Grinding All My Life

## Song by Nipsey Hussle

"**Grinding All My Life**" is a song by American rapper Nipsey Hussle, released as the eleventh track from his debut studio album, *Victory Lap* (2018). It first dropped in 2017 under the name "Grindin All my Life". The official music video, directed by Serge Bertrand (DirectedbySerge), was joint with the song "Stucc in the Grind" from the *No Pressure* mixtape with Bino Rideaux.

## Background

Hussle told *NPR*:

>
> I told [producer] Murder Beats I needed something for the club. I needed something that was up-tempo that could move people. Sonically, that's the inspiration. I spoke about a real situation that took place in [Las] Vegas. 50 Cent and Mayweather were there. Some n\*\*\*\*\* tried to rob one of the people that was with us for his jewelry. The charges got reversed, and it didn't go so well for the other guy. But other than that, I wanted to tell the truth. All my life I've been grinding. I stopped going to school when I was 14 and I was self-educated since then. But I pursued hustling and music full-time since then.
>
>
> It was just what the music sounded like to me. I wanted the album to be a collection of narratives and to represent real stories that took place in my life. So I had a real day, YG was hosting at the same club I was hosting at and 50 was there. We had all the cars out. And it was just a real night.
>
>
>
>

## Personnel

* Adam Aderbraun – executive producer
* Askia Fountain – writer
* Cyrus "NOIS" Taghipour – assistant mixing engineer
* Dave Kutch – mastering engineer
* Derek "MixedByAli" Ali – mixer
* Garnett "G" Flynn – engineer
* Joya Nemley – A&R administrator
* Ermias "Nipsey Hussle" Asghedom – vocals, writer, executive producer
* Samiel Asgehdom – executive producer
* Sean "Diddy" Combs – executive producer
* Shane "Murda Beatz" Lindstrom – writer, producer, programmer
* Stephen Donelson – executive producer
* Steven "Steve-O" Carless – writer, executive producer
* Tyler Page – assistant mixing engineer

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Chorus]

All my life, been grindin' all my life

Sacrificed, hustled, paid the price

Want a slice, got to roll the dice

That's why all my life, I been grindin' all my life, look

All my life, been grindin' all my life (Yup)

Sacrificed, hustled, paid the price (Woah)

Want a slice, got to roll the dice

That's why all my life, I been grindin' all my life, look

[Verse 1]

I'm married to this game, that's who I made my wife

Said I'd die alone, I told that bitch she probably right

One thing that's for sure, not a stranger to this life

Got a safe that's full of Franklins and a shoulder full of stripes (Ah)

Don't know a n\*\*\*a like myself

I say self-made meanin' I designed myself

County jail fades, you could pull my file yourself

Spot raid, swallow rocks, I'm gettin' high myself

Look, and damn right, I like the life I built

I'm from Westside, 60, shit, I might got killed

Standin' so tall, they think I might got stilts

Legendary baller like Mike, like Wilt

'96 Impala, thug life on wheels

Up against the walls, squabble at Fox Hills

Like a motherfuckin' boss, ask me how I feel

Successful street n\*\*\*a touchin' them first mils (Woah)

[Chorus]

All my life, been grindin' all my life

Sacrificed, hustled, paid the price

Want a slice, got to roll the dice

That's why all my life, I been grindin' all my life, look

All my life, been grindin' all my life (Yup)

Sacrificed, hustled, paid the price (Woah)

Want a slice, got to roll the dice

That's why all my life, I been grindin' all my life, look

[Verse 2]

I got everythin' I said I was gon' get, on my kid

In addition to that fact, I went legit, I'm the shit

Now accordin' to the way that I'm positioned in this biz

It look like I'm just gon' keep on gettin' rich (Ah)

Know them Westside RSCs is us

LAPD on my dick, I'ma squeeze and bust

If a rap n\*\*\*a diss, Swiss cheese his bus

All this rap money, n\*\*\*a, look, I need too much

Money, loyalty and love, in the dream we trust

You be switchin' up the players on your team too much

Tiny Cobby, that's my Loc, Young Supreme, what's up?

Ain't we travel 'round the world gettin' cream or what?

Ain't you get off on whoever Hussle seem to rush?

Las Vegas, strip pop, yeah, you creamed them punks

After all that lookin' tough, all he seen was stumps

50 Cent and Mayweather fleed the scene with us

True story

[Chorus]

All my life, been grindin' all my life

Sacrificed, hustled, paid the price

Want a slice, got to roll the dice

That's why all my life, I been grindin' all my life, look

All my life, been grindin' all my life (Yup)

Sacrificed, hustled, paid the price (Woah)

Want a slice, got to roll the dice

That's why all my life, I been grindin' all my life, look

## References

1. ↑ Gonzalez, Eddie (January 22, 2018). "Nipsey Hussle Goes from Rambunctious to Subdued in the 'Grinding All My Life / Stucc in the Grind' Videos". *Uproxx*.
2. ↑ Carmichael, Rodney (February 16, 2018). "Nipsey Hussle Tells the Epic Stories Behind 'Victory Lap,' Track by Track". *NPR*.