Dear Hood

Bullets fly everyday, it's nothing conspicuous
But it's vicious when loved one's get popped on Christmas
No descriptions, you wouldn't know how to react
And living on Broadway, you don't know when they'll come back
Not only that, dumb cats strive for pettiness
Jealousy attracts to who's bank's the heaviest
I can see how mom's felt when she chose to move
Plain tired of the bullshit and so confused
Then i'm noticing mom's barely ever at home
So I'm wit Denise's family more than my own
And rest in peace Robert, it's a shame that you're gone'
The father I never had, If I needed, you had it
Got on me about school and how I needed my ass kicked
Put my report card on top of your casket
Can't forget about Magic, heard what happened and cried for him
Used to be like "that's my lil' nigga, i'll die for him"

Dear Hood, I miss you but I can't go back
But i'll still be around, you gotta respect that
Dear Hood, we shared good times and hard/
And even though i'm gone, know you're still in my heart
Dear Hood, I miss you but I can't go back
But i'll still be around, you gotta respect that
Dear Hood, we shared good times and hard/

And even though i'm gone, know you're still in my heart

I was one of the less fortunate growing up
Getting teased 'cause I ain't have the Nike's or Chucks
Watchin' the other shorty's chase the ice cream trucks
No older siblings so I was always getting beat up
When I was hungry there wasn't much that we could eat up
Turn on the kitchen light you see cockroach legs
Scared to eat the noodles 'cause of cockroach eggs
All my pants just long enough to cover my legs
Livin' wit 9 heads, just a couple of beds
The kid in the school that you'd tease alot
Jean shorts in December so I freeze alot
The worse haircut and the littlest kid
And everytime I got a Sega fiends broke in the crib
Maybe girls didn't like I had no game
Maybe bullies didn't like I had the brains

Whoever came to the crib I would ask for change
And I bet noone thought that my ass would change

Dear Hood, I miss you but I can't go back
But i'll still be around, you gotta respect that
Dear Hood, we shared good times and hard/
And even though i'm gone, know you're still in my heart
Dear Hood, I miss you but I can't go back

But i'll still be around, you gotta respect that
Dear Hood, we shared good times and hard/
And even though i'm gone, know you're still in my heart

So hungry that my ribs and back touch
And the cold got my lips bout to crack up
I wish I could back up and change this life
A trust fund and a home woulda made this right
Probably not, watchin' mufuckas chase the pipe
And at night crackfiends come and take my bike
So in elementary the 1st B to the face
Then I started getting high like Ko-be from the base
Using old milk crates for our B Ball hoops
Getting clowned 'cause I was wearing Bugle Boy's wit boots
No luxury or loot, just a couple of dreams
Where to start? 5 shirts and a couple of jeans
Me and my guys on a scheme 'cause that's all we knew
So stealin' or startin' fights'll be all we do
But ain't no reason to rue, it made who I am
I never sweated from my struggles, not a half of a gland