The Shit is Real

[Fat Joe]

Yeah

This is goin out..

to all the live motherfuckers, knowhatI'msayin?

All the real niggaz

Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens

California

LaBella Puerto Rico, wherever the fuck you from

KnowhatI'msayin? Yeah

This story takes place, back in the South Bronx

where at the age of 14 I was already knockin off punks (yeah!)

And suckers were scared to death -- every time I walked by

I hear them niggaz take their last breath (ahhh..)

See I just didn't give a fuck - and if you had a C-skin

a leather bomber, you was gettin stuck (word!)

That was the way it was

One day I went to visit my aunt, and stuck up my cuz

See shit was fucked up back then

No matter what the fuck I did I never had no ends

And my moms was on walfare

Aiyyo I knew I had a father, but the nigga was never there

So what the fuck was I to do

I'm sick and tired of bein the bummiest nigga out the crew

I gotta get mine, I gotta get cash

I see an old man, I'm gonna rob him with the quick-fast

Give me your motherfuckin loot, papi

I'm gonna get paid, and can't a damn thing stop me

See, I'm tired of this poor shit

And who the cops? Well they can suck my motherfuckin dick

Cause all them niggaz ever do is harass

That's why I get glad when I hear somebody smoked that ass [gunshot]

Just to let ya know how I feel

Word em up, the fuckin shit is real

Hey yo, it's real

[Chorus: cuts "Down on the reel to reel"]

Aiyyo the shit is real

Aiyyo it's real

Word up, the shit is real

[Fat Joe]

Now I'm sixteen and there's a brand new scene

I'm makin mad loot, gettin paid off the dope fiends (word)

Keep the shit in check, in order

and my main man Tone was fuckin everybody else's daughter

See everybody knew in town

that Joe and Tone had shit locked down

And a nigga wouldn't test me

It seems like every other day the fuckin cops arrest me (yea!)

But the shit will never stick

I make one phone call and be out like quick

Cause Uncle Dan had my back

And now niggaz gettin jealous cause they know I'm livin fat

Talkin shit around the way and on the block

But never in my face, cause they knew I packed a glock

And my crew is mad deep

A bunch of crazy Puerto Ricans, so aiyyo don't sleep (word!)

And all you bitch ass niggaz know the deal

Check it out, the fuckin shit is real

Hey yo, it's real

[Chorus: cuts "Down on the reel to reel"]

Aiyyo it's real

The fuckin shit is real

Yeah.. aiyyo it's real

[Fat Joe]

Check it out

Let me let ya know why I made this song (why?)

Brothers can't deal with the real, word is bond

I'm sick and tired of these fake ass niggaz

sayin that they catchin bodies when they never pulled a trigga

I know your style, I've seen it before

You wear an army suit, now you think you're hardcore

Drinkin on your 40's, smokin on your blunts

Can't afford a chain so you wear gold fronts, yeah

You're fakin the funk, kid

And you'll be gettin it up the ass if you ever did a fuckin bid

It's time to separate the real from the phony

The name is Fat Joe, punk, act like you know me

I come equipped with the ruff shit

Nowadays I can't believe the bull rappers come up with

And all ya bitch-ass niggaz know the deal

Check it out, the fuckin shit is real

Hey yo, it's real

[Chorus: cuts "Down on the reel to reel"]

Aiyyo the shit is real

Aiyyo it's real

The fuckin shit is real

[Fat Joe]

Word up!

I wanna say peace to my peeps, The Beatnuts

Messengers of Funk, Strickly Roots

My man Funk Flex, Zulu Nation

Jazzy J in the house

Diamond D, the whole Diggin' in the Crates crew

And rest in peace to my man Tony Montana

Aiyyo, I'm out, word is bond

The shit is real

[cuts "Down on the reel to reel"]

Aiyyo