Growing Up In These Streets

[Intro: Raekwon] Growing up in these streets Word to mama, man, damn (All I seen was) Tryna get the fuck up outta there, huh? (It's real life, man) Just gotta keep your head in the right direction, pa Growing up in these streets Don't play with these niggas out here (You gotta be strong though) All I seen was Only the strong survive, you heard? (Real rap) The Chef (Yeah), ayo [Verse 1: Raekwon] From blazin' chandeliers on throats, we gangstas with hope With trappers in traffic, there's land on the coast Pipelines be pumpin' nighttime with kilos dispersed A bulletproof hearse in back of the church, see they grind The timeline won't even last, they twenty-fives, quick to spaz Yeah, then flip on that ass The block's burnin', narcs and sharks, thugs and drugs Clarks and knots and rocks and parks Hold your slime, I need money, but hate bein' the stickup kid 'Cause what I did could have cost me a whole lifetime And everybody knowin' everybody Niggas in front of the lobbies until bodies drop, how he got lined? Keep it movin', keep your loved ones movin' See, we started a movement, I guess we grand groovin', y'all Checks the shines, until then we fine Cash rule everything around mine in the mind Now rewind, yo, what is it? [Interlude: AZ & Raekwon] Growing up in these streets Real life All I seen was (Huh, traumatizing) Word up Growing up in these streets (Concrete jungle) All I seen was The real question is, what I didn't see, haha, uh [Verse 2: AZ] Days to decades, the drugs raids to sex craze From Froot Loops and leche made it to head jefe Fiends on check day, murder scenes when the TEC spray The segue, you gotta have sight beyond the X-ray Pump shotties, slump bodies in front lobbies Young hotties gettin' drunk, hoppin' in Masis Blunt robberies, niggas owin', tip toein', it's sick Been in the mix since Slick Rick flowin', legit Lost for words when they offed the homie Surge on the jooks My whole outlook on life was blurred Them corner curves just bein' there ain't even fair And as far as leavin' there, if you do, they don't even care Seen it all from Sutter Ave to Seton Hall East Elmhurst to Eaton wall, we grieve 'em all Same song just sets changin', rep claimin' From sellin' crack to rap, I kept aimin' [Interlude: Ghostface Killah] Growing up in these streets All I seen was Growing up in these streets All I seen was Yeah, Kay Slay shit, baby, let's go in [Verse 3: Ghostface Killah] Shootouts, unexplainable murders where shit runs deep Late-night commotions, the neighbors can't sleep That's why I pose in the flicks with my heat, one-deep I got burners all over the place like a song leak My man open arms for a hug, I'm reachin' I gotta tell myself, "Take your hand off the grip, they greetin'" (Get off the gun, man) Automatic spit like a dumb bitch with a tongue ring It's classic like them DAT machines up in Chung King (Woo) Death before dishonor, we pray for your mama She don't never have to pick a killer's face in a lineup (Nah) His criminal lawyer, his face resembles a young Oscar De La Hoya This kid's attorney is torture (Fuck) In these streets, dust heads, big bags of leak Like a skeleton sucked in, they bones is weak Miss ya, ATF come through swingin' that big shit No Popeyes, they here to put two in your biscuit [Outro] Growing up in these streets All I seen was Growing up in these streets All I seen was