[Intro]
Hey, Joey
Yeah
This is goin' out to all the live motherfuckers, know what I'm sayin'?
All the real n***as, Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, California
La Perla, Puerto Rico, whatever the fuck you're from, know what I'm sayin'? Yeah

[Verse 1]
The story takes place back in the South Bronx
Where at the age of fourteen I was already to knockin' off punks (Yeah)
And suckers were scared to death
Every time I walked by I hear them n***as take their last breath (Ahh)
See, I just didn't give a fuck
And if you had a sheep skin or leather bomber you was getting stuck (Word)
That was the way it was
One day I went to visit my aunt and stuck up my cuz
See, shit was fucked up back then
No matter what the fuck I did, I never had no ends
And my moms was on welfare
Ayo, I knew I had a father, but the n***a was never there
So what the fuck was I to do?
I'm sick and tired to being the bummiest n***a out the crew
I gotta get mine, I gotta get cash
I see a old man, I'm gonna rob him with the quick-fast
Gimme your motherfucking loot, papi
I'm gonna get paid and can't a damn thing stop me
See, I'm tired of this poor shit
And who the cops? Well, they can suck my motherfuckin' dick
'Cause all them n***as ever do is harass
That's why I get glad when I hear somebody smoked that ass
Just to let you know how I feel, word 'em up
The fuckin' shit is real
[Chorus]
Ayo, it's real
Down on the— Down on the— Down on the reel-to-reel
Ayo, the shit is real
Down on the— Down on the— Down on the reel-to-reel
Ayo, it's real
Down on the— Down on the— Down on the reel-to-reel
Word, the shit is real
Down on the— Down on the— re— re— re— reel-to-reel

[Verse 2]
Now I'm sixteen and there's a brand new scene (Uh-huh)
I'm makin' mad loot, gettin' paid off the dope fiends (Word)
Keeping shit in checking order
And my main man Tone was fucking everybody else's daughter
See everybody knew in town
That Joe and Tone had shit locked down
And a n***a wouldn't test me
It seems like every other day the fucking cops arrest me (Yeah)
But the shit would never stick
I make one phone call and be out right quick
'Cause Uncle Dan had my back
And now n***as gettin' jealous 'cause they know I'm living fat
Talkin' shit around the way and on the block
But never in my face 'cause they knew I packed the Glock
And my crew is mad deep
A bunch of crazy Puerto Ricans, so, ayo, don't sleep (Word)
And all you bitch-ass n***as know the deal, check it out
The fucking shit is real
[Chorus]
Ayo, it's real
Down on the— Down on the— Down on the reel-to-reel
Ayo, it's real
Down on the— Down on the— Down on the reel-to-reel
The fuckin' shit is real
Down on the re— re— re— re— (Yeah) Down on the reel-to-reel
Ayo, it's real
Down on the re— re— re— (Check it out), reel-to-reel

[Verse 3]
Let me let ya know why I made this song (Why?)
Brothers can't deal with the real, word is bond
I'm sick and tired of these fake-ass n***as
Sayin' that they catchin' bodies when they never pulled a trigger
I know your style (Yeah), I've seen it before (Uh-huh)
You wear an army suit and now you think you're hardcore
Drinkin' on your forties, smokin' on your blunts
Can't afford a chain so you wear gold fronts (Yeah)
You're fakin' the funk, kid
And you'll be gettin' it up the ass if you ever did a fuckin' bid
It's time to separate the real from the phony
The name is Fat Joe, punk, act like you know me
I come equipped with the rough shit
Nowadays I can't believe the bull rappers come up with (Damn)
And all y'all bitch-ass n***as know the deal, check it out
The fucking shit is real
[Chorus]
Ayo, it's real
Down on the— Down on the— Down on the reel-to-reel
Ayo, the shit is real
Down on the— Down on the— Down on the reel-to-reel
Ayo, it's real
Down on the— on the— on the— on— on the reel-to-reel
The fuckin' shit is real
Down on the— Down on the— Down on the reel-to-reel

[Outro]
Word up
I wanna say peace to my peeps the Beatnuts
Mesanjarz Of Funk, Strickly Roots
My man Full Flex, Zulu Nation, Jazzy J in the house
Diamond D, the whole Diggin' In The Crates crew
And rest in peace to my man Tony Montana
Ayo, I'm out, word is bond
The shit is real
Fat— Fat— Fat— Fat Joe's— Fat— Fat— Fat Joe's in town— town
Fat Joe's— Fat— Fat— Fat— Fat Joe's in town— town
Fat Joe's— Fat— Fat— Fat— Fat Joe's in town— town
Fat Joe's— Fat Joe's in town— town (Town)