Joell Ortiz
Another Struggle
[Intro: Joell Ortiz]
Another day, another struggle
Another day, another struggle
Joell Ortiz, that's me
V.I.C on this track baby, I see
[Verse 1: Joell Ortiz]
Another day, another struggle
Everytime it rains in p's, I seem to walk in the puddle
God as my witness, I don't want to hustle
But that phone bill is payed if I finish that last bundle
It's gettin' cold, and I make sure my son, Bundle
He gettin' big, can't fit his clothes from last year
That's new shirts, new pants, new footwear
New Coatward coat for me to cook yeah
I know exactly what them housing letters look like
Don't pink slips look bright on that brown door
That means you going out of business like Caldor
Moms riffin' like what they're trying to put me out for
Face to face we had to fight it like a south paw
Them case workers to busy runnin' their mouths off
We down all day from 7 to 3, just for them to reschedule everything for next week
[Hook: Joell Ortiz]
You can't fit in my shoes, if you never had to hustle
And live by the words another day, another struggle
You can't fit in my shoes, if your life wasn't real
And you ain't live check to check tryin' to catch up to bills
You can't fit in my shoes, if you've never been broke
And bang yourself looking for something to kill that roach
You can't fit in my shoes, if you've never asked god
Why we live like this, why is life so hard
[Verse 2: Joell Ortiz]
Remember that white money with the staples
The only reason there was something occasionally on the table
Remember that month you felt good you was able to turn on that cable, they turned off the cable
The next month the cable been knockin' but you stayed shush
You burned Papi down the hall to get it hooked up
My moms sent me to the neighbor with a letter and told me not to read it
I read it trying to keep my head up
Walked in the crib like ma here's the ketchup
Ran to my room, facing the sheets, I wet the bed up
They wouldn't let up, in tears that is
Wish I was there 15 years ago to hear that kid
Just to let him know that he ain't the only shorty going through it
In 15 years from then he'll be finally flowin' stupid
But ain't no time machines, so ya'll can give shorty all my rhymes
Every line is mean
[Hook]
[Verse 3: Joell Ortiz]
Look Mami they built an ice cream truck
Joell get your but over here you don't need any ice cream
What, that ain't the good truck that ice cream sucks
That was the excuse, Mami ain't had a nice clean buck
But listen Mami I hold nothing against you
We was all alone on our own when pops left you
And that vanilla and sprinkles was nothing special
You sprinkled Vicks on my chest and said bless you
Sneezin', and wheezin', and asthma speechin'
You ain't leave my bed side til I was fast asleep
And when I was coughin' up in the middle of the night
I looked up and you was there and you made hard livin' all right
[Hook]