The Ghetto

Talking bout the ghetto...funky funky ghetto

Trying to survive, trying to stay alive

Chorus:

The ghetto

The ghetto

(talking bout the ghetto)

The ghetto

The ghetto

(funk funky ghetto)

Even though the streets are bumpy, lights burned out

Dope fiends die with a pipe in their mouths

Old school buddies not doing it right

Every day its the same

And its the same every night

I wouldnt shoot you bro but Id shoot that fool

If he played me close and tried to test my cool

Every day I wonder just how Ill die

Only thing I know is how to survive

Theres only one rule in the real world

And thats to take care of you, only you and yours

Keep dealing with the hard times day after day

Might deal me some dope but then crime dont pay

Black man tried to break into my house again

Thought he got off early doing time in the pen

Even though my brothers do me just like that

I get a lot of love so Im giving it back to the...

Chorus

So just peep the game and dont call it crap

Cause to me, life is one hard rap

Even though my sister smoked crack cocaine

She was nine months pregnant, aint nothing changed

600 million on a footbal team

And her baby dies just like a dope fiend

The story I tell is so incomplete

Five kids in the house and no food to eat

Dont look at me and dont ask me why

Mamas next door getting high

Even though shes got five mouths to feed

Shes rather spend her money on a h-i-t

I always tell the truth about things like this

I wonder if the mayor overlooked that list

Instead of adding to the task force send some help

Waiting on him Id better help myself

Housing authority and the o.p.d.

All these guns just to handle me in the...

Chorus

Even though they put us down and call us animals

We make real big banks and buy brand new clothes

Drive fancy cars, make love to stars

Never really saying just who we are

We use alias names like too $hort

Sell you stuff you might kill for

Young kids grow up and thats all they know

Didnt teach him in school now hes slangin dope

Only thing he knows is how to survive

But will he kill another brother before he dies? 

In the ghetto, you keep one eye open

All day long, just hoping and hoping

You can pay your bills and not drink too much

Then the problems of life youll be throwing up

Like me, but you dont see

Ten years from now, where will you be? 

Chorus

So much game in a too $hort rap

Blacks cant be white and whites cant be black

Why you wanna act like someone else? 

All you gotta do is just be yourself

Were all the same color underneath

Short dogs in the house youd better listen to me

Never be ashamed of what you are

Proud to be black stand tall at heart

Even though some people give you no respect

Be intelligent, when you put em in check

Cause when youre ignorant, you get treated that way

And when they throw you in jail you got nothing to say

So if you dont listen its not my fault

Ill be getting paid while youll be paying the cost

Sitting in the jailhouse running your mouth

While me and my peoples try to get out

Chorus