[Intro]
Uh
Welcome
Yeah
(look)
[Verse 1]
Corner store cats playin’ dice in the doorway
Dollar-slice grease on the thumb, that’s foreplay
MetroCard cracked, still jumpin’ the turnstile
Judge gave a look like he know we gon’ earn trial
Auntie on the sixth floor yellin’ out my whole name
Mailbox stuffed with the bills and the court dates
Shorty got dreams, but she stuck in the hallway
Baby on hip, but she still make it all day
Ops slide through, everybody got a story
Candles on the curb, faded pics, faded glory
Moms in the kitchen, prayin’ over the rice pot
I was in the stairwell learnin’ how to time drops
[Chorus]
Welcome to the hood
Where they love you if you shouldn’t be alive right now
Welcome to the hood
Where a promise and a pack really sound like vows
Welcome to the hood
Where we laugh too loud just to hold that pain
Welcome to the hood
If you make it off this block, don’t you forget our names
[Verse 2]
Rats in the alley, same path as the Benz trucks
Blue and red flash turn a flex into bad luck
Lil man sixteen, talkin’ like a vet though
Tattoo on his neck say he never Gon’ let go
Summer on the bench, white tee, black Airs
Talk big dreams, but we breathe thin air
One-way street, but we still find run routes
Graffiti on the wall say “Get out, come out”
Uncle did ten, came home to the same steps
Same old heads, same smoke, same threats
He said, “Leave if you can, don’t you wait for a sign”
But my roots in this grind, all this dirt look like mine
[Chorus]
Welcome to the hood
Where they love you if you shouldn’t be alive right now
Welcome to the hood
Where a promise and a pack really sound like vows
Welcome to the hood
Where we laugh too loud just to hold that pain
Welcome to the hood
If you make it off this block, don’t you forget our names
[Bridge]
Hands up, not for the show, for survival (yeah)
Eyes up, every rooftop feelin’ tribal
Heart cold, but the block still my idol
Broken halo hangin’ off the light pole
[Chorus]
Welcome to the hood
Where they love you if you shouldn’t be alive right now
Welcome to the hood
Where a promise and a pack really sound like vows
Welcome to the hood
Where we laugh too loud just to hold that pain
Welcome to the hood
If you make it off this block, don’t you forget our names