Ooh, it's been a long time
Since I been back around the way
It's been a long time
Let it spin, let spin, let it spin
Since I been back around your way
It's been a long time, long time, long time
Black thought, struck by the luck of the draw
Real life preservation what I'm hustling for
My name black thought the definition of raw
I was born in South Philly on a cement floor
I had nothing at all, had to knuckle and brawl
They swore I'd fall, be another brick in the wall
Another life full of love that lost
That's silly, this Philly, y'all really ain't stoppin'
The boy with the pen like Willie on top of the hall
Pure soul is what the city most popular for
Hear the tones that will ease you
Smooth as Bunny Sigler's soundtrack
Keepin' your head boppin' and all
It's something in the water
Where I come from
They used to sing it on the corner
Where I come from
Making somethin' outta nothing
Because everybody fifty cents from a quarter
Where I come from, yeah
The streets ain't timid
But I feel at home in it
Gotta see a couple people
I ain't got at in a minute, yeah
You can take a brother outta South Philly
Can't take it outta him really
I forever represent it and it's
Ooh, it's been a long time
Since I been back around the way
It's been a long time
Let it spin, let spin, let it spin
Since I been back around your way
It's been a long time, long time, long time
Live and direct, I don't need no mic check
Remember mommy told me, you ain't write that
It started in the bathroom taking a dump
Listening to Ultra magnetic ego tripping you won't
Pressure my word, I'm the urban vision of you chump
Stomped on a different ground
Sound second to none synthesizers tweet
To improvise your feet
I calculated every lyric to arrive on a beat
It's free, come get high on me
Before a nine millimeter shell
Hit my pelle pelle, in the [unverified]
Yeah, it's somethin' in the water
Where I come from
They used to sing it on the corner
Where I come from
Making somethin' outta nothing
Because everybody
Fifty cents from a quarter, yo
Where I come from
It's just a natural reaction
For crack to make it happen
Let the pen ink sink
Into the paper of the pad, think back
When I was younger
Ghetto could have took me under
Young Peedi can't mess with North Philly
Never had, you don't know about me
You ain't stroll my streets look familiar
I feel ya longtime no see
Ooh, it's been a long time
Since I been back around the way
It's been a long time
Let it spin, let spin, let it spin
Since I been back around your way
It's been a long time, long time, long time
Uhh, clap somethin' but whatever you clap
Clap to the record spinnin'
While I'm takin' you back to the top paper era
Baby big on that picture the pool room
Where the money getters was at
And street people with feather in the cap
Or their Bossolino Pullin' paper
As if it's a small casino
I was a young boy, sweepin' the floors
And runnin' to stores but all those old heads
Would talk to me about the way
To clutch the eagle on a buck and truck
And if I'm down, how to get back up
Just survival kid and it's a struggle worldwide
I'm positive, shit the ghetto might as well
Be the Gaza Strip
You know where all the monsters is street walkers
You don't see no consciousness I'm coming back to where
The core of the problem is we on the job again
Y'all know what time it is
Ooh, it's been a long time
Since I been back around the way
It's been a long time
Let it spin, let spin, let it spin
Since I been back around your way
It's been a long time, long time, long time
Clap Lyrics performed by The Roots are property and copyright of the authors, artists and labels. You should note that Clap Lyrics performed by The Roots is only provided for educational purposes only and if you like the song you should buy the CD