Sound of Philadelphia Lyrics

[Intro]
Yeah
It's the sound of Philadelphia
Yo, yo

[Verse 1]
Welcome to the home of brotherly love
Brothers covered in blood

The man's office is covered in bugs
The youth dreams cut short, swept under the rug
Love for self is outweighed by the love for the drugs
Go Eagles, McNabb and T.O
We ain't hard to find homey, just follow the weed smoke
We eat rolls of greased beef soaked, overweight and evil
A city of justice unequal
The shadow of New York we still under
So we gotta kill 'em every summer, walk a little tougher

Guns bustin' how we chose to fight
When you can go from bein' a star to a scumbag overnight
Streets often deserted on the coldest nights
All hair trigger thunderbirds show you're right
Cops don't ask if ya know your rights
Hopeless hypes smokin' pipes
Pavement gamblers rollin' dice
Short sentence describe your whole life
Low expectancy at a low price for a low life
The mind of many years shines, soul so bright
But they could give a fuck, in their crib no lights
Everybody rhyme and they claim they don't write--it down
Sit down, take it all in
Civilization, this is where it all ends
The city I call kin
Yo, so take caution
[Hook] (2X)
It's the sound of Philadelphia
Gun shots and pretty beats
Come along with me, hear my city speak
It's talkin' to ya, it's giving you a heads up
It's sayin' that niggas 'round here is gettin' fed up

[Verse 2]
On stoops the fruits of my labor
Are made by moves that major
Hood gossip never news from the newspaper
Don't ask me for shit, we never do favors
The elders are now just a bunch of reclused neighbors
Tax dollars go to prisons, new judges, new chambers
Love it when you lose, kill ya if you came up
Niggas passin' disease, fuckin' the same slut
You either cuttin' a demo or gettin' 'caine cut
Don't go to school, they'll treat you like a lame duck
You ain't my master, yeah it's a shame but
What do you expect from--kids who need respect
Cuz no one was at home for them to learn respect from?

We respect guns, we respect funds
Let's face it, my future don't look like the Jetsons
Don't ask the government for help cause we expect none
Our heroes get murdered and replaced with the next one
It's like a wild west done
On the way out I hope I get one
But I doubt that will happen
Cuz of crabs in a barrel
I'll probably end up in a cage
Cuz I had to let a blast from the barrel
The city of Philly {*echoes*}
[Hook] (2X)
It's the sound of Philadelphia
Gun shots and pretty beats
Come along with me, hear my city speak
It's talkin' to ya, it's giving you a heads up
It's sayin' that niggas 'round here is gettin' fed up

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About

Genius Annotation

Reef the Lost Cauze, the member of the Hip-Hop collective Army of the Pharaohs speaks about his dear ol' hometown, Philadelphia.

Philly has been a source of information for artists & writers throughout the history of its' existence.

He isn’t the only one, neither the last one to give it praise in his work. There is definitely something about this city right below New York.

Produced by King Magnetic, the instrumental of the song contains a structurally important element sample from B.B. King’s Hummingbird
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fERk1AVu2CM

Credits
Produced By
Written By
Release Date
September 20, 2005
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