[4 x Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough]

Thug n***as bounce to this
Only thug n***as bounce to this
Word up
I wan't no fruitcake ass ? n***as bouncing to this shit right here
Word up, strictly hardcore only, check it

[Shyheim]
Gunshots, they travel throughout my projects quickly
I stay thuggin', for pray the god that none hits me
Me and my peoples we swarm in packs
Some rap others sell crack, to get stacks of the green paper
We move makers, lex and landcruisers takers
Block vacators, thugs that run 5 acres of land
Flooded with dealers who kill for grams
It's the street life, baby you wouldn't understand nothing
Getting my hustle on, just 8 to 10
But here I go again, cause recreation programs
They makin' me no grands
So much stress on my mind I can just kill a man

[2 x Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough]

[Shyheim]
I never knew my own dad when I was young he broke out
That's when my mom got smoked out
And I took the street route, I hung around with real gangstas
Playas and hustlas, I guess they liked my style a lot
So they took a little n***a under the wing
Eventually I started slingin' white shit
No time for school cause the hours didn't mix
So sleep late at night most nights I didn't even sleep
That's how I got caught up, and sold a dime to the beast
They offered me a 1 to 3, hahaa , I do a bullet
Traded in my gats for greens that's how the state do it
I'm movin' ain't no joking get your muthafuckin' dosage
So when you and the penal don't be acting like no biaaatch

[4 x Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough]

[Shyheim]
I'm seventeen now, and I'm off to parole
I see the ? a month, hopefully I be home
I'm kinda anxious, I haven't seen my friends in a year
My moms OD and when I think about it every seals
But I'm a young man that gotta change his lifestyle
Get a job at compound, it ain't easy as it sounds
I gotta have some fast money, flippin' burgers everyday
I been to ? house, I get a slinky day
Anybody in my way I'm blasting, fuck the peace
Cause there's a war upon the streets
No south west or east, all my n***as in the struggle
Hold your head and get the CREAM
Big gunz money and pussy be the US ghetto dream

[Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough ...]