Unfettered by music’s traditional boundaries, Dr. Draw and his talented band pull together an organic blend of instruments that satisfies eclectic audiences. Added to Draw’s violin strings are the instruments of his musical collective: an award-winning guitarist, electronic keyboard specialist, electric harpist, rock bassist and drummer.
At a recent performance in Boston, a writer for Newsweekly reported that “a young violinist - an attractive guy who goes by the moniker Dr. Draw - stole the show with his infectious performance of high energy, piping out a mix of classical and house musical sounds from his electric violin. The show allegedly literally brought some to tears.” Citing such diverse influences at Chopin, Charles Mingus, David Bowie and Pink Floyd, Dr. Draw comes by his unique musical masala honestly. When various traditional melodies from around the world are added to the mix, it becomes easier to find both something familiar in his music and at the same time be intrigued by what is unusual and novel. Elements of African percussion, Indian ragas, North American folk music and reggae all find their place here and there throughout Dr. Draw’s compositions.
Born in Moscow to a family immersed in classical music, the young boy learned the power and drama of performance from his ballerina mother. He practiced his beloved violin sometimes up to six hours a day, hardly willing to stop for breaks. When Eugene’s parents moved to Canada, he was enrolled at the prestigious Royal Conservatory of Music. Ultimately constrained by the school’s formal approach to music, Eugene left the institution in favour of the street where he was free to improvise and experiment. Brandishing his beloved violin and an unlimited imagination, the teenager threw himself into his music like never before. With a marked passion and unmistakable gift, Dr. Draw’s performances drew growing audiences and he was soon “discovered” by Canada’s largest newspaper that enthusiastically declared him one of the country’s most promising young performers. Draw has been based the last two years in Montreal as part of that city’s burgeoning music scene.
The City
Dr. Draw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Beatboxx Xclusiv)
Now neva tell a guy wida
Cos these boys only happy with the damn trigger
They got no heart, no soul, but them get liver
PH city full of bad niggas
Now mind the kind of clothes you wear
Cos some colours get a stray bullet from nowhere
To those that have ears, let them hear
Your father could be Dangote
Dont talk nonsense or you go see gobe (you dey jones)
Them go beat you, then carry your Dre beats throway
Sell your wristwatch, take am buy SK (who goes)
Respect the boys at the back of UST gate
And anything them say my guy try relate
No come dey there dey shout 'Guy we be mate'?
Or you go lie in state inside your own estate
Abobi kpor well
This is PH city
This is PH city (you dey jones?)
Kpor well
This is PH city
This is PH city (you dey jones?)
Abobi kpor well
This is PH city
This is PH city
Yo. Kpor well na (this is PH city)
Kpor well na (this is PH city)
Before you date a PH babe
Ask questions my nigga thats the PH way
And if the barnie no gree, mind the things you say
Or them go find you half dead on top expressway (Amebo)
Now mind your Goddamn business
If there's a bar fight, drink your Goddamn Guinness
No tell ojor say you be Goddamn witness (Witness)
Or you are one dead witness
No try fight the boys for park
Luke, listen to this verse or them give you Mark
And if them curse your mama, guy turn your back
Coz i don see boys wey them knack blue black (iodine)
And if you wan go new place
Leave your iPhone for house
Wear jeans not lace
So that when yawa come gas
And you get compass
No try pick call my guy just pick race
Okoro boys
(Ooh) Okwuta boys
(Eeh) Rumuigbo boys
(Ooh) Elekahia boys
(Eeh) Agip boys
(Ooh) Island boys
(Eeh) Choba boys
(Ooh) Eneka boys (Kpor well)
(Eeh) Artillery boys
(Ooh) Garrison boys
(Ehh) G.R.A boys
(Ooh) Mile one boys
(Eeh) Oil mill boys
(Ooh) D-line boys
(Eeh) Rumukwurushi, Diobu, Woji
And Rumuodara
(Oya hala) Kpor well
This is PH city (Oya hala)
This is PH city
No forget Rumuola na
This is PH city
This is PH city
Na two by two
No dey waka solo
Them they drive one-way
Even for Aba road
Na 10k bail if you say you no follow
Oh no
Kpor well
Dont say you dont know
Abobi kpor well
This is PH city
This is PH city
Dont say you no know
(Kpor well) This is PH city
This is PH city
(Kpor well) Dont say you no know
Abobi kpor well
This is PH city
This is PH city
Dont say you no know
Yo (this is PH city)
Kpor well na (this is PH city)
(Kpor well) Dont say you no know
Borokiri, Creek road
I no go gree
I no go gree
Go land you for Aggrey road
Kpor well oh
Dr. Draw's "The City" is a song that provides a glimpse into the realities of living in Port Harcourt (PH), Nigeria, especially for a young person. Throughout the song, the artist lists various social norms, customs, and codes of behavior that one must abide by to stay safe in PH. The lyrics offer warnings to listeners and make a case for why it's essential to know the unwritten rules of PH city life.
The song lyrically describes PH as a city full of bad guys, where one's safety hangs by a thread. Dr. Draw advises against confronting or challenging anyone and instead suggests keeping a low profile and minding one's business. The song's chorus, 'Kpor well,' which translates to 'walk carefully or watch out for danger,' reinforces this message.
The lyrics also briefly touch on the social hierarchy of PH, with references to prominent neighborhoods like Elekahia, Rumuigbo, and G.R.A., among others. It implies that each of these neighborhoods has its peculiarities that one must consider when moving around the city.
Additionally, the song suggests that one should respect PH women and be mindful of what they say to them. There's a particular emphasis on being cautious not to provoke jealousy or anger in local women, as they are known to run a tight ship and may take matters into their own hands.
Overall, the song portrays PH as a volatile environment where one must know the unwritten rules to stay safe. It's a call to young people to be street-smart and mindful of their actions and words.
Line by Line Meaning
Now neva tell a guy wida
Don't reveal your secrets to anyone
Cos these boys only happy with the damn trigger
Because some boys are only satisfied when they have a gun in their hands
They got no heart, no soul, but them get liver
These boys lack empathy but have the courage to do evil things
PH city full of bad niggas
Port Harcourt city is filled with dangerous people
Now mind the kind of clothes you wear
Be cautious about the clothes you wear
Cos some colours get a stray bullet from nowhere
Because wearing certain colors can make you a target of stray bullets
Good kid maad city, them dey mad for here
In PH city, people love Kendrick Lamar's album 'Good Kid, M.A.A.D City'
To those that have ears, let them hear
Listen carefully and take note of what's happening around you
Your father could be Dangote
Your father could be wealthy
Dont talk nonsense or you go see gobe (you dey jones)
Don't say something stupid, or you'll be in trouble
Them go beat you, then carry your Dre beats throway
They'll beat you up, steal your expensive headphones, and throw them away
Sell your wristwatch, take am buy SK (who goes)
Sell your watch and buy something cheap so that you won't be a target for robbers
Respect the boys at the back of UST gate
Show respect to the boys that hang out behind the University of Science and Technology gate
And anything them say my guy try relate
Listen to what they say and try to understand their point of view
No come dey there dey shout 'Guy we be mate'?
Don't claim to be friends with someone you don't really know
Or you go lie in state inside your own estate
You'll be dead and lying in your own house
Abobi kpor well
Be careful
This is PH city
This is Port Harcourt city
Kpor well
Be careful
Before you date a PH babe
Before you start dating a girl from Port Harcourt
Ask questions my nigga thats the PH way
Question her and find out more about her before diving into a relationship
And if the barnie no gree, mind the things you say
If she's not interested, watch what you say to avoid trouble
Or them go find you half dead on top expressway (Amebo)
Or they'll find you injured on the expressway
Now mind your Goddamn business
Mind your own business
If there's a bar fight, drink your Goddamn Guinness
If there's a fight in a bar, stay out of it
No tell ojor say you be Goddamn witness (Witness)
Don't claim to be a witness if you didn't see anything
Or you are one dead witness
Or you could end up dead
No try fight the boys for park
Don't get into a fight with the boys in the park
Luke, listen to this verse or them give you Mark
Listen to this verse or you'll get beaten up
And if them curse your mama, guy turn your back
If they insult your mother, walk away and ignore them
Coz i don see boys wey them knack blue black (iodine)
Because I've seen boys beaten until they're covered in bruises
And if you wan go new place
If you want to go somewhere new
Leave your iPhone for house
Don't take your iPhone with you
Wear jeans not lace
Wear jeans instead of more formal attire
So that when yawa come gas
So that if anything happens
And you get compass
And you get lost
No try pick call my guy just pick race
Don't try to make a phone call, just run away
Okoro boys
Boys from Okoro area
(Ooh) Okwuta boys
Boys from Okwuta area
(Eeh) Rumuigbo boys
Boys from Rumuigbo area
(Ooh) Elekahia boys
Boys from Elekahia area
(Eeh) Agip boys
Boys from Agip area
(Ooh) Island boys
Boys from Island area
(Eeh) Choba boys
Boys from Choba area
(Ooh) Eneka boys (Kpor well)
Boys from Eneka area
(Eeh) Artillery boys
Boys from Artillery area
(Ooh) Garrison boys
Boys from Garrison area
(Ehh) G.R.A boys
Boys from G.R.A area
(Ooh) Mile one boys
Boys from Mile one area
(Eeh) Oil mill boys
Boys from Oil mill area
(Ooh) D-line boys
Boys from D-line area
(Eeh) Rumukwurushi, Diobu, Woji
Boys from Rumukwurushi, Diobu, and Woji areas
And Rumuodara
And Rumuodara area
(Oya hala) Kpor well
Be careful
This is PH city (Oya hala)
This is Port Harcourt city
This is PH city
This is Port Harcourt city
No forget Rumuola na
Don't forget about Rumuola area
Na two by two
Walk in pairs
No dey waka solo
Don't walk alone
Them they drive one-way
They often drive in the wrong direction
Even for Aba road
Even on Aba road
Na 10k bail if you say you no follow
It will cost 10,000 naira to get out of trouble if you're caught for not following the law
Oh no
Oh no
Kpor well
Be careful
Dont say you dont know
Don't act like you don't know
Yo (this is PH city)
Hey, this is Port Harcourt city
Borokiri, Creek road
Borokiri and Creek road areas
I no go gree
I will not accept it
Go land you for Aggrey road
Will take you to Aggrey road and cause trouble for you
Kpor well oh
Be careful
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Victor Akpomon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind