The Tunnel
Onyx feat. Cormega & Papoose Lyrics

Yeah! Yeah we takin niggas back
We're bringing back the memories of the past, the time when The Tunnel was the place to be.

You know what I'm sayin?
Do you understand what I'm trying to say?

It's sunday night, Westside Highway, 27th and 1th avenue
The place is The Tunnel, located on the Westside Highway on 27th and 11th avenue, on this specific Sunday night.

The notorious, home of the juxs, home of the robberies Home of the bodies, the illest club in New York, The Tunnel
The Tunnel is infamous for its robbery and theft incidents, in addition to being the best club in New York City where people would attend.

Yo! Let's take it back to The Tunnel, where the hoods will run upon you For the jux son, as soon as they play +Shook Ones+
Let's remember The Tunnel, where the streets were rough, and people with bad intentions would rob you as soon as they play the song Shook Ones.

The wolves from Brooklyn, always roll deep +Who Shot Ya?+ Somebody gettin rocked to sleep
People from Brooklyn would always come in a large group, and if someone said something wrong, the situation would escalate quickly.

Security make you take your Timbs off in the winter And walk through the metal detectors before you enter
Even in winter, you had to take off your shoes before going through the metal detectors to make sure no one had any weapons.

When you get inside, might be a homicide With that New York hip hop, somebody might get shot
Things get quite dangerous inside The Tunnel, and since it was a New York hip hop club, shooting incidents were possible.

This is where they snatch jewels razors will splash you Flex screamin out in the club don't let 'em gas you
People would snatch your valuables in The Tunnel, and fights would break out, so you had to be careful and not get riled up by those around you.

Niggas takin pictures of money you know, cash rules Bitches givin head, in the unisex bathroom
People would take pictures of stacks of money, and some women would provide sexual favors in the unisex bathrooms during the party.

This is hell where the criminals dwell Half the goons in the club just came home from jail Other half couldn't come 'cause they couldn't make bail
The Tunnel was not a safe place, filled with people who had done time, and some couldn't even attend because they couldn't pay the bail.

It's cold on the Westside +It ain't hard to tell+ In The Tunnel!
The Westside is cold and harsh, and it wasn't difficult to sense that The Tunnel was not a welcoming place.

Posted up, goons ferocious jewels cold as fuck Those who dream about schemin, we woke 'em up
The goons in The Tunnel were fierce, with expensive jewelry on but their hearts were equally cold, and anyone that thought of scheming would get a reality check.

My Fort Greene niggas was born to squeeze triggers My Queens regime was at the bar deep chillin
The author's Fort Greene friends were naturally violent and ready to shoot while his Queens associates were more relaxed and enjoyed their drinks at the bar.

You know it's real You can go in there and see people you know from jail Home at last holdin stacks and dough in hand Moment in silence Big L was always there
The Tunnel was as real as it gets, with acquaintances you may have known from previous jail time, whom you would later see holding money and stacks. The passing of Big L was always remembered.

And Chris Lighty ran The Tunnel, he was the man I've seen Diddy buy the bar out and shut it down Please believe Free and Nitty didn't fuck around
Chris Lighty was the influential manager of The Tunnel, and even Diddy himself bought out the bar and closed it. This was to be taken seriously because Free and Nitty were not to be messed with.

I walked the crowd with Tims on because my style Is New York to the fullest, we don't bow All the dudes who want the crown are fuckin clowns The Tunnel is proof, street niggas run this town
The author identifies as quintessentially New York and as such, struts the crowd with his Tims. Those who attempt to usurp the throne are looking quite silly since The Tunnel proved street people run the city.

Stickin niggas at The Tunnel is how I use to eat Soon as you step foot on that cobblestone street
The way he survived was by stealing from people at The Tunnel. As soon as the foot touches the cobblestone at the entrance to The Tunnel, you dread what's to come.

And this is the same spot where Hype shot Belly You could get popped, end up gettin shot in yo' belly
Director Hype Williams filmed parts of the movie Belly in the same location, but the violent reality of The Tunnel was that you could get shot in the stomach inside.

Come through stuntin like yo' ass is bad You'll get juxed up sent out in a plastic bag
If you walk in showing off with an attitude, you wouldn't walk out, as you would get robbed and left for dead.

This the grimiest club in the whole city I'm talkin stick up kids, murderers, NYPD
The darkest and dirtiest club in the city, where people would come to rob and hurt, including members of the New York City Police Department.

Westside on 27th down the block from the projects Just walk into The Tunnel you'll get shot up and carjacked
The Tunnel was located on the Westside, just a block away from the projects, and anyone who dared enter would not only get shot but lose their car too.

I partied with killers, rapers and lifers If it wasn't for the bitches you would think it's Rikers
The author partied with very dangerous people like murderers, rapists, and life-time prisoners, so much so that it was easy to forget you weren't in Rikers Correctional Facility.

That's back when, I never smiled alot Was on my +New York State Of Mind+ shit around the clock
The author wasn't the smiliest person in The Tunnel, as he was always in a New York state of mind, carrying through with his attitude around the clock.

And it wasn't just niggas from the N.Y.C. It was C.T., D.C., V.A., P.A., N.C., L.I., M.D., N.J. At The Tunnel!!!
The Tunnel attracted attendees from beyond the city of New York. Folks from Connecticut, Washington DC, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Long Island, Maryland, and New Jersey all attended The Tunnel.

Sticky, 'mega and Fredro Starr black ski mask hoodies and crowbars Hip Hop purist prestige lyrical flow gods
Sticky Fingaz, Cormega, and Fredro Starr, three of the most elite New York rappers, wore dark ski masks and hoodies and armed themselves with crowbars.

Grew up in The Tunnel we came here to expose y'all To the most dangerous night club in the whole world
The Tunnel is where they grew up and that they came to expose people to the most dangerous nightclub in the world.

Unemployed ex-cons thugs thuggin with no job Chain snatchin stick up killers who came to go rob
Ex-cons and other unemployed criminals would attend, looking to rob those with expensive jewelry.

Pocket nife gemstar boxcutters to blow y'all Drug traffickin coke, pills and hydro jars Fly diva hoodrat dime bitches with no draws Fingerwaves braids and shades givin out blowjobs
People would carry weapons such as pocket knives, gemstar boxcutters, and drugs such as cocaine, pills, and hydro jars into the club. The Tunnel also had promiscuous women with finger waves, braids, and shades giving out sexual favors.

Walked around the corner The Tunnel line is so long Skipped everybody, Brooklyn niggas is so strong
The Tunnel's line was very long, but Brooklynites cut everyone off and went directly in.

The ice grill era, face fightin get stoned on Punch you in face and givin you a fuckin nose job Them bougie clubs and day parties control y'all The real recognize the real we don't even know y'all
At that time, face fighting was common, and one would get a 'nose job' if they got punched. The author also comments that other, higher-end clubs and day parties were not as authentic and that he couldn't relate to them, but the streets could recognize and relate to each other.

[Chorus: Sticky Fingaz] (Snowgoons scratchin) The Tunnel! (Let's take it back) Let's take it back to The Tunnel!!! (L-L-Let's take it way way back!) The Tunnel! (Let's take it back) Let's take it back to The Tunnel!!! (L-L-Let's take it way way back!)
Sticky Fingaz sings the chorus, and Snowgoons produced the music. The song once again calls to take us back to The Tunnel.