[Chorus: Jay-Z]
Please believe that, some how, some way
We gotta make it up out the hood some day
Some how, some way
We gotta make it up out this life, c'mon
Some how, some way
We gotta make it up out the hood some day
Some way
We gotta make it up out this life

[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
Whether we dribble out this motherfucker
Rap metaphors and riddle out this motherfucker
Work second floors, hospital out this motherfucker
Some how we gotta get up out this motherfucker
Some day the cops'll kill a muh'fucker
I don't always wanna be this drug dealing muh'fucker, damn
Wish I could take us all
On this magic carpet ride through the sky
I, used to play the hall and fifth floor
Me and my boys, we all poor, getting high
I, seen the worst of the worst
I deserve every blessing I received, I'm from the dirt
I, planted my seed on unfertile land
Myrtle Park, Marcy, Flushing and Nostrand
And, still I grew
Some how I knew that the sun'll shine through and
Touch my soul, take hold of my hand
Look man, a tree grows in Brooklyn
[Chorus: Jay-Z]
Some how, some way
I gotta make it up out the hood someday
Some how, some way
I gotta make it up out this life, c'mon
Some way
I gotta make it up out this hood some day

[Verse 2: Beanie Sigel]
To Lil' Nell, Sigel Street, I ain't forget you
Twenty n***as on the block tryna chase that buck
Nosey neighbors and haters keep they face on stuck
Cops roll up on the pavement, break the dice games up
Moms smoke, kids can't chase the ice cream truck
Girls fighting over rope, the young boys hype things up
N***as fighting over coke, the young boys light things up
All the petty ass wars fuck the night scene up
'Member Lil' Eddie draw, man, how he light Mean up?
Then they wonder why we light green up
Back to back steam up, try to relax but I can't, I lean up
Ain't the L or the reefer that steam up (That steam up)
It's my head and I'm stressed to the point I get a fever
Thinking 'bout the block and all the mothers and kids
That can't leave and how the chinks gotta feed 'em
For the rest of they life
Fucking wings, fried vegetable rice
Gotta be kidding, no breakfast, Cap'n Crunch at night
How the kids eating lunch at night?
In they beds all bunched in tight, no less than three or four
You know how it go, two by the foot, two by the headboard
Man I'm getting scared for them (Yeah I know)
That's how I feel for them
We gotta grip of shorties on the block
All they do is smoke weed and drink 40s, cop they lil quarties
Enough to get the latest Roc, newest Glock, old Jordies
[Chorus: Beanie Sigel]
Some how, some way
We gon' make it up out this hood one day
Some how, some way
We gon' make it up out this life, yeah
And some how, some way
We gon' make it up out the hood one day
Some way
We gon' make it up out this life

[Verse 3: Scarface]
Right here's another lil' story 'bout this clique I claimed
Another chapter based on how I get that game
Just hanging round my neighborhood, bang my street
Sit and watch the passerbys play my sweep
Southside, Sunnyside is the blocks I run
South Acres, South Park, n***as all got guns
Over here we got this code Charlie, get that there
We know tomorrow ain't a promise so we get that now
Fuck sitting in the living room, guarding the steps
Working inside a smoke house, starving to death
Serving these n***as flippers, quarter-ounces and jippers
Agents snapping your picture, neighbors plotting to get ya
Situations a critic, I was out here be getting it
Living it like a savage 'cause n***a I gotta have it
They holding back on a motherfucker, I'm in it for the haul dawg
Erase enough to walk it down and fuck it all y'all
The Lord be a-willing and the creek don't rise
I'ma be a n***a and these streets gon' rise
(Some how, some way, some how, some way)
I'ma be a n***a and these streets gon' rise (Some how, some way)
[Chorus: Jay-Z]
Some how, some way
We gotta make it up out the hood some day
Some how, some way
We gotta make it up out this life, c'mon
Some how, some way
We gotta make it up out the hood some day
Some way
We gotta make it up out this life

[Outro]