I Tried
Eminem Feat. Akon Lyrics

Bone Thugs, Akon, yeah
This song features the collaboration of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Akon.

You know though nothin' come easy, you gotta try real, real hard
Success doesn't come easily, it requires a great deal of hard work and effort.

I tried hard, but I guess I gotta try harder
The singer has put in effort to achieve their goals, but they realize that they need to put in even more work to succeed.

I tried so hard, can't seem to get away from misery
The artist has made attempts to improve their situation, but they are still struggling and can't seem to escape their misery.

Man, I tried so hard, will always be a victim of these streets
Despite their efforts, the artist feels that they are destined to be a victim of the environment they come from.

It ain't my fault 'cause I try to get away, but trouble follows me
The singer doesn't feel responsible for the problems in their life because they have tried to distance themselves from them, but trouble still finds them.

And still I try so hard, hopin' one day they'll come and rescue me
Despite their struggles, the singer continues to put in effort and hopes that someday they will be saved or helped by someone or something.

But until then I'll be posted up right here rain, sleet, hail, snow (hail, snow)
The artist will remain in their current situation, enduring any hardship that comes their way.

But until then I'll be posted up right here with my heat, gettin' dough (gettin' dough)
The artist will remain where they are, using their weapon to protect themselves and making money through illegal means.

First, let me explain that I'm just a black man
The artist wants to clarify their identity as a black man before going into their personal struggles.

And I come from the dark side, so I'm havin' a hard time stayin' on track, man
The singer comes from a difficult background, making it challenging for them to stay on a positive path.

My mind be racin', and I don't even know what I'm chasin' yet
The artist's thoughts are scattered and they aren't sure what they are striving for yet.

Been in and out of relationships
The singer has had a tumultuous history in their romantic relationships.

I'm startin' to see that it's me where the complications at
The singer realizes that they are the source of the complications in their relationships.

But I'm layin' back, prayin' that you get that piece of mind of me
The singer is taking a step back and hoping that the person they are addressing can find peace from their personal struggles with them.

I thought I was right, but really I'm wrong, but again I was too blind to see
The artist believed they were in the right, but now they realize they were wrong, and that they were unaware of this fact at the time.

I was in the fast lane chasin' my dream
The artist was pursuing their dream ambitiously, even recklessly, much like speeding in a fast lane.

And then it seemed when the fame and cash came, they just got me
Ultimately, the singer feels that their pursuit of fame and wealth only led them down a negative path.

Goin' crazy (lately, lately) lately I been so faded trying to erase it
The singer has been feeling overwhelmed and has been trying to forget about their struggles by getting drunk or high.

But I just can't 'cause the drama just grows greater
Despite their attempts to forget about their problems, they continue to grow and cause more trouble.

And I been in so many collisions by puttin' shit off till later
The artist has faced numerous problems because they procrastinated and postponed dealing with issues until later.

It's like I'm takin' five steps forward, and ten steps back
The artist feels they are making progress, but their setbacks are greater than the progress they are making.

Tryin' to get ahead of the game but I can't seem to get it on track
The singer is struggling to make progress, even though they are trying to improve their situation.

And I keep runnin' away the ones that say they love me the most
The artist has a tendency to push away those who care for them deeply and have their best interests at heart.

How could I create the distance when it's supposed to be close? And uh,
The singer is questioning why they are creating distance from those they love, even though they are supposed to be close to them.

I just don't know, but I be out here fightin' demons, and
The singer doesn't have all the answers but knows they are struggling with inner demons.

It's like the curse that I can't shake this part of Cleveland, and
The singer feels like they are under a curse, as they can't escape or improve their situation in Cleveland, their hometown.

Lord, would you help me, and stop this pain?
The artist is asking for divine assistance in ending their emotional pain and suffering.

I keep inflictin' on my family (family)
The artist is causing their family to suffer from their personal struggles and decisions.

Hustlin' and gamblin', drinkin' and scramblin'
The singer is involved in illegal activities such as hustling, gambling, drinking, and scrambling to make money.

And losin' sight of what I supposed to be handlin'
The singer is losing their focus on what they should be doing, namely handling their personal struggles and responsibilities.

It's hard to manage 'cause every day's a challenge and, man
The artist finds it difficult to cope because each day presents a new and challenging obstacle.

And I'm slippin'; can't lose my balance, and tryin' not to panic
The artist is struggling to hold on and remain stable through their struggles and is trying not to panic.

I see things won't change (won't change) I'm stuck in the game
The artist recognizes that their situation is unlikely to change and feels trapped.

As soon as I get out, it keeps pullin' me back, man (pullin' me back, man)
The singer experiences difficulties in escaping their situation, even when they try to change their circumstances.

Got me doin' dirty dirt; so used to this hustlin' money
The artist has become accustomed to earning money through illegal activities and feels that they have no other options.

That I don't understand no nine to five work
The singer is unfamiliar with conventional jobs like 9 to5 work and prefers to earn money through their illegal hustling.

Studied on the streets; hustlas know what I mean
The singer has learned their life lessons on the streets and understands the plight of hustlers like them.

Thugstas ballin' before us; I'm tryin' to make that major league
The singer has seen other successful thugs before them and is attempting to join their ranks.

So we never leave, never till the sun came up (came up)
The artist and their associates stay dedicated to their lifestyle and don't leave until morning.

Gotta get it, nope, no leavin', no grudge (no grudge)
The artist and their associates are motivated to succeed and won't hold grudges when it comes to their progress.

Today games they play, gotta go hard to get what you put in
The singer is referring to the games people play to earn money and insists they have to perform at their best to succeed.

If you fall off, then it's all on you (on you)
The singer is emphasizing that if they fail, it's their own responsibility and nobody else's.

Gotta watch what you sign too; try so hard, but I won't act a fool
The artist is warning against signing bad contracts and making poor decisions, and insisting that they won't behave foolishly even though they are trying hard.