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