Where I'm From
Jay-Z / Beanie Sigel Lyrics

Uh-huh, ge-ge ge-ge-geah
Jazzy ad-lib, no real meaning

Ye-ye-yeah, ye-ye-yeah (Brooklyn)
Repping Brooklyn, giving a nod to his hometown

How real is this, how real is this (Brooklyn)
Emphasizing how authentic and genuine Brooklyn is

Uh-huh huh (Brooklyn)
Another nod to Brooklyn

Respect this here, check
Asserting his dominance and asking listeners to acknowledge his authority

I'm from where the hammer's rung, news cameras never come
Describing a place where violence is common and goes unnoticed by the media

You and your mans hung in every verse in your rhyme
Pointing out that people often talk about violence without having actually experienced it

Where the grams was slung, niggas vanish every summer
Referring to the drug trade and the violence that often accompanies it

Where the blue vans would come, we throw the work in the can and run
Describing how drug dealers would dispose of their product when the police arrived

Where the plans was to get funds and skate off the set
Explaining the goal of making money and getting out of the dangerous environment

To achieve this goal quicker, sold all my weight wet
Admitting to selling drugs, despite the risks involved

Faced with immeasurable odds still I get straight bets
Describing the perseverance required to overcome difficult circumstances

So I felt I'm owed something and you nothing, check
Asserting his own worth and dismissing the value of others' opinions

I'm from the other side where other guys don't walk too much
Discussing the dangers of living in his neighborhood, where people are afraid to walk around

And girls in the projects wouldn't fuck us, said we talked too much
Describing how his reputation as a rapper affected his romantic prospects

So they ran up to Tompkins and sought them dudes to trust
Explaining how people in the neighborhood would turn to others they felt they could trust for safety

I don't know what the fuck they thought, them niggas is foul just like us
Admitting that even the people they trusted were capable of immoral or violent behavior

I'm from where the beef is inevitable, summertime's unforgettable
Referring to the frequency of violence in his neighborhood, especially during the summer months

Boosters in abundance, buy a half-price sweater new
Describing how people would steal clothes to resell them at a discount

Your world was everything, so everything you said you'd do
Explaining how people in the neighborhood were motivated by the desire to improve their own lives

You did it, couldn't talk about it if you ain't live it
Emphasizing the importance of authenticity and experience

I'm from where niggas pull your card, and argue all day about
Describing a place where people are quick to call each other out and debate trivial matters

Who's the best MC's, Biggie, Jay-Z, and Nas?
Referring to the ongoing debate about who was the greatest rapper of all time

Where the drug czars evolve, and thugs are at odds
Discussing the hierarchy of drug dealers and the conflicts that arise as a result

At each other's throats for the love of foreign cars
Explaining how money and status can create tension between even the closest of associates

Where cats catch cases, hoping the judge R and R's
Describing how people would hope for leniency from the judicial system

But most times find themselves locked up behind bars, is that all?
Questioning the fairness of a system that often sends people to prison for minor offenses

I'm from where they ball and breed rhyme stars
Describing how basketball and rap were popular activities in his neighborhood

I'm from Marcy son, just thought I'd remind y'all
Explicitly naming the housing development he grew up in

Cough up a lung, where I'm from, Marcy son, ain't nothing nice
Emphasizing the grim reality of life in his neighborhood

(Mentally been many places but I'm Brooklyn's own)
Despite having travelled the world, he still identifies with and remains loyal to his hometown

(Brooklyn, so where you from?)
Asking listeners where they're from in order to highlight his own roots

I'm from the place where the church is the flakiest
Critiquing the hypocrisy of religious institutions in his neighborhood

And niggas been praying to God so long that they Atheist
Suggesting that the struggle and hardship of life in his neighborhood has led some people to lose faith altogether

Where you can't put your vest away and say you'll wear it tomorrow
Describing a place where violence is so prevalent that you can never feel completely safe

'Cause the day after we'll be saying, damn I was just with him yesterday
Highlighting the suddenness and unpredictability of violence in his neighborhood

I'm a block away from hell, not enough shots away from straight shells
Emphasizing the constant danger and proximity to violence in his neighborhood

An ounce away from a triple beam, still using a hand-held weight scale
Referring to his involvement in the drug trade and the equipment used to measure and sell drugs

You're laughing, you know the place well
Addressing listeners who can relate to living in a dangerous, impoverished neighborhood

Where the liquor stores and the base dwell
Listing the types of establishments that are common in his neighborhood

And government, fuck government, niggas politic theyselves
Dismissing the idea that the government has any real power or influence in his neighborhood and instead asserting that people rely on their own social networks and political maneuvering to get things done

Where we call the cops the A-Team
Suggesting that the police are not reliable or effective in his neighborhood

'Cause they hop out of vans and spray things
Dramatizing the police's aggressive tactics

And life expectancy so low we making our wills at eighteen
Highlighting the dangers and lack of opportunity in his neighborhood

Where how you get rid of guys who step out of line, your rep solidifies
Describing how violence can be used to establish and maintain social status

So tell me when I rap you think I give a fuck who criticize?
Asserting his disregard for critics and opposition

If the shit is lies, God strike me
Challenging anyone who suggests that he is not authentic or truthful

And I got a question, are you forgiving guys who live just like me?
Prompting listeners to consider the humanity and complexity of people who live in difficult circumstances

We'll never know
Acknowledging the limitations of people's understanding and connection to those who live in neighborhoods like his own

One day I pray to you and said if I ever blow, I'd let 'em know
Committing to sharing the truth and experiences of people who live in his neighborhood if he ever becomes successful

The stakes, and exactly what takes place in the ghetto
Emphasizing the importance of recognizing and understanding the realities of life in impoverished neighborhoods

Promise fulfilled, still I feel my job ain't done
Acknowledging that there is still work to be done to improve conditions in his neighborhood

Check, I'm from where they cross-over and clap boards
Describing the cultural significance of basketball in his neighborhood

Lost Jehovah in place of rap lords, listen
Critiquing how the pursuit of fame and fortune in the music industry can overshadow religious or spiritual values

I'm up the block, 'round the corner, and down the street
Giving a specific, localized description of his neighborhood

From where the pimps, prostitutes, and the drug lords meet
Identifying the types of people who are often associated with his neighborhood

We make a million off of beats, 'cause our stories is deep
Highlighting the value and importance of their shared experiences and stories

And fuck tomorrow, as long as the night before was sweet
Emphasizing the idea that people in his neighborhood often live in the moment and don't plan for the future

Niggas get lost for weeks in the streets, twisted off leak
Describing the dangers of drug addiction and how it can consume people's lives

And no matter the weather, niggas know how to draw heat
Emphasizing that people in his neighborhood are always prepared for violence

Whether your four-feet or Manute size, it always starts out with
Suggesting that physical size does not determine success in his neighborhood

Three dice and shoot the five
Referring to a common gambling game played in his neighborhood

Niggas thought they deuce was live, then I hit 'em with trips
Bringing attention to his own gambling success

And I reached down for their money, pa forget about this
Boasting about his ability to win and take home others' money

This time around it's platinum, like the shit on my wrist
Referring to his own success in the music industry

And this Glock on my waist, y'all can't do shit about this
Asserting his own power and dominance

Niggas will show you love, that's how they fool thugs
Explaining how appearances and social status can be deceiving

Before you know it your lying in a pool of blood
Warning about the dangers of trusting the wrong people and the potential for sudden violence and death

(Brooklyn)
A final nod to his hometown, reiterating his connection and loyalty to his roots