[Intro]
*scratch* Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough *scratch* *scratch*
Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough *scratch*
Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough *scratch* *scratch*
Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough *scratch*
Life as a shorty shouldn’t be so rough *scratch* *scratch*
Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough, rough, rough

[Verse 1]
Here's how it started out, one day my father's out
And he never came back, 7 kids in my Mama's house
So now we drama'd out, money wise we caught a drought
Get that green paper "by any means", now that's what I'm about
And here's another reason, it’s not the summer season
Ain't no utilities on in my house, my Little Brother’s freezin’
How can I hustle sleepin, late night to the cud I’m creeping
I can hear that money breathing, I leave you busta’s leaking
Them streets were under handed, too young to understand it
It makes my nerves bad, thug’in as the youngest bandit
But I couldn’t run or panic, I had to man up
I wanted to go to college, poverty fucked my plans up
I wanted to be a scholar, how I end up in handcuffs
Every night my Mama’s cryin’, but I gots to stand tough
Look at me I’m waving pistols, gimmie every thing he got, I’m screaming
15 and I’m on a mission, God help me get away from these demons, please
[Chorus]
This is my life man, you say you understand
You claim you feelin’ my pain, but you really don’t give a damn
You see me in them streets, no lyin’ on these beats
I speak the truth in the booth, man Im’a tell you who I am
This is my life man, you say you understand
You claim you feelin’ my pain, but you really don’t give a damn
You see me in them streets, no lyin’ on these beats
I speak the truth in the booth, man Im’a tell you who I am

[Verse 2]
15 and I’m on a mission, God help me get away from these demons
They block my righteous vision, I can see them even when I’m dreamin’
Wish we wasn’t caused to struggle, wish we wasn’t all in trouble
Wish we’d get past all the mysteries, wish we could solve the puzzle
People don’t understand me, I got to help my family
My focus is uncanny, what cards will the future hand me
Enemies wouldn't care to twist me, gun shots and they barely missed me
When you thug’in out there it’s risky, but the man upstairs was with me
I lost so many homies, some even burned alive
We all been part of this sick war before we learned to drive
Only thing you hear’in both ears is that word ‘survive’
‘Cuz when you leave home with you chrome you want to return alive
What kind of person am I, growin’ up in this savage ‘hood
Wish I was average man, Crooked is damaged goods
My past is not the best, it’s bad and I confess
But I gotta make it since so many depend on my success, yes
[Chorus]
This is my life man, you say you understand
You claim you feelin’ my pain, but you really don’t give a damn
You see me in them streets, no lyin’ on these beats
I speak the truth in the booth, man Im’a tell you who I am
This is my life man, you say you understand
You claim you feelin’ my pain, but you really don’t give a damn
You see me in them streets, no lyin’ on these beats
I speak the truth in the booth, man Im’a tell you who I am

[Outro]
This is my life man it’s much more than music homie
It’s therapy
This is a young man’s medicine right here
This is my life homie
You know I’m talkin’ about
It’s way more than music
Ghetto America
Ghetto motherfuckin’ America
This is the life you gave me
This is my life homie

Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough *scratch* *scratch*
Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough *scratch*
Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough *scratch* *scratch*
Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough
Rough
Rough
Rough