Before Hip-Hop

Hah
Listen, homie, you don't know me like you think you know me
Uh

Big boy toys that clap like a dirty bitch box
Ladders attached with thirty-six shots, inserted and cocked
You ain't gotta take my word, them shits pop
Ask around how I circled these blocks before hip-hop (Yeah)
Sandwich baggies, drop it in and tie knots
Invite my favorite fiend over to come and try rocks
Dope the only thing stamped inside my mailbox
Folded money 'til the rubber bands pop before hip-hop
Old E, St. Ides, and Valentine ale
Dutch Masters, phillies, and White Owl smells
L train to Linden and Powell to roll L's
Token booths, nigga
No vocal booths, before hip-hop
Whole different dude, I'm rolling to you
I got a dub that I don't fold it to that deuce
Everything good, even your nasty ass shoes
Now here's my moment of truth
Yeah, that was life before hip-hop

You think you know me, you don't really know me (Nah)
Back in my hood, I'm still the one and only (Yaowa)
Before these music projects, I'm the projects, homie (Cool)
Y'all just see the new me, y'all don't know the old me (No)
Before these beats was trapping, I was out there trapping (Yes)
Before these birds was rapping, I was bird wrapping (Uh-huh)
Before the fans was clapping, it was cans clapping (Brrah)
No bank accounts, hand-to-hand transactions (Ow)

A bunch of candles in the lobby, who got laid to rest?
Empty bottles near the flicks, I know the wake is next
I'm from a place where people walk around with major stress
Don't say somethin' you'll regret, before hip-hop (Uh)
I was crazy fresh, trapping in my Avirex
Blue Yankee fitted, 501's above the navy checks (Yaowa)
I never had to beg for pussy, bitches gave me sex
I left all the drugs aat they address, before hip-hop, uh
Shit, your boy was out there tryna survive
Too lazy for a 9 to 5, I bought a nine and got live 'til it jammed
Said goodbye, next day went outside
And bought that pretty .38, it's on the lap in my ride, right (Ow)
It wasn't all about these verses and words
It was being first to the curb from the first to the third
It was 'bout stayin' alert, you see 'em lurking, you swerve
To this day, I thank God I ain't get locked before hip-hop

You think you know me, you don't really know me (Nah)
Back in my hood, I'm still the one and only (Yaowa)
Before these music projects, I'm the projects, homie (Cool)
Y'all just see the new me, y'all don't know the old me (No)
Before these beats was trapping, I was out there trapping (Yes)
Before these birds was rapping, I was bird wrapping (Uh-huh)
Before the fans was clapping, it was cans clapping (Brrah)
No bank accounts, hand-to-hand transactions (Ow)

Before hip hop
Had that thing on my hip, don't let it hop off (Hahaha)
But now though, just Joell Ortiz