[Produced by Markis Precise]

[Verse 1: Gift of Gab]
Why's it so easy to walk in the wrong direction
And give in a lower nature and wipe away the connection
Perfection is unobtainable, where is all of this headed
The drugs they tell you to say no to keep the government breaded
I lived in the hood and left it, experienced this suburbia
Problems are way more simple, no pistol packers or murderers
Never was used to smiling at people I never met
Unless I was scheming on thieving whatever they let us get
It's hell on this planet, sometimes I wonder where heaven went
They say if you leave the hood, you sold out and don't represent
But if you stay in, you may end up spraying with the intent
To swim in a tank of sharks who be swallowing little fish

[Hook 1]
("There's a war going on outside, no man is safe from")
To swim in a tank of sharks who be swallowing little fish
Leaving the hood
("Warriors to dwell, too many stories to tell")
To swim in a tank of sharks who be swallowing little fish
Leaving the hood
("There's a war going on outside, no man is safe from")
To swim in a tank of sharks who be swallowing little fish
Leaving the hood
("Warriors to dwell, too many stories to tell")
To swim in a tank of sharks who be swallowing little fish
Leaving the hood
[Verse 2: Gift of Gab]
He got a promotion, two million bucks a year
He always kept it a hundred with the people standing near him
Put a lot in the community, looked at as a hero
Relocated into a penthouse that had a clear view
Of the cities, some of his homies felt love
Like he was one of us and now he's making all of this bread
He tried to open up a business store to offer them help
At times, it seems it was resentful he was boss and exec
Now everything is like jealousy and pride cramped inside
A barrel pulling down the ones who God prepared to be outside
Dirt upon his name around his way, they spreading lethal lies
Cause they stressing on a moral, while we dare to be believe
Severing these ties made him feel he was losing himself
Not the self he was becoming, but the self that he had left
Back a year ago, still close to those still robbing hella folks for dough
They keep saying you've changed
But really aren't we all supposed to grow

[Hook 2]
(You changed the route, now you're in doubt)
But really aren't we all supposed to grow
Leaving the hood
(Guided meditation, close your eyes and follow suit)
But really aren't we all supposed to grow
Leaving the hood
(So much has changed, things ain't the same as they was)
But really aren't we all supposed to grow
Leaving the hood
(My hometown is like a whole different scenery)
(You changed the route, now you're in doubt)
But really aren't we all supposed to grow
Leaving the hood
(Guided meditation, close your eyes and follow suit)
But really aren't we all supposed to grow
Leaving the hood
(So much has changed, things ain't the same as they was)
But really aren't we all supposed to grow
Leaving the hood
(My hometown is like a whole different scenery)
[Verse 3: Gift of Gab]
You better strive to get up out your situation
If the situation isn't elevating then you staying in the same location
We live in a nation on the globe
Get up off the box you living, see the planet as a whole
I love the people in the hood, not the conditions
Poverty is opposition on our freedom and our wisdom
On our seeing parts of living they don't want us all to see
I will always love the hood, but hey sometimes you gotta leave
Peace

[Hook 3]
But hey sometimes you gotta leave
Leaving the hood
("We've got the right to fall hard before we go far")
Hey, but hey sometimes you gotta leave
Leaving the hood
("It ain't where you from, it's where you at")
Sometimes you gotta leave
Leaving the hood
("This is straight for streets and the peeps that made me")
I will always love the hood, but hey sometimes you gotta leave
Leaving the hood
But hey sometimes you gotta leave
Leaving the hood
("We've got the right to fall hard before we go far")
Hey, but hey sometimes you gotta leave
Leaving the hood
("It ain't where you from, it's where you at")
Sometimes you gotta leave
Leaving the hood
("This is straight for streets and the peeps that made me")
I will always love the hood, but hey sometimes you gotta leave
Leaving the hood