Released: December 18, 2007

Songwriter: Lupe Fiasco Soundtrakk

Producer: Soundtrakk

[Intro]
I swear, if I see this nigga, I'mma kill him
I'm, going, to kill, him
So! Make a nigga suffer
You know what I'm saying?

[Hook]
My man said life ain't easy
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
Streets be all like "Feed me, feed me"
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
My man said life ain't easy
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
Streets be all like "Feed me, feed me"
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
My man said life ain't easy
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

[Verse 1]
Hey, he had a whole lot of cheese
Plus he was a mack, had a whole lot of steez
Made a lot of niggas fat, gave a whole lot of Gs
Grams, man, he had a whole lot of these
And he would let you hold, like, a whole lot of ki's
Even if you lose some, he would give you new ones
Twice the bread, it's like he had two buns
And he had a whole lot of seeds
Even his kids had meals for reals
Some rich small fries wrapped in paper since they was lil
Catch up, nigga

[Hook]
My man said life ain't easy
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
Streets be all like, "Feed me, feed me"
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
My man said life ain't easy
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

[Verse 2]
He was a heart breaker
And a law shaker
If it was about caking, he was a partaker
International, he would take trips
Bon voyage, that's how hard he was fishing for the chips
So greedy, never gave to the needy, that's what some say
The way he shunned all the bums hanging in the subways
He called 'em fruits and laughed at 'em
Delivery man, on the pick-up
Drive through and throw a bag at 'em
And it was hard to understand him sometimes
Making a killing, the way he had 'em standing in line
Like

[Hook]
My man said life ain't easy
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
Streets be all like, "Feed me, feed me"
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
My man said life ain't easy
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

[Verse 3]
Lovers call him King, haters call him Clown
He would say "Bite me, that's the way it's going down"
He was having thoughts that maybe he should retire
Went to Church on a Sunday and saw a deep Friar
Said he had beef and people want him dead
He loved the hungry ones, was only scared of the Feds
He lived the fast life, couldn't get his path right
The Friar just told him 'bout the Hooters that he had last night
"Turn yourself in to the paddy wagon" Said, "No"
Bacon wouldn't take him, had the Pigs on the payroll

[Hook]
My man said life ain't easy
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
Streets be all like, "Feed me, feed me"
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
My man said life ain't easy
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy

[Outro]
To be continued on another menu, ya dig?
Will he give up his life of crime or will he stay?
This and other adventures on Lupe Fiasco's next album, L.U.P.E.N.D.... Yezzir!
(Yo... So stupid)
My man said life ain't easy
When niggas gotta eat, that's when shit get greasy
Hey

Lupe Fiasco

The Chicago born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco first tasted success when he featured on Kanye West’s hit “Touch the Sky”, a track that shortly preceded his real breakout, his 2006 debut album Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, and he never looked back. He has established himself as one of the greatest urban wordsmiths of all time, with Genius even dubbing him the ‘Proust of Rap’.

While he’s now regarded of one of the 21st Century’s Hip-Hop greats, he wasn’t always a fan of the genre, initially disliking it due to the prominence of vulgarity and misogyny within it. In his late teens, he aspired to make it as a lyricist. In his early twenty’s, he met Jay-Z, who helped him sign with Atlantic Records in 2005. The following year, he released his debut album (Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor), which was met with acclaim from fans and critics alike, as did his sophomore effort, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool.

The following eight years of his career saw far less output than many would’ve anticipated. This can be partly attributed to his struggles with Atlantic Records. The executives wanted him to sign a 360 deal; however, as he refused to do so they instead shelved his already completed 3rd album, Lasers, and wouldn’t promote him as they had previously. The overseers at the label also interfered with his music (as they had tried to do with his fan-favorite track “Dumb it Down”); subsequently effecting the quality and sound of his third and fourth albums.