Struggle
Ghostface Killah and Trife Da God Lyrics


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[Chorus: sample]
All my life, it's been one big struggle
Born and raised... in the slums of trouble, I'm all...

[Ghostface Killah]
Yo, I was born and raise in New York City
The home of the Yankees, the Jam Master Jay's and the Biggie's
Ralph Icey's, Jet mags, cops surveillance, it's high tech
Our appearance is we still in the grind, and direct
But on my side of town shit's gorilla, phone booths is broke
Behind the building niggaz on post
What up Doc? What up Lord? I'm chilling
These motherfuckers got my name and my face
Placed up in every building
You see what that do to the children, that ain't right
I've been raised in these projects, damn near, all my life
And these faggots wanna do this to me, I'ma lay low
And blow that cop, son, you watch, no lie, word to my momma, dunn
They don't want the drama, thunn, 'member me in '86?
Knocked out four cops, got knocked on the outer bridge
Bagged me with two clips, a fifth of Bacardi Dark
I spared them, cause all of them left with they body parts
I'm not crazy; I'm lulu, I will Larry Davis these spades
You spill a little blood on the NARC's Fubu
The Culture Pound'll go thru dude, and ricochet off his shoulder
Miss the teeth and hit his Lo Mein noodles
Fuck it..

[Chorus]

[Ghostface Killah]
I'ma tell ya motherfuckers something, my struggle is real
Threw ketchup on my rice, cause there was no meat with the meal
My dog was better off alone, he ate when I ate, if not days later
Two weeks old cold shit, straight out the refrigerator
Ran away a few times, then boom, went to Dee and fried them
Prior to that, burning rulers, we was getting high in the Hill
So many cracks we done crushed up in dollar bills
It's a shame, didn't smoke once plain; don't pass me that
I had escaped that, then dust took over
Hit bags of red devil, bundels leaking, had put the hood in a coma
Hustling backwards and off balance, turkey and cheese hero's
And nutriments, kept a nigga belly full
Fresh cut and fresh kicks, thinking it was cool, now I'm telling you
A grown man still in the struggle, vouch for my brothers too
And sisters, all across the globe, fuck the past
Fix the future, I'm sent here to spread the message, come on





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

In the song "Struggle," Ghostface Killah and Trife Da God explore their experiences growing up in poverty in New York City. The chorus sets the tone with the refrain "All my life, it's been one big struggle, born and raised in the slums of trouble." Ghostface Killah's verses highlight the harsh realities of life in the projects, including rampant surveillance and police brutality. He recalls an incident in 1986 when he knocked out four cops and was subsequently arrested, showing the brutality and corruption within the law enforcement system.


Ghostface Killah also speaks to the struggle of obtaining adequate nutrition, describing a time when he had to put ketchup on his rice because there was no meat. He goes on to describe the addictive nature of drugs and the toll it took on him and his community. Despite the hardships, the artists maintain hope for a better future, with Ghostface Killah stating that he is "sent here to spread the message."


Overall, "Struggle" is a poignant exploration of the challenges faced by those living in impoverished communities and serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for social justice and equity.


Line by Line Meaning

Yo, I was born and raised in New York City
I came into this world and grew up in the bustling hub of New York City.


The home of the Yankees, the Jam Master Jay's and the Biggie's
This metropolis is known for producing cultural icons like the Yankees and musical legends like Jam Master Jay and Biggie Smalls.


Ralph Icey's, Jet mags, cops surveillance, it's high tech
This place is advanced and modern, with trendy fashion brands and sophisticated surveillance systems.


Our appearance is we still in the grind, and direct
Despite the high-tech appearance, we are still grinding and working hard.


But on my side of town shit's gorilla, phone booths is broke
However, on my side of the city, things are rough and the phone booths are not in working order.


Behind the building niggaz on post
There are people behind the buildings keeping watch for the community.


What up Doc? What up Lord? I'm chilling
I greet my acquaintances with casual, friendly hello's and let them know I am doing well.


These motherfuckers got my name and my face
People have been circulating my identity and image without my consent.


Placed up in every building
My likeness has been plastered all over the area.


You see what that do to the children, that ain't right
This is not healthy for the youth and can cause unnecessary distress.


I've been raised in these projects, damn near, all my life
I have been brought up in these public housing complexes for almost my entire existence.


And these faggots wanna do this to me, I'ma lay low
These individuals are trying to mess with me, so I am going to keep a low profile.


And blow that cop, son, you watch, no lie, word to my momma, dunn
I am going to retaliate against the authorities and you can believe me on that, I swear on my mother's name!


They don't want the drama, thunn, 'member me in '86?
They do not want to face the repercussions and consequences of their actions. Do you recall my actions in 1986?


Knocked out four cops, got knocked on the outer bridge
I took out a quartet of police officers and then received punishment for my actions by being brought to the outer bridge.


Bagged me with two clips, a fifth of Bacardi Dark
They arrested me and found ammunition and a bottle of Bacardi Dark rum on me.


I spared them, cause all of them left with their body parts
I spared their lives and they were lucky to leave with their body parts intact thanks to my mercy.


I'm not crazy; I'm lulu, I will Larry Davis these spades
I might be a bit unconventional and wild, but I will take out these corrupt individuals in the same way that Larry Davis did.


You spill a little blood on the NARC's Fubu
If you spill a drop of blood on a narcotics officer's Fubu clothing line, people will be up in arms about it.


The Culture Pound'll go thru dude, and ricochet off his shoulder
The hip-hop community will not be pleased with the officer's actions and the backlash will be intense.


Miss the teeth and hit his Lo Mein noodles
The bullet will narrowly miss his teeth and instead hit his food (Lo Mein noodles).


Fuck it...
I don't care anymore.


I'ma tell ya motherfuckers something, my struggle is real
I am going to be honest with you all, my life has been full of challenges and obstacles.


Threw ketchup on my rice, cause there was no meat with the meal
I had to resort to using ketchup as a condiment for my rice because there was no meat accompanying it.


My dog was better off alone, he ate when I ate, if not days later
My pet dog had to fend for himself and would eat whenever I was able to provide food or sometimes, days later.


Two weeks old cold shit, straight out the refrigerator
The food I had to eat was old and cold, but it was what I had available in my refrigerator.


Ran away a few times, then boom, went to Dee and fried them
I had a few attempts at running away from my problems, but eventually I faced them head-on and conquered them.


Prior to that, burning rulers, we was getting high in the Hill
Before that pivotal moment, we were burning rulers and indulging in illicit substances at our spot in the Hill.


So many cracks we done crushed up in dollar bills
We consumed so much crack cocaine that we would crush it up and snort it with dollar bills.


It's a shame, didn't smoke once plain; don't pass me that
It is sad to think about, but I never smoked marijuana without some type of added substance. I don't even want to try having it plain now.


I had escaped that, then dust took over
I was able to leave behind my old ways and habits, but quickly found myself becoming addicted to dust (another drug).


Hit bags of red devil, bundels leaking, had put the hood in a coma
I would consume bags of the drug Red Devil and the fact that drugs were taking over the community was severely damaging and harmful.


Hustling backwards and off balance, turkey and cheese hero's
I was not making progress in my life and was off-balance, all while subsisting on cheap turkey and cheese sandwiches.


And nutriments, kept a nigga belly full
I turned to nutriments (a dietary supplement) to fill up my stomach and keep myself somewhat sustained.


Fresh cut and fresh kicks, thinking it was cool, now I'm telling you
I thought my appearance with a fresh haircut and trendy sneakers was impressive, but now I realize there's more to life than that.


A grown man still in the struggle, vouch for my brothers too
As an adult, I am still dealing with hardships and I stand in solidarity with my peers who are enduring similar troubles.


And sisters, all across the globe, fuck the past
I want to address and inspire people of all genders and backgrounds, and disregard the previous negativity and trauma.


Fix the future, I'm sent here to spread the message, come on
I want to create a better future for everyone and I'm here to share this mission, so join me.


[Chorus]
The chorus repeats the message that life has been a struggle and that it has been going on for a long time.




Contributed by Aaliyah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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