I was just a little girl
Skinny legs, a press and curl
My mother always thought I'd be a star

But way before my record deal,
The streets that nurtured Lauryn Hill
Made sure that I'd never go too far

Every ghetto, every city and suburban place I've been
Make me recall my days in the New Jerusalem
Story starts at Hootaville grew up next to Ivy Hill

When kids were stealing quartervilles for fun
"Kill the guy" in Carter park
Rode a Mongoose 'til it's dark

Watching kids show off the stolen ones
Every ghetto, every city and suburban place I've been
Make me recall my days in New Jerusalem


You know it's hot, don't forget what you've got
Looking back,

Looking back, looking back, looking back
You know it's hot, don't forget what you've got
Looking back

Thinking back, thinking back, thinking back

A bag of Bontons, twenty cents and a nickel

Springfield Ave. had the best popsicles
Saturday morning cartoons and Kung-Fu
Main street roots tonic with the dreds

A beef patty and some coco bread
Move the patch from my Lees to the tongue of my shoe
'Member Frelng-Huysen used to have the bomb leather

Back when Doug Fresh and Slick Rick were together
Looking at the crew, we thought we'd all live forever


You know it's hot, don't forget what you've got
Looking back
Thinking back, thinking back, thinking back

You know it's hot, don't forget what you've got
Looking back
Thinking back, thinking back, thinking back


Drill teams on Munn street
Remember when Hawthorne and Chancellor had beef

Moving Records was on Central Ave.
I was there at dancing school
South Orange Ave. at Borlin pool

Unaware of what we didn't have
Writing your friends' names on your jeans with a marker


July 4th races off of Parker
Fireworks at Martin stadium
The Untouchable P.S.P., where all them crazy !@$@s be

And car thieves got away through Irvington
Hillside brings beef with the cops
Self-Destruction record drops

And everybody's name was Muslim
Sensations and '88 attracted kids from out-of-state
And everybody used to do the wop

Jack, Jack, Jack ya body
Nah, the Biz Mark used to amp up the party
I wish those days, they didn't stop

Every ghetto, every city and suburban place I've been
Make me recall my days in New Jerusalem


You know it's hot, don't forget what you've got
Looking back
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back

You know it's hot, don't forget what you've got
Looking back
Thinking back, thinking back, thinking back


Thinking back, thinking back, thinking back
[To end]