[Verse 1: Jay-Z] This is black hoodie rap There's no fear in my eyes where they lookin' at Better look on map, besides, me nah like to eye fight Me nah think such a ting is worth a man's life (Christ!) But if a man test my Stuy I promise he won't like my reply Boom bye bye like Buju I'm crucial I'm a Brooklyn boy I may take some gettin' use to Chain snatchin', ain't have it, gotta get it Same shitted, from Brownsville to Bainbridge Fatherless child, mama pulled double shifts So the number runners was the only one I hanged widith Before you know it I'm in the game, bang fidith Fear no orangutans, pe-deal cid-daps Like oranges-es, I'm dangerous Please, tell me what the name of this shit
[Hook] Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard (B-R-O-O-K-L-Y-N, come again)
[Verse 2: Jay-Z] I father, I Brooklyn Dodger them I jack, I rob, I sin Aww man, I'm Jackie Robinson 'cept when I run base, I dodge the pen Lucky me, luckily, they didn't get me Now when I bring the Nets, I'm the black Branch Rickey From Brooklyn corners, burnin' branches of sticky Spread love, Biggie, Brooklyn, hippie I pity the fool with jewels like Mr. T With no history in my borough, they borrow With no intentions of returnin', tomorrow The sun don't come out for many, like Annie Half orphan, mama never had an abortion Papa sort of did, still I managed to live I go hard, I owe it all to the crib Now please tell me, what the fuck's harder than this?
[Hook]
[Verse 3: Santigold] While I'm doin' my time due to circumstance Cross that bridge, face the consequence Once bid 10 now I paid my dues Risk takers we break the rules Get so dark, but I see good Bed-Stuy stay high in my neck of the woods Now, let it ring out, it's a warning (Brooklyn) Let it be sworn in Gotta make it stick workin' like we blue collar Rip it to the core, underneath it all we harder Right into the clip, bring it to the floor One step, one step, give it up more The road is rough and the street's a mess Got big cash dreams and a sick death wish Robbin' out the commercial stash Kill the voice screamin' in my head