Million While You Young

## Song by Nipsey Hussle featuring The-Dream

"**Million While You Young**" is a song by American rapper Nipsey Hussle, released as the 12th track from his debut and only studio album, *Victory Lap* (2018). It features guest vocals from The-Dream.

## Background

Hussle told *NPR*:

>
> The goal was to make a million dollars, for me, dealing in the street. That's like going platinum. If you're in music you want to [sell] platinum and win a Grammy. But to be able to cross that threshold, literally, and say, "Damn, I touched a million dollars." I wrote that song and remembered the emotion of feeling like, "How can you make a million dollars? How can you do that?" I didn't even know how, or what the path was.
>
>
> I just wanted to talk about the journey and what that's like — how unlikely it is to not go to the Feds, not get life in jail, not get killed or betrayed and turned on by your people before you touch that million. It was just a celebratory expression. That's why I put it toward the end of the album, because it's like you get there eventually. It's kind of like a moment, and a listening experience, to celebrate the victory.
>
>
>
>

## Personnel

* Adam Aderbraun – executive producer
* Amaire Johnson – writer, producer
* Brian Morgan – additional vocals, writer
* Cyrus "NOIS" Taghipour – assistant mixing engineer
* Dave Forman – guitar
* Dave Kutch – mastering engineer
* Derek "MixedByAli" Ali – mixer
* Doc Allison – strings
* Ermias Asghedom – executive producer, lead artist, vocals, writer
* Garnett "G" Flynn – engineer
* Jacob Dutton – writer
* Jake One – co-producer
* Jeremy D. Brown – additional engineer
* John Groover – writer
* Joya Nemley – A&R administration
* LaMar "MyGuyMars" Edwards – additional producer, writer
* Mario "Wizzo" Fernandez – additional engineer
* Michael Cox Jr. – writer
* Mike & Keys – album producer
* Robert "G-Koop" Mandell – writer, co-producer
* Sean "Diddy" Combs – executive producer
* Steven "Steve-O" Carless – executive producer
* Samiel Asgehdom – executive producer
* Stephen Donelson – executive producer
* Terius "The-Dream" Nash – featured artist, vocals, writer
* Tyler Page – assistant mixing engineer
* Zachary Acosta – assistant mixing engineer

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro]

*And I'm actually gonna get right into it*

*And they really wanna know how*

*You know, how can I blaze my own path?*

*Uh, how can I be successful?*

*Um, how can I follow the path*

*That someone else has laid for me to be successful?*

[Verse 1: Nipsey Hussle]

I'm sittin' on deuces while the blunt burn

Still rappin' rap music 'cause I want more

All Money In, it's just us four

It's just Cobby, it's just Hoggy, it's just Rimpau

It's just Adam, it's just Blacc Sam and Bolt Da Fatts

Where your 600 Benz? Where your Rovers at?

Where your Cuban links? N\*gga, where your Rollies at?

Where your big booty bad bitches stay preposterous at?

Where you hustle? Where you run from the police at?

Where you ever represented hope where the hopeless at?

Where you had to take an oath 'fore you sold a sack?

Dealt with all the pressure, played it like you never noticed that

Amongst it all, put yourself on the map

Turned into a booming operation, where your focus at?

Where your 600 Benz? Where your Rovers at?

Where your Cuban link? N\*gga, where your Rollie at?

[Chorus: Nipsey Hussle]

Uh, I would rather shoot before I run

Pressure on my shoulder weigh a ton

You should try and do what we done

Make a million dollars while you young

I would rather shoot before I run

Pressure on my shoulder weigh a ton

You should try and do what we done

Make a million dollars while you young

[Interlude]

So if you can tell us how exactly

And what deal you did to make your first million dollars?

[Verse 2: Nipsey Hussle]

I can tell you n\*ggas how I came up

Similar to climbin' out the grave, huh?

Can't be actin' like a bitch tryna get saved, bruh

Get that dirt up off your shoulder, step your game up

Can't be chasin' pussy, switch your ways up

Can't be fuckin' off your lucci, gotta save up

See, you gon' probably fail, tryna play us

Streets ain't for everybody, get your grades up

Ain't 'bout your money, you just lookin' for a stage, huh?

And all that stuntin' put a bullet in your brain, huh?

Stupid-ass n\*gga, you can't fade us

N\*ggas like, "Pfft, who even raised cuz?"

Where you come from? Where you get your name from?

You was in the house, not with the runaway slaves, huh?

You wasn't never in the spot when they raid, huh?

You ain't really 'bout it, lil n\*gga, this a phase, huh?

[Chorus: Nipsey Hussle]

Uh, I would rather shoot before I run

Pressure on my shoulder weigh a ton

You should try and do what we done

Make a million dollars while you young

I would rather shoot before I run

Pressure on my shoulder weigh a ton

You should try and do what we done

Make a million dollars while you young

[Refrain: The-Dream]

Tell me why you mad for, tell me why you mad

I know to you, it looks easy

Tell me why you mad for, tell me why you mad

But this shit ain't easy, believe me

Tell me why you mad for, tell me why you mad

I know to you, it looks easy

Tell me why you mad for, tell me why you mad

But this shit ain't easy, believe me

[Verse 3: The-Dream]

Self-made, self-made, n\*gga really self-made

And I'll never understand the type of games you n\*ggas play

Westside to the Westside, Atlanta until I die (ATL)

Fuck with my n\*gga Nipsey, best believe a n\*gga gon' ride

[Refrain: The-Dream]

Tell me why you mad for, tell me why you mad

I know to you, it looks easy

Tell me why you mad for, tell me why you mad

But this shit ain't easy, believe me

Tell me why you mad for, tell me why you mad

I know to you, it looks easy

Tell me why you mad for, tell me why you mad

But this shit ain't easy, believe me

## References

1. ↑ Carmichael, Rodney (February 16, 2018). "Nipsey Hussle Tells the Epic Stories Behind 'Victory Lap,' Track by Track". *NPR*.