I Tried
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Akon Lyrics

Bone Thugs, Akon, yeah
Introduction to the song I Tried by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony featuring Akon

You know though nothin' come easy, you gotta try real, real hard
Life is not easy, one has to put in a lot of effort to succeed

I tried hard, but I guess I gotta try harder
Despite the efforts made, there is a need for even more strenuous efforts

I tried so hard, can't seem to get away from misery
Despite trying hard, one is still unable to escape from sorrow and pain

Man, I tried so hard, will always be a victim of these streets
Despite efforts, a person still remains a victim of the negative aspects of the environment

It ain't my fault 'cause I try to get away, but trouble follows me
Despite trying to run away from trouble, it still manages to find and follow the person

And still I try so hard, hoping one day they'll come and rescue me
Despite struggles, one continues to make efforts, hoping for a better life

But until then I'll be posted up right here rain, sleet, hail, snow
Despite the difficulties, one will remain in the same place, facing the challenges head-on

But until then I'll be posted up right here with my heat, getting dough
Despite the adversities, one will remain in the same place, hustling to make a living

First, let me explain that I'm just a black man
Introducing the artist as a black person, who is likely to face more challenges than others

And I come from the dark side, so I'm having a hard time staying on track, man
As the singer is from a difficult environment, he finds it hard to stay focused and away from negative influences

My mind be racing, and I don't even know what I'm chasing yet
The artist's thoughts are scattered and he is still trying to find his purpose in life

Been in and out of relationships
The singer has had difficulty maintaining healthy relationships

I'm starting to see that it's me where the complications at
The singer is beginning to realize that his own actions and behaviour are responsible for the complications in his life

But I'm laying back, praying that you get that piece of mind of me
The singer is trying to relax and seeks inner peace

I thought I was right, but really I'm wrong, but again I was too blind to see
The artist realizes that he was wrong in some of his actions but was not aware of it at the time

I was in the fast lane chasing my dream
The artist was ambitious and worked hard to achieve his dreams

And then it seemed when the fame and cash came, they just got me going crazy
Once the singer achieved fame and wealth, it brought its own challenges and made him feel overwhelmed

Lately I been so faded trying to erase it, but I just can't 'cause the drama just grows greater
The singer has been trying to ignore the problems but they only seem to get worse

And I been in so many collisions by putting shit off till later
The artist has experienced several negative consequences because he has been procrastinating

It's like I'm taking five steps forward, and ten steps back
The artist feels like he is making some progress but is always faced with more setbacks than progress

Trying to get ahead of the game but I can't seem to get it on track
The artist is struggling to achieve success and stability

And I keep running away the ones that say they love me the most
The singer seems to be pushing away those who care about him the most

How could I create the distance when it's supposed to be close? And, uh
The artist recognises that he has created distance in his relationships, even though they are supposed to be close

I just don't know, but I be out here fighting demons, and
The singer finds himself battling inner demons and is unsure of how to deal with them

It's like the curse that I can't shake this part of Cleveland, and
The singer feels trapped in his environment and is unable to escape its challenges

Lord, would you help me, and stop this pain?
The singer prays for divine intervention to help him overcome his pain and troubles

I keep inflicting on my family (family)
The artist's actions and problems are affecting his family

Hustling and gambling, drinking and scrambling
The artist is working hard to make a living and is engaging in vices in the process

And losing sight of what I supposed to be handling
The singer is losing focus on the important things in his life

It's hard to manage 'cause every day's a challenge and, man
The singer finds life challenging and difficult to manage

And I'm slipping, can't lose my balance, and trying not to panic
The artist is struggling to maintain his composure and remain stable in the face of adversity

Got me doing dirty dirt, so used to this hustling money
The artist is resorting to unethical means to make a living as he is accustomed to getting money through hustling

That I don't understand no nine-to-five work
The artist is not familiar with traditional, regular employment and finds it hard to adjust

Studied on the streets, hustlers know what I mean
The singer learned how to survive on the streets and other hustlers can relate

Thugstas ballin' before us, I'm trying to make that major league
The artist looks up to the gangsters before him and wants to achieve similar success

So we never leave, never 'til the sun came up (came up)
The singer and his peers do not stop hustling until the early hours of the morning

Gotta get it, nope, no leaving, no grudge (no grudge)
The singer is determined to make money and does not hold grudges

Today games they play, gotta go hard to get what you put in
The singer recognises that success requires hard work and dedication

If you fall off, then it's all on you (on you)
The artist is aware that his success is solely dependent on himself, and failures cannot be blamed on anyone else

Gotta watch what you sign too, try so hard, but I won't act a fool
The artist is careful about signing contracts and agreements, despite working hard to succeed, he is not foolish

I tried so hard, can't seem to get away from misery
The singer reflects on his struggles and the difficulty of escaping from misery

Man, I tried so hard, will always be a victim of these streets
Despite efforts, the singer feels trapped in his environment and will always be a victim of his surroundings

It ain't my fault 'cause I try to get away, but trouble follows me
The artist believes that his problems are not entirely his fault because he has tried to run away from them, but they follow him everywhere

And still I try so hard, hoping one day they'll come and rescue me
The artist remains hopeful that one day he will be rescued from his situation

But until then I'll be posted up right here rain, sleet, hail, snow
Despite the difficulties, the artist will persevere and remain in the same place, come rain or shine

But until then I'll be posted up right here with my heat, getting dough
The singer will remain in the same place, continuing to hustle and make a living despite the obstacles