I was the third brother of five 
 Doing whatever I had to do to survive 
 I'm not saying what I did was alright 
 Trying to break out of the ghetto was a day to day fight 
    Been down so long, getting up didn't cross my mind 
 I knew there was a better way of life that I was just trying to find 
 You don't know what you'll do until you're put under pressure 
 Across 110th Street is a hell of a tester   
 Across 110th Street 
 Pimps trying to catch a woman that's weak 
 Across 110th Street 
 Pushers won't let the junkie go free 
 Across 110th Street 
 Woman trying to catch a trick on the street 
 Across 110th Street 
 You can find it all in the street   
 I got one more thing I'd like to y'all about right now 
 Hey brother, there's a better way out 
 Snorting that coke, shooting that dope man you're copping out 
 Take my advice, it's either live or die 
 You've got to be strong, if you want to survive   
 The family on the other side of town 
 Would catch hell without a ghetto around 
 In every city you find the same thing going down 
 Harlem is the capital of every ghetto town   
 Across 110th Street 
 Pimps trying to catch a woman that's weak 
 Across 110th Street 
 Pushers won't let the junkie go free 
 Across 110th Street 
 A woman trying to catch a trick on the street, ouh baby 
 Across 110th Street 
 You can find it all in the street 
 Yes he can, oh   
 Look around you, just look around you 
 Look around you, look around you, uh yeah