Released: September 26, 2008

Songwriter: Nipsey Hussle

[Intro: ]
The realest shit of a nigga life man
So gutter around here, ya dig?
When you gotta get it man
This rap shit be havin’ niggas goin’ every which way man
Confused ass niggas

[Verse 1: Ty Nati]
They say rapping is good living huh?
You feel like when you get it, you gotta get it huh?
A lot of people think it’s easy homie not at all
It make the same nigga feel like he ain’t got ‘em all
And when you stop poppin’ off its like Tylenol
Until your single play out and you start dying off
Two choices, you either ride it ‘til the tires off
Or switch it up and start singin’ like Diana Ross
I’m still a nigga in the trap, so who am I to talk?
I just zone out and produce it, play the piano soft
Niggas don’t buy records, they try to make our asses soft
Off some pop shit, ‘cause Rap City in the basement off
This hip hop shit, done slowed down since it taken off
And you can sit and complain, but it won’t get you far
And you can pitch a hissy fit, curse and flip them off
Because to them, you the only, they depict you all
It’s fucked up nigga

[Hook: Eddie B.]
Never promise what you can’t keep
‘Cause every day’s a constant struggle, struggle
When faced with reality, reality
Never promise what you can’t keep
‘Cause every day’s a constant struggle, struggle
When faced with reality, reality

[Verse 2: Nipsey Hussle]
Look, they got me feelin’ like
Fuck the world, ‘cause we livin’ in hell
Got me, pawning my chain, just to get him his bail
Yeah my brother, that’s my nigga, I’m supposed to be with you
Closest thing I ever had, to a fatherly figure
When my momma shook my pops, said he was a bullshitter
It was just me and my brother, look my brothers my nigga
So, you know I got yo back like yo spine
And I'm yet to see another nigga ever match your grind
Nigga, twenty four seven, twilight to sunrise
It was nothin they could tell us, it was money on our minds
It was triple Cuban links, all at the same time
It was bullet proof windows on them 745’s, nigga
You know the games got its lows and its highs in it
You know them people keep they nose up my business
Is it a crime for a nigga to see the skies the limit
Reachin' for the stars will have you reachin' through the bars
It's a trap

[Hook: Eddie B.]

[Verse 3: Numbers]
Show me a stage and I rhyme a page
Rap, sing choruses performin’ for the audience
They applauding, and record labels exploitin’
Tellin’ stories of pain and then recordin’ them
How they selling our slang and now they talkin’ shit?
Wish I could give them my shoes and tell them walk in this
Thugs singin’ the blues, and now they fortunate
Make them mad, flossin’ shit they thought we’d never have
Ghetto niggas pullin’ up in somethin’ elegant
I guess if it’s one man’s trash, others will treasure it
So that settles it, metals spit, quick to be devil for the benefit
Only if I’m gettin’ rich
It’s like a cycle these tracks that I’m blessin’
Is mirrors to my pain, so I’m rappin’ my reflection
Livin’ in the rain, got me blackin’ out, I’m stressin’
It’s like I’m relivin’ my vision, I’m repeatin’ my life
My words fight back in punch lines disrespectful
But I'd rather have my voice box the instrumental
I got a one track mind, puttin’ lines together
And get some glow before I go, I can’t shine forever, nope

[Hook: Eddie B.]

Nipsey Hussle

Ermias Joseph Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), better known as Nipsey Hussle, was a Grammy-award winning hip-hop artist and mogul from the Crenshaw district of South Central Los Angeles, California.

With a name inspired by actor Nipsey Russell, Nipsey Hussle released his first project, Slauson Boy Volume 1, in 2005, and he was featured in XXL’s 2010 Freshman Class alongside J. Cole, Big Sean, Freddie Gibbs, Wiz Khalifa, and Jay Rock among others. Nipsey gained national headlines in 2013 as he sold copies of his Crenshaw mixtape for $100 each. One customer was JAY-Z, who purchased 100 copies in support of Nipsey’s hustle. He then charged $1,000 per copy of his Mailbox Money mixtape in 2014 to continue his #Proud2Pay campaign.

After a decade of releasing several mixtapes and singles, Nipsey released his long-awaited debut album Victory Lap in 2018. The album was nominated in the Best Rap Album category at the 2019 Grammy Awards.