Buy Back the Block – English Lyrics

• By: Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Gucci Mane

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language is about more than just words; it's about understanding the culture. 'Buy Back the Block' offers a unique window into the aspirations of modern hip-hop culture, moving beyond tales of street life to a message of financial literacy and community building. Through this song, you can learn the powerful slang and metaphors used to discuss wealth and ownership, all while being inspired by a story of turning success into a positive force for one's roots.

[English]

(water splashing)

- Bro, I'm getting tired

of washing these motherfuckin' cars, man.

Bro, you ain't tired of this shit?

- I've been tired but I told you what we gotta do

is buy something that's gonna make us some money.

- You need to come up with the plan then, man.

- I told you right up the street

I saw a little (indistinct) spot, for sale.

We might need to do it as a little jugg

even if it get us a...

- How the hell we gonna get the money?

- What happened to the lick you said we were gonna hit?

- I fucked around and lost $1200 gambling yesterday.

- The dice game got you?

- Dice game. - 1200?

- Fucked me over, man.

- Oooh, that's how I know you toast,

you ready to go up from eight dollars a wash to seventeen.

- Shit, I might go mother fuckin' down to five dollars

a wash how my pockets lookin' right now man.

- Five dollar tip for the wax.

(laughs)

You got the text this morning I sent you right?

- Yeah I got it.

- He talking 'bout he finna go out of town

two months early and he need his rent.

- He need his rent, now?

- Man he acting like we god damn charging a hundred a wash

and we doing 100 cars.

I told that boy I mean like shit how many cars

do you think we washing, man?

I said I aint with that, man,

we aint washin' all that many cars.

- Fellas, fellas, fellas.

- Ay man, who this buddy, man?

- Who the fuck is me?

Nigga I'm Tom Cat, down south car wash right here man.

Where you at, where you workin'?

Listen here fellas, hate to break the news, man.

This what wrong with you young niggas,

get the window man, look at the window.

- Man, fuck them windows, man.

(overlapping chatter)

- Let me tell you something man,

you young niggas don't listen,

but I'ma tell you something today,

I gotta get outta town and I need two months

- Two months?

- Two months.

(yelling)

- That's not the plan, man.

- How much you talking about, man

we aint got time. - 2500, you know what it is.

(overlapping chatter)

- I aint got 2500, man.

- This aint the only shit I know you doin' man,

I know you doin' other shit.

(overlapping chatter)

- You see this, you see what you...

- 25, I need that money man.

You gonna make me get this young boy get on yo ass

that's what you gonna do.

- [Rick Ross] What you got on you, bruh?

- Look at you niggas, you got money.

- Stay out my pockets.

- [Tom Cat] Give me my money, man.

- [Rick Ross] What you got?

- Come on brother.

(indistinct)

- Yeah, see this what I'm talking bout?

Listen here, this here right here

this for my little young one.

- That's for you man.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Take that.

- [Gucci Mane] Aint none you motherfuckers

gonna pick up none of that paper?

(overlapping chatter)

- And you better not pick it up, man.

You see this man?

- He wants two months rent right now.

(indistinct)

I think we need to just buy this car wash man,

what you think?

- Buy the car wash?

- Buy the car wash.

Cut the man out, man.

If we gonna buy the car wash

we might as well buy the whole gas station.

- You know what, we need to

- [Both] Buy the block.

That's the move.

- That's what we gonna do.

- That's the move.

- Now we need to hit the lick.

- What's up with the young boy, man?

- Put me in, I'm on that, you know I'm ready.

- You gotta wash more, man.

- All I'm washing is the windshield, you gotta turn up, man.

You don't just get out of prison and get put up on licks.

You gotta pays dues little dude.

- Talking about "Is he comin'?"

- Yeah, is he on the lick?

He wanna get a jugg.

Boy, go run down to checkers and get us some big buford.

- That sound like the plan?

- That's the play and some fries.

- Exactly.

- And hurry back.

(water splashing)

- [Cindy] Here at Checkers, in Miami Gardens.

We got Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, and Rick Ross.

And we're here for the buy back the block movement.

Where we raise up the community and support and love us.

♪ I got crib in Florida, and I don't even stay there ♪

♪ Been by my mama old crib, my baby mama at daycare ♪

♪ I gotta ball for Peter, all of my boys illegal ♪

♪ I used to sell the reefer, now I just sell Adidas ♪

♪ Been had the Rollie, been ate baloney ♪

♪ These clones at the Cali crib, round the corner from Kobe ♪

♪ Property, property, property, nigga I'm tryna invest ♪

♪ Talking monopoly ♪

♪ I'm tryna encourage a nigga to run up a check ♪

♪ Nigga no treadmill, you niggas just stand still ♪

♪ Heard you were talking trash ♪

♪ threw that shit in the landfill ♪

♪ I'm bout the money, lil nigga ♪

♪ Ben Franklin my uncle, lil nigga ♪

♪ I used to trap right in front of you niggas ♪

♪ Selling dope just like dunking on niggas ♪

♪ This is a windmill, I smell like 10 mil ♪

♪ Put all my chains on, I cause a wind chill ♪

♪ I hit up Renzel, went over details ♪

♪ Got some young niggas that'll stand on your windshield ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the block, buy back the block ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the block, buy back the block ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ I'm bout to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ I sold 10 bricks a day but now I need 10 Chick-Fil-A's ♪

♪ Just bought 2 studios cause I got so much shit to say ♪

♪ I made 10 million dollars man and I was on house arrest ♪

♪ She says her jaws hurt, she need to give her mouth a rest ♪

♪ These niggas falling off, only the strong survive ♪

♪ These suckers reaching out, but ain't no need to try ♪

♪ T-Tell 'em something slick, slick enough to slip and slide ♪

♪ And I know how to pitch, so I'ma get your bitch to drive ♪

♪ All the OGs I looked up to, man they broke as shit ♪

♪ These lil niggas look up to me because I'm super rich ♪

♪ I'm going live, I-I'm still alive ♪

♪ God thank you for my punishment, it made me wise ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the block, buy back the block ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the block, buy back the block ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ I'm bout to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ It's time to clean up the ghetto, a dope boy wanna shine ♪

♪ Time to buy back the block, talking one brick at a time ♪

♪ I sold a few records, I bought me a Checkers ♪

♪ Wingstop well invested so Taco Bell left for breakfast ♪

♪ I seen a few M's, it's time to touch me that 100 ♪

♪ So let's put up this money and let's go half on the Sonics ♪

♪ Yes I feed lemon pepper, angel wings with the feathers ♪

♪ If you feel like I feel, I pray you live rich forever ♪

♪ Okay, let's buy back the block, I might buy me a Wendy's ♪

♪ Just to pull up on skinnies every Tuesday and Wednesdays ♪

♪ I might buy me 10 Denny's, I might buy Family Dollar ♪

♪ Cut it to 50 cent, I got a job for your father ♪

♪ I'm tryna help with the rent, I came up from the street ♪

♪ My lil son, he a prince, it's time that we represent ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the block, buy back the block ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the block, buy back the block ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ I'm bout to buy back the hood, buy back the hood ♪

♪ It's all about your last name ♪

♪ meaning something, you heard me? ♪

♪ Start with you a duplex, work up to a Hyatt's, ♪

♪ maybe a small plaza, I'm looking for a mall. ♪

♪ Anybody selling a mall holler at me, you heard me? ♪

♪ Maybe get my mama a gas station, she like BP. ♪

♪ Texaco holler at me, you heard me? It's the boss ♪

♪ I'm bout to buy back the block, buy back the block ♪

♪ It's time to buy back the block, buy back the block ♪

♪ I'm bout to buy back the city, buy back the city ♪

♪ Buy back the city, buy back the city ♪

Key Grammar Structures

• I gotta ball for Peter, all of my boys illegal

  ➔ Present Perfect

  ➔ The phrase "I gotta ball" uses the present perfect to indicate an action that started in the past and continues to the present. "Have got" is often used colloquially instead of "have to".

• I used to sell the reefer, now I just sell Adidas

  ➔ Used to

  ➔ The phrase "I used to sell the reefer" indicates a past habit that is no longer true. "Used to" is used to describe actions or states that were repeated in the past but have stopped.

• These niggas falling off, only the strong survive

  ➔ Present Continuous

  ➔ The phrase "These niggas falling off" uses the present continuous to describe an action happening now or around now. It emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.

• I'm bout to buy back the hood, buy back the hood

  ➔ Going to Future

  ➔ The phrase "I'm bout to buy back the hood" uses "be going to" to express a future action that is planned or certain. It implies intention or a strong probability.

• If you feel like I feel, I pray you live rich forever

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 1)

  ➔ The phrase "If you feel like I feel" introduces a Type 1 conditional sentence, which describes a likely result of a probable situation. The structure is "If + present simple, + will/can + infinitive".

• I might buy me 10 Denny's, I might buy Family Dollar

  ➔ Modal Verb (Might)

  ➔ The word "might" is a modal verb used to express possibility or uncertainty. In this context, it suggests that buying Denny's or Family Dollar is a potential but not definite action.

• Cut it to 50 cent, I got a job for your father

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The phrase "Cut it to 50 cent" is in the imperative mood, used to give a direct command or instruction. It is a concise way to tell someone to reduce something to a specific amount.

• My lil son, he a prince, it's time that we represent

  ➔ Relative Pronoun (that)

  ➔ The word "that" is a relative pronoun used to introduce a clause that gives additional information about the preceding noun. In this sentence, it connects the idea of representing to the timing.

• It's all about your last name meaning something, you heard me?

  ➔ Emphasis with "do"

  ➔ The phrase "you heard me?" uses the auxiliary verb "do" for emphasis, reinforcing the speaker's point. It is a colloquial way to ensure the listener understands and acknowledges the statement.