Hussle was murdered outside his store, Marathon Clothing, in South Los Angeles on March 31, 2019.
Tommy Gunz ft. Yung Brodee
Nipsey Hussle Lyrics
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Chuck Taylors, smoke in La Brea, brought the crib with us
Soon as we pull up they pay us, that's how it is, nigga
Still wanna kill us, but for now they gotta live with it
Niggas be hating up, it don't bother me none
The homie got some tommy guns, I′m ′bout to buy me one
They got it twisted cause I'm ballin′, having lots of fun
But every real nigga gettin' money know that I′m the one
If you watch me long enough you see the shit I mention
I really got it, I really live it
I'm really tryin′ to play it down cause I really did it
Dope boys in the trap holla back
Smoking weed, cutting crack, counting stacks
Do your thing, just remember it's a fact
All them niggas ain't your bros, all the cell phones tapped
You in the game, and the game is just that
See there′s winners and there′s
Losers, when your freedom gets snatched and
What you thought you wanted don't amount to what you had
Seein′ that you lost them both feeling like you 'bout to gag and
While you gone, your daughter need a dad
And her momma need a man that could keep buyin′ her bags
And it's cold, hurt you so much you gotta laugh
Future fucked, now how you supposed to get over your past
You should just, suck it up and do your time like your man say
Nigga ridin′ dick when you had the upper hand
Talking like you ain't shit, and the marathon you ran wasn't nothing
That′s how that shit go, but keep hustlin′
Dirty game, see the twist so why shorty change
Think about it every single time I board a plane
It ain't no love, you just ignore the pain
And use the money and the fame as the novocaine
Yeah, that′s how it go
When you young and gettin' dough
But do your thing, don′t give a fuck
We're gettin′ money, nigga
We're goin' up
Uh, dirty twenty, fifties, and hundreds
Fast life that I′m livin, marathon that I′m runnin'
Take advantage of everything granted, just keep it coming
On my off day they might accuse me of stuntin′
A-1 credit I don't co-sign nothing
Admit it I′m addicted, can't stop hustlin′
Went from blending in, now my lifestyle's custom
Bail money set aside, I ain't gonna touch it
Motivated nigga, make ′em reconsider something
Lot of niggas hustle, can′t keep up with the money
Gotta grind through the winter, to make it to the summer
A risk you gotta take when you on it like I want it
Transition out the game, no longer see opponents
Now I see a business and I'm lookin′ like the owner
Handle business from a distance, I don't know ′em, I don't wanna
Snitches on the prowl, matter of fact around the corner
The punishment is heavy and it′s getting even stronger
Money coming steady, by the way it's even longer
Take a glimpse at my diploma, graduate it's a honor
I′m out here gettin′ dollars, and they act like it's a problem
I′m all about a win, losing never was an option
That explains all that champagne bottle popping
You're damn right, my whole gang make a profit
What, we gettin′ money
In "Tommy Gunz", Nipsey Hussle starts off by bragging about his recent winnings in Las Vegas, indicating that he’s betting big. He then talks about how haters envy his success but it doesn't bother him as he’s just doing the right thing. He makes a reference to his gang members who’ve got tommy guns and expresses his intention to purchase one. Nipsey goes on to speak about his success and how the people around him fail to acknowledge how hard he works. He talks about the coldness of the game, indicating that there's no love in the game of money and fame. He speaks about the pain of losing it all and how it affects those left behind, especially his daughter who needs a father. Despite being charged and losing everything, Nipsey asserts that he'll continue living out his dreams and encourages other hustlers to keep going.
The tone of the track suggests that Nipsey is simply telling his story and sharing his experiences, both good and bad, to inspire his fans. He doesn't glorify gang life but acknowledges that it's all he's ever known. The lyrics are filled with references to success, money, and fame, but he uses them as a tool to motivate others to greatness. He stresses that the game is dirty, and if one wishes to succeed, they must accept the risks, stay focused, and never give up.
Line by Line Meaning
I’m fresh off the table in Vegas, I'm bettin’ big, nigga
I just came back from gambling in Las Vegas and I bet a lot of money.
Chuck Taylors, smoke in La Brea, brought the crib with us
I'm wearing Chuck Taylors and smoking weed in La Brea. Also, I brought my house with me.
Soon as we pull up they pay us, that's how it is, nigga
As soon as we arrive, people pay us because they know who we are and what we do.
Still wanna kill us, but for now they gotta live with it
People still want to take our lives, but for the moment they have to deal with our presence.
Niggas be hating up, it don't bother me none
People may hate on me, but it doesn't affect me.
The homie got some Tommy guns, I’m 'bout to buy me one
My friend has some Tommy guns and I want to buy one for myself.
They got it twisted cause I'm ballin', having lots of fun
People misunderstand my lifestyle because I'm having fun and making money.
But every real nigga gettin’ money know that I'm the one
People who truly know what it means to make money understand that I'm the one doing it.
Just check me out, pay attention
Take a closer look at me and observe what I do.
If you watch me long enough you see the shit I mention
If you pay attention to me for a while, you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.
I really got it, I really live it
I'm not just talking about money and success, I actually have it and live it.
I'm really tryin' to play it down cause I really did it
I'm trying to downplay my success because it's real and I actually achieved it.
Dope boys in the trap holla back
Drug dealers in the drug house call back to me.
Smoking weed, cutting crack, counting stacks
I'm smoking weed, cutting and selling crack, and counting money.
Do your thing, just remember it's a fact
Do what you need to do, but remember that not everyone is your friend.
All them niggas ain't your bros, all the cell phones tapped
Not all people you know are trustworthy and some of their phones are monitored.
You in the game, and the game is just that
You are part of this dangerous lifestyle and that's all there is to it.
See there's winners and there's losers, when your freedom gets snatched
In this dangerous lifestyle, there are people who win and people who lose when they get caught and go to jail.
And what you thought you wanted don't amount to what you had
Sometimes what you thought you wanted is not worth what you had and lost.
Seein' that you lost them both feeling like you 'bout to gag
Realizing that you lost both your freedom and your possessions might make you feel sick.
While you gone, your daughter need a dad
When you're in jail or out of her life, your daughter will still need her father.
And her momma need a man that could keep buyin' her bags
Your daughter's mother wants a rich man who can keep buying her expensive things.
And it's cold, hurt you so much you gotta laugh
The situation is so bad that you have to laugh to stop yourself from crying.
Future fucked, now how you supposed to get over your past
Your future is ruined, and it's hard to move on from your past mistakes.
You should just, suck it up and do your time like your man say
You need to accept your punishment and serve your time in jail like a man.
Nigga ridin' dick when you had the upper hand
People who used to be on your side are now against you when you're vulnerable.
Talking like you ain't shit, and the marathon you ran wasn't nothing
People talk bad about you and your accomplishments, saying they don't matter.
That's how that shit go, but keep hustlin'
That's just how it is, but keep doing what you need to do to make money.
Dirty game, see the twist so why shorty change
The game is unfair, and people change because of the twisted reality they live in.
Think about it every single time I board a plane
I reflect on this harsh reality every time I board a plane to leave this place.
It ain't no love, you just ignore the pain
There is no love in this lifestyle, and you just have to ignore the pain.
And use the money and the fame as the novocaine
People use their money and fame as a painkiller to forget the reality of their dangerous lifestyle.
Yeah, that's how it go
That's just how things are.
When you young and gettin' dough
When you're young and making money.
But do your thing, don't give a fuck
Do what you need to do, and don't care about others' opinions.
We're gettin' money, nigga
We're all making money.
Dirty twenty, fifties, and hundreds
I have dirty, crumpled-up $20, $50, and $100 bills.
Fast life that I'm livin', marathon that I'm runnin'
I'm living a fast-paced life and running a race against time.
Take advantage of everything granted, just keep it coming
I'm taking advantage of everything given to me and making sure the good things keep coming.
On my off day they might accuse me of stuntin'
On my day off, people might accuse me of showing off or being flashy.
A-1 credit, I don't co-sign nothing
I have excellent credit, but I won't co-sign for anyone.
Admit it I'm addicted, can't stop hustlin'
I admit I'm addicted to making money and can't stop hustling.
Went from blending in, now my lifestyle's custom
I used to blend in with others, but now my lifestyle is unique and customized.
Bail money set aside, I ain't gonna touch it
I have bail money set aside just in case, but I won't touch it unless I absolutely have to.
Motivated nigga, make 'em reconsider something
I'm a motivated person who can make others reconsider their lifestyle choices.
Lot of niggas hustle, can't keep up with the money
A lot of people hustle, but can't keep up with the amount of money I make.
Gotta grind through the winter, to make it to the summer
I have to work hard during winter to enjoy the fruits of my labor in summer.
A risk you gotta take when you on it like I want it
Taking risks comes with being in this lifestyle and wanting to make money.
Transition out the game, no longer see opponents
I'm trying to leave this lifestyle and not see people who used to be my opponents.
Now I see a business and I'm lookin' like the owner
I'm transitioning to a new business and looking like the owner of it.
Handle business from a distance, I don't know 'em, I don't wanna
I handle my business from a distance because I don't know these people and don't want to.
Snitches on the prowl, matter of fact around the corner
Snitches are on the lookout and might be around the corner from us.
The punishment is heavy and it's getting even stronger
The punishment for getting caught is severe and getting even stricter.
Money coming steady, by the way it's even longer
My money is coming in regularly, and it seems like it will continue to do so for a long time.
Take a glimpse at my diploma, graduate it's a honor
Take a look at my diploma, graduating was an honor for me.
I'm out here gettin' dollars, and they act like it's a problem
I'm making money, but some people act like it's an issue or a problem.
I'm all about a win, losing never was an option
I'm all about winning, and never thought about losing as an option.
That explains all that champagne bottle popping
My desire to win explains why I celebrate with expensive champagne.
You're damn right, my whole gang make a profit
Yes, my entire gang is making a profit.
What, we gettin' money
We are all making money together.
Contributed by Alyssa L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.