• You don't hear me,
    Unless I am in your face,
    And it's not because you,
    Violate my personal space,
    Or disrupt the harmony in this place,
    You just have to display,
    A "Ghetto Mentality."

    You don't hear me,
    Unless I am rocking, moving and grooving,
    Swaying and waving my fingers in your face,
    Creating negative energy that has no place,
    Making idle threats to calm those outraged,
    While you act out your adolescent ways,
    That's having a "Ghetto Mentality."

    You don't hear me,
    Unless I'm cussing, fussing, and renaming your Grace,
    When I try to discuss your wayward ways,
    With sweet soothing words to calm your rage,
    You belittle my efforts by making waves,
    Talking about my mamma, in your mamma's face,
    No you don't hear me, it's your Ghetto Mentality.

    You think "Ghetto" is just about drugs,
    Just about sex and the material things you dug,
    Just about speech, tattoos, and basketball scores,
    Just about cell phones, pagers, and being poor,
    Just about my baby's daddy, or my daddy's maybe,
    I almost forgot, there is just one more,
    Just about "scrimps" instead of shrimps,
    But a "ghetto mentality" is so much more.

    "Ghetto" means many things,
    It's your attitude and your demeanor,
    It's those mean and contrite ways,
    It's no dreams, no goals, no belief in the living,
    It is the lack of common courtesy, respect and vision,
    It is the push one up and pull two down decision,
    It is no compassion, no concern, only self-preservation --
    No means of restoration, just so complacent
    That's a "ghetto mentality."

    You've built bridges you can't cross,
    And created a language whose roots are not at all,
    You've erected barriers so tall,
    Now you must stoop and crawl,
    You didn't hear, so you don't know,
    That opportunity came, knocked, and now must go.
    You're just so proud to be a part of that clan,
    Where "brawn" is the bomb, and a brain is a shame.
    That's a "Ghetto Mentality."

    Your outrageous behavior dares you,
    Your bad attitude won't let you,
    Take a stance, to change your game,
    To make your dreams come true.
    One day soon I hope that you will realize,
    At least I hope that you will see,
    If you haven't progressed, it's not because of me
    But because of your "Ghetto mentality..."