Intro: Nardo Ranks
Now this one is a special dedication, to all a di man inna Rikers Island
Cocoa Tea and Nardo Rankin mon, now Cocoa Tea, come sing out!!!!

Verse 1: Cocoa Tea
Di first time di yute come a New York
Dem tellin yute, dem must nuh skylark
Learn a trade or go to school
And don't you turn yourself inna fool

Chorus: Cocoa Tea
But now him gone a Rikers Island
Him neva waan go a Rikers Island

Verse 2: Nardo Ranks
(Come come now!!!)
Mi mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
Come now! Mi mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
Come now! Mi mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
Come now! Mi mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
Nuff man enter Rikers Island now for di first time
Man a, look pon dem sneakers now and, seh dat a mine
And a bwoy round a back and dem a watch yuh behind
But if a bwoy try a ting yuh know him a go get blind
And di, man dem mean rasta know dem nuh kind
Mi talkin to di yute dem know dem nuh kind
Go look a nine to five and everything will be fine
Dat's why mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
Come now! Mi mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
Yuh hear! Mi mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
Come now! Mi mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
(Come come now!!!)

Chorus: Cocoa Tea
Now him gone a Rikers Island
Him neva waan go a Rikers Island
But now him gone a Rikers Island

Verse 3: Nardo Ranks
And di first place yuh go a mi seh at di precint
And likkle after dat yuh gone a central booking
And a dat's all dem do all a di finger printin
Interrogatting and di picture takin
As yuh, go through gate yuh look off through di ceiling
And right deh so now yuh get all di bad feeling
Now yuh start to bawl and yuh start di crying
And a likkle after dat yuh know a pure sufferinn
(Come come now)

Chorus: Cocoa Tea
Now him gone a Rikers Island
Him neva waan go a Rikers Island
But now him gone a Rikers Island (Ummm hmmm, whoa!!!)
(Nardo Ranks: Come come now!!!)

Verse 4: Cocoa Tea
Him use to chuck it from Brooklyn to Bronx
And a gwaan like a big top ranks
But now a foreign government response

Chorus: Cocoa Tea
Now him gone a Rikers Island
Him neva waan go a Rikers Island

Verse 5: Nardo Ranks
Queens man dem deh a Rikers Island
And di Brooklyn man dem deh a Rikers Island
And di, Bronx man dem deh a Rikers Island
And di, Manhattan man dem deh a Rikers Island
Now won't yuh, listen mi good now and undastand
Cau tell dem Mr.Nardo nah fight 'against no one
But it's a mixed multitude deh inna Rikers Island
Bo!!! Big up di yute dem inna Rikers Island
And a C21 now yuh must undastand
And di HDM man dem now come sing along
Yuh have di Puerto Rican and di, Jamaican
And di Barbajan and di Columbian
But mi really nah fi get now di, American
Dat's why mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
Come now! Mi mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
Yuh hear! Mi mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
Come now! Mi mi mi nuh nuh like Rikers Island
(Come come now!!!)

Verse 6: Cocoa Tea
Di first time di youth come a New York
Dem use to tell dem yuh don't skylark
Learn di trade or go to school
And don't you make no one take you for fool
But him gone a Rikers Island, yes him gone too Rikers Island
Him use to chuck it from Brooklyn to Bronx
And a gwaan like di most top ranks
But now a foreign government response
Yes him gone a Rikers Island