Released: May 14, 2009

Songwriter: Nicki Minaj

Producer: Full Force Heavy D

[Spoken]
This is the autobiography of Nicki Maraj

[Hook: Nicki Minaj (Shawn Wright)]
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic
My voice projected, my life reflected
(The more I cry, the more I try)
(Can you hear me? Yeah)

[Verse 1]
Daddy was a crack fiend, two in the morning
Had us running down the block like a track team
When you burnt the house down and my mother was in it
How could I forget it? The pain is infinite
She's my Queen and I ain't even British, she's the only reason
That I went to school and I finished (yeah)
She told me that I had talent, got on her knees
And prayed for me when I started being violent (okay)
She saw something in me that 'til this day
I don't know if I could be that (yeah)
But I'ma die tryin' and when I'm done cryin' grab the iron
And black out like I'm retiring (kyuh)
Nightmares of you killing my mother
The reason that I sleep with my head under the covers
And they should've thrown a book at you
'Cause I hate you so much that it burn when I look at you

[Hook: Nicki Minaj (Shawn Wright)]
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic (I'll keep trying)
My voice projected, my life reflected (keep, keeping on)
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic
My voice projected, my life reflected
(The more I cry, the more I try)

[Verse 2]
Damn, I wanna run to you, hold you and kiss you
And tell you how I miss you (I miss you baby)
Thought I would have a son for you but now it's official
It's over and I can't let you go (oh)
But I gotta let you know, all the shit I did made me feel like
I'm dying real slow
'Cause no one understands me
They don't know what to do when I'm hurt
And when I'm angry (kyuh)
You was my friend and my man and my daddy
You was there when that bitch tried to stab me
Anything I ever needed, knew you had me
'Cause of you, all them chicks couldn't stand me
So why I hurt you? That's the question
It took this long, for me to learn my lesson
'Cause now all I want is peace and get drama
Finally understand the true meaning of karma

[Hook: Nicki Minaj (Shawn Wright)]
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic (I'll keep trying)
My voice projected, my life reflected (keep, keeping on)
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic
My voice projected, my life reflected
(The more I cry, the more I try)

[Verse 3]
Please baby, forgive me, mommy was young
Mommy was too busy tryna have fun
Now, I don't pat myself on the back for sending you back
'Cause God knows I was better than that (kyuh)
To conceive you, then leave you, the concept alone seems evil
I'm trapped in my conscience
I adhered to the nonsense, listened to people who told me
I wasn't ready for you
But how the – would they know what I was ready to do?
And of course, it wasn't your fault (no)
It's like I feel you the air, I hear you saying
"Mommy don't cry, can't you see I'm right here?" (yes)
I gotta let you know what you mean to me
When I'm sleeping, I see you in my dreams with me
Wish I could touch your little face, or just hold your little hand
If it's part of God's plan maybe we can meet again

[Bridge: Nicki Minaj (Shawn Wright)]
(The more I cry, the more I try, gotta keep on)
My voice projected, my life reflected
(The more I cry, the more I try, gotta keep on)
(The more I cry, the more I try, gotta keep on)
My voice projected, my life reflected
(The more I cry, the more I try, gotta keep on)
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic
(More, more, more, more, more, gotta keep – mo-o-o-o)
(The more I cry, the more I try, gotta keep on)
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic
(The more I cry, the more I try, gotta keep on)
(The more I cry, the more I try, gotta keep on)

[Outro]
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic
My voice projected, my life reflected
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic
My voice projected, my life reflected
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic
My voice projected, my life reflected
(Can you hear me? Yeah)
May the lord protect me, as the world gets hectic

Nicki Minaj

Born December 8, 1982, Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj, is a Trinidadian-American rapper, actress, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur.

Nicki was discovered by Lil Wayne via her mixtapes Sucka Free and Beam Me Up Scotty, and broke into the mainstream as an artist signed to Wayne’s label Young Money Entertainment. Her first successful songs, “Your Love,” “Moment 4 Life” (with Drake), and the smash-hit “Super Bass,” are featured on her 2010 chart-topping debut album Pink Friday.

She continued her run with her second studio album, Pink Roman Reloaded, which contained “Starships,” a song which would further develop Nicki’s pop/rap style. “Starships” gave Nicki a Billboard milestone, when it charted for 21 weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, a feat no other artist has achieved without the aid of streaming services.