Ice Cube — Penitentiary

"Attention all nigga row's and nigga hoe's We've decided to rob this motherfucker the legal way Not subjecting ourselves to become properly owned stock In the penal system. In the justice system" Penitentiary, I hear you calling me (x4) [Verse 1] As the world turns, it burns while it's spinning Coming to a fucked-up ending I can't wait till the day everything in the hood is straight And I can hit the pearly gates Until then, the pen is unfair Slave ships in the middle of nowhere (mama) I lets my goddamn hair grow (mama) Bellin' in court, lookin' like a scarecrow On Capital Hill, they done passed a bill Coming at me with a fucked-up deal (what) The judge gave me a 'L' But y'all can't tell I wait and cry in my cell Convicted negro, superhero Speaker of the house Hate the lyrics in my mouth Bitches in the south showin' ass (mmm) Mix-a-Lot, got hoes puttin titties on the glass We blast in the west for example And rap about this shit over funkadelic samples Yo' babies see me kill a fool on TV (West side!) And straight call me a G [Hook 1] Penitentiary, I hear you calling me Penitentiary, I hear you calling me Thinkin' of illegal ways to get paid But it ain't shit, got to be legit [Hook 2] In South-central L.A You can buy your game from the C.I.A., hey-hey In South-central L.A You can buy your game from the C.I.A. baby [Hook 1] [Verse 2] When the evil outweighs the good And you only give a fuck about the bucks The Earth will self-destruct (bitch!) Fuck the ozone layer, bitch I'm a playa (bitch!) Plus we got a black mayor I get sex when I show flex (Booom!) Port Bay Rolex (Booom!) Which ho is next? Treat you like a piece of meat, not a mate Calling you a ho 'cos I'm fucking on the first date My world is a one-mile radius I swear every other hood is the shadiest Could the Crips and Bloods be all rotten When the trilateral commission is plottin'? What you gonna do when the Earth erupts? Some niggas gettin' nuts outa styrofoam cups (punk) Fool you want monster swoll But won't even think about, socking Bob Dole (punk) Asshole from the Senate How can you relate to a project tennant? Motherfuck you and the Department of Corrections Tryina' get a section of this west-side connection [Hook 1] x2 [Hook 2] Just because you gotta stay You ain't gotta rot away We gon' come and get you one day (repeat until fade)