Dirty South pioneer E.S.G. trailblazed through the late-'90s movement and h… Read Full Bio ↴Dirty South pioneer E.S.G. trailblazed through the late-'90s movement and helped popularize the "chopped and screwed" style associated with his onetime home, Wreckshop Records. The "Everyday Street Gangsta" (born Cedric Hill) made his first major move in 1995 when Perrion Entertainment released Ocean of Funk (1995), which featured his breakthrough single, "Swangin' and Bangin'," and its accompanying "chopped and screwed" mix. Though commonplace a few years later, the chopped and screwed style of remixing hadn't yet become trendy. Thus the mix became just as popular as the song itself, if not more so. This success inspired Perrion to reissue the most impressive songs from Ocean of Funk ("Swangin' and Bangin'," "Crooked Streets," and "Smoke On") on Sailin' da South (1995), this album distributed widely by Priority. Following these related 1995 albums by Perrion, E.S.G. maintained a low profile while imprisoned yet continued to reap the continuing success of Sailin' da South as its reach spread beyond Texas. He returned from prison in 1998 with a dark album for Blackhearted (Return of the Living Dead). Around this time, E.S.G. took on an increasingly hardcore stance, presumably in response to the rising competition throughout the Dirty South movement. He next joined forces with Wreckshop Records, an up-and-coming Houston label driven by the reputation of the immortalized DJ Screw, and recorded a pair of albums, Shinin' & Grindin' (1999) and City Under Siege (2000), as well as a chopped and screwed remix of the latter. By this point considered one of the eminent rappers in Texas alongside Lil' Keke, Fat Pat, U.G.K., and Lil' Troy, E.S.G. capitalized on his reputation by co-establishing his own label, S.E.S. Records. The label's first release, Boss Hoggs Outlaws (2001), paired the rapper with newcomer Slim Thug and sought to initiate S.E.S. among the increasingly crowded Dirty South market. After E.S.G. cut the solo album All American Gangsta in 2004 for the label, he switched to Sure Shot for his 2006 release Screwed Up Movement. The release came with a bonus chopped and screwed CD and featured the cut "Watch Yo Back," which dissed his former collaborator Slim Thug.

Stay Strong
E.S.G Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(*talking*)
Man, on a normal occasion
I'd tell you to roll something up
Po some'ing up, but I ain't feeling that way
Everytime I turn around, another funeral
Another away man, how much can we take feel this

[E.S.G.]

I'm riding one deep with my gun, naw I ain't having fun
Wondering how to break the news, to my partna lil' son
His daddy probably the saw the angels, death he couldn't stop it
But God, why'd you have to take my dog Todd Prophet
Already lost Mello, now who gon be next
Think I'm feeling safe fake ass rappers, having plex
Who you playing with, don't take your life for granted
So many good people, seem to be the victims on the planet
Can't understand it, now which religion talking noise
Them Catholic priests, be touching on lil' boys
Can't trust your homeboys, you drop em off at home
He call his partna on the phone, they done broke in your home
Now what's wrong, said the Lord people dying too often
With no health or no insurance, can't afford no coffin
So today no flossing, another wake at eight o'clock
Jam Master Jay wasn't a gangsta, but he still got shot what's up

[Hook: (Kirby)]
My partna use to be a baller but
(now he's gone, ah-oooh)
And all I can tell his son, is
(try to hold on, ah-oooh)
Yeah she use to be a star, but
(now she's gone, ah-oooh)
Hey mama, they thought your son wouldn't make it but
(I stayed strong, ah-oooh)

[E.S.G.]
Now lil' Tamika up the street, wanted a baller real bad
Only 16, but already giving up the ass
You got cash you could smash, you don't have to ask
She needed money for clothes, so she stayed skipping class
Catch her flipping in a Jag, or flipping in the Lex
Laughing at the nerdy chicks, who believed in safe sex
She had one baby, had twins then another
Now didn't slow at 18, all living with her mother
Steady bouncing out of town, rent-a-cars with crack
Missing her kids birthday, what kind of mother is that
The ass started getting flat, without using Metabolife
Whole neighborhood wondering, if Tamika on the pipe
Strip clubs late at night, with bags under her eyes
Had the flu for three months, feeling like she bout to die
Boyfriends disappeared, and so did the queen
HIV in her bloodstream, girl died ay 19 damn

[Hook]
[E.S.G.]
Now Lord I know, I'm in the valley of death
And can't no man predict, how many days he got left
Use to run the street, with some devilish ass demons
High on dust not giving a fuck, smoking wet steady scheming
Had to change my ways, and go another route
Now I use the studio, to let my pain out
No more chasing dreams, gotta make it on my own
Can't be waiting on the next man, gotta get my hustle on
Now in case you ain't know this, playboy I'm focused
Only got one chance, no way in hell I can blow this
Turn my last five dollas, into a quarter million
But money can't change, the fucking pain that I'm feeling
From Chris, Paul to Tremain, who else gon go
They even killed Romeo, from the Steve Harvey show
Said I'd be dead in a year, that was two years ago
Thank the Lord I'm still here, hope I live to see mo' let's roll

[Hook]
[Kirby]
Now he's gone-gone, (now he's gone)
But I'ma hold on, (try to hold on)
Oooh she's gone, (now she's gone)
But I'ma stay strong, (I stayed strong)
Now you gone-gone, (now he's gone)
But I-but I-will hold on, (try to hold on)
Whoooh mama gone, (now she's gone)
But I will stay strong, (I stayed strong)
Ooooh my partna's gone, (now he's gone)
I'ma hold on, (try to hold on)

Whooooa mama's gone-gone-gone, (now she's gone)
I will stay stroooong, (I stayed strong) whooooa

Overall Meaning

The song "Stay Strong" by E.S.G. is a reflection on the death and loss that the artist experienced in his life. The opening verse sets the tone, with E.S.G. expressing his frustration and sadness at the number of funerals he's attended recently. The verses that follow tell stories of the deaths of friends and acquaintances, including Todd Prophet, Mello, and Jam Master Jay, as well as the struggles of others, such as a teenage girl who becomes a mother too young and contracts HIV. The chorus is a repeated refrain of staying strong in the face of loss and adversity.

The song is a powerful meditation on mortality and the fragility of life. E.S.G. speaks to the pain and grief that come with losing people you care about and the need to stay strong in the face of tragedy. The song also reflects the reality of life in some neighborhoods, where death and loss are all too common.

One interesting aspect of "Stay Strong" is its use of a sampled chorus from "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers. The chorus of "Stay Strong" takes the lyric "I know, I know, I know, I know" from "Ain't No Sunshine" and repeats it in place of the "I stayed strong" line in the verse. Additionally, "Stay Strong" was produced by DJ Screw, who was a major figure in the Houston rap scene and is credited with creating the chopped and screwed mixing style.

Line by Line Meaning

Man, on a normal occasion I'd tell you to roll something up Po some'ing up, but I ain't feeling that way Everytime I turn around, another funeral Another away man, how much can we take feel this
Normally, I would suggest smoking and drinking to cope with the pain, but I can't right now. It feels like there are too many funerals and too much loss. It's overwhelming.

I'm riding one deep with my gun, naw I ain't having fun Wondering how to break the news, to my partna lil' son His daddy probably the saw the angels, death he couldn't stop it But God, why'd you have to take my dog Todd Prophet
I'm alone, armed, and not enjoying life anymore. I am struggling to find the right words to tell a friend's son that his father has passed away. Death always feels senseless, especially when it takes people we care about like my friend Todd Prophet.

Already lost Mello, now who gon be next Think I'm feeling safe fake ass rappers, having plex Who you playing with, don't take your life for granted So many good people, seem to be the victims on the planet
I have lost too many friends already and I am worried about who will be next. Many rappers act tough or dangerous, but I know it's just an act, and they may not be as safe or invincible as they think. Life is too short to take chances or waste it on meaningless violence. Good people seem to suffer or die too often on this planet.

Can't understand it, now which religion talking noise Them Catholic priests, be touching on lil' boys Can't trust your homeboys, you drop em off at home He call his partna on the phone, they done broke in your home Now what's wrong, said the Lord people dying too often With no health or no insurance, can't afford no coffin So today no flossing, another wake at eight o'clock Jam Master Jay wasn't a gangsta, but he still got shot what's up
I cannot comprehend why people use religion as an excuse to do harm or commit heinous acts, like Catholic priests abusing young children. I can't even trust my own friends anymore; it's too easy to get robbed or betrayed. It feels like the Lord's people are dying too often, and many are too poor to afford insurance or a proper burial. Today is not a day to celebrate but mourn another death. Jam Master Jay was not a thug, but he still got shot

My partna use to be a baller but (now he's gone, ah-oooh) And all I can tell his son, is (try to hold on, ah-oooh) Yeah she use to be a star, but (now she's gone, ah-oooh) Hey mama, they thought your son wouldn't make it but (I stayed strong, ah-oooh)
I had a friend who had it all, but now he's gone. All I can offer to his son is a meager consolation to hold on tight to what's left. I knew a girl who had so much potential, but life took her away. Hey, mother, people thought your son would never make it, but I stayed strong.

Now lil' Tamika up the street, wanted a baller real bad Only 16, but already giving up the ass You got cash you could smash, you don't have to ask She needed money for clothes, so she stayed skipping class
I know a young girl named Tamika who desires to be with a wealthy man. Although she's only 16, she is sexually active and willing to trade it for money. Many guys use her for her body, and she missed school to buy clothes that make her feel special.

Catch her flipping in a Jag, or flipping in the Lex Laughing at the nerdy chicks, who believed in safe sex She had one baby, had twins then another Now didn't slow at 18, all living with her mother
Tamika now drives a luxury car, and she ridicules other girls who make smart choices with their bodies. She had one child, then two more, but she didn't stop. At 18, she's already a mother of three and all of them live with her mother.

Steady bouncing out of town, rent-a-cars with crack Missing her kids birthday, what kind of mother is that The ass started getting flat, without using Metabolife Whole neighborhood wondering, if Tamika on the pipe
Tamika is always on the move, driving rental cars full of drugs. She even misses her own children's birthdays, which shows she's no mother at all. Despite trying to look good for her lifestyle, she's losing her figure and neighbors are speculating if she's using drugs.

Strip clubs late at night, with bags under her eyes Had the flu for three months, feeling like she bout to die Boyfriends disappeared, and so did the queen HIV in her bloodstream, girl died ay 19 damn
Tamika stays up late at sketchy places like strip clubs, and her body is showing signs of exhaustion, with bags under her eyes. For three months, she experienced flu-like symptoms that nearly killed her. Her former boyfriends and lifestyle have taken everything from her, including her health, and now she has HIV at just 19 years old. It's tragic.

Now Lord I know, I'm in the valley of death And can't no man predict, how many days he got left Use to run the street, with some devilish ass demons High on dust not giving a fuck, smoking wet steady scheming
I am having a spiritual crisis, and I feel like I am living in a place where death walks beside me. Nobody knows how much time we have in this life. I used to waste my life with dubious friends and engage in reckless drug use, which consumed me.

Had to change my ways, and go another route Now I use the studio, to let my pain out No more chasing dreams, gotta make it on my own Can't be waiting on the next man, gotta get my hustle on
I realized that I needed to change my lifestyle and find new avenues to express myself. I found solace in the studio and used my music to channel my pain to the world. I stopped chasing superficial dreams and decided to become self-made. I'm not waiting for anyone anymore and learned to hustle on my own.

Now in case you ain't know this, playboy I'm focused Only got one chance, no way in hell I can blow this Turn my last five dollas, into a quarter million But money can't change, the fucking pain that I'm feeling
I want people to know that I'm determined and focused on my goals. I know I only have one shot at this, and I can't waste it. I turned my luck around and multiplied my last five dollars into an amazing quarter million. But money can't fix the emotional scars that are still there.

From Chris, Paul to Tremain, who else gon go They even killed Romeo, from the Steve Harvey show Said I'd be dead in a year, that was two years ago Thank the Lord I'm still here, hope I live to see mo' let's roll
From Chris, Paul to Tremain, too many of my friends have gone too soon. Even Romeo from Steve Harvey's show has been killed. People told me I wouldn't last a year, but I'm still here after two. I'm grateful for surviving this far, and I hope to live for more. Let's keep moving forward.

Now he's gone-gone, (now he's gone) But I'ma hold on, (try to hold on) Oooh she's gone, (now she's gone) But I'ma stay strong, (I stayed strong) Now you gone-gone, (now he's gone) But I-but I-will hold on, (try to hold on) Whoooh mama gone, (now she's gone) But I will stay strong, (I stayed strong) Ooooh my partna's gone, (now he's gone) I'ma hold on, (try to hold on) Whooooa mama's gone-gone-gone, (now she's gone) I will stay stroooong, (I stayed strong) whooooa
I am singing about all the people I have loved and lost. My friends, mother, and colleagues have all been taken from me too soon. But I am determined to hold on, stay strong, and keep going, even when it feels impossible.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GARY NICHOLS, JOHN PAUL WHITE, KRIS BERGSNES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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