Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
Take the bassline out, uh huhJigga uh huh uh huh uh huh
It's the hard knock life for usIt's the hard knock life for us'Stead of treated, we get tricked'Stead of kisses, we get kickedIt's the hard knock life
From standin' on the corners, boppin'To drivin' some of the hottest cars New York has ever seenTo droppin' some of the hottest verses rap has ever heardFrom the dope spot, with the smoke glock, fleein' the murder scene, you know me wellFrom nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hellBut since when ya'll niggas know me to fail? Fuck nawWhere all my niggas with the rubber grips, bust shotsAnd if you with me, mama rub on ya tits, and what notI'm from the school of the hard knocks, we must notLet outsiders violate our blocks and my plotLet's stick up the world and split it 50-50, uh huhLet's take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh huhLet's sip the Cris and get pissy pissyFlow infinitely like the memory of my nigga Biggie, baby!You know its hell when I come throughThe life and times of Shawn Carter, nigga, Volume 2Ya'll niggas get ready
It's the hard knock life for usIt's the hard knock life for us'Stead of treated, we get tricked'Stead of kisses, we get kickedIt's the hard knock life
I flow for those droed outAll my niggas locked down in the 10 by 4 controllin' the houseWe live in hard knocks we don't take over we bomb blocksBurn 'em down and you can have 'em back daddy, I'd rather thatI flow for chicks wishin' they ain't have to strip to pay tuitionI see you vision mamaI put my money on the long shots, all my ballers that's born to clockNow I'ma be on top whether I perform or notI went from lukewarm to hot, sleepin' on futons and cots,To king size, green machines, to green 5'sI've seen pies let the thing between my eyes analyze life's illsThen I put it down tight realI'm tight grill with the phony rappers, you might feel we homeysI'm like still you don't know me, shitI'm tight real when my situation ain't improvin'I'm tryin' to murder everythin' movin', feel me
It's the hard knock life for usIt's the hard knock life for us'Stead of treated, we get tricked'Stead of kisses, we get kickedIt's the hard knock life for usIt's the hard knock life for us'Stead of treated, we get tricked'Stead of kisses, we get kickedIt's the hard knock life
I don't know how to sleep, I gotta eat, stay on my toesGot a lot of beef so logically I prey on my foesHustlin' still inside of me and as far as progressYou be hard-pressed to find another rapper hot as meI gave you prophecy on my first joint, and ya all lamed outDidn't really appreciate it 'til the second one came outSo I stretched the game out, X'ed your name outPut Jigga on top, and drop albums non-stop for ya nigga
It's the hard knock life for usIt's the hard knock life for us'Stead of treated, we get tricked'Stead of kisses, we get kickedIt's the hard knock life for usIt's the hard knock life for us'Stead of treated, we get tricked'Stead of kisses, we get kickedIt's the hard knock lifeIt's the hard knock lifeIt's the hard knock life