I grew up in the dark for 9 months,
1-21-76 my time was up/
To see the light planet of the earth they call,
Where we got these demons stomping mud holes in the floor/
Making it real hard for a brother to eat,
The only opportunity i had was the streets/
So i made that choose pick that devil road,
Dropped out of school real early just to get up my close/
Stay fresh and clean young always got that butter,
Roll up dutch on the block no matter the weather/
Running hard bugging out with no since of direction,
The only thing that i confined is my 9 for protection/
Love the block just like i love my mother,
Get war flash backs reminding me of my father/
I keep a aroma growing in the streets of n.y.,
Big c that's always live where people do or die/

That place that i grew up is right here out of these
Streets where thugs is always carrying heat playing
Every game out here for keeps/

I grow up in the heart of Spanish Harlem,
Where true thugs stomp the ground stating up problem/
Everyday is 4 of July no matter the weather,
Every other day they come out with brand new leathers/
Down the strip of the ave it's like a red carpet,
Looking like you up in Hollywood all in the mix/
Doing the damn thing knowing that you crunching the block,
This is the ghetto for real and it ain't gonna stop/

I'm loving it do cause i'm ghetto all in the heart,
The place of my birth where i learn about them darts
How to aim straight cock back squeeze the trigga,
How to roll up get high won't even miss you/
Clean up the mass play a part of a mortician,
Going home to your family while you missing/
Chef up in the kitchen smelling the food,
At the round table eating food i'm breaking the news/

That place that i grew up is right here out of these
Streets where thugs is always carrying heat playing
Every game out here for keeps

That place that grew up mad is ruff ass f**k,
Every corner every block you hear a n***a get stuck/
Every second every hour hear them guns go off,
On the news you hear Spanish Harlem eating the core/
Spitting out seeds cause we ain't that type of breed,
Mad ave, park lex, we make them bleed/
3rd to 1th we carve them down like wood,
Got the hood wilding out i wish you would/
Cause we hood by nature thug ed out in the heart,
For fun we trace bodies in the dark with white chalk/
So we can see better every time we body another,
We always out on the strip no matter the weather/
Never at reason cause the money out here is good,
Ever since a little g i always love my hood/