“This Is How We Do It” was a 1995 song by Montell Jordan. The lyrics referred to south central Los Angeles, not Brooklyn.
“This is how we do it in Brooklyn” has been cited in print since at least 2004, when it was spoken by Brooklyn-born hip hop artist Talib Kweli. “That’s how we do it in Brooklyn” was printed in a 2008 book. “That’s how we do it in Brooklyn” was a lyric in the theme song of the Oxygen television network’s series, Brooklyn 11223, first airing on March 26, 2012. NBC’s sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, on April 16, 2016, had Kate McKinnon, as politician Hillary Clinton, declare, “That’s how we do it in Brooklyn, baby!”
There are isolated uses that have been cited in print much earlier. “‘This Is How We Do It in Brooklyn’—Durocher” (Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo Durocher) was printed in the Washington (DC) Post on November 14, 1939.
Wikipedia: This Is How We Do it
“This Is How We Do It” is the debut single by American singer Montell Jordan. It was released by Def Jam Recordings on February 6, 1995 as the lead single from his debut album of the same name. The single was Def Jam’s first R&B release.
The song is representative of the hip hop soul style popular at the time, featuring Jordan singing over an enhanced sample of Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” which in turn samples Bob James’ “Nautilus”. “This Is How We Do It” peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks from 15 April to 27 May 1995, and was also number one for seven weeks on the R&B singles chart. The single sold one million copies domestically and earned a platinum certification from the RIAA.
Wikipedia: Brooklyn 11223
Brooklyn 11223 is an American reality television series that premiered on Oxygen on March 26, 2012. The series, set in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn follows the lives of a group of twelve Italian-American men and women in their mid-20’s. The series was picked up by MTV Canada and premiered on June 4, 2012.
14 November 1939, Washington (DC) Post, pg. 16, col. 2 photo:
‘This Is How We Do It in Brooklyn’—Durocher
Manager Leo Durocher, of the Dodgers, instructs Bob Houser, one of the pupils of the Brooklyn Baseball School at San Diego, Calif., in the art of getting away a throw
Google Books
Serenade for a Shylock
By Henry A. Zeiger
New York, NY: Putnam
1976
Pg. 175:
Junior stood behind him and stretched the rope taut. George stared at the wall. Then Junior threw the rope over his neck and pulled. George gasped, “Paul! Paul!” and Junior relaxed the rope.
“Yeah, that’s how we do it in Brooklyn,” Junior said.
Google Groups: alt.fan.sailor-moon
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Nah. I’ll get out and take the license plate numbers down, then play ‘em in the lotto. At least that’s how we do it in Brooklyn. ^_-
28 March 2004, Orlando (FL)
In the series debut, titled “Ill Master,” there are a dozen fight scenes, about that many hip-hop songs and more marijuana references than Mom will like. Throw in an aging hippie with lightning-bolt punches and threats that start with “we’re going to show you how we do it in Brooklyn, a’ight?” and viewers start to understand Kung Faux is not the typical martial arts flick.
1 October 2004, North Shore News (North Vancouver, BC)< "Beautiful to see B Boys back in action" by Twee Adams, pg. 28:
Next up was Talib Kweli, straight from Brooklyn, NY. This guy is a one-man posse, with an incredibly agile DJ. He informed us that “this is how we do it in Brooklyn” and they do it well. He also said “the real hip-hop is over here” and apparently he had a map, because he was spot on.
Google Books
12 Brown Boys
By Omar Tyree
East Orange, NJ: Just Us Books, Inc.
2008
Pp, 172-173:
“I see you still wear your hat all down over your eyes,” Jim commented to him.
“That’s how we do it in Brooklyn,” Chestnut stated proudly.
Twitter
Susanne Rosenhouse
@susqhb
Watching West Wing S06E02. Toby skeet shooting with Israeli PM: “This is how we do it in Brooklyn!” Shoots gun and flies back 10 feet. LOL.
8:27 PM - 29 Jun 2008
Twitter
Maxwell Tielman
@maxwelltielman
This is how we do it on Brooklyn: http://tinyurl.com/5zgwq2 .
9:07 PM - 5 Nov 2008
Twitter
Alyssa Galella
@woodlandalyssa
Train announcer’s “all right, this is how we do it in Brooklyn!” & “make it a good Monday!” made me smile 😊
7:34 AM - 1 Dec 2008
Twitter
David Manaster
@dmanaster
Replying to @ceonyc
@ceonyc That’s how we do it in Brooklyn.
10:46 AM - 11 Jun 2009
Twitter
Fitness__Freakk1
@FitnessFreakk1
That’s how we do it in Brooklyn baby http://twitgoo.com/a1cso
12:46 PM - 17 Dec 2009
Twitter
☯LeslieDecember 🇩🇴
@SlimJedi_
Did anyone else noticed Jay Z got more performing time, than ANYBODY else on #SNL…..THAT"S HOW WE DO IT IN BROOKLYN BITCHES…R-R-Rah!!!
2:17 AM - 9 May 2010
Twitter
♓ Maxine Shaw ♓
@TriTriDaWiseOne
I’m so tired of the brooklyn chanht. Ppl randomly yellin out ” that’s how we do it in brooklyn” okay relax sir
1:40 AM - 29 Dec 2011
Oxygen—Brooklyn 11223
Episode 1: Everybody Loves Drama
After an alleged fling with Christies ex, Joey Lynn is excommunicated from her oldest group of friends. With a new crew in tow, she attempts to win back her reputation
Updated: March 21, 2012
Twitter
SimplyBeautiful
@jujusummi
That stupid commercial for that show on Oxygen about Brooklyn is stuck in my head “that’s how we do it in Brooklyn”. I’m not even from there
11:08 AM - 27 Mar 2012
YouTube
Brooklyn11223 Theme Song
Lar3yna2012
Published on May 23, 2012
This video was uploaded from an Android phone.
Google Books
Unidentified Funny Objects 2
Edited by Alex Shvartsman
Brooklyn, NY: UFO Publishing
2013
Pg. ?:
“That’s how we do it in Brooklyn, baby.”
Facebook
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
February 10, 2016 ·
That’s how we do it in Brooklyn.
NBC’s Saturday Night Live (April 16, 2016)
(About 4:50 of video.—ed.)
BROOKLYN DEMOCRATIC DEBATE COLD OPEN
Hillary Clinton (Kate McKinnon) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (Larry David) field questions from real New Yorkers like Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Rachel Green (Vanessa Bayer) at their Brooklyn debate. [Season 41, 2016]
(About 4:50 of video.—ed.)
HILLARY CLINTON (played by Kate McKinnon): “That’s how we do it in Brooklyn, baby!”
Twitter
GIFBot
@MagGIFBot
saturday night live, debate, hillary clinton, brooklyn, election, election 2016, thats how we do it in brooklyn baby (GIF is shown.—ed.)
9:34 AM - 19 Apr 2016
Twitter
Brooklyn Nets
@BrooklynNets
Coach hustling alongside the #Nets players at practice? That’s how we do it in Brooklyn: http://on.nba.com/2eoUaaF
8:00 AM - 22 Oct 2016