In The Ghetto
Rick James and Busta Rhymes Lyrics

When I was a young boy, growin' up in the ghetto
Rick James reminisces on his youth in the ghetto

Hanging out on corners, singin' with the fellas
Rick James used to hang out with his friends in the streets

Lookin' for the cute chicks, tryin' to find me
Rick James was seeking attention from girls while growing up

Lookin' for some trouble, or anyone who'll give me some
Rick James enjoyed causing mischief and was looking for opportunities to do so

I was young and crazy (in the ghetto)
Rick James admits to being reckless and impulsive in his youth

Didn't know what my life would be (in the ghetto)
Rick James had no idea what his future held while growing up in the ghetto

I was dumb and oh so lazy (In the ghetto)
Rick James lacked motivation and discipline growing up

Something had a spell on me (in the ghetto)
Rick James felt trapped and influenced by the negative aspects of ghetto life

You all know what I'm talkin' bout (talkin' bout ghetto life, talkin' bout ghetto life)
Rick James acknowledges that others understand what he is referring to when discussing life in the ghetto

Sure we be takin' them chances
Living in the ghetto involves taking risks

While we search for the answers we be smokin' them cancer sticks
Despite searching for solutions to problems in the ghetto, many residents turn to smoking cigarettes

Police provokin' motherfuckers, we dancin'
Police officers often incite conflict with residents of the ghetto

And we be dodgin' them bullets they be poppin' off at us, shit
Residents of the ghetto are frequently in danger due to gun violence

But yet we always romance the street
Despite the danger, residents of the ghetto often have a strong attachment to their community and lifestyle

And fall in love with the hood 'til somebody come blast the heat
However, this love is shattered when violence occurs in the community

Always up to no good, so all of my fam could eat
Residents of the ghetto will do whatever it takes to provide for their families

See in the hood we hungry, hey nigga we playin' for keeps
The poverty and struggle in the ghetto drive residents to fight for survival

My soldiers on the block get on it
Rick James has respect for those who work hard in the ghetto

It be good if you flaunt it, we will take if we want it
The mentality in the ghetto is that if you have something, it's fair game to take it

See nigggas from the ghetto got a different state of mind
Growing up in the ghetto shapes a person's mentality and outlook differently than other environments

With a different kind of hustle and we iller with the grind
Living in the ghetto instills a unique and aggressive determination to succeed

And develop our muscle 'til we sicker with the shine
Despite the hardships, residents of the ghetto become strong and successful

In the struggle, thus our money come quicker doin' crime
Some people in the ghetto turn to crime to make money quickly

I see the way we rep the hood, gotta love me
Rick James takes pride in representing the ghetto and where he comes from

You can take me out the ghetto, but you can't take it from me
The influence of the ghetto on Rick James's life is so strong that he cannot be separated from it

That's where we get into that street shit
The ghetto is where people engage in criminal and dangerous activities

Hustle hard, try to get money quick (in the ghetto)
People in the ghetto resort to hustling and getting money quickly

That's where I got my name from
Rick James's experiences in the ghetto led to his fame as a musician

I learned to get money and I all got my name from (in the ghetto)
Rick James's success as a musician was due to his hustling and survival skills learned in the ghetto

That's where you eat with a bunch of the wolves
In the ghetto, people must become street-wise and learn to trust only those in their circle

And get to hustlin' as hard as you could (in the ghetto)
The key to success in the ghetto is to work hard and hustle

Until your cake stackin' shit'll get good
If someone works hard, they can eventually become successful and stack up their money

Throw a block party for the whole hood (in the ghetto)
Once someone achieves success, they can give back to their community in the form of a block party

With them burn out cellys
Residents of the ghetto often have old cell phones that barely function

Talk crazy, sell drugs in front of Pancho Deli
Drug dealing often takes place right outside local businesses in the ghetto

Crackhead chicks still smuggle babies in they belly
Drug addiction in the ghetto leads to dangerous and desperate situations, such as mothers smuggling drugs inside their bodies

And they pis sin elevators 'til the lobby all smelly (in the ghetto)
This line highlights the unsanitary and unhygienic conditions in the ghetto

That's where I keep my ratchets
Living in the ghetto requires Rick James to protect himself with weapons

Get my instincts and survival tactics
Rick James has had to learn to survive in dangerous situations while living in the ghetto

Ain't nothin' like a hood nigga, I don't care
Rick James takes pride in his identity as someone from the ghetto

You survivin' in the ghetto, you can make it anywhere
Surviving in the ghetto requires a set of survival skills that can be applied to any situation in life

Even though they act rude
People in the ghetto can be rough and unapproachable

You'll always find a good hick to hold a brick for they dude
Despite the rough exterior of some people in the ghetto, there are also loyal and trustworthy individuals

Behind the bullshit, me and my clique on the move
People in the ghetto have to navigate through conflicts and drama to get things done

We honor the code of the street and live by the rules (in the ghetto)
There are unwritten rules and codes that people in the ghetto abide by

Is where, all of the hood's at
The ghetto is where everyone in the neighborhood knows each other

Find the most crooks and they sell the most drugs at
Drug dealing is a prevalent way of life for many people in the ghetto

Where you find beautiful women and rugrats
Despite the struggles, there are also families and children in the ghetto

And some of the most powerful people, I love that
Despite the negative aspects of the ghetto, there are still people who hold power and success