Boyz N the Hood, a groundbreaking track released in 1987, remains a defining anthem of gangsta rap and a testament to the raw talent of its creator, Eazy-E.
As a founding member of N.W.A and a pioneer of West Coast hip-hop, Eazy-E crafted provocative lyrics that vividly depicted the harsh realities of life in South Central Los Angeles.
With gritty storytelling and unflinching honesty, his verses shed light on the systemic injustices, gang violence, and socioeconomic struggles that plagued his community.
Boyz N The Hood Lyrics
Verse 1
Cruisin’ down the street in my 6-4
Jockin’ the freaks, clockin’ the dough
Went to the park to get the scoop
Knuckle-heads out there cold-shootin’ some hoops
A car pulls up, who can it be?
A fresh El Camino rollin’ Kilo G
He rolled down his window and he started to say
It’s all about makin’ that GTA
Chorus
‘Cause the boys in the hood are always hard
You come talkin’ the trash, we’ll pull your card
Knowin’ nothin’ in life, but to be legit
Don’t quote me, boy, ’cause I ain’t said shit
Scratches
Yo, man!
Get the fuck out!
Pump that bass!
Mothafucker, say what?
Verse 2
Donald B’s in the place to give me the pace
He said my man JD is on freebase
The boy JD was a friend of mine
‘Til I caught him in my car tryin’ to steal an Alpine
Chased him up the streets to call a truce
The silly cluckhead pulls out a deuce deuce
Little did he know I had a loaded 12-gauge
One sucka dead, LA Times front page
Chorus
‘Cause the boys in the hood are always hard
You come talkin’ the trash, we’ll pull your card
Knowin’ nothin’ in life, but to be legit
Don’t quote me, boy, ’cause I ain’t said shit
Scratches
Yo, Leroy!
Beer drinkin’, breath stinkin’, sniffin’ glue
Verse 3
Bored as hell and I wanna get ill
So I went to a place where my homeboys chill
The fellas out there makin’ that dollar
I pulled up in my 6-4 Impala
They greet me with a 40 and I started drinkin’
And from the 8-ball my breath started stinkin’
Left to get my girl to rock that body
Before I left I hit the Bacardi
Went to her house to get her out of the pad
Dumb ho said somethin’ that made me mad
She said somethin’ that I couldn’t believe
So I grabbed the stupid bitch by her nappy-ass weave
She started talkin’ shit, wouldn’t you know?
Reached back like a pimp, slapped the ho
Her father jumped up and he started to shout
So I threw a right cross, cold-knocked him out
Chorus
‘Cause the boys in the hood are always hard
You come talkin’ the trash, we’ll pull your card
Knowin’ nothin’ in life, but to be legit
Don’t quote me, boy, ’cause I ain’t said shit
Scratches
Who do you think you are, Mr. big stuff?
Rock this mothafucker like Three the Hard Way
Verse 4
I’m rollin’ hard, now I’m under control
Then wrapped my 6-4 around a telephone pole
I looked at my car and I said “Oh, brother.”
I throw it in the gutter, and go buy another
Walkin’ home, I see the G ride
Now Cat is drivin’, Kilo on the side
As they busted a U, they got pulled over
An undercover cop in a dark green Nova
Cat got beat for resistin’ arrest
He socked the pig in the head for rippin’ his Guess
Now G is caught for doin’ the crime
Fourth offense on the boy he’ll do some time
Chorus
‘Cause the boys in the hood are always hard
You come talkin’ the trash, we’ll pull your card
Knowin’ nothin’ in life, but to be legit
Don’t quote me, boy, ’cause I ain’t said shit
[Scratches]
L.A. playa
Big Drum Beater
Verse 5
I went to get them out, but there was no bail
The fellas causin’ a riot in the county jail
Two days later in the municipal court
Kilo G on trial cold cut a fart
“Disruption of the court,” said the judge
On a six-year sentence, my man didn’t budge
Baliff came over to turn him in
Kilo G looked up and gave a grin
He yelled out “Fire!”, then came Suzy
The bitch came in with a sub-machine Uzi
Police shot the girl but didn’t hurt her
Both upstate for attempted murder
Chorus
‘Cause the boys in the hood are always hard
You come talkin’ the trash, we’ll pull your card
Knowin’ nothin’ in life, but to be legit
Don’t quote me, boy, ’cause I ain’t said shit
Aw
You mothafucker!
Facts About Boyz N The Hood Lyrics
| Fact | Description |
|---|---|
| Song Title | “Boyz n the Hood” |
| Artist | Eazy-E |
| Album | “N.W.A and the Posse” (1987) |
| Songwriter(s) | Eazy-E, Ice Cube, D.O.C. (credited as Tracy Curry, O’Shea Jackson, and Andre Young, respectively) |
| Genre | Gangsta rap |
| Length | 5:38 |
| Label | Ruthless Records |
| Release Date | 1987 |
| Chart Performance | Did not chart |
| Notable Features | Sampled “I’m a Ho” by Whodini and “The Payback” by James Brown |
| Legacy | Considered a seminal track in the development of West Coast gangsta rap, and was later covered by Dynamite Hack |
| Controversy | The lyrics contained violent and sexually explicit content, which sparked criticism from some groups |
| Influence on Hip-Hop | “Boyz n the Hood” is considered one of the most influential gangsta rap songs of all time |
| Influence on Pop Culture | The song and its title inspired the 1991 film “Boyz n the Hood,” which was produced by Eazy-E’s record label |
If you enjoyed learning about the lyrics of this iconic hit, be sure to check out more of my content about song lyrics for other timeless classics and modern favorites
