In My Hood

[Chorus]

When you grow up in my hood

Help don't show up in my hood

Gang signs go up in my hood, just 'cause you in my hood

Feel like I'm trapped in my hood

Young kids get clapped in my hood

That's why I'm strapped in my hood, just 'cause you in my hood

In my hood, in my hood, in my hood

[Verse 1: Fabolous]

I'm always close to

Feeling like a corner stander

Stoop sitter or hallway post-er

No matter where I go it's always 'posed to

Feel just like it's (in my hood)

Cops drive in it every five minutes

Look at your faces, pat your waist-es

Try to find the stash where the gats and base is

I can't say that they racist

But I know it ain't the same in they town

And as fucked up as it may sound (in my hood)

It's two ways to make it happen off the streets

Balling on the courts or rapping off the beats

You hear the shells tappin' off the 'crete

When they clappin' off the heat

Then the yellow tape's trappin' off the street

But that's the way we was raised

Praying to God, hoping that he keep us out the way of them strays

[Chorus]

When you grow up in my hood

Help don't show up in my hood

Gang signs go up in my hood, just 'cause you in my hood

Feel like I'm trapped in my hood

Young kids get clapped in my hood

That's why I'm strapped in my hood, just 'cause you in my hood

In my hood, in my hood, in my hood

[Verse 2: Fabolous]

They drink 'til the cup's dry, eat 'til the plate's clean

Niggas be in state greens 'fore they turn 18

'Round here you never let the beef slide twice

Everybody raised on four wings and beef fried rice

Them mothers are getting younger today

Got one by the hand, one in the stroller and one on the way

We don't have role models (nah)

But we got them handguns that hold hollows (in my hood)

Ain't no diplomas or degrees

But you can get high from the aroma of the trees (in my hood)

I know it like navigation, and fuck having patience

I'ma get mine, you better get yours

'Cause everyday is a struggle

And One-Time ride through everyday just to bug you

That's how it is, 'cause your rights be wrong

And everybody got a white tee on, when you're in my hood

[Chorus]

When you grow up in my hood

Help don't show up in my hood

Gang signs go up in my hood, just 'cause you in my hood

Feel like I'm trapped in my hood

Young kids get clapped in my hood

That's why I'm strapped in my hood, just 'cause you in my hood

In my hood, in my hood, in my hood

[Verse 3: Fabolous]

We try to make the most of what we got

You either been hit, or been close to gettin shot (in my hood)

Any nigga that boast be getting got

And dopeheads fiend to get a dose of what we got

And young niggas be like they slow

But you give them a blunt, bet they roll the weed like a pro

If you trick it's not a problem to get you laid

But if you stick without a condom, it gets you AIDS

No Sesame Street, kids, watch BET

Look up to niggas that don't got a GED

I know a dude with the deadbeat tag

Kids don't got diapers but he ridin' in the red G-Wag'

In the hood, you and your beef is sure to bump heads

And everybody grew up sleepin on a bunk bed

They telling me to vote and I would

If it made a change in my hood, muhfucka

[Chorus]

When you grow up in my hood

Help don't show up in my hood

Gang signs go up in my hood, just 'cause you in my hood

Feel like I'm trapped in my hood

Young kids get clapped in my hood

That's why I'm strapped in my hood, just 'cause you in my hood

In my hood, in my hood, in my hood

[Outro]

Ayy, my nigga (what's hood, man?)

I got a special love for the hood, y'know (ayy, feel me like)

This is comin' from a nigga

Who came from splittin' heroes (uh-huh)

To gettin' checks with six zeros (yeah)

And like for real (like for real)

I can't even see what's really hood no more, man, with these niggas, man

(I don't know, I don't know, maybe it's me, I don't know)

Like, for real, like

It's one thing to be from the hood (yeah)

And it's another thing to be for the hood (uh-huh)

A lot of these niggas is from the hood (don't let 'em fool ya, y'all)

But they ain't for the hood (you see 'em)

I guess I'm a different type of nigga, y'know? (guess so)

I'm from the hood, and I'm for the hood too

Like, for real