[Chorus] 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 [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 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**ed 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 [Chorus] [Verse 2: Fabolous] They drink 'til the cups dry, eat 'til the plate's clean n***az 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** 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 [Chorus] [Verse 3: Fab] We try to make the most of what we got You either been hit, or been close to gettin shot (in my hood) Any n***a that boast be getting got And dopeheads fiend to get a dose of what we got And young n***az 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 it gets you laid But if you stick without a condom, it gets you AIDS No Sesame Street, kids watch BET Look up to n***az 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**a. [Chorus] [Fab talks 'til the end]