Lil' Flip - What I Been Through

(feat. Big T, Lil Ron & Young Redd)

[Intro]

Hi, this is the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
Today we're interviewing Lil' Flip (what's up man)
So Lil' Flip tell me, how long have you been rapping
(man I've been rapping ever since)...

[Lil' Flip]

1995, I was in junior high
I saw a lot of shit, so I was glad to be alive
A lot of people died, but a lot of people here
And when I turned 15, my vision got clear
It's time to be a man, time to make a plan
It's cool to make a hundred, but it's best to make a grand
My Granny got sick, and then they found cancer
We got to pay the doctors, but God got the answer
The surgery went good, my Granny doing well
My career taking off so I can't go to jail
And to my niggas on the block, stop selling rocks
Cause I'ma tell the truth you can't outsmart the cops
You see what I did, I only drop hits
Chopping up game, y'all chopping up bricks
And some niggas snitch, cause they can't take the heat
How we gone go buy a system when the system got his beat

[Young Redd]

Hey, I'm from the home of the Astros, home of the Rockets
Born to rap yo, with a microphone in my pocket
Always thought I was grown, you couldn't tell me nothing
I would talk shit if you tried to tell me something
But I regret that, I had some minor setbacks
Old people thought my future would be jet black
All my years growing up, I thought life was a game
You can't make it real far, thinking life is a game
Yeah we lost a couple of friends, I almost lost my brother
I don't know what would of happened if we lost each other
Everyday is something new, I just take it in stride
You only got one life, so enjoy the ride
Sometimes I was paid, sometimes I was broke
Me and Gray started hustling but my mama didn't know
But it's cool, cause now I'm into this music
The man gave us a gift and we loving to use it
And if you look real close you'll see
That you can only be you, and I can be me
Cause can't nobody ever live my life but me
But you will never see what I see like me huh me

[Chorus: Big T - 2x]

And you don't know what I've been through
So you shouldn't judge me
And you don't know what I will and I won't do
So you shouldn't judge me

[Lil Ron]

It's getting harder now I just don't understand
Why the people in the world disgrace the black man
All that I could say, is pray and let it be
Little right and try your best not to end up like me
See I was the nigga that slang dope and steal cars
Glad I stopped before it led behind bars
Heart aches and scars, help me feel my way
Understand today I got a decision to make
Now do I wanna live right or continue going wrong
I'm never at home this music keep a nigga gone
But this is what gets me, who are you to judge
Cause I'm young and black, people still hold a grudge
Just a nudge right now'd push me over the end
When I was 14 I lost a very close friend
And ever since then my life ain't been the same
That's the biggest reason why I had to make a change

[Lil' Flip]

Never judge a book by it's cover, a man by his wealth
And if you already on your feet why don't you help somebody else
This what I was taught, so that's what I live by
Cause you can't take none of this shit with you when you die
So everyday I try, to keep my head high
But these bird ass niggas always jump fly
Should I take em out the game, naw I'ma use my brain
I'ma kill em with kindness, and blow up my name
I came from nothing, and now I got a little change
A nigga happy now but I went through some pain
And everytime it rain, there's gone be some sunshine
I never thought I could put my whole life in one rhyme

[Chorus - 2x]