In the Hood
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics

The story you're about to see, occurred along the main Trading route, on the border between the North and South At a small outpost called Red Clay Village
This is a warning that the events described in the song happened in the dangerous area between the North and South, in a small outpost called Red Clay Village.

What the fuck y'all niggas thought, huh? What you thinkin' bitch? Are you stupid son, must be stupid kid What the fuck is wrong? It's the Wu bitch Ain't got a clue bitch, tie ya shoe bitch Get the fuck back, 'fore we break a f, listen Tryin' to tell y'all niggas, give you a fair warnin' Just a chance to live, so you can see ya kids Yo son nah, before I split ya wig I'd rather feed you this, but you ain't wanna eat it So now you got to feel it!
The Wu-Tang Clan is warning listeners to be careful in the hood, because they're willing to fight and kill anyone they perceive as a threat. They're offering a warning as a chance for people to survive and live long enough to see their children grow up. The Wu would rather not fight, but they will if they have to.

Yo what the, yo Let me fuck it one more time then y'all can fuck Y'know how we do it in the hood Yo, yeah, turn the mic up, yeah, yo
This is just a brief interlude in the song. Wu-Tang Clan is asking to turn up the mic and announcing they know how to live and survive in the hood.

Y'all niggas better rock y'all hoodies Take money snatch jewelry, in the hood You find the best woman lookin' good Diamond she need polishin' In my hood, all the gunshot legal At the same time we gotta stop killin' our people Keep it in the hood, niggas walk with they gun Keep it in the hood that's where we come from
In the hood, one must always be prepared to fight. The residents of the hood rob people and steal jewels. They notice attractive women who need attention like a diamond needs polishing. Gunshots are an everyday occurrence, but the Clan calls for an end to senseless violence among their own kind to keep the heart of the hood beating. They urge others to carry their weapons and hold onto their roots.

I rep Brooklyn, home of the gangsta I know a few murderer, drug dealer In the hood, we speak mathematics and build What's the total weight of the brain, Allah real Slang jacks and hold gats, in the hood, 80 proof Get my dick sucked on the roof of the projects Dice game in the park, blunt sessions after dark Movin' with the Wesson Welcome to the God we build and drop a lesson Pussy hole testin', in the hood Got the word from the hood rat, shorty on the wood Murder, bad boy ya block off ah Murder, rude boy ya pop off ah Murder, nine millimeter me say Murder, no time fi talk, one fi Murder, men an' dem ah talk 'bout di Murder, Masta Killa come calm wit nying Nying, nying, nying, nying, nying Nying, nying, nying, nying, nying, me say murder
Brooklyn is home to the toughest people. In the hood, there are drug dealers, murderers, and people who speak the language of math while selling drugs and carrying weapons. The Clan enjoys the dark side of the hood, including sex on rooftops, gambling, and smoking weed after nightfall. They welcome everyone to learn from the lessons they teach and warn those who try to threaten them. The word on the street is that they're willing to kill anyone who tries to talk back or challenge them.

Hey yo, we boys in the hood, big bad wolves in the woods It ain't all good, pass the goods Deep in the project halls waitin' to shine Walk with a nine and talk with gang signs In the hood, niggas put twenty on Hoopties Four heads, one forty ounce and a loosie And keep dough on the flip, a hoe on the strip And roll dick throw on the flip Weed clouds thick enough to block the sun Cops come, but thugs never drop the gun, understood? Far from ya Hollywood From day one, I vowed I would keep it in the hood From project chicks with hips and slim waists From five dollar plates apartment six-eighths O.G, I spit G to the young ones I keep it in the hood that's where I come from This is the place where thugs is born, in the hood Blink to long ya life is gone, in the hood Convicts still live with they mom And they whole family tree is tattooed on they arm, in the hood Crack fiend'd furnish a 'Llac, in the hood African's be drivin cabs, in the hood In the streets the ghetto is hot And the illest gangsters, on the block with cops, in the hood The ones you love'll fill you with slugs, in the hood Babies born addicted to drugs, in the hood We make life or death decisions And the school system is like a minimal prison So you can't knock the hustle or the life that I'm livin In the hood, it ain't all good, repent or you sinnin Rude boy ya pop off ah
This final verse focuses on the gritty aspects of the hood. It's a tough place to grow up, with gangs, guns, and drugs at every turn. Even when you're young, it's important to remember where you came from. In the hood, poor families live with convicts, and drugs are everywhere. Even the cabs are driven by Africans. Cops and gangsters share the same streets, and the Schulzcrats often feel like prison. Despite all of this, the Clan can't knock the hustle. They live a difficult life, but they wouldn't want to be anyone else.