In The Ghetto
Lil' Boss Lyrics


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Yeeeeah
[Hook :x 2]
In the ghetto, I'm living in a ghetto world
In the ghetto (in the ghetto), it's a struggle but I gotta maintain

[Trae]
Welcome to the ghetto, where forever be the same
Hard times, got my people unable to maintain
Everytime I look around, it's somebody doing bad
That'll put you in the grave, for som'ing they never had

Everyday in the hood, it be the same thang
Poverty running my people, so they love pain
And I don't know if it's wrong, but still I know it ain't right
I seen a lot of people die, in the street life

The other day it hit my heart, when I watch the news
A lil' girl got killed, while she was 'sleep in her room
And she ain't deserve to die, cause that's a kid dog
Them niggaz took the life, that she ain't get to live at all

Sometimes I want to help the ghetto, but it ain't gon do a thang
'Cause I know that they ignant, and that's a god damn shame
It's an everyday task, trying to live a good life
Inside of the ghetto, where everybody be shife

[Hook: x 2]

[Yung Redd]
Welcome to the South, niggaz ain't sleep at all
Everybody out on the block, stay ducking them laws
A couple niggaz on parole, hustling by the sto'
I'm telling that ain't the way to go, play your role

But you don't hear me though, this what I'm living fo'
Hustle till I get mine, grind cause I need mo'
Shots release, too late for you to scream peace
This how it is in the street, leaving is obsolete

And still I maintain, seeing the same thang
Sometime I scream, my brain just looking for a change
But day in and day out, I move in and move out
Keep my bidness discrete, I'm on a paper route

I wasn't broke for nothing, still I was learning some'ing
If you ain't been through nothing, then you ain't seen nothing
This how it really is, around my way
Where anybody can get it, anytime of the day

[Lil Boss]
I analyze the block, babies are running round with glocks
Dope in they socks, can't skip hot so fuck the cops
Moving from crumbs to bricks, nigga these slums are thick
I try to tell my lil' niggaz, but they think they slick

These white folks don't play, they gon hot your way
They try to give you twenty years, just for living the wrong way
And who's to say now-a-day, right from wrong
They ain't living how we live, so they can't get in my zone

We get chased home for stones, and laws want to break our bones
In places in and out a high cell, to roam
And that's prolly the reason, we going crazy
Pissed at poverty, cause the system trying to fade me

Lately, I've been trying to stay out of trouble
But it's hard to stop from copping, the sack and flipping the double
Don't catch the wrong route, when you on that Metro
There's a sign in front of the hood, that says Welcome To the Ghetto

[Hook: x 2]

[Spice 1]
I wonder, if heaven got a ghetto
But be -burning down the be -block, I put the petal to the medal
Running with my cousins in Texas, Lil' Cross and Big Money
My nigga Trae and Lil' Joe, nigga all action

In the ghetto, I've been riding through the hood for years
And ain't a damn thang changed, mama still shedding tears
Niggaz fresh out the Penn, some niggaz just going in
Some niggaz gon run and stutter, turning they self in

Never seen a black man, flying dope on a plane
But they lock us up for it, shackle us with chains
Welcome to the ghetto, ghetto starts and mob cars
With bullet holes in it, niggaz shot up and scarred

But still living, driven by the game itself
To stay alive in these cold streets, mashing for wealth
Up in this ghetto, O.G.'s P's and see's
Thugs, pimps, playas hit the 6-4's or 3's

[Hook: x 2]





Yeah, ghetto ghetto life
Of mii-ine, li-li-li-life life (welcome to the ghetto)

Overall Meaning

The song “In the Ghetto” by Lil' Boss is a tribute to the struggles of living in an impoverished community. The song is a collaboration with Trae, Yung Redd, and Spice 1, each contributing their own experience and perspective of the hardships they face in the ghetto. The song opens with Lil' Boss talking about the reality of living in a ghetto world, the struggle that comes along with it, and the need to maintain through it. Trae continues by describing the common pain and despair that runs through the ghetto; poverty and crime.


The chorus repeats throughout the song, talking about how life is hard, but they try their best to maintain and survive. Yung Redd puts it well when he describes how everyone is always ducking the law and doing what they can to make ends meet. Spice 1 adds his experience, stating that even though there is struggle and poverty, the people of the ghetto are determined to make it through, with their own methods of making money regardless of how dangerous or illegal it may be.


The lyrics of “In the Ghetto” are a social commentary on the struggle that many people in poverty face every day. Tackling everything from police brutality to substandard schools to alcohol and drug addiction, the song paints a picture of an environment where survival is not guaranteed, and hope is hard to come by. The song is a reminder of the human cost of poverty and the disparity that often exists in America.


Line by Line Meaning

In the ghetto, I'm living in a ghetto world
Living in an impoverished neighborhood where people can hardly make ends meet


In the ghetto (in the ghetto), it's a struggle but I gotta maintain
An indication of the harsh living conditions in the ghetto and the need to strive to survive every day


Welcome to the ghetto, where forever be the same
An introduction to the ghetto life where nothing seems to change or get better


Hard times, got my people unable to maintain
The difficult living conditions in the ghetto deprive its inhabitants of the basic necessities of life


Everytime I look around, it's somebody doing bad
The prevalence of criminal activities, negative behavior, and the lack of opportunities in the ghetto


That'll put you in the grave, for som'ing they never had
The desperation and disregard for human life that leads people to commit crime in the ghetto


Everyday in the hood, it be the same thang
Every day in the ghetto is characterized by the same struggles of poverty, inequality, and violence


Poverty running my people, so they love pain
The poverty and harsh living conditions in the ghetto make people settle for less and even resort to destructive behaviors and habits


And I don't know if it's wrong, but still I know it ain't right
A reflection on the morality of life in the ghetto and how it contradicts social and ethical norms


I seen a lot of people die, in the street life
A reminder of how violent and dangerous life on the streets of the ghetto can be


The other day it hit my heart, when I watch the news
A personal experience of feeling empathy and sadness for the senseless killing of a young girl in the ghetto


Sometimes I want to help the ghetto, but it ain't gon do a thang
A recognition of the futility of trying to help the ghetto when the system and most people turn a blind eye to the problems it faces


'Cause I know that they ignant, and that's a god damn shame
The ignorance and lack of education among people living in the ghetto that leads to resistance to change and progression


It's an everyday task, trying to live a good life
The immense challenges and hardships of trying to live a decent life in the ghetto


Inside of the ghetto, where everybody be shife
The prevalence of shady and cunning behaviors among people living in the ghetto due to the need to survive and make a living


Welcome to the South, niggaz ain't sleep at all
An introduction to the southern part of the ghetto where people are always up and about to make a living, often by using illegal or risky means


Everybody out on the block, stay ducking them laws
The constant threat of law enforcement and its brutality towards the residents of the ghetto


A couple niggaz on parole, hustling by the sto'
The recidivism and the tendency of parolees to return to crime and hustling in the ghetto


I'm telling that ain't the way to go, play your role
A call to the youth to avoid the temptations of quick money and crime and to focus on their legitimate life roles


But you don't hear me though, this what I'm living fo'
A recognition of the difficulty of persuading young people to choose a different way of life from theirs in the ghetto


Hustle till I get mine, grind cause I need mo'
The fierce determination and motivation of people in the ghetto to get out of it by any means necessary


Shots release, too late for you to scream peace
The inevitability of death by gun violence and the lack of peace and safety in the ghetto


This how it is in the street, leaving is obsolete
The harsh reality of life on the streets of the ghetto and the lack of alternatives or ability to leave


And still I maintain, seeing the same thang
The resilience and persistence of people in the ghetto, despite the constant struggles and hardships


Sometime I scream, my brain just looking for a change
The frustration and desire for something different and better in life than the ghetto


Keep my bidness discrete, I'm on a paper route
The need to keep one's business and hustling activities secret and elusive from the law and the risks it entails


I wasn't broke for nothing, still I was learning some'ing
The experience and knowledge gained by people who come from humble beginnings and poverty in the ghetto


If you ain't been through nothing, then you ain't seen nothing
The notion that only people who have lived in the ghetto and experienced its harshness truly understand it


Where anybody can get it, anytime of the day
The constant threat and danger of being a victim of violence and crime in the ghetto


I analyze the block, babies are running round with glocks
A critical view of the state of the community, where young children are exposed to guns and violence from an early age


Dope in they socks, can't skip hot so fuck the cops
The brazen and careless attitude of some people in the ghetto towards drug dealing and law enforcement


Moving from crumbs to bricks, nigga these slums are thick
The aspiration to move up the ladder of the drug and crime underworld in order to escape the poverty and squalor of the ghetto


I try to tell my lil' niggaz, but they think they slick
The difficulty of persuading the youth in the ghetto to choose a different path from that of crime and violence


These white folks don't play, they gon hot your way
The oppressive and discriminatory actions of the authorities towards people of color in the ghetto


They try to give you twenty years, just for living the wrong way
The excessive and disproportionate sentencing by the legal system for people who resort to crime in the ghetto


And who's to say now-a-day, right from wrong
The confusion and ambiguity of ethical and moral standards in the ghetto and the broader society


We get chased home for stones, and laws want to break our bones
The harsh treatment of ghetto residents by law enforcement and the danger involved in doing just about anything outside in the ghetto


In places in and out a high cell, to roam
The high incarceration rate and the stigma of being an ex-convict among people in the ghetto


And that's prolly the reason, we going crazy
The psychological and emotional toll that the harsh living conditions and external pressures take on people in the ghetto, leading to mental illness and instability


Pissed at poverty, cause the system trying to fade me
The frustration and anger towards the system and the society that perpetuates and reinforces poverty, discrimination, and inequality in the ghetto


Lately, I've been trying to stay out of trouble
A personal goal and desire to escape the trap of criminality and violence in the ghetto


But it's hard to stop from copping, the sack and flipping the double
The addiction and lure of drug dealing and money-making that keep people in the ghetto stuck in a vicious cycle


Don't catch the wrong route, when you on that Metro
A warning to avoid the wrong path and make the right choices in order to escape the ghetto


There's a sign in front of the hood, that says Welcome To the Ghetto
The dismal and depressing fact that the ghetto is not just a physical area, but a state of being and a constant reminder of the struggle to survive in poverty and crime




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Missing Link Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mac Davis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@alyshapeterson1076

I tried my whole life, 2 fit n... SMDH... 2 much pain... that comes with choise we make... I'm not goin 2 give up... it is hard, but it ain't over... 1 of th3 realist songs.... mad luv..... -1- ☝

@allendudley5819

Texas NATION Stand Up!!!

@InsShogunGage

This is one of the best albums ever still bumping in 2018!!

@050eddyg

Stay duckin dem lawz, this what I'm livin for.. hustle til I get mine grind cz I need more..bt day in an day out I move in an move out

@alonzostriplin3338

If you ain't been tru nothing you ain't never seen nothing

@feezyfella3979

in the ghetto hard to maintain

@dragonet3480

good track homie, great TRAE!! I'M CATCHIN' THA MESSAGGE MAN!- SAME THING DIFFERENT DAY!!! (IN SPANISH : LA MISMA COSA DIFERENTE DÍA). PEACE & LOVE FOR ALL

@mrbanannaguypro2077

And THAT'S wassup.

@006erk

Great Song BombTapesRecords!! Thanks

@williamjenkings5768

hard shit

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