Released: October 22, 2012

Songwriter: Dontae Winslow Kendrick Lamar DJ Khalil

Producer: DJ Khalil

[Produced by DJ Khalil]

[Intro]
Greeting boys and girls (Greetings boys and girls)
My name is Petey P (My name is Petey P)
Kendrick's childhood imaginary friend (That’s right, that's right, that's right)
I am your neighbor (I am your neighbor)
And I’d like to welcome you to good kid, m.A.A.d city (good kid, m.A.A.d city)
So grab your cartoons and cereal (And sing)
Your pop guns and fireworks (And sing)
And sing along (Along)

[Chorus]
When we grow up we gon' go and get us a million
Spend it all in front of the county building
Blow it like Coltrane, blow it like Coltrane, yeah
Sing along kids, sing along
When we grow up we gon' go and get us a million
Spend it all in front of the county building
Blow it like Coltrane, blow it like Coltrane, yeah

[Verse 1]
Kendrick, you remember that one time when we was...
I’ve been waiting on this day since Dr. Dre and Pac
Was on Rosecrans in that burger stand at '95
People staring at 'em in amazement
Reservations at the Days Inn
We was living out a hotel at the time
Breakfast, lunch and dinner, chicken from Kentucky Fried
Mama babysitting Section 8 vouchers the move
When nothing else to lose but a burger flipping job
Close my eyes inside the swap meet and imagine it's a mansion
Gold ballroom, AK-47 dancin'
Howling at the moon, what’s a pack of hungry babies?
Hope you feed us soon, bite your back, you die of rabies
Everyday we pray to eat at the table at Sizzlers
But never make the visit, if better days was on its way
Then they make the decision, to make the wrong turn
So for now we heat this skillet so this canned food can burn
Oh yeah, I remember that, it- it was the ravioli with the hot sauce in it, right?

[Chorus]
When we grow up we gon' go and get us a million
Am I right?
Spend it all in front of the county building
Oh!
Blow it like Coltrane, blow it like Coltrane, yeah
Don't forget to sing along by the way, sing along
When we grow up we gon' go and get us a million
Spend it all in front of the county building
Blow it like Coltrane, blow it like Coltrane, yeah

[Bridge]
And all the ghetto children in the world say, “that’s my car” (Aye, oh)
All the ghetto boys say, “that’s my car” (Aye, oh)
All the ghetto girls say, “that’s my car” (Aye, oh)
When we grow up, when we grow up (Aye, oh)
Ghetto children in the world say, “that’s my car” (Aye, oh)
All the ghetto boys say, “that’s my car” (Aye, oh)
All the ghetto girls say, “that’s my car” (Aye, oh)
When we grow up, when we grow up (Aye, oh)

[Verse 2]
Nigga you remember the smoke and the burning buildings and shit?
Couple stolen T.V.'s and a seat belt for my safety (Uh-huh)
Played the passenger I think it’s five years after eighty (Yeah, yeah that)
Seven, do the math, ‘92, don’t you be lazy (I won't)
Looking out the window, notice all the essentials
Of a block party that stop for a second, then it rekindle
Like a flame from a trick candle, everybody got dental
Insurance ‘cause we ‘bout to floss, you get that couch I sent you?
I heard that from a block away, probably had credentials
Of a scholar but, shit, not today, them Dayton Spokes was his to take
Refrigerators, barbecue pits, and Jordan kicks
They did invasions while helicopters recorded it
Hello Mi-Mister Miyagi, I want them Kenwood woofers
Say that you got me, if not, I’ll dig in your drawer for it
The swap meet was the bulls' eye like Tauruses
Murder was the melody you should know what the chorus is
"Papa, you really telling me we can just get some more of it
If we run out?" He said, "Lil' nigga, today the poor is rich
Don’t tell your mom that you seen a Molotov bomb
If she ask just know you have to lie and son don’t forget
Bitches ain’t shit, hoes ain’t neither
Niggas gon' snitch, watch the company you keeping
And one day you’ll put money in the ghetto when you got it
Rather than having to hustle off these Rodney King riots"
That- that’s right the mothafuckin’ Rodney King...
You was with your daddy on Bullis Road

[Chorus]
When we grow up we gon' go and get us a million
That's crazy
Spend it all in front of the county building
Blow it like Coltrane, blow it like Coltrane
Don't forget, still sing along kids, still sing along
When we grow up we gon' go and get us a million
Please sing
Spend it all in front of the county building
Blow it like Coltrane, blow it like Coltrane

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter from Compton, CA.

He first gained major attention after the release of his 2010 mixtape O(verly) D(edicated). In 2011, his album Section.80, released exclusively through iTunes, instantly ranked as one of the top digital hip-hop releases of the year. In 2012, he crossed over to mainstream audiences with his major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, which was widely regarded as an instant classic. In 2015, he released To Pimp a Butterfly to widespread acclaim. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The following year, untitled unmastered. was released by surprise. In April of 2017, Kendrick released DAMN. on Good Friday.

Known for his storytelling, imagery, wordplay, passion and varied song structures, Kendrick brings hard-hitting lyricism with narratives to the West Coast, not traditionally known for its lyricists.