NG, BADGER SHOUTS OUT
MUS1C THROBS
Thatts a nice jacket, nig - nog.
Fuck 0ff, bacon.
SHOUT1 NG
Something to say? Something to say?
SHOUT1 NG CONT1 NUES
S1 REN WA1 LS
DOOR OPENS
DOOR SHUTS
ENG1 NE STARTS
Fucking black bastard, hets got a long walk home!
They never learn, do they? They never learn.
# Me walk pon Acre Lane inna freezing rain
# Watch out behind you, watch out
# Me sight tw0 beastmen Swear they were insane
# Watch out behind me Watch out... #
Just chill now, brethren. Tell her hair l00k nice, that kind of thing, huh?
The needle's stuck, dread. School finish, and I don't want you have to teach me
s0 many things when I know so many raatid tings about you.
1f I were to blab, you'd have to walk down the street
with a bag over your head and a serious muff covering them ears,
cos the laughter all around would drown out even Shaka's speaker box.
DOORBELL R1 NGS
Come on. Let's trod.
L00k at this likkle raas youth!
Hi ! H I ! Come on in!
You all right? Thank you for coming.
That's all right!
QU1 ET CONVERSAT10N
LOVERS ROCK PLAYS 1 N BACKGROUND
And this is Alexts sound.
Crucial Rocker.
And Valts as well, innit?
I nnit a ting?
Yeah, they thieved every bit of it.
Not the viny* man.
Not thieved any of the gold. But they make it all themselves.
I nnit, Alex?
With, like, a big saw and that.
You got to hear him MC.
Mm!
Katrina know one of them girl who dead in the fire.
The thing in New Cross last week?
Yeah.
Everyone was chatting about it at the dance last night...
...maybe thinking one of them National Front boy would come
and fling a petrol bomb inna the dance or something.
How many dead now?
13.
HE SUCKS TEETH
13 youth dead...
...and nothing being said.
And 30 more injured or in hospital. Dem all kids, man.
And they made n0 arrests.
That's why the people, dem are s0 vex.
HE SUCKS TEETH
There's talk of some kind of march if the beast don't do nothing.
A march if they're lucky.
We're in the middle of a frigging war.
And nobody sight who did it.
Nob0dy?
It was dark, and one minute everybody wining and dining.
And the next? The next, the yard
just catch alight from a petrol bomb. It's a serious business!
Something ah snap!
Thatts what dem Brixton Panther man say, innit?
Something ah snap.
REGGAE MUS1C Oh, me love this tune! Come on.
Yeah, man!
Boy, her leg demanding a stroke.
Now your chance, Wheats.
Wel* do your thing, man, come on!
Don't let me down, brethren, do your ting.
Come on, you're embarrassing me, man. Do your thing, man.
DENN1S SUCKS TEETH
Brethren!
Come on, l00k at that leg - back, man! Do your ting!
MUS1C 1 N NEXT ROOM
Thank you so much for coming. It's been s0 nice!
Have you had a good time?
Lovely. I'll see you s00n. Bye!
You let me down, brethren.
You let us all down.
We bring you to meet a fit girl and you don't even say tw0 words to her?
Whatever the matter with you?
She was never going to be interested in nobody like me.
Cha! That's what I'm talking about. Talk like that
and you are never even catch them leg - backs who are troggs.
Shut your f ricking beak, man, before I shut it for you!
You know nothing about me, dread!
Now get the fuck out!
We didn't know 0urse*es could have happened, you know
Any time, anywhere
Fire don't it happen to we and the nations, them are ready
But in spite a all that everybody was still shocked
When we get the cold facts about that brutal attack
When we find out about the fire over New Cross
About the innocent life Dem were lost
About the physical* scarred The mental* marred
And dem relatives who take it so hard
And, you know, a*hough plenty people were surprised
They n0 say dem kind of thing there could've happened to we
1 nna this here Great Britain I nna London today
And a few get frightened and a few get subdued
Almost everybody had to sympathise
With the loved 0nes of the injured and the dead
For this here massacre that we come to realise
1t could have been me It could have been you
Or one of few pickney dem
Wh0 fell victims to the terror by night
But wait
You not remember how the whole of Black Britain did wrack with grief?
How the whole of Black Britain did turn a melancho* blue?
Not the passable blue of the murderer's eyes
But like the smoke of gl00m on that cold Sunday morning
But stop
You n0 remember how the whole of Black Britain turned a fiery red?
Not the callous red of the killer's eyes
But red with rage like the flames of the fire
1t's a hell of a something fi true, you know
What a terrible price we have to pay, though, man
just fi live a little life
just fi struggle fi survive
Every day is just worries and struggle and strife
1 magine s0 much young people cut off inna dem prime
Before the twilight of dem time
Without n0 reason nor rhyme
Cast in the shadow of gl00m over our life
L00k how the police and the press try dem desperate best
Fi put a stop to a quest for the truth
You remember?
First dem say it could be arson
Then dem say it could be not
First dem say a firebomb
Then dem say it was not
Them implied coulda white
Them implied coulda black
Wh0 response for the attack
Against those innocent young blacks
1 nstead of raising the alarm
Let the public know what? gwaan
Plenty paper print pure lie fi blind your public eye
And the police, them plot and scheme Confuse and conceal
Me hear seh even the p00r parents of the dead dem tried fi use
But, you know, in spite of them wicked propaganda
We refuse fi surrender to them ug* innuendo
For up till now not one of them
Neither Stockwel* neither Wi*on nor Bell
Not one of them can tell we why
Not one of them can tell we who
Wh0 turn that night of joy
1 nt0 a morning of sorrow
Wh0 turn the jollity
1 nt0 a ug* tragedy.
REGGAE MUS1C
CHATTER
ANGRY SHOUT1 NG OUTS1 DE
Yo, Brixton on fire!
CHEER1 NG
ANGRY SHOUT1 NG
Babylon!
F1 RE ALARM BLARES
Go on, then! Go on, you fucking bastards!
1 ND1ST1 NCT SHOUT1 NG
POL1CE WH1STLE BLOWS
Fucking black cunt!
Fuck 0ff!
Fucking nig - nogs!
1 ND1ST1 NCT SHOUT1 NG
Stop Babylon!
Yes, come on!
All right, you wog!
POL1CE WH1STLE BLOWS
Come on, let's go, let's go!
Come on, then! I'm coming, I'm coming!
POL1CEMAN LAUGHS
Fucking leg it!
RHYTHM1C THUDD1 NG
POL1CE WH1STLE BLOWS
ANGRY SHOUT1 NG
S1 REN WA1 LS
You mother cunt, get 0ff me!
Yardman I rie fresh from the war zone!
Man a man, what dat friggin' smell?
Me a smell some raas foulness inna the air.
Yo, Yardman I rie need to discover deod0rant. Me feel sick!
Him stink like cabbage water.
And y'all put politeties pon it. Man, you reek
like rancid baby nappies. Shut the fuck up, dread. You say what?
1t was either that or to get mash up in a beast cel* to raatid.
You come here reeking like ghett0 sewage.
Remove from this yard with speed.
Let man take some collie.
Please, man.
Next time me see you...
...me want my money.
Now remove.
HE SUCKS TEETH
Come here and stink up my yard.
What me tell you about that youth, you know?
HE SUCKS TEETH
What you think about this one?
Mm.
# Uprising, there's an uprising
# There ain't n0 work and we have no... #
# Uprising, there's an uprising
# There ain't n0 work and we have no... #
# Shilling
# We can't take n0 more of this suffering
# So we riot inna Brixton
# Uprising, there's an uprising
# There ain't n0 work and we have no shilling
# We can't take n0 more of this suffering
# So we riot inna Brixton
# Uprising, there's an uprising
# There ain't n0 work and we have no shilling
# We can't take n0 more of this suffering
# So we riot inna Brixton
# Uprising, there's an uprising
# There ain't n0 work and we have no shilling
# We can't take n0 more of this suffering
# So we riot inna Brixton... #
HE HUMS THE MELODY
# So we riot inna Brixton. #
1 n tune to the great boss sound of Crucial Rocker.
This one goes out to all the revolutionary foot soldier.
Flash up your lighter if you were there in the uprising.
CHEER1 NG
To the murder of Blair Peach... Blair!
...the New Cross fire...
...and then, today, "th April '98',
...where Babylon t00k a raasclaat beating!
REGGAE MUS1C
1f you were there, s0 bawl forward!
CHEER1 NG
Forward! Forward! Forward!
CHANT1 NG: Forward! Forward! Forward!
# Uprising, there's an uprising
# There ain't n0 work and we have no shilling
# We can't take n0 more of this suffering
# So we gwaan riot inna Brixton
# Uprising, there's an uprising
# There ain't n0 work and we have no shilling
# We can't take n0 more of this suffering
ALL: * So we gwaan riot inna Brixton!
# Uprising, there's an uprising
# There ain't n0 work and we have no shilling
# We can't take n0 more of this suffering
* So we gwaan riot inna Brixton
# Uprising, there's an uprising
# There ain't n0 work and we have no shilling
# We can't take n0 more of this suffering
* So we gwaan riot inna Brixton
# Uprising, there's an uprising
# There ain't n0 work and we have no shilling
# We can't take n0 more of this suffering
* So we gwaan riot inna Brixton! *
THUD
ANGRY SHOUT1 NG
SHOUT1 NG CONT1 NUES
Get... Oi ! Get him up, get him up!
Get out of here!
Check that r00m!
Check that r00m over there. Take him down!
BANG1 NG
Right, get up!
Fucking pigs!
Move, man!
Get 0ff me! DAWN SHOUTS
Shut it!
Get the fuck 0ff me! Get the fuck off me!
Shut it! Shut up!
I didn't do nothing! This is abuse!
Me say to you,
you might feel sorry and blame yourse* for dem tings there...
...but there's plenty of tribulations
and ways for dealing with dem ting.
And the education me can give you, that is your key.
And why would you do that? HE SCOFFS
My thoughts long been trained pon the youth, man.
I have to play my part cos me know the future is yours.
HE SUCKS TEETH
Some future, dread.
For all the youth 0utside that window is the dole 0ffice
and the inside of a beast cel* and that's it.
Free yourse* from the negativity, Alex, man.
You been lied to about fi we people.
Huh? Enough of that, man.
Cha! Listen, I want tell you
about the system in here. Yes.
So listen me, and listen me careful.
There's enough talk of ism and schism and racism.
Me n0 defend nob0dy against the charge of racism,
cos Rasta don't discriminate.
But the main thing you have to worry about in dis here country
is the system of class
and classism.
When the children of Africa was dragged to the West, huh,
it's cos of money...
...cos of the cheap labour benefitting the upper classes,
lining them pockets. Hm?
All know the system stil* still the poor little pickney dem
inna the inner-city sch00* them cannot make much progress.
Otherwise who gon build dem house? Hm?
Wh0 gon drive dem bus? Hm?
Some of them make it through, yes.
But 0n* a few of them.
And that is why me keep going on about education, education.
You have to supplement what them teach you by teaching yourse*.
Teaching how, then, man?
You have to unlearn what you have learn.
And you can start by reading,
reading the scholars of fi we people.
That will turn your life around.
You see? L00k.
You saw all them b00k, yeah? Hm?
You see them?
From this day, every single one of them book now belongs to you.
And me can recommend...
...you start by reading...
...this here one here, s0.
The Black jacobins
by Cyril Lionel Robert james.
Jah know him will show you the way!
Education, Alex.
Education is the key!
Hear me now? Alex!
You see, if you don't know your past...
...then you won't know your future.
GENTLE SNOR1 NG
DOORS BANG 1 N D1STANCE
S1MEON: You see, if you don't know your past...
...then you won't know your future.
Just a moment.
PHONE R1 NGS
Excuse me one minute.
We*are and Social Services?
Uh- huh.
OFF1C1AL: 27th of the 8th, '976. Report on Alphonse Wheatle.
Date of birth - 3rd of the 'st '963,
Hol* House, '2' Wickham Road. House mother, Miss joyce Cook.
1 n Shirley since aged three-and-a- ha* years.
1 nitial* had severe eczema and asthma and needed
intensive treatment.
Both conditions now better.
He's not had an asthmatic attack for a year.
Chief problem now - daytime enuresis.
None at night.
Lone* boy, but gets inv0*ed in sports and general activities.
Because of his sullen indifference,
house mother says she finds it difficu* not to pick on him.
Recent*, he accused her of not caring,
but Martin jones prompt* stuck up for her.
Mr Hutton, social worker, came fortnight* for a year
but got n0 response at any time from Alphonse's relatives.
Shirley High Sch00l. He gets good reports
and appears to take an interest in a wide range of subjects.
He spoke of liking German, French, English, maths, science and drama.
Alphonse, one Saturday night recent*, came down and said
they did not help him at sch00l.
The excellent German teacher interested* asked repeated*
about his mother and did not know about his parental situation.
Wheats!
Wheats, what happened to you? It's me, dread. It's Badger.
Yes, my spar.
Jesus Christ, you l00k g00d, to raatid.
Badger! 1t's g00d to see you, dread.
How's tricks?
HE SUCKS TEETH Bwoy!
Yeah, man. Tricks.
I beg you some money now?
Nah. Sorry, dread.
Come on. Give me a few pounds, my man.
1 haven't got anything.
1t's g00d to see you, though.
Yeah, man, it's g00d to see you t00, man.
Mm!
So, um, what you do, hm?
What's the...? What's the Wheats doing with himse*?
Don't know, dread.
Not much.
I think I might go and find my fami*.
Raatid!
Fi real?
Fuck!
Yeah.
Or maybe try and write a b00k.
Writing? Shut the fuck up, man.
Me...me...me...me have a typewriter for you, you know.
Brand - new. It still work and everything.
It still does work, man. Trust me, it still work.
And you can have it fi a special price.
Cos you is Yardman I rie. HE LAUGHS
Ten pound ! Ten pound and it's yours.
Hm?
Go on.
Come now, man. Let's trod.
What happen to you, man? Dry your eye now.
It's a big man hug. Long time me n0 see you.
Go0d to see you, man.
Yes, brethren! You want some?
Nah, you're g00d. Brethren, drink the drink
and I'll walk with you. I'm all right.
You sure? Yeah, man. All right.
Go0d to see you, though. See if you like this typewriter
me a gonna get for you. It's a real thing. It is a proper one.
All right, all right. It's just round the corner there.
1t better be g00d, though! You see the girl there?
ALEX LAUGHS
# There's a natural mystic blowing through the air
# 1f you listen careful* now you will hear
# This could be the first trumpet
# Might as well be the last
# Many more will have to suffer
# Many more will have to die
# Don't ask me why
# Things are not the way they used to be
# I won't tell n0 lie
# One and all got to face reality now
# Though I try to find the answer
# To all the questions they ask
# Though I know it's impossible
# To go living through the past
# Don't tell n0 lie
# There's a natural mystic
# Blowing through the air
# Can't keep them down
# 1f you listen careful* now you will hear
# Such a natural mystic
# Blowing through the air
# There's a natural mystic
# Blowing through the air
# I won't tell n0 lie
# 1f you listen careful* now
# You will hear
# There's a natural mystic blowing through the air
# Such a natural mystic
# Blowing through the air. #