Trouble
akon Lyrics

Okay, Akon
Introduction to the song.

Stay outta trouble now son
Advice to stay away from trouble.

Let me tell you what hurts the most
Introduction to the personal experience of the artist.

I'm a convicted felon and I can't work
Consequence of having a convicted record.

No matter where I go I try to get paid
Constant struggle of finding employment.

They never give me good job 'cause they are afraid
Employers' fear of hiring ex-convicts.

That I'ma stick 'em up, oh yes, stick it
Stereotype of ex-convicts being dangerous and violent.

Rob the manager and everybody in it
Exaggeration of the stereotype.

That's the everyday life of a convict
The struggles and stereotypes that a convict faces daily.

Tryin' to make it, why they're saying to me
Feeling of being judged despite trying to change one's life.

The judges said, "Don't trouble nobody"
The advice given by the judges to stay away from trouble.

Probation said, "Don't trouble nobody"
The advice given by the probation officers to stay away from trouble.

Stay outta trouble, don't trouble nobody
Reiterating the advice to stay away from trouble.

And I'ma try not to trouble nobody
The artist's intention to obey the advice.

Me and my niggas on the block all day
Depiction of the artist's past involvement with a group on the streets.

Blocking dimes, lookin' out for Police
Illegal activities done while trying not to get caught.

'Cause this the type of shit that we go through
The struggles and dangers of living on the streets.

Up in the ghetto just to make some G's
The motivation behind illegal activities is to earn money.

The street type got me gettin' locked up
The dangerous lifestyle of being on the streets, resulting in getting arrested multiple times.

About 5-6 times a week and then I make mon'
Frequent arrests and getting bailed out using the money earned from illegal activities.

Take it from the profit of the weed
Money earned from selling drugs.

All this just to feed my seeds
The motivation behind earning money is to provide for one's children.

I gotta stop this livin'
Realization of the need to change one's lifestyle.

I witness one too many killings
The traumatic experiences of living on the streets.

I don' seen the hardest nigga straight
Even the toughest criminals face the consequences of violence on the streets.

Drop to the ground and was never ever found so
The dangers of living on the streets and becoming a victim of violence.

I'm trying to stay away from trouble everyday
The artist's continuous effort to stay away from trouble.

But its hard when the things you need
The motivation behind illegal activities is the struggle to provide basic necessities for oneself and one's family.

Picture lookin' at your babies in the face
The struggle and guilt of not being able to provide for one's children.

When they hungry and they need to eat
The reality of not being able to feed one's children due to lack of employment opportunities.

I'm tryin' not to do wrong
The artist's intention to change his lifestyle and obey the law.

But they wont let me do right
Society's discriminating attitude towards ex-convicts and lack of employment opportunities.

Even tho I done changed my life criminal records
The artist's efforts to change his life despite being judged based on his criminal record.

What they judging me by, that's why
The unfairness of being judged solely based on one's criminal record.

My mamma said, "Don't trouble nobody"
The advice given by the mother to stay away from trouble.

My Pappa said, "Don't trouble nobody"
The advice given by the father to stay away from trouble.