[Intro] Yeah This is goin' out to all the live motherf**ers, knowhatumsayin' All the real n***as, Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, California La Perla, Puerto Rico, whatever the f** you're from, youknowhatumsayin' Yeah [Verse 1] This story takes place, back in the South Bronx Where at the age of fourteen I was already to knockin' off punks (yeah!) And s**ers were scared to d**h Every time I walked by I hear them n***as take their last breath (ahhh..) See, I just didn't give a f** And if you had a sheep skin leather bomber you was getting stuck (word!) That was the way it was One day I went to visit my aunt, and stuck up my cous See, something was f**ed up back then No matter what the f** I did, I never had no ends And my moms was on welfare Aiyyo I knew I had a father, but the n***a was never there So what the f** was I had to do? I'm sick and tired to being the bummiest n***a out the crew I gotta get mine, I gotta get cash I see an old man, I'm gonna rob him with the quick-fast Gimme your motherf**ing loot, papi I'm going to get paid and can't a damn thing stop me See, I'm tired of this poor sh** And who the cops? Well they can s** my motherf**in' dick Cause all them n***as ever do is hara** That's why I get glad when I hear somebody smoked that a** Just to let ya know how I feel, word 'em up The f**in' sh** is real [Hook (*background cuts "Down on the real"*)] Aiyyo it's real Aiyyo the sh** is real The f**in sh** is real Aiyyo it's real [Verse 2] Now I'm sixteen and there's a brand new scene I'm makin' mad loot, gettin' paid off the dope fiends Keeping sh** in checking order And my main man Tone was f**ing everybody else's daughter
See everybody knew in town That Joe and Tone had sh** locked down And a n***a wouldn't test me It seems like every other day the f**ing cops arrest me But the sh** would never stick I make one phone call and be out right quick Cause Uncle Dan had my back And now n***as getting jealous cause they know I'm living fat Talking sh** around the way and on the block But never in my face cause they knew I pack the Glock And my crew is mad deep A buncha crazy Puerto Ricans, so ayeo don't sleep And all you b**h a** n***as know the deal, check it out The f**ing sh** is real [Hook] [Verse 3] Let me let ya know why I made this song Brothers can't deal with the real, word is bond I'm sick and tired of these fake-a** n***as Saying that they're catching bodies when they never pulled a trigger I know your style, I've seen it before You wearing army suit, now you think you're hardcore Drinking on your 40's, smoking on your blunts Can't afford a chain so you wear gold fronts yeah You fakin' the funk, kid And you'd be getting it up the a** if you ever did a f**ing bid It's time to separate the real from the phony The name is Fat Joe, punk, act like you know me I come equipped with the ruff sh** Nowadays I can't believe the bull rappers come up with And all y'all b**h a** n***as know the deal, check it out The f**ing sh** is real [Hook] [Outro] Word up I wanna say peace to my peeps, the Beatnuts Messengers Of Funk, strictly Roots My man Four Flex, Zulu Nation Jazzy J in the house Diamond D, the whole Diggin' In The Crates crew And rest in peace to my man Tony Montana Aiyo, I'm out, word is bond The sh** is real (*Premier cuts "Fat Joe's in town"*)