[Verse 1: West Coast gangsta-rap male MC, laid-back and heavy] Four of us in seventh grade, a sketchbook and a scheme Me and Lalo, Chuy, Tavo, drawing cars we'd never seen Found a sixty-four in a field off Rosemead Rust on the roof and a weed through the seat Tavo did the paint and it took him all summer Candy red, eleven coats, he was humming like a drummer Chuy did the pumps, Lalo welded up the frame I did the switches, so the car learned our names Four of us, four wheels, that's the math of the crew Every Sunday on the boulevard, the whole East knew Girls on the curb when we bounced it in the lot Tavo on the hood saying "Look at what we got" [Hook: West Coast gangsta-rap male MC] Front wheel in the air like a hand for the sky Every car on the boulevard knows the reason why Twelve deep down Whittier, chrome in the sun Ridin' on three 'cause we're missing the one [Verse 2: West Coast gangsta-rap male MC, the keyboard lead whining higher] Tavo had a heart that was bigger than his chest Doctor said too big, told him get a little rest He was laughing on a Tuesday, he was gone by the Friday Left a paint gun on the bench and his jacket in the driveway Thirty-one years and a daughter learning letters Thirty-one years and he still owed me a sweater His mama asked one favor, said "Bring him like he'd want" So we rolled the red car out with his name across the front Twelve cars from the club lined up on the street Every engine idling slow like a heart with a beat [Hook: West Coast gangsta-rap male MC] Front wheel in the air like a hand for the sky Every car on the boulevard knows the reason why Twelve deep down Whittier, chrome in the sun Ridin' on three 'cause we're missing the one [Verse 3: West Coast gangsta-rap male MC, the full groove back, heavier] Used to do it at the car show just to make the girls scream Three wheels in the parking lot, a trophy for the team Now the same little trick got a different kind of weight Holding one wheel high from the church to the gate Chuy on the switches with his face in his sleeve Lalo riding shotgun, saying "Don't you let it leave" Up the cemetery hill and the red car's still flying Every tire on the pavement but the one we keep lifting Set it down at the grave real slow, like a hat Then we raise it right back, 'cause he'd want it like that [Bridge: West Coast gangsta-rap male MC, hydraulic lift, pump hiss, the bass lifts on his name] Flip the switch for Tavo, let the front end climb Hold it up for Tavo, one more time All the way to the gate, let the boulevard see Never touch the ground, brother, ride it with me [Final Hook: West Coast gangsta-rap male MC] Front wheel in the air like a hand for the sky Every car on the boulevard knows the reason why Twelve deep down Whittier, chrome in the sun Ridin' on three 'cause we're missing the one [End]
