Released: May 8, 2007

Featuring: 2Pac

Songwriter: 2Pac Jay Rock

[Hook: 2pac]
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Broke, with no lights on
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Broke, with no lights on

[Verse 1: Jay Rock]
Living in the projects doing bad yes we flat broke
Thinking to myself like gotta get cash yo
So I start hustling serving that clientele, tryna stay outta jail
Cause momma got 2 jobs she working em too hard
Company got her stressing they pushing her too far
Been through some hard times duckin’ dodging’ them laws
Running from one time with a dirty rock in my draws
Now I’m pushing that car, life of a hood star
And when you straight balling now these hoes wanna call
Thats life in the projects thats life in the hood b
And cash rules everything around me
Nothing but killas and dope deals surround g
The ghettos like an ocean trying hard not to drown see
Rolling up trees getting high til our eyes bleed
Dreams of living good like the Cosbys
I be

[Hook: 2pac]
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Broke, with no lights on
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Broke, with no lights on

[Verse 2: Jay Rock]
Follow me home to my rural apartment
On the east side of Watts in the niggas in Gardens
The homies outside lifting weights in the front yard
Body full of tattoos got the hood on his arm
Now he marked for life thats all for stripes
Plus the fiends on my block can’t get off the pipe
Old heads at the liquor store begging for quarters
Talking bout in 88 he lived the life of a soldier
Thats life in the projects roaches and rats
Smokers out back selling they mamas soul for drugs
Dealers in the hood steady moving that coca
Gotta get that cash no plans of being broka
Neighborhood house parties them thugs is showing up
Gang signs is thrown plus the liquor the throwing up
Niggas is drinking and smoking and they ain’t even old enough

[Hook: 2pac]
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Broke, with no lights on
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Broke, with no lights on

[Verse 3: Jay Rock]
Living in the projects broke with no lights on
His momma can’t pay that utility bill
Light up a candle and chill
So he hit the block got his grind on
Homie front him a sack he paid the bill now them lights on
Spent his last dollar scratching lottery tickets
Fresh out the pen tryna stay up outta the prison
Streets is calling so he on the side of the buildings
Hustling rocks tryna provide for his children
The good die young the youth passing away
He was only 16 lost and his life to a stray
Plus the lapd tryna lock us away
Talking about we gang injunction can’t hang where we stay
Thats fucked up ain't it, no perfect picture painted
Yeah the hoods the same dog but the worlds changing
The ghettos show us love even though sometimes its tainted
Reality you gotta face it the hood is what you make it

[Hook: 2pac]
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Broke, with no lights on
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Living in the projects
Broke, with no lights on

Jay Rock

Hailing from Watts, CA, Johnny Reed McKinzie, Jr. (born March 31, 1986), better known by his stage name Jay Rock, is an American rapper, songwriter and record producer.

Known for his aggressive voice, raw delivery and vivid storytelling, he is the first artist being signed to independent label Top Dawg Entertainment. Apart from his solo career, he is also part of the theoretical hip-hop supergroup Black Hippy along West coast rappers and label mates Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q and Ab-Soul.

Since 2006, Rock released nearly a dozen mixtapes, but failed to achieve major recognition until his commercial debut single All My Life (In the Ghetto), featuring globally known artists Lil Wayne and will.i.am., spawned in 2008. In 2010, he was featured on the cover of the XXL’s annual Top 2010 Freshmen issue and was also named one of the 2010’s breakthrough MCs by MTV.