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.
Once upon a time in the projects, yo
I damn near had to wreck a ho
I knocked on the door - "who is it?"
It's ice cube, come to pay a little visit to ya
And what's up with the niggas in the parking lot
She said fuck em, cause they get sparked alot
I sat on the couch but it wasn't stable
And then I put my nikes on the coffee table
Her brother came in he's into gangbangin'
Cause he walked up and said "what set you claimin"
I don't bang I write the good rhymes
The whole scenery reminded me of good times
I don't like to feel that I'm put in a rut
By a young nigga that needs to pull his pants up
He threw up a set and then he was gone
I'm thinkin' to myself, won't this bitch bring her ass on
Her mother came in with a joint in her mouth
And fired up the sess it was sess no doubt
She said please excuse my house and all that
I said yeah cause I was buzzed from the contact
Lookin' at a fucked up black and white
Her mom's bitchin' cause the county check wasn't right
She had another brother that was three years old
And had a bad case of the runny nose
He asked me who I was then I had to pause
It smelled like he took a shit in his little drawers
I saw her sister that needs get her ass kicked
Only thirteen and already pregnant
I grabbed the forty out the bag and took a swig
Cause I was getting overwhelmed by bebe kids
They were runnin and playin and cursin and yellin
And tellin and look at this young punk bailin
I heard a knock on the door without the password
And her mom's got the 12 guage mossberg
The nigga said "yo, what's for sale"
And the bitch came out with a bag of ya-yo
She made the drop and got the 20 dollars
From a smoked out fool with ring around the collar
The girl I was waiting for came out
I said bitch I didn't know this was a crack house
I got my coat and suddenly
The cop busted in and had a mac-10 pointed to my dome
And I said to myself once again it's on
He threw me on the carpet and wasn't cuttin no slack
Jumped on my head and put his knee in my back
First he tried to slap me up, wrap me up, rough me up
They couldn't do it so they cuffed me up
I said fuck how much abuse can a nigga take
Hey yo officer you're making a big mistake
Since I had on a shirt that said I was dope
He thought I was selling base and couldn't hear my case
He said get out my face and musta had a grudge
His reply tell that bullshit to the judge
The girl I was with wasn't sayin nothin
I said aiyyo bitch you better tell em somethin
She started draggin and all of a sudden
We all got tossed in the patty wagon
Now I beat the rap but that ain't the point
I had a warrant so I spent 2 weeks in the joint
Now the story you heard has one little object
Don't fuck with a bitch from the projects!
I damn near had to wreck a ho
I knocked on the door - "who is it?"
It's ice cube, come to pay a little visit to ya
And what's up with the niggas in the parking lot
She said fuck em, cause they get sparked alot
I sat on the couch but it wasn't stable
And then I put my nikes on the coffee table
Her brother came in he's into gangbangin'
Cause he walked up and said "what set you claimin"
I don't bang I write the good rhymes
The whole scenery reminded me of good times
I don't like to feel that I'm put in a rut
By a young nigga that needs to pull his pants up
He threw up a set and then he was gone
I'm thinkin' to myself, won't this bitch bring her ass on
Her mother came in with a joint in her mouth
And fired up the sess it was sess no doubt
She said please excuse my house and all that
I said yeah cause I was buzzed from the contact
Lookin' at a fucked up black and white
Her mom's bitchin' cause the county check wasn't right
She had another brother that was three years old
And had a bad case of the runny nose
He asked me who I was then I had to pause
It smelled like he took a shit in his little drawers
I saw her sister that needs get her ass kicked
Only thirteen and already pregnant
I grabbed the forty out the bag and took a swig
Cause I was getting overwhelmed by bebe kids
They were runnin and playin and cursin and yellin
And tellin and look at this young punk bailin
I heard a knock on the door without the password
And her mom's got the 12 guage mossberg
The nigga said "yo, what's for sale"
And the bitch came out with a bag of ya-yo
She made the drop and got the 20 dollars
From a smoked out fool with ring around the collar
The girl I was waiting for came out
I said bitch I didn't know this was a crack house
I got my coat and suddenly
The cop busted in and had a mac-10 pointed to my dome
And I said to myself once again it's on
He threw me on the carpet and wasn't cuttin no slack
Jumped on my head and put his knee in my back
First he tried to slap me up, wrap me up, rough me up
They couldn't do it so they cuffed me up
I said fuck how much abuse can a nigga take
Hey yo officer you're making a big mistake
Since I had on a shirt that said I was dope
He thought I was selling base and couldn't hear my case
He said get out my face and musta had a grudge
His reply tell that bullshit to the judge
The girl I was with wasn't sayin nothin
I said aiyyo bitch you better tell em somethin
She started draggin and all of a sudden
We all got tossed in the patty wagon
Now I beat the rap but that ain't the point
I had a warrant so I spent 2 weeks in the joint
Now the story you heard has one little object
Don't fuck with a bitch from the projects!
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Once Upon a Time in the Projects Lyrics as written by O'shea Jackson Anthony D Wheaton
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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