This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
[Kool G Rap]
G Rap with my nigga G-Dep
We about to do it Gorilla style, you heard
It's a Igloo-Badboy collabo thing you know
why'all niggaz ain't ready for it
Coming rambo style nigga
2 guns up
why'all niggaz better duck down
I'll get your cap lifted off
that's how we doing it for the new millennium you heard
[G Dep]
Regardless of the wait i'm gonna stay straight ghetto
Everybody high, don't nobody say hello
Even when the sunshining it ain't yellow
Get out of the borough
If you know it ain't thorough
Niggas play ball, AWOL, on the furlow
Still came down on the furl and pumped hero
Red and grey Macs
Keep it clean as Ajax
Ghettos sling cracks
While you niggas pay tax
Now how ghetto is this
you can catch me in your hallway taking a piss
One hand on my dick one hand on a spliff
Burnt lips from the roach clip, yellow tips
If we ain't closed it I get ferocious
Know this whole shit will leave me in them roaches
In your car motion I cause commotion
And i probably need some lotion
But i don't get fucked
[CHORUS]
[G Dep (sung)]
I am
(a ghetto nigga)
A ghetto nigga you can tell in a talk
On the corner selling the snort
It's hell in New York
Won't stop for a minute cops telling you hawk
Fake guards telling you pork
Settle for shorts
Running from court
New ports, criminal thoughts
On the blocks bodies acourt
Nobody supports
[Rakim]
It's a ghetto nigga thorough niggas that get cake
Five boroughs of niggaz do his ? a ? flip weight
Change garments to trick Jake, you dis jake
I want it yo I got warrants in six states
They come in a stolen whip with switched plates
Stickers hate I never leave a bread to trace
Only evidence I leave is hickies on chicks' face
In the corner with the crooked niggas
But yo shit's straight
We start war to leave with these seven revolvers
Sell case never test the floor
Sticky yank slicking enough why'all
I'm a man enough to put on a dress
To creep up like grand-moma and bust why'all
Get close enough to part your vest and tux off
Who would have thought the lady with the car would crush why'all
Too smart to get caught
But I got fam up north
So if they put me in coughs
I'll call fuck why'all
[CHORUS]
[Kool G Rap]
Knock back the hammer smell the
Pop that cantelope
For the venom in my python spit
It ain't no antidote
Jackpot from crack blocks
I was a man of dope
Snapshots to get your camera broke
You hoes used to plan a gross
With the hands toast
Close and stand opposed
Rubber bands she knows
Grams of the coke
Razor blade tuck the side the line
The banter of the coke
Watching niggas die with my hand on their doe
Singing with the bass
And wash up the ?land? when they float
Choking on your own words
Should have watched the ground when you spoke
One last final approach
Make your whole family ghost
Bust bottles of cham and and we toast
Till your photo stamped in the post
Sex gland cut off jammed in you're throat
Man are you gross
Bitch hanging from the lampost
We shoot from up close
Blow canners the most
Catch an overdose
Nigga we own the coast
[G Dep (sung)]
I am
(a ghetto nigga) [X2]
[Fade Out]
G Rap with my nigga G-Dep
We about to do it Gorilla style, you heard
It's a Igloo-Badboy collabo thing you know
why'all niggaz ain't ready for it
Coming rambo style nigga
2 guns up
why'all niggaz better duck down
I'll get your cap lifted off
that's how we doing it for the new millennium you heard
[G Dep]
Regardless of the wait i'm gonna stay straight ghetto
Everybody high, don't nobody say hello
Even when the sunshining it ain't yellow
Get out of the borough
If you know it ain't thorough
Niggas play ball, AWOL, on the furlow
Still came down on the furl and pumped hero
Red and grey Macs
Keep it clean as Ajax
Ghettos sling cracks
While you niggas pay tax
Now how ghetto is this
you can catch me in your hallway taking a piss
One hand on my dick one hand on a spliff
Burnt lips from the roach clip, yellow tips
If we ain't closed it I get ferocious
Know this whole shit will leave me in them roaches
In your car motion I cause commotion
And i probably need some lotion
But i don't get fucked
[CHORUS]
[G Dep (sung)]
I am
(a ghetto nigga)
A ghetto nigga you can tell in a talk
On the corner selling the snort
It's hell in New York
Won't stop for a minute cops telling you hawk
Fake guards telling you pork
Settle for shorts
Running from court
New ports, criminal thoughts
On the blocks bodies acourt
Nobody supports
[Rakim]
It's a ghetto nigga thorough niggas that get cake
Five boroughs of niggaz do his ? a ? flip weight
Change garments to trick Jake, you dis jake
I want it yo I got warrants in six states
They come in a stolen whip with switched plates
Stickers hate I never leave a bread to trace
Only evidence I leave is hickies on chicks' face
In the corner with the crooked niggas
But yo shit's straight
We start war to leave with these seven revolvers
Sell case never test the floor
Sticky yank slicking enough why'all
I'm a man enough to put on a dress
To creep up like grand-moma and bust why'all
Get close enough to part your vest and tux off
Who would have thought the lady with the car would crush why'all
Too smart to get caught
But I got fam up north
So if they put me in coughs
I'll call fuck why'all
[CHORUS]
[Kool G Rap]
Knock back the hammer smell the
Pop that cantelope
For the venom in my python spit
It ain't no antidote
Jackpot from crack blocks
I was a man of dope
Snapshots to get your camera broke
You hoes used to plan a gross
With the hands toast
Close and stand opposed
Rubber bands she knows
Grams of the coke
Razor blade tuck the side the line
The banter of the coke
Watching niggas die with my hand on their doe
Singing with the bass
And wash up the ?land? when they float
Choking on your own words
Should have watched the ground when you spoke
One last final approach
Make your whole family ghost
Bust bottles of cham and and we toast
Till your photo stamped in the post
Sex gland cut off jammed in you're throat
Man are you gross
Bitch hanging from the lampost
We shoot from up close
Blow canners the most
Catch an overdose
Nigga we own the coast
[G Dep (sung)]
I am
(a ghetto nigga) [X2]
[Fade Out]
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