Released: April 24, 2007
Featuring: La Bruja
Producer: The Mighty V.I.C.
[Joell Ortiz]
Unnhhh
Look around in my neighborhood (aqui en el barrio, tu sabe)
See how we live
See right there on that corner, that's where they sell the drugs (the manteca, brother)
Run the numbers and play dominoes
Whistle at the fly ladies, you know, I'm Latino, hahahaha (Latino, pa que sepa!)
[Verse 1: Joell Ortiz]
The dope gets sold by the bodega
The way y'all call it dope, we call it the manteca
We don't look for lotto numbers in the newspaper
We play it right over the counter by the Now & Laters
Sit down on milk crates and play dominoes
Capicu! Slam it down, tell them adios
Another round of beers before we go upstairs
And watch a fuzzy TV on some of the oldest chairs
Relax, take a bath and get nice and clean
Come out just in time for dinner, you know rice and beans
A little chicken, maybe tostones, it's up to Ma
She might be tired keeping this house all up to par
Sometimes I look out the window and see some nice wheels
I got a thing for rims they give me slight chills
Around here you get killed over a ice grill
Guns pop but the OG's carry knives still
[Hook: Joell Ortiz & La Bruja]
(Latinooo)
I'm that and I'm proud, if you don't know us let me tell you about
(Latinooooooos, LaLaLaLaLaLaLaaa)
We got beautiful women, and they all seem to know their way around the kitchen
(Latinooos)
Yeah we stick together, we had hard lives so our skin is thick forever
(Latinooooooo LaLaLaLaLaLaLaaa)
I'm that and I'm proud, if you don't know us let me tell you about
[Verse 2: Joell Ortiz]
See every block got a different crew
This kid I knew got paralyzed cause of his tattoo
And he wasn't in a gang
Just some young punk trying to come up and get a name
Put a bullet in his brain, it's a shame
But yo, on a better note
Latina women look so good from head to toe
Get 'em and never let 'em go
Baseball is big in my town
So is boxing, a hundred he don't see the 9th round
These young girls is fresh they like to get piped down
Babies having babies, guess who on the WIC line now? (Who?)
Guess who got welfare? Guess who on medicaid? (Who?)
Guess who left they kid with their girl for eleven days
Without calling cause he's balling
One year from now he'll have a child support warrant
It happen all the time in my community
That's the difference between someone like you and me, I'm...
[Hook]
[Verse 3: Joell Ortiz]
Big Chino got a truck and a bike and a boat
But Chino got a gun cause his life full of coke
And Chino having fun he don't like being broke
But Chino gon' be done, FBI is no joke
And I don't want Chi to get knocked
When the truck around he buy ice cream for the block
See where I'm from the kids look up to the hustlers
Even if they family was some of the customers
My abuela used to tell me to stay off the corner
You heard what happened to Mrs. Rivera's daughter?
See she had got caught in the crossfire right there in broad day
Shot her in the back trying run in the hallway
By my building all you hear is:
"Oye, ten cuidado la policia esta en la esquina de Broadway"
There's action all the time in my neighborhood
But see we all mind our business like a neighbor should
[Joell Ortiz]
See this one right here is for all my Latinos around the world
Around the world, man, there's so many of us, man
Be proud of who you are, man
I love ya'll niggas! Joell Ortiz!
[Hook]
Unnhhh
Look around in my neighborhood (aqui en el barrio, tu sabe)
See how we live
See right there on that corner, that's where they sell the drugs (the manteca, brother)
Run the numbers and play dominoes
Whistle at the fly ladies, you know, I'm Latino, hahahaha (Latino, pa que sepa!)
[Verse 1: Joell Ortiz]
The dope gets sold by the bodega
The way y'all call it dope, we call it the manteca
We don't look for lotto numbers in the newspaper
We play it right over the counter by the Now & Laters
Sit down on milk crates and play dominoes
Capicu! Slam it down, tell them adios
Another round of beers before we go upstairs
And watch a fuzzy TV on some of the oldest chairs
Relax, take a bath and get nice and clean
Come out just in time for dinner, you know rice and beans
A little chicken, maybe tostones, it's up to Ma
She might be tired keeping this house all up to par
Sometimes I look out the window and see some nice wheels
I got a thing for rims they give me slight chills
Around here you get killed over a ice grill
Guns pop but the OG's carry knives still
[Hook: Joell Ortiz & La Bruja]
(Latinooo)
I'm that and I'm proud, if you don't know us let me tell you about
(Latinooooooos, LaLaLaLaLaLaLaaa)
We got beautiful women, and they all seem to know their way around the kitchen
(Latinooos)
Yeah we stick together, we had hard lives so our skin is thick forever
(Latinooooooo LaLaLaLaLaLaLaaa)
I'm that and I'm proud, if you don't know us let me tell you about
[Verse 2: Joell Ortiz]
See every block got a different crew
This kid I knew got paralyzed cause of his tattoo
And he wasn't in a gang
Just some young punk trying to come up and get a name
Put a bullet in his brain, it's a shame
But yo, on a better note
Latina women look so good from head to toe
Get 'em and never let 'em go
Baseball is big in my town
So is boxing, a hundred he don't see the 9th round
These young girls is fresh they like to get piped down
Babies having babies, guess who on the WIC line now? (Who?)
Guess who got welfare? Guess who on medicaid? (Who?)
Guess who left they kid with their girl for eleven days
Without calling cause he's balling
One year from now he'll have a child support warrant
It happen all the time in my community
That's the difference between someone like you and me, I'm...
[Hook]
[Verse 3: Joell Ortiz]
Big Chino got a truck and a bike and a boat
But Chino got a gun cause his life full of coke
And Chino having fun he don't like being broke
But Chino gon' be done, FBI is no joke
And I don't want Chi to get knocked
When the truck around he buy ice cream for the block
See where I'm from the kids look up to the hustlers
Even if they family was some of the customers
My abuela used to tell me to stay off the corner
You heard what happened to Mrs. Rivera's daughter?
See she had got caught in the crossfire right there in broad day
Shot her in the back trying run in the hallway
By my building all you hear is:
"Oye, ten cuidado la policia esta en la esquina de Broadway"
There's action all the time in my neighborhood
But see we all mind our business like a neighbor should
[Joell Ortiz]
See this one right here is for all my Latinos around the world
Around the world, man, there's so many of us, man
Be proud of who you are, man
I love ya'll niggas! Joell Ortiz!
[Hook]
more tracks from the album
From the album
- The Brick: Bodega Chronicles (2007)
Joell Ortiz popular songs
- Outta Control (Freestyle)
- Battle Cry
- Hip-Hop
- Stay Schemin Freestyle
- 5 AM in Brooklyn
- Hip Hop (Remix)
- Brothers Keeper
- “0 to 100” Freestyle
- Fuckin’ Problems (Freestyle)
- Nissan, Honda, Chevy (Remix)
- Music Saved My Life
- Modern Day Slavery
- Life in the City
- Latino
- House Slippers
- Roll Deep
- Kill at Will
- One Shot (Killed For Less)
- Big Pun’s Back
- Marijuana Man
- Cocaine
- Soldier
- Make It Without You
- Stalker