Released: November 9, 1993

Songwriter: R. Kelly

Producer: R. Kelly

[Intro]
Yeah, true to the light, you know what I'm saying?
This is going out to all of the tigers out in the hood
'Cause that's where I'm on my way back to
So check it out

[Chorus]
Uh, back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Uh, back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Uh, back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Uh, back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)

[Verse 1]
Finally the TDRE is representing the PA
So back up and all you loud mouths shut the hell up
It's time to talk about the rumors we been hearing
Stab me in my back and when I see you, chump you cheering
You really jealous 'cause we're doing things, going places
I should smack the phony smile off your face
Before I made it, it was Jack Rules Town
Yeah, so give me 30 cash for a fifty dollar food stamp
That's the way it was and still is
But people say we sold out since we hit the business uh
Uh, so I decided to produce a gangsta swing
To take it back to the hood of things

[Chorus]
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)

[Verse 2]
Uh, you used to be down, uh, you used to be poor, uh
But now you're all that, because you do tours
People call me Campbell because they think I'm suit
Up on myself because I made a little loot
You got famous model Benz, a Rollie through the hood
Yeah, and the old dirty burger joint still smellin' good
Uh, to show you ain't a damn thing change
So come correct fool when you flex my name
And if you don't punk, I gotta let you know
Good Times is our favorite show
Yeah, so here's a little funky gangsta swing
To take you back to the hood of things

[Chorus]
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Uh, back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)

[Break]
Ayo, R can we smack 'em with a third verse?
Hell yeah!

[Verse 3]
Well it's the third time the wreck shop'll get busy
I'm with friends so way more open up so I can make my entry
I'ma talk about the shit that been killing me
'Cause you been bumpin' your guns like Wrigleys G
Sayin' he sounds like this, he sounds like that
He sounds like this, he sounds like that
Oh, what the fuck sounds like a nut in the middle of your gut
Because you're full of jealousy because my fans love me
Allah gave me talent, uh, so all praises to the Lord, see
That's why I had to smack you with a gangsta swing
To take you back to the hood of things

[Chorus]
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)

[Verse 4]
Well it's the 4th runner-up, last but not least
It's the C-K-E-L to the Y, G
You see my brother sold crack for a Benz
That's when I had to step right up and put my two cents in
How come you don't shoot craps like you used to?
None of your business, get out of my face, fool
Uh, because you're makin' me nervous
And I'm about to knock you in your teeth
Some say stone styles'll try to baffle
I'm the real record and you just a weak sample
Yeah, that's why he came up with a gangsta swing, uh
To take you fools back to the hood of things

[Chorus]
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)
Back to the hood of things (back to the hood of things)

R. Kelly

Robert Kelly is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer from the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, where he first started performing under the “L” subway tracks as a teenager. This led into his first album, Born Into the 90’s, being released in 1992 as a collaboration between R. Kelly and Public Announcement. R. Kelly wrote and produced the entire album, which contained the #1 R&B hits “Honey Love” and “Slow Dance,” along with the Top 10 R&B hits “She’s Got That Vibe” (#7) and “Dedicated” (#9). The following year, Kelly went on to become a solo act.

In 1993, he released his first solo album, 12 Play, featuring the hits “Bump N' Grind” and “Your Body’s Callin'.” He released a self-titled album in 1995 featuring the hits “Down Low (Nobody Has To Know)” and “You Remind Me of Something,” while his 1998 double album, R., featured a string of hits, including “I Am Your Angel” with Celine Dion, “When a Woman’s Fed Up,” and his Grammy Award-winning song “I Believe I Can Fly” from the Space Jam soundtrack.

The success of these albums led to him becoming an in-demand producer in the ‘90s, writing and producing #1 hits for Aaliyah (“Back & Forth”), Janet Jackson (“Any Time, Any Place (Remix)”), Changing Faces (“G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T”), Maxwell (“Fortunate”), and Michael Jackson (“You Are Not Alone”).