Still Strugglin'
Raekwon Lyrics

I know how it feels to wake up fucked up
I understand the feeling of waking up in a terrible situation

Pockets broke as hell, another rock to sell
Having no money and needing to sell drugs to survive

People look at you like you're the user
Being judged and stigmatized by others

Selling drugs to all the losers mad Buddha abuser
Dealing drugs to desperate individuals addicted to drugs

But they don't know about the stress-filled day
Others are unaware of the daily stress and struggles faced

Baby on the way mad bills to pay
Dealing with financial pressure due to impending parenthood

That's why you drink Tanqueray
Resorting to alcohol as a coping mechanism and escape

So you can reminisce and wish you wasn't living so devilish s-shit
Using alcohol to reflect on a life filled with regret and negative choices

I remember I was just like you
Recalling a similar past and empathizing

Smoking blunts with my crew
Engaging in drug use with friends

Flipping over SIXTY TWO's
Engaging in illegal activities, possibly related to car theft

Cause G-E-D wasn't B-IG, I had to get P-A-ID
Gaining financial stability by taking advantage of criminal opportunities rather than relying on education

That's why my mom hates me
The singer's mother disapproves of their lifestyle and choices

She was forced to kick me out, no doubt
The singer's mother had no choice but to evict them

Then I figured out Nick's went for twenty down south
Finding a profitable drug market in the southern region

Packed up my tools for my raw power move
Preparing to engage in drug trafficking with determination and force

Glock nineteen for casket and flower moves
Carrying a firearm for protection and violence if necessary

Four chumps trying to stop my flow
Encountering opposition from individuals attempting to hinder the singer's progress

And what they don't know will show on the autopsy
The true consequences of their actions will be revealed after death

Went to see papi, to cop me a brick
Visiting a drug supplier to purchase a large quantity of narcotics

Asked for some consignment and he wasn't trying to hear it
Requesting drugs on credit, but being denied by the supplier

Smoking mad Newports cause I'm doing court for an assault
Dealing with legal issues and seeking solace in smoking cigarettes

That I caught in Bridgeport, New York
Being involved in a violent incident in the city of Bridgeport, New York

Catch me if you can like the ginger bread man
Challenging others to catch the artist if they can, just like in the story of the Gingerbread Man

You better have your gat in hand cause man
Warning others to be armed and prepared for any confrontations

A man with a dream with plans to make CREAM
The singer is an ambitious individual with aspirations to generate wealth (CREAM refers to Cash Rules Everything Around Me)

Still struggling, Survival got me buggin'
Despite the dream, the singer is still facing hardships and feeling overwhelmed

(Souls of a soldier in The streets of survival)
The artist compares themselves to a soldier battling daily hardships

Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough
Expressing the belief that childhood should be free from struggle and hardship

(The rough life I just be up nights it got me)
The difficult circumstances keep the singer awake at night

Still strugglin' (Campaign)
Continuing to face challenges and obstacles

Lay out your maintain (In the everyday struggle)
Organizing and maintaining a strategy to navigate through the hardships of everyday life

I grew up on the crime side
The artist was raised in a neighborhood where criminal activities were prevalent

The New York Times side
Referring to a specific area or neighborhood mentioned in The New York Times

Staying alive was no jive
Surviving in this environment was not an easy task

Had secondhands, moms bounced on old man
Having used or hand-me-down items, and the artist's mother leaving their father

So then we moved to Shaolin land
The family relocated to Shaolin, a nickname for Staten Island, New York

A young youth, yo rockin' the gold tooth
As a young person, the singer wore a gold tooth as a fashion statement

'Lo goose
Referring to a brand of clothing called 'Lo, and goose possibly indicating a jacket

Only way I begin to G off was drug loot
The artist started to gain financial stability through the profits from selling drugs

And let's start it like this son
Beginning their story in this manner

Rolling with this one
Associating with a particular group or individual

And that one, pulling out Gats for fun
Being involved with peers who carry and use firearms casually

But it was just a dream for the teen
The lifestyle of carrying guns and engaging in criminal activity was merely an illusion for the artist as a teenager

Who was a fiend
Referring to their drug addiction

Started smoking woolies at 16
The artist began smoking cigarettes laced with drugs at the age of 16

And running up in gates
Breaking into houses

And doing hit's for high stakes
Committing robberies or violent crimes for significant rewards

Making my way on fire escapes
Utilizing fire escapes as an access point during illegal activities

No question I would speed
Without a doubt, the singer would engage in reckless behavior

For cracks and weed
Taking risks in order to obtain drugs

The combination made my eyes bleed
The excessive drug use had a negative physical impact

No question I would flow off
The artist would rap or express themselves under the influence of drugs

And try to get the dough all
Making an effort to acquire money by any means

Sticking up white boys in ball courts
Robbing young white males in basketball courts

My life got no better, same damn 'Lo sweater
The artist's life did not improve, and they continued wearing the same 'Lo (clothing brand) sweater

Times is rough and tough like leather
The current times are challenging and unforgiving

Figured out I went the wrong route
Realizing the chosen path in life was a mistake

So I got with a sick tight clique and went all out
Joining a dangerous and dedicated group, and fully committing to their lifestyle

Catchin' keys from across seas
Receiving shipments of drugs from international sources

Rollin' in MPV's
Driving in MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) cars, possibly indicating wealth and success

Every week we made forty G's
Earning forty thousand dollars every week

Yo brothers respect mine, or anger the TEC-9
Warning others to show respect or face the singer's violent response with a TEC-9 firearm

(Get live, muthaf')
Encouragement to become enthusiastic and energetic, while also expressing frustration