[Verse 1: Rick James] When I was a young boy, growin' up in the ghetto Hangin' out on corners, singin' with the fellas Lookin' for the cute chicks, tryin' to find me big fun Lookin' for some trouble or anyone who'll give me some I was young and crazy! (In the ghetto) Didn't know what my life would be (In the ghetto) I was dumb and, oh, so lazy (In the ghetto) Something had a spell on me (In the ghetto), you all know what I'm talkin' 'bout
[Hook: Rick James] Talkin' 'bout ghetto life Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, you all know what I'm singin' 'bout Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, ghetto life! Talkin' 'bout ghetto life (In the ghetto)
[Verse 2: Busta Rhymes] Sure, we be takin' them chances While we search for the answers, we be smokin' them cancer sticks Police provokin' motherfuckers, we dancin' And we be dodgin' them bullets they be poppin' off at us, shit But yet we always romance the street And fall in love with the hood 'til somebody come blast the heat Always up to no good, so all of my fam could eat See, in the hood we hungry and, nigga, we playin' for keeps My soldiers on the block get on it It be good if you flaunt it, we will take if we want it See, niggas from the ghetto got a different state of mind With a different kind of hustle and we iller with the grind And develop our muscle 'til we sicker with the shine In the struggle, thus our money come quicker doin' crime I see the way we rep the hood, gotta love me You can take me out the ghetto, but you can't take it from me, gotta love it
[Hook: Rick James] Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, ghetto life! Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, you all know what I'm singin' 'bout Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, ghetto life! Talkin' 'bout ghetto life (In the ghetto)
[Verse 3: Busta Rhymes] That's where we get into that street shit Hustle hard, try to get money quick (In the ghetto) That's where I got my name from I learned to get money and I got all my game from (In the ghetto) That's where you eat with a bunch of the wolves And get to hustling as hard as you could (In the ghetto) Until your cake stacking shit'll get good Throw a block party for the whole hood (In the ghetto) With them burnout cellys Talk crazy, sell drugs in front of Pancho Deli Crackhead chicks still smuggle babies in they belly And then piss in elevators 'til the lobby all smelly (In the ghetto) That's where I keep my ratchets Get my instincts and survival tactics Ain't nothin' like the hood, nigga, I don't care You survivin' in the ghetto, you can make it anywhere, gotta love it
[Hook: Rick James] Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, ghetto life! Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, you all know what I'm singin' 'bout Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, ghetto life! Talkin' 'bout ghetto life (In the ghetto)
[Bridge: Busta Rhymes] To my East Coast niggas, rep your ghetto West Coast niggas, rep your ghetto Midwest niggas, rep your ghetto Down South niggas, rep your ghetto To my East Coast niggas, rep your ghetto West Coast niggas, rep your ghetto Midwest niggas, rep your ghetto To my Dirty South niggas, rep your ghetto (In the ghetto)
[Verse 4: Busta Rhymes] Even though they act rude You'll always find a good chick to hold a brick for they dude Behind the bullshit, me and my clique on the move We honor the code of the street and live by the rules (In the ghetto) Is where, all of the hood's at Find the most crooks and they sell the most drugs at Where you find beautiful women and rugrats And some of the most powerful people, I love that, come on
[Hook: Rick James] Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, you all know what I'm talkin' 'bout Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, you all know what I'm singin' 'bout Talkin' 'bout ghetto life, ghetto life! Talkin' 'bout ghetto life (In the ghetto)
“In The Ghetto” was the 4th and final single from Busta Rhymes' 7th studio album, The Big Bang. It features legendary singer, Rick James.
The song has a bumping beat, produced by DJ Green Lantern and Dr. Dre, which becomes more dramatic and loud during the chorus.
The single for the song was released on July 13th 2006, exactly one month after the albums release. The single managed to chart at no. 50 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and was gifted a music video directed by Chris Robinson.
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