Boyz-N-the-Hood by Eazy E Lyrics Meaning – Urban Poetry that Echoes from the Streets

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Eazy E's Boyz-N-the-Hood at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Hey yo man, remember that shit Eazy did a while back

Motherfuckers said it wasn’t gonna work

That crazy shit, yeah the stupid shit

Hey yo Eazy! (Yo!)

Hey man why don’t you come off the piano for a minute

And bust this crazy shit

Woke up quick at about noon

Just thought that I had to be in Compton soon

I gotta get drunk before the day begins

Before my mother starts bitchin’ about my friends

About to go and damn near went blind

Young niggaz at the pad throwin’ up gang signs

Ran in the house and grabbed my clip

With the Mac-10 on the side of my hip

Bailed outside and pointed my weapon

Just as I thought, the fools kept steppin’

Jumped in the fo’ hit the juice on my ride

I got front back and side to side

Then I let the Alpine play

Bumpin’ new shit by NWA

It was “Gangsta Gangsta” at the top of the list

Then I played my own shit, it went somethin’ like this

Cruisin’ down the street in my six-fo’

Jockin’ the bitches, slappin’ the hoes

Went to the park to get the scoop

Knuckleheads out there cold shootin’ some hoops

A car pulls up, who can it be?

A fresh El Camino rolled, Kilo G

He rolls down his window and he started to say

It’s all about makin’ that GTA

Cuz the boyz n tha hood are always hard

You come talkin’ that trash we’ll pull your card

Knowin’ nothin’ in life but to be legit

Don’t quote me boy, cuz I ain’t sayin’ shit

Down on B’s in the place to give me the pace

He said my man JB is on freebase

The boy JB was a friend of mine

Til I caught him in my car tryin’ to steal my Alpine

Chased him up the street to call a truce

The silly motherfucker pull out a deuce-deuce

Little did he know I had a loaded 12 gauge

One sucker dead, LA Times front page

Cuz the boyz n tha hood are always hard

You come talkin’ that trash we’ll pull your card

Knowin’ nothin’ in life but to be legit

Don’t quote me boy, cuz I ain’t sayin’ shit

Bored as hell and I wanna get ill

So I went to a spot where my homeboys chill

The fellows out there, makin’ that dollar

I pulled up in my 6-4 Impala

They greet me with a 40 and I start drinkin’

And from the 8-ball my breath starts stinkin’

Left to get my girl, to rock that body

Before I left I hit the Bacardi

Went to her house to get her out of the pad

Dumb hoe says something stupid that made me mad

She said somethin’ that I couldn’t believe

So I grabbed the stupid bitch by her nappy ass weave

She started talkin’ shit, wouldn’t you know?

Reached back like a pimp and slapped the hoe

Her father jumped up and he started to shout

So I threw a right-cross and knocked his old ass out

Cuz the boyz n tha hood are always hard

You come talkin’ that trash we’ll pull your card

Knowin’ nothin’ in life but to be legit

Don’t quote me boy, cuz I ain’t sayin’ shit

I’m rollin’ hard now I’m under control

Then wrapped the six-fo’ round the telephone poll

I looked at my car and I said, “Oh brother

I throw it in the gutter and go buy another”

Walkin home and I see the G ride

Now Kat is drivin Kilo on the side

As they busted a U, they got pulled over

An undercover cop in a dark green Nova

Kat got beat for resistin arrest

He socked the pig in the head for rippin his Guess

Now G is cut for doin the crime

For defense on the boy, he’ll do some time

Cuz the boyz n tha hood are always hard

You come talkin’ that trash we’ll pull your card

Knowin’ nothin’ in life but to be legit

Don’t quote me boy, cuz I ain’t sayin’ shit

I went to get them out but there was no bail

The fellaz start to riot in the county jail

Two days later in municipal court

Kilo G on trial straight cold cut a fork

“Disruption of the court”, said the judge

On a six year sentence my man didn’t budge

Bailiff came over to turn him in

Kilo G looked up and gave a grin

He yelled out “fire!”, then came Suzi

The bitch came in with a sub-machine uzi

Police shot the bitch but didn’t hurt her

Both up state for attempted murder

Cuz the boyz n tha hood are always hard

You come talkin’ that trash we’ll pull your card

Knowin’ nothin’ in life but to be legit

Don’t quote me boy, cuz I ain’t sayin’ shit

Eazy E’s ‘Boyz-N-the-Hood’ reverberates with the gritty realism and pulsating life of street culture, becoming more than just a song but a narrative tableau. Its lyrics paint a vivid picture of daily survival, bravado, and the pursuit of respect amidst the bleak urban landscapes of Compton in Los Angeles during the late 1980s.

This anthem goes beyond the surface to provide a raw, uncensored look into the lives of those entangled within the ‘hood—desperate, defiant, and adhering to an unwritten code of the streets. The gravity of Eazy E’s introspection teeters on the brink of a chilling prophecy, almost preordained in its bleak outlook.

A Glimpse into Compton’s Labyrinth: The Story Behind the Story

As Eazy E takes us through a day in his life with unapologetic candor, ‘Boyz-N-the-Hood’ transforms into a guided tour of Compton’s treacherous maze. Each verse is an unfolding chapter that depicts not just personal experiences but the universal code of survival that dictates the tumultuous lives of those trapped in socioeconomic despair.

Eazy’s day starts in the afternoon—a testament to the nocturnal lifestyle inherent to his environment, rife with friends defined as trouble by maternal figures, allegiance to the streets signaled by gang signs, and the omnipresent need for a loaded gun, signifying the omnipresence of danger.

Powerful Verses: The Linguistic Arsenal of Urban Storytelling

‘Cruisin’ down the street in my six-fo’, Jockin’ the bitches, slappin’ the hoes’—Eazy E’s blunt lines hit with the force of street bravado. Yet beyond the shock value, each bar functions as a brutal linguistic tool, carving out a reality that is both feared and respected by those within and outside the ‘hood.

Within these memorable lines lies a larger narrative of masculinity, territory, and reputation, woven seamlessly into the language of the streets. Eazy employs a dialect unfiltered by political correctness to present his existence, aligning the soundscape of rap with the heartbeat of his environment.

Amidst Violence and Crime: Decoding the Hidden Desperation

While ‘Boyz-N-the-Hood’ is often characterized by its hard-hitting portrayal of criminal activity and violence, there exists a thread of silent desperation. The repeated refrain, ‘knowin’ nothin’ in life but to be legit,’ is more than a mere disclaimer—it’s a subtle acknowledgment of the hunger for a different life, away from the relentless cycle of crime and retribution.

Eazy E’s narrative may glorify the gangster persona, but beneath the bravado, it also hints at the limited options and fatalism confronting the youth of the ‘hood. This duality, delivered with potent rhetorical dismissal, layers the song with a hidden meaning that transcends its explicit content.

The Mechanisms of Brotherhood: Loyalty, Betrayal, and the Street Code

The characters that flit in and out of ‘Boyz-N-the-Hood’ are bound not just by place, but by complex bonds of brotherhood. Instances of both comradery and betrayal articulate the importance of loyalty—a prized currency in a world where trust in the system is as tenuous as the safety of walking down the street.

Eazy E’s confrontation with JB over a stolen car stereo illustrates the swift justice meted out within this society, where the consequences are immediate and often deadly. Moreover, the culture of retribution, as depicted by Kilo G’s courtroom drama, underscores an allegiance that runs deeper than the fear of incarceration or death.

Echoes from the Lyrical Streetscape: Anthems of Resistance and Identity

The pulsating rhythm and contagious choruses of ‘Boyz-N-the-Hood’ became anthems that resonated beyond Compton’s borders, empowering a generation to embrace an identity carved out by Eazy E’s words. It’s a song that has become synonymous with resistance—against oppression, against poverty, against invisibility within the larger fabric of American society.

The song, with its rough edges and unvarnished truths, offered a sense of belonging to those who found in its lyrics a reflection of their own realities. In doing so, Eazy E’s ‘Boyz-N-the-Hood’ contributed to the soundtrack of a cultural movement that continues to echo throughout hip-hop and urban narratives today.