[Intro]
Yo what's up this is Queen Latifah in the house
Definitely representin' Jersey on the love love
Coolin' out in Cali; shootin' Living Single
But damn I miss home

[Chorus]
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey

[Verse 1]
When I think of home I think of a place where there's love over-flowin'
And all my family and peeps I knew when I was growin'
Mommy and daddy made me proud to an Owens
Taught me to keep goin'
Straight up but never knowin'
I would become Her eminence and royal highness
The Queen Latifah; no doubt; one of New Jersey's finest
So, set if off
Get 'em up on my own
Cause Jersey's what I think about when I think of home
Don't let no one get close to you except the chosen few
Stick with the ones who meant the most to you
When you were broke and blue, that's how fam do
That's how you stay true around these snakes
That freakin' smile when they hate you
I'm quick to take the ride down for in-town (?)
(Just another day living on a down)
My experience legit, my rhymes is on hit
It's mad truth to the rumor we the shit; I can't forget
[Chorus]
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey

[Verse 2]
I used to work at Burger King but after takin' orders
I used to take the path to Latin Quarters across the waters
When I learned to do the Wop, yo, I couldn't stop
I brought it back around the way to show the people on my block
Teacher, teacher, tell me how you do it
It looks so simple like that there is nothin' to it
So, we meet at Irvington High halls and after school I'd run
To the Willowbrook mall boostin' with Sulamon
I had a talent for getting 'em for gear
Petty thief, small time crook of the year
But I chilled cause I had bigger dreams than to steal
And Ramsey came for me and Apache to put our voices on a reel
And I could hear myself on the radio
"45 King Special Red Alert Show"
Cause that's what life was all about to me
R-E-P Flavor Unit, representin' Jersey

[Chorus]
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey
[Verse 3]
I think about my mom and my brothers when I'm on swoll
Shakim, when I'm on swoll
My baby sister, when I'm on swoll
Hoffstead, when I'm on swoll
Ill-Town, when I on swoll
Jill-Town, J.C, when I'm all swoll
Irvington, Newark and so on, when I'm all swoll
Recognize the home of my soul
We got Naughty
And uh we got Nicky
We got Redman, the Artifacts and Whitney
Bon Jovi them my bogeys
Bruce Springsteen, and Das EFX
Shaquille O'Neal, oh he'll catch wreck
Tisha Campbell, Jerry Lewis, Tony Bennett
Backspin, or spin it
Thursday, Peppermint I'm in it
Shadow's, I knows no foes in the spot
Cause them peeps is my peeps and my back is got
Nuf' respect to your burough, your block
You're black; I love to see us move as a flock
Unstrapped, against each other
No body armor
Nobody harms a hair on a head, everything's calmer
And we cool, the ghetto stars and fools
We paid the dues
We made the blues
So come on with the come on
Get down with the get down
I'm down with my hometown sound
[Chorus]
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey
I can't forget New Jersey