Black Thought
Hustle Don’t Give
[Intro: Ché Noir]
My man told me, Lord
I can tell he didn't want to hurt me
But then he turned and looked and said
"Hey, I can no longer pretend to be satisfied with your lovin'"
Wow
This for my hustlers
Yeah
Uh
Hey
Uh, look

[Verse 1: Ché Noir]
Raisin' Hell, but the shit that I'm rhymin' was Heaven-sent
Went broke and bounced back, I been grindin' out ever since
Wise and intelligent, I could rob a village while it sleep
Even if I was blind with a elephant
Crime was like medicine, I watched n***as face a dub with a racist judge
They still gave 'em time with no evidence
Gotta admit that lifestyle is what fed the kids
Sorry for them missed calls and kites that I never sent
Too much on my plate, you might choke if you try it
Bit off more than I can chew, so now my goal is to diet
Result of my aggression, I had to grow up in violence
Money talks, could turn your life into a moment of silence
I controlled and decided, keep your focus on grindin'
A long road to redemption that I drove with no license
It's a jungle that's controlled by the sirens
But the hunter gon' be the hero until the story's told by the lion
To influence dozens, grew from strugglin', all we knew was hustlin'
Fiends missin' teeth, always lookin' like they chewin' somethin'
I been stressed out lately, I got a bad temp' with people
And a bad mood just turn into a happy trigger finger
Every inch to the stage, I put my pen to this page
I took risks to get paid, my name shifted this game
"Be the head and not the tail," Mama stitched in my brain
But do it twice as better 'cause you got the skin of a slave
[Chorus: Ché Noir]
Down to my last, it's hard to smile, even laugh
But it's, it's hard to give up (Hard to give up)
'Cause we came up from the struggle, baby, all we know is hustle
That's why it's hard to give up (Hard to give up)
I spent years in this dream, sweat and tears in this dream
But it's, it's hard to give up (Hard to give up)
So I gotta try climbin' 'cause I'd rather die tryin'
'Cause it's, it's hard to give up (Hard to give up)

[Verse 2: Black Thought]
Yo, a grain of sand of the king's hand
Could grow into a castle if it spread like a wingspan
A life begins with sin, transcends, but like a lens
We numb the pain with violins or Vicodins
Faded like pro cats and pigeons on the power line
Another n***a out his mind, runnin' out of time
Whether fruits wither on the vine or the dotted line
The bough breaks, it's no mistakes, it's by design
Even the kids ain't nothin' to play with
They don't stand for shit, not even the court bailiff
But shed a thug tear over spilled blood on the pavement
If you ain't talkin' hustle, you speakin' the wrong language
That's on everything, I choose to move hurriedly
I feel like it's too much I could lose before they bury me
And even after that, I'ma prove through the legacy I lead
That the grind is in my pedigree
[Chorus: Ché Noir]
Down to my last, it's hard to smile, even laugh
But it's, it's hard to give up (Hard to give up)
'Cause we came up from the struggle, baby, all we know is hustle
That's why it's hard to give up (Hard to give up)
I spent years in this dream, sweat and tears in this dream
But it's, it's hard to give up (Hard to give up)
So I gotta try climbin' 'cause I'd rather die tryin'
'Cause it's, it's hard to give up (Hard to give up)