[Intro: Alicia Keys & Cham]
Here's my ghetto story
(This a survival story)
Been to hell through the fire now (True ghetto story)
Gonna take it higher (Woo)
Here's my survival story (Story)
(This is my story, real ghetto story)
So many reasons to sing now
'Cause now we got the keys to the kingdom
Woo!
[Verse 1: Cham]
I remember those days when hell was my home
When mi an Mama bed was a big piece a foam
An mi never like bathe and my hair never comb
When Mama gone a work, mi go street go roam
I remember when Danny dem tek mi snow cone
An mek him likkle bredda dem, kick up Jerome
I remember when wi visit dem wid pure big stone
An the boy Danny pop out something weh full chrome
I remember when wi run, Fatta get him knee blown
An mi best friend Richie get, two inna him dome
I remember so di avenue tun inna war zone
An Mikey madda fly him out, cause she get a loan
But, Mikey go to foreign and go tun Al Capone
Mek whole heap a money and sen in our own
Now a wi a lock the city and, that is well known
Yesterday Mikey call mi pon mi phone
Mi say Mikey
[Chorus: Cham & Alicia Keys]
We get di ting dem, dem outta luck now
Mi squeeze seven and the whole a dem a duck now (Survival story)
We have whole heap a extra **** cah we nuh bruk no (Survival story)
Rah, rah, rah, rah
We got the kingdom, so we have to make way
We take it from bottom to the top, baby
And now the whole community a live greatly
Rah, rah, rah, rah
[Verse 2: Alicia Keys]
I remember those days when, we was dead broke
And, I could barely find a, dollar for a token
Hop in the train just to get where I'm goin
Po Po's after me, I'm runnin' like I'm smokin'
Remember those days when I went to bed hungry
All I ever ate was white rice and honey
Big dreams in my head, empty in my tummy
Might crack a smile, but ain't nothin funny
I remember playin over needles in the street
Everywhere I go, and there was some part of me
Thirteen-thirteen was, hookers and hoes
On 11th avenue sellin' bodies for dope (Woah)
Remember cryin' sayin that will never be me
Gonna make it someday, gotta be somebody
Say, mommy don't worry it's just you and me
But, one day we will get out of this misery (Hey!)
[Chorus: Cham & Alicia Keys]
We get di ting dem, dem outta luck now
Mi squeeze seven and the whole a dem a duck now (Survival story)
We have whole heap a extra **** cah we nuh bruk no (Survival story)
Rah, rah, rah, rah
We got the kingdom, so we have to make way
We take it from bottom to the top, baby (This is my story)And now the whole community a live greatly
Rah, rah, rah, rah
[Refrain: Alicia Keys]
Here's my ghetto story (Story)
Been to hell through the fire now
Gonna take it higher
Here's my survival story (Story)
So many reasons to sing now
'Cause now we got the keys to the kingdom
[Bridge: Cham with Alicia Keys]
Jamaica get screw, through greed and glutton
Politics manipulate and press yutes button
But we rich now, so dem cyaa tell man nutten
'Cause a we a mek Mama a nyaam fish an mutton, hey!
Ova deh so mek mi tell unnu supm
Tru mi dey a foreign, now a guy kill me cousin
An mi here sey TD deh dey, but him sey he wasn't
Anytime mi fly down him a get 'bout dozen, 'cause.
[Chorus: Cham, Alicia Keys, Both]
We get di ting dem, dem outta luck now (Hey)
Mi squeeze seven and the whole a dem a duck now
We have whole heap a extra **** cah we nuh bruk now
Rah, rah, rah, rah (Now, now, now, now, now)
We got the kingdom, so we have to make way (You better make way)
We take it from bottom to the top, baby (Baby)
And now the whole community a live greatly
Rah, rah, rah, rah
[Verse 1: Cham & Alicia Keys]
I remember those days when hell was my home (Oh, oh)
When mi an Mama bed was a big piece a foam
An mi never like bathe and my hair never comb
When Mama gone a work, mi go street go roam (Oh, hey)
I remember when Danny dem tek mi snow cone (Hey)
An mek him likkle bredda dem, kick up Jerome (Hey, I remember)
I remember when wi visit dem wid pure big stone (Hey)
An the boy Danny pop out something weh full chrome (I remember)
I remember when wi run, Fatta get him knee blown (Hey)
An mi best friend Richie get, two inna him dome (I remember)
I remember so di avenue tun inna war zone (Hey)
An Mikey madda fly him out, 'cause she get a loan (Hey)
But, Mikey go to foreign and go tun Al Capone (Hey)
Mek whole heap a money and sen in our own (Hey)
Now a wi a lock the city and, that is well known (Hey)
Yesterday Mikey call mi pon mi phone
Mi say Mikey!
Ghetto Story was written by Cham & Alicia Keys & Dave Kelly.
Ghetto Story was produced by Dave Kelly.
Cham released Ghetto Story on Wed Jun 28 2006.