Back When

[Rapper Big Pooh - Intro]

Bout to bring you back, way back..

Back into time..hah

Let's have fun with it

("Sound.. without focus, is just.. noise.")

[Focus]

I miss back when times were innocent

Dudes would knuckle up when it's time to get into it

Only ice we rock, was Italian Icee's Lemon with the little wooden spoons

A bowl of Captain Crunch, with your favorite cartoons

We all went in the living room and had the biggest TV

Momma playin records, there were no iTunes or CDs

Uh, but we still love the way it sound

Got the speaker out the window for kids at the playground

You better listen up and do what "Simon Say" now

Then we'll cop a couple quart of waters in the corner store

Couple Now & Laters too, cap guns, water guns

Tag you're it, better run - bases on the front stoop

Hydrant on, ev'rybody on the block havin fun

And the only thing we play ("Hip-Hop")

Back when it was just rhyme and just drums and a REAL DJ

Red light, green light, 1-2-3 mic -

Check in the park, gettin power from the streetlight

Breakdance battle was our version of street fights

Pop locks to floor works, graffiti was our work

And we go to the whole hood, all blocks - Lawn Ave

East Main to Con Ave. when CT was all GOOD!

[DJ cuts and scratches]

[Phonte]

Uh...yo, moms was broke, we ain't have no credit

So we just moved to the hood, where all the kids would

Play "Hide and Go-Get-It"

I think that was the makings of my back-girl fetish

Usta mess around wit this chick Tameeka

5th Grade, already had titties big as the teacher's

First day of school, niggas starched they knees up

And wouldn't shoot ball so they ain't scratch they sneaks up

Blow Pops a nick away

And on picture day, niggas wear the same suit they got for Easter

Summer vacation we would go to The Spot

Or go down to the park, and get that good free "Lunch-in-the-Box"

Wit our shorts on extra loose

Gettin good wit the lunch lady, try to get a extra juice

When I say them was the days - it's true!

[Rapper Big Pooh]

I got my play clothes on, school clothes off

Streetlights made everybody run home

Goin through puberty, every young boy grown

And chase down girls that we wanted to hump

If the swimming pool's closed, then we runnin the pump

Jungle Juice, quart of water, drinks already drunk

Went bowling, went skating, went go-kart ridin

Mama had just enough when it came to providin

SPAM in the can, welfare cheese

No-name peanut butter, "Can we borrow bread, PLEASE?"

Never had a need or a want for anythang

New school year came, that's when we got fresh

Only a few times where we try to impress

Cause after two weeks, we all lookin a mess

Medallions and stop watches I will rock on my chest - YES!!

[DJ cuts and scratches]