Ol' English
The Game Lyrics


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[Chorus]
Ol' English (la-lala-la-la-la-la)
Ridin' by gettin' high
Smokin' on that chronic drinkin' Ol' English
Rags tied gangs signs Letters on my hat in
Ol' English (la-lala-la-la-la-la)
Drive by homicide
R.I.P. tats in Ol' English Westside 'til I die
Niggas pourin' out that Ol' English (la-la la-la-la-la-la)

[Verse 1]
Once upon a time in the projects yo
I watched my uncle Greg put D's on his six-fo'
I washed it on Monday so he bought me a gold chain
Shopped crack and watched "Colors" and I soaked up game
Drove the Impala on his lap that was my role model
Used to let me kill the corner of his 40-ounce bottle
On the weekend him and my pops flashed the 'Vette
Till one weekend my uncle got stabbed to death
He got murdered by a fiend my pops ain't like that
He was from Nutty Block they used to call him Maniac
Crazy ass nigga wit' a Black Panther tat
Kill a nigga cross him out on his Compton hat
Told me when I got older I would understand that
It's blood in blood out and ain't no turnin' back
Few summers went by and we moved across the tracks
13 that's when I had my first

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]
I was the first nigga wit' a Starter jacket on the block
Used to build model cars and let the motherfuckers hop
Moms banged Hoover Crip she was known for sellin' rocks
Let me collect the 40-ounce bottles in the dope spot
Bought my first Converse thought I couldn't be stopped
When I creased up my khakis and threw on my Ronnie Lott
Used to think that I was hard so I stole my brother's glock
And that's the day my life changed 'cause that night he got shot
Killed by another crip over his Rolex watch
I got high for three years off that Chronic from the Doc
I was drinkin' 40-ounces a lot
And every liquor store in Compton sold out the day Eazy dropped
I start bangin' red laces in my adidas
Drinkin' out a brown paper bag on my first drive-by
I was a menace to society
But I never left fingerprints on my

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
I got a lot of dead homies some blood some crip
This is life stop watchin' that "Boyz N The Hood" shit
You see this red rag hangin' out of my jeans?
I went to twenty funerals by the age of nineteen
Then I went to college basketball was my dream
Quit the team 'cause I rather shoot rock wit' the fiends
Wanted to be Freeway Rick
He showed me how to turn a stolen 5.0 into a brick
Bought a Cadillac thought I was rich bangin' DJ Quik
On Crenshaw got jacked for my shit
Took a long chronic hit and thought about the time
When I was 12 years old and I emptied my first clip
Hit my first switch same night fucked my first bitch
Thought I was dreamin' till I pinched her tits
She caught a stray bullet ridin' shotgun in my shit
So I got her name tatted in

[Chorus]





[Repeated: x4]
Ol' English

Overall Meaning

The Game's "Ol' English" is a song that speaks to the rapper's experiences growing up in Compton, California. In the chorus, he talks about smoking weed and drinking Ol' English malt liquor while driving around with his crew, wearing their gang colors and throwing up signs. The verses give the listener a glimpse into the harsh realities of life in the projects, where violence and death are everyday occurrences.


In the first verse, The Game recalls his uncle, who was a role model for him growing up. He watched his uncle put Dayton wire wheels on his car and taught him how to survive on the streets. Unfortunately, his uncle was murdered by a fiend, leaving The Game without a father figure to look up to. The second verse describes how The Game got caught up in the gang life, stealing his brother's gun and getting high on Chronic. He also talks about losing friends to gang violence and being jacked for his Cadillac.


Overall, "Ol' English" is a song that paints a picture of the harsh realities of life in Compton. While it glorifies gang culture to some extent, it also shows the dark side of it, with death and violence being a constant presence.


Line by Line Meaning

Ol' English (la-lala-la-la-la-la)
Celebrating the drink Ol' English and the gang lifestyle


Ridin' by gettin' high
Driving around while intoxicated


Smokin' on that chronic drinkin' Ol' English
Using drugs and alcohol simultaneously


Rags tied gangs signs Letters on my hat in
Wearing gang-affiliated clothing and accessories


Drive by homicide
Violent crimes committed while driving


R.I.P. tats in Ol' English Westside 'til I die
Showing tribute to deceased gang members and committing to the gang for life


Niggas pourin' out that Ol' English (la-la la-la-la-la-la)
Pouring out Ol' English as a sign of respect for fallen comrades


Once upon a time in the projects yo
Starting a story about growing up in a low-income housing project


I watched my uncle Greg put D's on his six-fo'
Witnessing a family member customize his car with 'D' rims


I washed it on Monday so he bought me a gold chain
Helping to clean the car earned the artist a gift


Shopped crack and watched "Colors" and I soaked up game
Learning about drug dealing and gang culture from older family members


Drove the Impala on his lap that was my role model
Looking up to a male figure who taught him how to drive


Used to let me kill the corner of his 40-ounce bottle
Sharing strong alcohol with a minor


Till one weekend my uncle got stabbed to death
Losing a family member to a violent act


He got murdered by a fiend my pops ain't like that
Losing a loved one to drug-related violence


Crazy ass nigga wit' a Black Panther tat
Describing a violent and politically-minded gang member


Kill a nigga cross him out on his Compton hat
Willingness to commit acts of murder and chalk it up as a victory


Told me when I got older I would understand that
Receiving life lessons from older gang members


It's blood in blood out and ain't no turnin' back
Joining a gang is a lifelong commitment with no way out


Few summers went by and we moved across the tracks
Relocating to a different area in the same city


13 that's when I had my first
Beginning a story about a significant moment in adolescence


I was the first nigga wit' a Starter jacket on the block
Being one of the first in the neighborhood to own a popular brand of clothing


Used to build model cars and let the motherfuckers hop
Engaging in a common hobby and activity in the neighborhood


Moms banged Hoover Crip she was known for sellin' rocks
Mother was also involved in gang activity and drug dealing


Let me collect the 40-ounce bottles in the dope spot
Encountering criminal environments and tasks at a young age


Bought my first Converse thought I couldn't be stopped
Feeling confident and invincible due to new shoes


When I creased up my khakis and threw on my Ronnie Lott
Dressing up in certain ways to establish oneself in the neighborhood hierarchy


Used to think that I was hard so I stole my brother's glock
Feeling like a tough guy, despite being too young to own or use a firearm


And that's the day my life changed 'cause that night he got shot
Experiencing a traumatic event that would shape his future


Killed by another crip over his Rolex watch
Witnessing gang violence that could escalate over small material possessions


I got high for three years off that Chronic from the Doc
Using marijuana as a coping mechanism for trauma and stress


I was drinkin' 40-ounces a lot
Using alcohol as another coping mechanism


And every liquor store in Compton sold out the day Eazy dropped
Celebrating the popularity of a rapper who represented the neighborhood


I start bangin' red laces in my adidas
Adopting a specific look in order to establish gang affiliation


Drinkin' out a brown paper bag on my first drive-by
Describing a violent act committed while under the influence of alcohol


I was a menace to society
Reinforcing a tough-guy persona and reputation within the neighborhood


But I never left fingerprints on my
Bragging about getting away with violent crimes without being caught


I got a lot of dead homies some blood some crip
Having lost multiple friends and acquaintances to gang violence


This is life stop watchin' that "Boyz N The Hood" shit
Rejecting the romanticized and unrealistic portrayal of gang life in popular media


You see this red rag hangin' out of my jeans?
Showing off gang affiliation and pride


I went to twenty funerals by the age of nineteen
Experiencing loss and tragedy on a regular basis


Then I went to college basketball was my dream
Momentarily considering a different path in life


Quit the team 'cause I rather shoot rock wit' the fiends
Returning to criminal activity and drug dealing


Wanted to be Freeway Rick
Admiring a notorious drug trafficker and wanting to emulate his success


He showed me how to turn a stolen 5.0 into a brick
Learning drug trafficking and production from a successful dealer


Bought a Cadillac thought I was rich bangin' DJ Quik
Feeling wealthy and fashionable with a new car and trendy music


On Crenshaw got jacked for my shit
Experiencing robbery and loss despite a new sense of wealth


Took a long chronic hit and thought about the time
Reflecting on past events and experiences while under the influence of drugs


When I was 12 years old and I emptied my first clip
Recounting a violent event from childhood


Hit my first switch same night fucked my first bitch
Engaging in criminal activity and sexual activity on the same night


Thought I was dreamin' till I pinched her tits
Feeling disbelief and excitement while engaging in sexual activity


She caught a stray bullet ridin' shotgun in my shit
Witnessing the violent death of another person due to gang-related activity


So I got her name tatted in
Tattooing the name of a deceased loved one on his body as a reminder




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAYCEON TAYLOR, TONY COTRELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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