Streets Of The Ghetto
Ed O.G. and Da Bulldogs Lyrics


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I pumped bomb on the calm, with no alarm
and never thought that it would get to my moms
But when she found out, she made me take the pound out
and get out with it, man I could forget it
Now I'm stayin with this girl who got a kid
by another nigga, whose crew is much bigger
But he don't dig it cause his jim hat broke
But she kept the baby, cause he pumps coke
Now her crib is the new weed spot
to get the smoke or the choke, it was gettin mad hot
The next morning, while she was still sleeping
I was creeping to Jenny, here's a note, don't sweat it
Forget it, cause it ain't worth it
I need to be alone when I'm goin under the surface
Now I'm out to hit my workers
Two damn niggaz, and one Turkish white boy
who got Southeast sewn up
Business blowin up, and I'm still growin up
Only 17 and got my own crib
And still learnin how to live on the streets of the ghetto

The streets of the ghetto (3X)

Now I got friends cause the G's is comin in
Skeezers comin in, and I'm still runnin in and out
Taking care of biz on the block
I brought my crew, ten new Glocks..
.. just in case trouble knocks
Cause nowadays, we don't box
I'm eighteen gettin mad green off the fiends
Brand new sneakers, a cut, and some jeans
is what the businessman wears in the ghetto
that makes the whitey petrol
But I still can't let go, even though I'm makin
crooked dough, the system is easy to beat
And my shit's still not complete
Because I'm on my way to my first key
That was the biggest shit I ever bought G
I ain't gettin locked down, so I walk there, lock it up
Got my first key, now it's time to rock it up
Don't you know where it's gonna go?
Right out there... on the streets of the ghetto

The streets of the ghetto (3X)

Now I'm up to three keys, pounds of weed and sellin bundles
Distributin all three, to get all the fundzoes
The word around town is I'm the new Nino Brown
Twenty years old, I like the way it's goin down
I got money to burn -- dropped out of school
cause they couldn't teach me what I needed to learn
on how to earn big money, big money
I got the fortune, and a crib where it's sunny
But like a dummy, I started gettin careless
Talkin on the phone, so DEA could hear this
Date transaction the time and the spot
My world crashed on me, when I got caught
Now I'm locked, with the niggaz that are trife
No more money no more women for the rest of my life
Be in a cell, goin through hell
Just because you sell, they make sure I fell, oh well




Now I'm fitting, with fifty to go
And I never see the streets of the ghetto no mo'

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Streets of the Ghetto" by Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs talk about life in the ghetto, where crime is part of everyday life, and people struggle to make ends meet. The lyrics tell a story of a young man who is trying to make a living selling drugs. He started with small quantities but soon grew to three keys of cocaine, pounds of weed, and bundles. He is proud of his success and the money he makes, but he knows that his life could end in prison.


The first stanza talks about the young man's involvement in drug dealing. He started selling without any problem, but then he realized that his actions could have consequences, and his mother found out what he was doing. She warned him and made him take the drugs out of the house. He moved with a girl who had a kid by another man who was part of a rival crew. The girl's house became a weed and coke spot, and he started selling there. He also had some workers – two black guys, and a Turkish white boy – who helped him grow his business.


In the second stanza, the young man has grown his business even more. He has ten new Glocks to protect his turf, and he is making lots of money. He dropped out of school because he felt that he wasn't learning what he needed to learn to be successful in life. He liked the way his life was going, but he got careless with his actions. He talked on the phone about drug transactions, and the DEA caught him. He went to jail, and he knew that he might never see the streets of the ghetto again.


Overall, the song talks about the struggles of life in the ghetto and how young people get involved in crime to try to make money. It also shows how this lifestyle can be exciting and dangerous but can also lead to a life of incarceration.


Line by Line Meaning

I pumped bomb on the calm, with no alarm
I sold drugs discreetly, without raising any suspicions


and never thought that it would get to my moms
I didn't anticipate my mom finding out about my illegal activities


But when she found out, she made me take the pound out
My mom made me remove the drugs from her house when she discovered them


and get out with it, man I could forget it
I had to leave home and forget about the drugs to keep my mom safe


Now I'm stayin with this girl who got a kid
I am living with a girl who has a child


by another nigga, whose crew is much bigger
The child's father is a part of a larger group


But he don't dig it cause his jim hat broke
The father is upset because his condom broke & hence the child was born


But she kept the baby, cause he pumps coke
The girl decided to keep the baby despite the father being involved in drug dealing


Now her crib is the new weed spot
The girl's house has become a popular place to buy marijuana


to get the smoke or the choke, it was gettin mad hot
The demand for marijuana was heating up


The next morning, while she was still sleeping
While the girl was asleep the night after a busy day of weed peddling


I was creeping to Jenny, here's a note, don't sweat it
I sneaked out to see another woman named Jenny and left a note telling the girl at home not to worry about my absence


Forget it, cause it ain't worth it
I decided it wasn't worth pursuing any relationship with Jenny


I need to be alone when I'm goin under the surface
I wanted to be alone when I was feeling depressed


Now I'm out to hit my workers
I am going to meet up with my employees


Two damn niggaz, and one Turkish white boy
My employees belong to different racial backgrounds


who got Southeast sewn up
My employees have established their drug-selling business in the southeast region


Business blowin up, and I'm still growin up
My business is doing well and I'm still maturing as a person


Only 17 and got my own crib
I am only 17 but I have my own house


And still learnin how to live on the streets of the ghetto
I am still adjusting to life in the rough, low-income area that I reside in


Now I got friends cause the G's is comin in
I have found new friends as my popularity in the drug business increases


Skeezers comin in, and I'm still runnin in and out
Girls are showing interest in me as my drug business expands


Taking care of biz on the block
I am managing my drug-selling operation on the streets


I brought my crew, ten new Glocks..
I have added more guns to my security details


.. just in case trouble knocks
I am prepared to face any problems that might arise


Cause nowadays, we don't box
People are not settling disputes with their fists anymore


I'm eighteen gettin mad green off the fiends
I am 18 years old and making a lot of money by selling drugs to addicts


Brand new sneakers, a cut, and some jeans
I am investing my drug profits in my appearance


is what the businessman wears in the ghetto
In the low-income area I live in, wealthy drug dealers dress well


that makes the whitey petrol
This conspicuous consumption attracts wealthy white people who buy drugs


But I still can't let go, even though I'm makin
Despite becoming rich through drugs, I can't quit


crooked dough, the system is easy to beat
I know how to exploit the loopholes in the legal system


And my shit's still not complete
My drug-selling business hasn't reached its maximum potential yet


Because I'm on my way to my first key
I am about to make my biggest drug sale yet


That was the biggest shit I ever bought G
The drugs I am about to sell is the most significant investment I've ever made


I ain't gettin locked down, so I walk there, lock it up
To avoid getting caught by the authorities, I walked to the location of the drug sale and secured it


Got my first key, now it's time to rock it up
I have obtained my drugs and now need to process them for sale


Don't you know where it's gonna go?
The drugs I have are going to be sold on the streets


Right out there... on the streets of the ghetto
The low-income area where I belong is where I will sell my drugs


Now I'm up to three keys, pounds of weed and sellin bundles
I have expanded my drug business and now sell more marijuana and cocaine


Distributin all three, to get all the fundzoes
I am selling all three drugs to maximize my profits


The word around town is I'm the new Nino Brown
People know me as a powerful and successful drug dealer, like the character Nino Brown from the movie 'New Jack City'


Twenty years old, I like the way it's goin down
I am only 20 years old but I'm pleased with my progress in the drug business


I got money to burn -- dropped out of school
I have so much money that I can afford to waste some of it and I have ceased attending school


cause they couldn't teach me what I needed to learn
I believed school could not provide me with essential business knowledge


on how to earn big money, big money
I wanted to learn secrets to making huge amounts of money


I got the fortune, and a crib where it's sunny
I am very wealthy and living in a luxurious house in a sunny region


But like a dummy, I started gettin careless
I started neglecting the precautions that had once kept me safe


Talkin on the phone, so DEA could hear this
I made the mistake of discussing illegal activities on the phone that investigators could listen to


Date transaction the time and the spot
I provided unnecessary details of my drug sale


My world crashed on me, when I got caught
I was arrested and my life was turned upside down


Now I'm locked, with the niggaz that are trife
I am in jail with dangerous and untrustworthy people


No more money no more women for the rest of my life
I lost my fortune and can never again enjoy relationships with women


Be in a cell, goin through hell
I am tormented while locked up


Just because you sell, they make sure I fell, oh well
Authorities deliberately target and harm drug dealers


Now I'm fitting, with fifty to go
I have served some of my prison sentence and have 50 years left


And I never see the streets of the ghetto no mo'
I will never experience life on the streets again once I get out of jail




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: LES MCCANN, EDWARD ANDERSON, JOSEPH KIRLAND

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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