UGK, from Port Arthur, TX, the neighboring city to Beaumont, TX, released their debut EP The Southern Way in 1992. It was distributed by local record label Bigtyme Recordz and only available as an audio cassette. They quickly caught the attention of Jive Records, and were signed to a five album record contract. Their major label debut album Too Hard to Swallow was released later that same year, on November 10. While it featured several new recordings, it also featured several songs that had been culled from The Southern Way. However, several songs that had been intended to be included on the album were excised at the last minute, apparently due to their overly explicit content. Five of these songs would surface two months before Too Hard to Swallow’s release, on an EP distributed by Bigtyme Recordz; appropriately enough, the EP was titled Banned.
Their sophomore album Super Tight… was released two years later, on August 30. Unlike their previous effort, it managed to break into the Billboard Hot 200, but ultimately peaked at a disappointing #95. Two more years passed before the release of their third album, Ridin’ Dirty. It performed better than either of its predecessors, and almost broke into the Hot 200’s top-ten, before stopping short at #15. Ridin’ Dirty would also be UGK’s last album for the time being, as they went on a five year hiatus not long afterward.
In the interim, UGK made a high-profile guest appearance on Jay-Z’s 2000 smash hit “Big Pimpin” and also appeared on Three 6 Mafia’s hit “Sippin’ on Some Sizzurp” later the very same year. Both of these collaborations greatly increased their reputation, and helped fuel anticipation for their next project. Unfortunately, Jive failed to capitalize on this new-found interest in the duo, as their sixth album, 2001’s Dirty Money, came and went with little or no fanfare.
Further problems arose in 2002, when Pimp C was incarcerated for an aggravated gun assault charge on January 28. Throughout the time of his incarceration, Bun B carried on the UGK name by making numerous guest appearances on songs by other artists, with every appearance either mentioning Pimp C or featuring a “Free Pimp C!” or “Free the Pimp” chant. Many of UGK’s peers did the same, and mentioned Pimp C in their own songs with or without Bun B. During this period, Jive released a Best of UGK album, as well as a Chopped & Screwed remix album.
As a result of Pimp C’s incarceration, both members of UGK began solo careers out of necessity. Rap-A-Lot Records released Pimp C’s solo debut, Sweet James Jones Stories, on March 1, 2005. Bun B later released his own solo foray, Trill, on October 18, 2005. It opened at #6 on the Billboard Hot 200, and also peaked at #1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-hop Album chart. It was quickly certified gold by the RIAA.
On December 30, 2005, Pimp C was released from prison and was scheduled to be on parole until December 2009. He released his first post-incarceration album, titled Pimpalation, on July 25, 2006.
UGK released Underground Kingz, their 7th studio album in August 2007. The two-disc, 26-track album hit #1 on the Billboard charts after selling 157,000 copies in its first week, strongly supported by the hit single Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You). The single featured OutKast, and used a beat created by Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul and Juicy J, which was originally used in a song by Project Pat.
On December 4th, 2007, Pimp C was found dead at age 33 in his room at Hollywood’s La Mondrian hotel in Los Angeles, California, where he had been playing shows with Too $hort. According to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office Pimp C died from accidental overdose of Promethazine/Codeine “syrup” combined with a preexisting medical condition known as sleep apnea, which causes a person to stop breathing during sleep. He was buried on December 11th, 2007 in his hometown of Port Arthur, TX.
Living This Life
UGK Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A constant struggle each and every day
Some wonder why, I'd rather die
Than to continue living this way
Ugh, I don't wanna do this no mo' (no mo')
But dis the only thang that I know
I keep a pistol in my back, and a gauge on the flo' (flo')
I'm a d-boy, didn't graduate
But I, got a Ph.D from Pimp State
And I, got a Master's Degree in movin' weight
And my, people dependin' on me but they gon' be straight
Uh, I wanna go to service
But I ain't been in so long, kinda make me feel nervous (nervous)
'Cause they be lookin' at me funny
Watchin' the plate when I tithe, put in my money (money)
I don't wanna go back to that hell
Rather be dead than doin' life in a jail cell
Die young, oh well (well) I had a good life (life)
They rappin 'bout it but I'm out here payin' the price
Lord, it's so hard, living this life
A constant struggle each and every day
Some wonder why, I'd rather die
Than to continue living this way
I wake up out of bed, right after the crack of dawn and
I give myself a, stretch up, a morning yawn and
See I'm a pawn in this neighborhood chess game
Move one step at a time, long as the Lord bless me (f'real)
I know the rest aim high, I'm tryna aim it higher (higher)
Watchin' the lames aspire (aspire) to street success, man (man)
They tryna blame the fire (fire) but that's like wettin' water (water)
You either burnt or washed out, so get in order (order)
Everyday it's gettin' harder to fuck with the flow
I'm tryna keep all of my motherfuckin' ducks in a row (row)
I gotta see a man 'bout a dog and sell him a cat
If you don't know, then you don't know, dat's dat
Shit, a dollar outta fifteen cents, I got a dime
Tryin to hustle up my way to a million, I gotta grind (gotta grind)
Walkin' the line like Cash, I'm on my mash
Two hundred yards behind in a hundred yard dash
Lord, it's so hard, living this life
A constant struggle each and every day
Some wonder why, I'd rather die
Than to continue living this way
Lord, I'm sittin' here on bended knee, my hands locked, eyes shut
Askin' you to watch over me, no matter what
Even though I ain't too well behaved, I'm still a child of you
And faith in my Holy Father is all that keep me smilin' through
The bad times and worse times, through it all
When my head is hangin' low, you help me to stand tall
The only way I'ma ball, the only way I'ma shine
Is if you lookin after me while I'm out here on the grind
Ugh, I know you bless the child that go get it
I'm the product of the ghetto, the flame of the city
So I talk the language of the ave
Forgive my dirty mouth please, I'm whippin' slabs
Fifties, quarters and the whole thangs
Balance in my life on the fo' beam
And I need codeine just to say sane
I'm steady prayin' to you but I don't know your real name
Knahmtalkinbout?
But I'm under the impression that if your heart is in the right place
Your prayers gon' get heard anyway
So some say Jah Jah, some say Allah
Some say Jesus, some say, Yeshua Ben'ta, knahmalkinbout?
Ayy, man I just look like this man, knahmtalkinbout?
I ain't get this far being no square, man
You wanna hide somethin' from black folks, they say you can put it in a book
I don't believe that
'Cause I done read fo' libraries worth of books
I got some knowledge y'all need to get up on, man
Behold a Pale Horse, knahmtalkinbout?
48 Laws of Power, knahmsayin? The Art of War
The Secret Societies of America, knahmtalkinbout?
Everythang ain't what it look like, man
And don't judge every book by it's cover, ya dig?
Hold up
The lyrics to UGK's "Living This Life" speak to the struggles and challenges of living in a tough environment, where violence and drugs are rampant. The chorus sets the tone for the song, with Pimp C singing about the difficulty of existence and the desire to escape. He raps about having a gun on him at all times, as he faces constant threats from the police and other drug dealers. Pimp C also talks about being a "d-boy" (drug dealer), someone with no education but an extensive knowledge of the streets. Despite having people depending on him, he would rather die than spend his life in a jail cell.
Bun B's verse talks about the difficulty of making a living and trying to improve one's situation. He wakes up early every day, takes one step at a time, and prays to the Lord to help him through the hard times. He talks about how hard it is to stay focused and motivated, with distractions and obstacles at every turn. Bun B also expresses his faith in God, even though he's not always well-behaved and struggles with his faith.
Overall, "Living This Life" is a song that speaks to the reality of life in impoverished areas, where people are forced to do whatever they can to survive. It's a poignant reminder of the complex problems that exist within such communities and how difficult it is to find a way out.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord it's so hard, living this life
Life is full of struggles that are hard to overcome
A constant struggle each and every day
Every day brings new challenges and difficulties
Some wonder why, I'd rather die
Some people might question why life is worth living
Than to continue living this wayyy
It's hard to see a way out of the difficult circumstances
Ughhhh, I don't wanna do this no mo' (no mo')
I am tired of living this life
But dis the only thang that I know
This is the only way of life I am familiar with
I keep a pistol in my back, and a gauge on the flo' (flo')
I carry weapons for protection
The laws and the d-boys wanna kick in my do' (do')
The police and drug dealers are after me
I'm a d-boy, didn't graduate
I am a drug dealer and did not finish school
But I, got Ph.D from Pimp State
I have a lot of experience and knowledge from the streets
And I, got a Master's Degree in movin weight
I am skilled in the trade of selling drugs
And my, people dependin on me but they gon' be straight
My family depends on me for financial support, but I will make sure they are okay
I wanna go to service
I want to go to church
But I ain't been in so long, kinda make me feel nervous (nervous)
It's been a while since I have attended church and I feel anxious about returning
Cause they be lookin at me funny
People in church might judge me and give me strange looks
Watchin the plate when I tithe, put in my money (money)
People are watching how much I give to the church
I don't wanna go back to that hell
I do not want to return to my old ways of life
Rather be dead than doin life in a jail cell
I would rather die than spend the rest of my life in prison
Die young oh well (well) I had a good life (life)
If I die young, at least I lived a fulfilling life
They rappin 'bout it but I'm out here payin the price
Rappers talk about my lifestyle, but I am the one facing the consequences
I wake up out of bed, right after the crack of dawn and
I wake up early in the morning
I give myself a - stretch up, a morning yawn and
I stretch and yawn to start my day
See I'm a pawn in this neighborhood chess game
I am a small player in my community's power dynamics
Move one step at a time, long as the Lord bless me (f'real)
I take things slowly, relying on God's blessings
I know the rest aim high, I'm tryin to aim it higher (higher)
Others may have higher goals, but I am still working towards mine
Watchin the lames aspire (aspire) to street success mayne (mayne)
I see people with lesser skills and abilities aiming for success in the streets
They tryin to blame the fire (fire) but that's like wettin water (water)
They are trying to solve a problem in a way that does not work
You either burnt or washed out, so get in order (order)
If you do not succeed, you will either fail outright or lose steam and give up
Everyday it's gettin harder to fuck with the flow
Every day is more difficult than the last
I'm tryin to keep, all of my motherfuckin ducks in a row (row)
I am trying to keep my life organized and under control
I gotta see a man 'bout a dog and sell him a cat
I have some shady deals to make
If you don't know, then you don't know, dat's dat
If you are not familiar with this world, you won't understand
Shit a dollar outta fifteen cents, I got a dime
I make a lot out of very little
Tryin to hustle up my way to a million, I gotta grind (gotta grind)
I am working hard to try to make a lot of money
Walkin the line like cash, I'm on my mash
I am trying to balance my business with staying out of trouble
Two hundred yards behind in a hundred yard dash
I am behind in the race to get ahead
Lord I'm sittin here on bended knee, my hands locked, eyes shut
I am praying to God on my knees with my hands and eyes closed
Askin you to watch over me, no matter what
I am asking God to protect me
Even though I ain't too well behaved, I'm still a child of you
Despite my bad actions, I am still a religious person
And faith in my Holy Father is all that keep me smilin through
My belief in God is what gives me hope and happiness
The bad times and worse times, through it all
Through all the hard and very hard times
When my head is hangin low, you help me to stand tall
God helps me overcome difficulties and be strong
The only way I'm a ball, the only way I'm a shine
The only way I will succeed is with God's help
Is if you lookin after me while I'm out here on the grind
God needs to watch over me while I am working hard
UNGGHH~! I know you bless the child that go get it
I know that God rewards those who work hard
I'm the product of the ghetto, the flame of the city
I come from a poor area and am a well-known figure there
So I talk the language of the ave
I speak the street language
Forgive my dirty mouth please, I'm whippin slabs
Please excuse my profanity, I am selling drugs
Fifties, quarters and the whole thangs
I sell different sizes of drugs
Balance on my life on the fo' beam
My life is delicate and can fall apart easily
And I need codeine just to say sane
I take drugs to keep myself calm and focused
Steady prayin to you but I don't know your real name
I am praying to God, but I do not know the real name of God
But I'm under the impression that if your heart is in the right place
I believe that if you are a good person, God will protect you
Your prayers gon' get heard anyway
God listens to everyone's prayers
So some say Jah Jah, some say Allah
Different religions have different names for God
Some say Jesus, some say... Yeshua Ben'ta, knahmalkinbout
Different names are used for Jesus in different religions
Ay man I just look like this man, knahmtalkinbout
I might look a certain way, but it doesn't define me
I ain't get this far bein no square man
I didn't get to where I am by being a boring person
You wanna hide some'n from black folks, they say you can put it in a book
There is a stereotype that African Americans do not read
I don't believe that
I do not think that stereotype is true
Cause I done read fo' libraries worth of books
I have read a lot of books in my life
I got some knowledge y'all need to get up on mayne
I have some valuable knowledge that people should know about
But hold a pair of hearts, knahmtalkinbout
Some people might not be able to handle the truth
For they laws and power, knahmsayin the art of war
Some people might use what I know to gain power
The secret societies of America, knahmtalkinbout
I know about secret organizations in the US
Everythang ain't what it look like man
Things are not always as they seem
And don't judge every book by it's cover... ya dig!
Do not judge a person by their appearance
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Al Green, Joseph Johnson, Chad L. Butler, Bernard James Freeman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind