The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Fuck school, nigga, I'ma be a dope dealer,
I'ma be a killer, yup a urban guerrilla,
I'ma stack strilla, yeah, buy me a villa,
Sell a five-oh to my Auntie Priscilla,
I don't give a fuck that she look like thriller,
Hit that shit, one more time and fuck around and kill her.
Cause I got the heart of a Pittsburgh Steeler,
Black nigga, draped in gold with a nine milla,
Love money, love jail, love that penitentiary mail,
Love the way these niggas smell, keep comin' back, can't you tell,
Love to see my mama cry, love to see my babies struggle,
Love to see my woman juggle nuts cause she got the hustle,
I don't give a fuck, how my life go,
Now I'ma slave man to this cave man, without Geico
Everybody wanna a car, Michael a psycho
But he ain't never came through the hood with a rifle,
Gunnin' niggas down cause they don't got the right clothes,
Hit the wrong person cause we shoot just like hoes,
First I was blood thirsty, Mr. Mr. Controversy,
Now I wanna beg for mercy, should of took my ass to first
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
Fuck school, Nigga, if I grow a little taller,
Everybody tell me I'ma gonna do it, I'm gonna be a baller,
So fuck that thinkin', fuck that thinkin',
Fuck them Lincolns, I want Franklin's
Come back through here with my crew, I'ma gonna have my own shoe,
I'ma gonna be that little fool, coming in your living room,
Startin' point guard, nigga, fresh outta middle school,
Either is the NBA, or is the NFL,
I dunno what else I can do, to keep my ass self outta jail,
I wanna be like Tiger Woods, swing that club, make you sick,
I wanna be like Pacman Jones, I wanna be like Michael Vick,
I wanna be like Barry Bonds, I wanna be like OJ Simpson,
Leader's feel, leader's prison, tell you motherfuckers where to kiss em,
I wanna be all broke'd up, moving all old and slow,
I wanna be a alcoholic, just like Barway Joe,
I wanna be a side show, kinda like Iron Mike,
Used to have a few Bentley, now I just ride a bike,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
Fuck school, nigga, they ain't tryin' to educate me,
All they give a fuck is what I memorize lately,
I'ma gonna have to teach myself,
Clock that money, get that wealth,
I wanna be like Santa Claus,
I don't wanna be no fucking elf,
No kid left behind, buddy get the run around,
Can't you motherfuckers see that they tryin' to doom us down,
Don't trust the government, president, is for sale,
He don't give a fuck about a nigga, just a oil well,
Sell crack, go to jail, bust a rap, go to hell,
Do I got to sell my soul, if I wanna go to Yale,
Go kiss Oprah's ass, if you wanna be Gail,
I rather have my ass kissed, up in Bloomingdale,
You can go, be a pimp, you can go, be a hoe,
But you only gonna get paid off, what you know,
If you don't know shit, then you can't work for me,
Cause you read your first book, in a penitentiary,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
I'ma be a killer, yup a urban guerrilla,
I'ma stack strilla, yeah, buy me a villa,
Sell a five-oh to my Auntie Priscilla,
I don't give a fuck that she look like thriller,
Hit that shit, one more time and fuck around and kill her.
Cause I got the heart of a Pittsburgh Steeler,
Black nigga, draped in gold with a nine milla,
Love money, love jail, love that penitentiary mail,
Love the way these niggas smell, keep comin' back, can't you tell,
Love to see my mama cry, love to see my babies struggle,
Love to see my woman juggle nuts cause she got the hustle,
I don't give a fuck, how my life go,
Now I'ma slave man to this cave man, without Geico
Everybody wanna a car, Michael a psycho
But he ain't never came through the hood with a rifle,
Gunnin' niggas down cause they don't got the right clothes,
Hit the wrong person cause we shoot just like hoes,
First I was blood thirsty, Mr. Mr. Controversy,
Now I wanna beg for mercy, should of took my ass to first
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
Fuck school, Nigga, if I grow a little taller,
Everybody tell me I'ma gonna do it, I'm gonna be a baller,
So fuck that thinkin', fuck that thinkin',
Fuck them Lincolns, I want Franklin's
Come back through here with my crew, I'ma gonna have my own shoe,
I'ma gonna be that little fool, coming in your living room,
Startin' point guard, nigga, fresh outta middle school,
Either is the NBA, or is the NFL,
I dunno what else I can do, to keep my ass self outta jail,
I wanna be like Tiger Woods, swing that club, make you sick,
I wanna be like Pacman Jones, I wanna be like Michael Vick,
I wanna be like Barry Bonds, I wanna be like OJ Simpson,
Leader's feel, leader's prison, tell you motherfuckers where to kiss em,
I wanna be all broke'd up, moving all old and slow,
I wanna be a alcoholic, just like Barway Joe,
I wanna be a side show, kinda like Iron Mike,
Used to have a few Bentley, now I just ride a bike,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
Fuck school, nigga, they ain't tryin' to educate me,
All they give a fuck is what I memorize lately,
I'ma gonna have to teach myself,
Clock that money, get that wealth,
I wanna be like Santa Claus,
I don't wanna be no fucking elf,
No kid left behind, buddy get the run around,
Can't you motherfuckers see that they tryin' to doom us down,
Don't trust the government, president, is for sale,
He don't give a fuck about a nigga, just a oil well,
Sell crack, go to jail, bust a rap, go to hell,
Do I got to sell my soul, if I wanna go to Yale,
Go kiss Oprah's ass, if you wanna be Gail,
I rather have my ass kissed, up in Bloomingdale,
You can go, be a pimp, you can go, be a hoe,
But you only gonna get paid off, what you know,
If you don't know shit, then you can't work for me,
Cause you read your first book, in a penitentiary,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
If you don't wanna shake that hood mentality,
How the fuck we suppose to change our reality,
Lyrics submitted by xtiangoeshiiyaa
Hood Mentality Lyrics as written by O'shea Jackson Hal David
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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