Pretty Ugly - The Struggle Lyrics

It started when the hotshots went past my spot
Police used to knockin for blocks, it had me wantin to clock
The one day I got proposition, they had me trippin
I put my man onto what I was gettin and where we flippin

I dogged two pairs of sneaks in the first week
I couldn't sleep, 'cause I was afraid to miss a beat
Now my phase done passed and I'm in the game deep
The smokers love me, watch for the cops and my peeps

My mom kinda new, and so did the law too
Respect was due, so I chill when they come through
I calm down my crew, put a skirt on the brew
I always miss my curfew but what the fuck would you do?

With 5000 a night, off each G I made a tre'
The block was warm as May and gettin hotter every day
With no dues to pay, wasn't a way I could lose
But my last week of school my ol' head was on the news

[Chorus: x 2]
In order to eat, you gon' struggle
I ain't gon' lie
While you eat you gon' struggle
Don't ask me why
Life is all a struggle then you die, yeah
Is it fair? Nah - Does life care? Nah

Now I'm back where I started, couple grand and a stash
Wrote my man down what happened, told him watch his ass
After this court case pass, we gon' try it again
Until then I made friends with a pad and a pen

I wrote about current affairs and issues I was havin
All the coke I was baggin and all the pussy I was taggin
Every rhyme gave me the chills, 'cause everything I wrote was real
Now who the fuck thought I'd get me a deal?

I grew up in Philadel, 2-3 to 4-6
It's survival of the fit, I'd flip a brick and get rich
But rough times danced along, but money was the song
But I couldn't get it on, 'cause my ol' head was gone

I went to visit him, he said paper stay strong
Watch my new born, I'ma be here real long
But I gotta get mine, he said, "Naw get signed"
Didn't know I was livin live, till I had a decent time

[Chorus: x 2]

Now two years done passed, I came home with to cash
Tried to catch up with the past but the streets is movin fast
I had homies, but they left me lonely
Either they fell for a case, or they fell for a tenderonie

I was stuck in between a dream and a drug scene
Wasn't born with mean but I learned how to D
I lace a lot, five times a day non-stop
But I miss huggin the block and spendin a knot

Money was callin, felt myself Riq' I was fallin
I started robbin, 'cause I couldn't stand starvin
And then I got shot two times in two spots
I almost went in shock because the blood wouldn't stop

I ain't gon' lie, I ain't ready to die
I ain't ready to fry, but I'm ready to ride
Some flip bricks and get rich, some stay broke and flip burgers
I'm gon' get further, write murder or get murdered

[Chorus: x 2]

Aye.. P.U., High & Mighty
You know, Philadel, still reign supreme
Know who y'all heard ya first gangsta rap from
We started all this, it's our turn
Aye...