[4 x Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough]
Thug niggaz bounce to this,
only thug niggaz bounce to this,
word up,
I wan't no fruitcake ass ? niggaz bouncing to this shit right here,
word up, strictly hardcore only, check it

[Shyheim]
Gunshots, they travel throughout my projects quickly,
I stay thuggin', for pray the god that none hits me,
me and my peoples we swarm in packs,
some rap others sell crack, to get stacks of the green paper,
we move makers, lex and landcruisers takers,
block vacators, thugs that run 5 acres of land
flooded with dealers who kill for grams,
it's the street life, baby you wouldn't understand nothing,
getting my hustle on, just 8 to 10,
but here I go again, cause recreation programs,
they makin' me no grands,
so much stress on my mind I can just kill a man

[2 x Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough]
[Shyheim]
I never knew my own dad when I was young he broke out,
that's when my mom got smoked out,
and I took the street route, I hung around with real gangstas
playas and hustlas, I guess they liked my style a lot,
so they took a little nigga under the wing,
eventually I started slingin' white shit,
no time for school 'cause the hours didn't mix,
so sleep late at night most nights I didn't even sleep,
that's how I got caught up, and sold a dime to the beast.
They offered me a 1 to 3, hahaa , I do a bullet,
traded in my gats for greens that's how the state do it,
I'm movin' ain't no joking get your muthafuckin' dosage,
so when you and the penal don't be acting like no biaaatch

[4 x Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough]
[Shyheim]
I'm seventeen now, and I'm off to parole,
I see the ? a month, hopefully I be home,
I'm kinda anxious, I haven't seen my friends in a year,
my moms OD and when I think about it every seals,
but I'm a young man that gotta change his lifestyle,
get a job at compound, it ain't easy as it sounds,
I gotta have some fast money, flippin' burgers everyday,
I been to ? house, I get a slinky day,
anybody in my way I'm blasting, fuck the peace
'cause there's a war upon the streets,
no south west or east, all my niggaz in the struggle
hold your head and get the CREAM,
big gunz money and pussy be the US ghetto dream.

[Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough ...]