When you grow up in my hood

Help don't show up in my hood

Gang signs go up in my hood just cuz 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 cuz you in my hood

In my hood in my hood in my hood

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 I'm (in my hood)

Cops drive in it every 5 minutes look at your faces pat your waists'

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 f**ked up as it may sound (in my hood)

It's 2 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

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

They drink 'til the cups dry eat 'til the plate's clean

Niggaz be in state greens 'fore they turn 18

'Round here you never let the beef slide twice

Everybody raised on 4 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

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 f**k having patience

I'ma get mine you better get yours cuz everyday is a struggle

And One-Time ride through everyday just to bug you

That's how it is cuz your rights be wrong

And everybody got a white T on when you're in my hood

We try to make the most of what we got

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

Any ni**a that boast be getting got

And dopeheads fiend to get a dose of what we got

And young niggaz be like they slow

But you give them a blunt bet they roll the w**d like a pro

If you trick it's not a problem it gets you laid

But if you stick without a condom it gets you AIDS

No Sesame Street kids watch BET

Look up to niggaz 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 bunk beds

They telling me to vote and I would

If it made a change in my hood mu'f**ka