Where I'm From
Ja Rule/Lloyd Lyrics

Umm hey, comin from Where I'm From (I'm from) ohhh yea
Introducing that the lyrics are coming from Ja Rule and Lloyd's personal experiences living in the ghetto.

Kids get killed in ghettos, shot up over the car limos
Children lose their lives in the ghetto, often caught in a crossfire.

While they mom was at home, tears hittin the pillow
Mothers stay home crying themselves to sleep after losing their children.

Where women in the middle in a serminal funereal
Women, at the center of their sorrow, are burying their sons.

Shed a tear cause he lost his son the same way a year ago
The painful memory of losing a child has been felt by the community before.

It's the same egospiritual, we thuggin in harmony
Despite the violence and negativity in the community, people still come together in solidarity.

They say death brings life, there exchange no robbery
Some people believe that the death of a young life can lead to the birth of a new one, but that doesn't justify the loss.

If I'm wrong pardon me, me I'm just tired of poverty
Ja Rule feels that he may have made mistakes, but he's just exhausted from living in poverty.

Why them n****z in the hood never hit the lottery
Ja Rule questions why people in his community never get the chance to change their financial situations.

Unless they go lottery, first round in the draft
The only way for some people to escape poverty is by winning the lottery or becoming professional athletes.

First we dustin off the rounds and we slip in the mag'
Preparing to go out and cause violence by loading their guns.

Then we slip on the masks, and go out and mash
Putting on masks and going out to commit crimes.

And we call it feeding our family
Despite the negative consequences of their actions, they justify it by providing for their loved ones.

How I could just kill a man
The intense anger and frustration that comes with living in the ghetto and experiencing violence and loss.

His blood flow like a river and rinse his blood off of my hand
After committing an act of violence, the blood of the person they killed can never be washed away from their hands.

If you hearing me speak please Lord give me a chance
Ja Rule is asking for a chance to change and move away from the violence in the ghetto.

Please forgive me of my sins, cause we cleansed where I'm from
Ja Rule asks for forgiveness for the wrongs that he has committed while living in the ghetto.

Me and my n****z ride
Ja Rule and his friends stick together through thick and thin.

Even when the sun don't shine and its cold outside
They have each other's backs even during the hardest of times.

I never run in or hide, cause some n****z hate it
There are people who may hate them, but they won't run or hide.

But I can't get faded cause I done made it
Ja Rule won't let anyone or anything bring him down because he has made it out of the ghetto.

Instead of struggling or strive
Ja Rule has been able to overcome the struggles and hardships of living in poverty.

Survive my weight how these ghetto streets of mine
Ja Rule has been able to survive and persevere in the tough neighborhood he comes from.

Now everybody know that everybody said nobody can hide from beef
There's a perception that violence is unavoidable and people will always be drawn into conflict.

Except but us, who surprised when these kids get killed on the streets
Even though people may expect violence, it's still shocking when young people are killed.

Look how these animals eat that's how they talk bout us
People speak about those in the ghetto like they are animals or less than human.

While they shed they joke and laugh puttin a choke round us
People outside of the ghetto may make fun of them and hold them back from success.

Can I get a moment of SILENCE
Ja Rule asks for a moment of reflection and respect for those who have lost their lives.

'Cause they claimin it's the n****z that's causin all the violence
The mainstream narrative blames black people for the violence in their community.

What bout the ones that protect to serve our honor
There are people in the ghetto who try to protect and serve their community with honor, but don't get recognized.

Poppin the blue colla', with shots soon to follow
Even police officers, who should be protecting the community, end up committing violence and adding to the chaos.

The ghettos in horror, cause in this boy shot went back
The community is in shock and horror after a young boy was shot in the back.

And now the neighborhood hot and he can't move the crack
The violence in the community has gotten so bad that drug dealers can't conduct their business anymore.

When it's all about the dollars
The violence in the community comes down to the pursuit of money and power.

And he'll individually get murdered cause money is power
People are willing to kill for money and put their own lives at risk in order to gain power and control.

But then these snitch's get to talking and it's colder than ours
People who snitch and talk to the police are seen as traitors and dealt with harshly by the community.

Cuffed and crimed on the bus heading straight to the Island
People who snitch and betray their community are arrested and taken to prison.

He was only 13, but tried us in the dope and as high as the coast
Even teenagers are getting involved in the drug trade and bringing more violence to the community.

'Cause ain't no more children in the ghetto where I'm from
The community has lost too many young lives to the violence and drugs that exist in the ghetto.

Matter fact that's a stereo typical thought of livin
The stereotype that everyone in the ghetto is a criminal or a killer is not accurate.

'Cause they don't know about the hood and them love in it
People who aren't from the ghetto don't understand the sense of community and love that exists there.

Pushin hard uptown windows slightly tinted
Ja Rule and his friends are driving around in nice cars with tinted windows, showing off their success.

Back to back Benz and jeeps, blowin weed with my n****z
Ja Rule and his friends are living the high life, smoking weed and cruising in fancy cars together.

On our way to a house party, gonna f*** with some b****s
They're headed to a party and plan on hooking up with some girls.

Let's get some liquor for shorty who said she make us some chicken
They're going to buy alcohol and food for the girl who offered to make them chicken.

And if we get 'em drunk enough we probably could freak em, and do it every other weekend
Ja Rule and his friends plan on getting the girls drunk so they can have sex with them on a regular basis.

If I don't have to kill n****z, I never would leave the ghetto
Ja Rule doesn't want to resort to violence, but he's been forced to in order to survive in the ghetto.

I'm like an angel that put on a halo, cradle the grave of my n****z that we
Ja Rule sees himself as a protector and caretaker of his friends who have passed away in the ghetto.

Lost in the ghetto
Ja Rule and his friends have lost many loved ones to the violence and hardships of living in the ghetto.

We all walk back in line (yeah)
Despite their differences and past conflicts, they always come back together and stay united as a community.

Now I lay me down and sleep
The lyrics now turn to a prayer for protection and safety during the night.

And I pray to the Lord, for my soul to keep
Asking for God's protection for their souls while they sleep.

If I should die before I wake
Acknowledging the reality that they may not wake up in the morning due to the violence in the ghetto.

Pray to the Lord, for my soul to take (Pray to the Lord, for my soul to take)
Asking for God's help in taking their souls to heaven if they do not wake up.

Repeat Chorus
The chorus repeats, emphasizing the strong bond and sense of community among those living in the ghetto.