Grew Up A Screw Up
Lil' Wayne Feat. Ludacris & Young Jeezy Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Chorus]
"I grew up a fuckin' screw-up
Got introduced to the game, to the game then fuckin' blew up."
"I grew up a fuckin' screw-up
Got introduced to the game, to the game then fuckin' blew up."
"I grew up a fuckin' screw-up
Got introduced to the game, to the game then fuckin' blew up."
"I grew up a fuckin' screw-up
Got introduced to the game, to the game then fuckin' blew up."

Whether gettin' money legally or illegally
We gotta do what we gotta do to survive man!
Yeah! Grew up a screw up, baby
Got introduced to the game
I ain't took a breath yet
Let's go!

[Ludacris]
Ever since I was an embryo, waitin' to shape up and ship out
Somethin' in my brain said, "Wake up and kick out!"
Roberta and Wayne stayed up and flipped out
'Cause when I came, I was draped up and dripped out
Snip the umbilical, spit the government chip out
Peace out, A-Town gone and then I dipped out
And, oh my gosh, the Osh Kosh was picked out
I slipped in, even my baby stroller was tricked out
Somebody get him, the lil' nigga's out of control
Put a lil' bit of rum in my bottle; I'll dream about diamonds and gold
Gold, gold, to grow from an infant to toddler was effervescent
The essence of adolescence got my body feelin' fresh'n
Fresh'n, fresh'n, and it was a blessin' to rhyme and start reppin'
I was the best in my section with flows harder than erections
Still the best, but now I'm grown with more range than a tec's
And I'm a heavyweight; you niggaz is lighter than my complexion

[Chorus]

[Young Jeezy]
Hey
Y'all already know what it is
I'm a tell you, nigga
C.T., know what it is, 'bout 17-5
Homey fronted me a sip, shit, I made it a bird
That's seventeen and a half, all I need is the word
Say, the ice is cool but them pots is hot
You better cook slow but that money come fast
I got what you need; I hope you brought all the cash
You know the kid pimpin' all over the world
A hundred carats got me all over your girl
Yeah, five freaks and my Gucci duffle bag
A corporate thug; I run with a Playaz Circle
I got a Field Mob that'll disturb your peace
Blowin' Sean Jay, all we do is smoke
Finish countin' my bread, and I was gettin' some head
Whassup?

[Chorus]

[Ludacris]
I'm a be all the way real with this, look
When I came into the game, they ain't do nothin' but doubt me
Now the whole game's changed and it ain't nothin' without me
Pickin' up my sloppy seconds as they reach for the crown
Only reason you on that song is 'cause I turned that down
I went from Hot Wheels to big wheels, Hyundais to Bentleys
And five course meals, no more Popeye's and Blimpie's
From alright to handsome, from one room to mansions
From hangin' on the block to throwin' parties in the Hamptons
From broke as a joke to rich as a bitch, I bought a
Plane and a boat and six other whips, no Marta
From dice on the curb to stackin' up chips, but harder
From birds on my nerves to chicks on my dick!
Guard your women, dog
I went from ashy to classy
Went from a kiss on the cheek to doin' the nasty
Reach your hand up in the air, and you can play with the stars
It's not the hand that you're dealt, but how you're playin' your cards, boy!





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The song "Grew Up A Screw Up" by Lil' Wayne featuring Ludacris and Young Jeezy is an anthem for self-made success despite humble beginnings. The chorus emphasizes that the singer was a "screw-up" who got introduced to the game and then blew up. This highlights that despite their difficult start in life, they were able to successfully navigate the game they were introduced to and experience explosive success. The lyrics also allude to the singer's struggles with money, highlighting that regardless of whether they were earning it legally or illegally, they had to do what they had to do to survive. The verses by Ludacris and Young Jeezy similarly touch upon their own personal experiences of overcoming challenges and achieving success.


Ludacris's verse emphasizes his childhood and how he was always meant to be something great. He describes coming out of the womb almost fully formed, and how his adolescence was characterized by a constant desire to excel in his craft as an artist. Young Jeezy, on the other hand, focuses on how he succeeded despite dealing with the pitfalls of the drug game. He describes the nitty-gritty details of the drug trade, such as having to wait for customers with cash in hand, and the counterculture of criminality that comes with these activities.


This song is a celebration of hard work, making it big, and reflecting back on the challenges that one faced in life. Despite having roots in the world of hip-hop and rap, it has taken on a meaning that resonates with people from all walks of life. "Grew Up A Screw Up" is a representation of a never give up attitude, and if one is focused, they can attain success.


Line by Line Meaning

I grew up a fuckin' screw-up
I had many mistakes and misfortunes growing up


Got introduced to the game, to the game then fuckin' blew up.
I was introduced to the ways of the world and became wildly successful.


Whether gettin' money legally or illegally
Regardless of whether it was legal or not,


We gotta do what we gotta do to survive man!
We had to do whatever it took to survive.


Ever since I was an embryo, waitin' to shape up and ship out
From the time I was in the womb, waiting to be born,


Somethin' in my brain said, 'Wake up and kick out!'
I always had a voice in my head pushing me to succeed.


Roberta and Wayne stayed up and flipped out
My parents were ecstatic when I was born.


'Cause when I came, I was draped up and dripped out
I was born in style, dressed up nicely.


And, oh my gosh, the Osh Kosh was picked out
Even my baby clothes were picked out in advance.


Fresh'n, fresh'n, and it was a blessin' to rhyme and start reppin'
I enjoyed rapping and it was great to start representing myself.


Put a lil' bit of rum in my bottle; I'll dream about diamonds and gold
I always dreamed of success and money, even as a baby.


Hey, Y'all already know what it is
Everybody knows what I'm talking about.


C.T., know what it is, 'bout 17-5
I know the drug game well, and I sell 17-5 (unclear what this means).


Homey fronted me a sip, shit, I made it a bird
My friend gave me a little bit of drugs, and I turned it into a lot of money.


Say, the ice is cool but them pots is hot
I have cool jewelry, but my drug operation is hotter.


I hope you brought all the cash
If you want drugs from me, make sure you have enough money.


Yeah, five freaks and my Gucci duffle bag
I have five women with me and a fancy bag.


And I'm a heavyweight; you niggaz is lighter than my complexion
I'm a heavyweight in the game, and you are less accomplished than me.


When I came into the game, they ain't do nothin' but doubt me
When I started rapping, people didn't believe in me.


Now the whole game's changed and it ain't nothin' without me
Now I've become so successful that the game would be nothing without me.


From Hot Wheels to big wheels, Hyundais to Bentleys
I went from driving toy cars to expensive cars like Bentleys.


From alright to handsome, from one room to mansions
I went from being just okay to handsome, and from living in a small room to a mansion.


From broke as a joke to rich as a bitch
I went from being poor to now being very rich.


I went from ashy to classy
I went from being dirty and poor to being clean and wealthy.


It's not the hand that you're dealt, but how you're playin' your cards, boy!
It's not about what you are given, but how you use it to succeed.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER BRIAN BRIDGES, OSTEN HARVEY, OSTEN S HARVEY, JAY JENKINS, MARSHALL B III MATHERS, JOHNNY MOLLINGS, LEONARDO MOLLINGS, LUIS RESTO, TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR, CHRISTOPHER WALLACE, EDGAR WINTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@malczynscy

That sweet nostalgia...

@wojciechsontowski5355

+Marcin Malczynski No ale Ciebie, to bym się nie spodziewał :O

@manuelakani6763

Marcin Malczynski 🎿

@justinpettit3432

It was until the Jeezy verse changed. Lol. Although it don't matter cuz Lisa verses are the favorites but I've never heard this version of the song. Jeezy had a different verse. Lol

@awwhellnaw8214

Oh The sweetest 😘

@SarahMueller-cu1ic

NO C in that spelling!! KID!! YAMY MAY ASS DICK!!😂 Typa shit!! Shit's been spent!!😂😢

4 More Replies...

@vincentespinoza7097

damn ludacris has been getting that fast and furious money for so long I almost forgot he was a dope rapper too.

@fresh2cool957

Vincent Espinoza true he been quiet lately too because of that

@airparris

Vincent Espinoza lol i forgot too!!

@daiidaii69

Vincent Espinoza kill I forgot too

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