Em   G    Am
             Word up
Em                  G    Am
   Aiyyo Rome' (yo)
Yo life ain't what it's cracked up to be these days, ya know what I mean?
Em     G                             Am
(Word!   Know what I'm sayin'? Life hard out this muh'fucker, ya know what I'm sayin'?)
                      Em                G                    Am
So you gotta make the best of a bad situation, and hold your head
(Know what I'm sayin'? You gotta progress through the struggle man)

[Chorus]
    Em         G  Am
In this life..       (ohhh, this life)
You better wake up
    Em         G           Am
In this life..   (talkin' 'bout this life)
R-R-Remember this
    Em         G  Am
In this life..  (woah-ohhh)
S-S-Survival of the fittest
    Em         G  Am
In this life..
I go all out - ya know what I'm sayin'?

[Verse 1]
    Em             G
From New York to Cali it remains the same
       Am
Bitch niggas always wanna go against the grain
     Em                       G
The strong will survive, the weak shall perish
      Am
Y'all need more courage, I keep y'all nourished
Em          G
Get in line,   I let you know right now
             Am
You need to slow right down or you get blown right now
Em                             G
    From what I see it's systematic how we push to addicts
Am
  Demographics make the street life hell or drastic
Em                        G
   In the hood we see oppressive genocide
Am
   Cause if it's on it's on, you know at least 10 men'll ride
Em                     G
  But on the other side, corruption runs deep
    Am
I'm aware of the conspiracies, discussion is brief
Em                               G
   They're building more prisons, spendin less on schools
        Am
On the block Smith & Wess-ons and Teflons rule
     Em                G
It's hard to escape it, certain laws are sacred
        Am
In this life my nigga, it's mad hard to make it

[Chorus]
    Em         G             Am
 In this life..     Money is key
 And everybody you see ain't what they claim to be
    Em         G             Am
 In this life..     I try to do right
 I live a treacherous life, I know I ain't right, mm
    Em         G             Am
 In this life..   You got to keep on
 You got to be strong, you got to hold on
    Em         G              Am
 In this life, heh, I come in peace
 But still yo, I come from the streets

[Verse 2]
    Em               G             Am
This one's for my sons and my lil' daughter
Peace to JMJ and my nigga HeadQCourterz
    Em                 G                  Am
A Gang Starr with a gangster, on a mission
World Premier, limited edition
    Em         G             Am
My mind keeps driftin cause I haven't had a spliff in
A long time, I'm doin fine, I feel terrific
    Em         G                   Am
I bop up the street, C-walk to the beat
It's cold outdoors, so I got to keep some heat
    Em               G                     Am
I never know when a cutthroat gon' try to test me
Disrespect me, things could get messy
Em                       G         Am
   Yes he, shoot a good game, like James
I mean Jesse, watch out nigga, heavens to Betsies
Em      G               Am
    The big drum beater
With a car full of heaters and some fly senoritas
          Em                             G             Am
In some Stacy's or some Chucks, cause I gotsta keep it G'd up
Run up on the Dogg man you bound to get beat up

[Chorus]
    Em         G  Am
 In this life.. (ohhh, this life, I'm tryin to make it better)
 You better wake up
    Em         G  Am
 In this life.. (I won't have to struggle no mo', no I won't)
 R-R-Remember this
    Em         G  Am
 In this life.. (ohhh, this life, this life)
 S-S-Survival of the fittest
    Em         G  Am
 In this life.. (tryin to make it better, yes I am)

[Outro]
    Em         G  Am
                     Ooooohhh, talkin bout this life
    Em         G        Am
                 WhoahhhOHHHHHHHHHH, this life,
      Em          G         Am
 this life, this life, ohhh