BRONX MADE

These be my stomping grounds
Raised a poor child
From a pawn to a king
Where I laid my tracks down
Boogie down
This is where my gold heart sings
These be my stomping grounds
Raised a poor child
From a pawn to a king
Where I laid my tracks down
Boogie Down
This is where my gold heart sings

I am the B X
I am truly a Bronx tale
Don't get my nomadic trail
Laying my head across five boroughs
Confused with this
Boogie down is where I hang my heart
From the brick face walls of Morris Projects
To Crotona Park
It's not perfect because it's not God
But God knows
This is where she places hope to be born
Struggle balanced by big dreams
Even the minds of psychedelic hustlers
Explode with grand schemes
My homey Illion says
On the top of some buildings
You can find five O chilling
Ready to get you popped
True, but it's also the birthplace of hip hop
The original school of hard knocks
Where Kool Herc, BDP
And soul sonic Planet Rocked
This is where T La Rock shouted
It's yours
Where the Banana Kelly district
Birthed Richie Perez
Tireless champion for the people and cause
This is where you copped your copy of Palante
The newspaper of the Young Lords
This is where the feet of the Siwanoy stood strong
And in the earth and waters of Pelham Bay
Their spirits live on
Listen closely
Your heart might feel the beat
In thumps of their drum songs
However, this is my song
Claremont, third Avenue
One seven O
Home of the Black Spades and Savage Skulls
Where Spaulding balls
Slapped walls in hand ball courts
Bottle caps filled with melted wax
Slid in Skelsie marked floors
Long gone
But I was named after the third avenue El
Rolling thunder
These iron beasts constantly yelled
From one forty nine to Gun Hill Road
Catching sales in Bathgate
Run catch and kiss in University
Ringolario one two three
A stewing sancocho
You can taste the diversity
I am Bronx Hip Hop made
I am the eclectic colored walls
that Crash and Tats Cru sprayed
I was built up like the B X
Risen from ashes
Still rising and reaching for the sun
We stand here now
As the nexus of culture
True melting pot, building bridges
Mexican mother mixing horchata
On Arthur Avenue
Dominican excellence
Causing mouths to water
At Brisas del Caribe
Sofrito ghosts entice the senses
At Isla Verde
While real Jamaican patties lace Boston Road
The Bronx was burning
But fire cannot destroy gold
It just purifies it
Makes it stronger, polished to shine
Like Phoenix fables
The Bronx is again on fire
On fire with passion
Culture, diversity and art
Remove the movie madness from your eyes
Take the high bridge and see the true flame
The true life and soul of my first home
The only borough
With a definite article before its name
Welcome to the B X
Welcome to the Bronx

These be my stomping grounds
Raised a poor child
From a pawn to a king
Where I laid my tracks down
Boogie down
This is where my gold heart sings
These be my stomping grounds
Raised a poor child
From a pawn to a king
Where I laid my tracks down
Boogie Down
This is where my gold heart sings