Grinding All My Life – English Lyrics

• By: Nipsey Hussle
• Album: Victory Lap

Lyrics & Translation

Discover Nipsey Hussle's inspiring journey of perseverance and triumph in "Grinding All My Life." This iconic West Coast hip-hop track showcases Nipsey's relentless dedication to his craft and offers valuable lessons about hard work, resilience, and staying true to your vision. Learn how Nipsey transformed his life through unwavering commitment and turned real-life struggles into a powerful message of hope and success.

[English]

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

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

Sacrificed, hustled, paid the price (Whoa)

Want a slice, got to roll the dice

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

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

Said I'll die alone, I told that bitch she prolly 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 nigga like myself

I say self-made, meanin' I designed myself

County jail fades, you can 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 West Side, 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 nigga touchin' his first mil

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, 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 RSC's is us

LAPD on my dick, I'ma squeeze and bust

If a rap nigga diss, Swiss cheese his bus

All this rap money, nigga, look I need too much

Money, loyalty and love, in the dream we trust

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

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

And 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

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

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
grindin' /ˈɡraɪndɪn/ B1	verb - to work hard and persistently
sacrifice /ˈsæk.rɪ.faɪs/ B2	verb - to give up something important for something else noun - an act of giving up something valued
hustled /ˈhʌs.əld/ B1	verb - to work or move quickly and energetically
price /praɪs/ A2	noun - the amount of money needed to buy something
dice /daɪs/ A2	noun - small cubes with numbers used in games of chance
married /ˈmærid/ A2	adjective - legally joined as partners in a relationship
game /ɡeɪm/ A2	noun - an activity or sport with rules
alone /əˈloʊn/ A1	adjective - without other people
sure /ʃʊr/ A2	adjective - certain
safe /seɪf/ A2	noun - a strong box for valuables
full /fʊl/ A1	adjective - containing as much as possible
designed /dɪˈzaɪnd/ B1	verb - to plan and fashion something
jail /dʒeɪl/ A2	noun - a place for holding people who have committed crimes
built /bɪlt/ A2	verb - to construct something
successful /səkˈses.fəl/ B2	adjective - achieving the desired aim or result
rich /rɪtʃ/ A2	adjective - having a lot of money
travel /ˈtræv.əl/ A2	verb - to go to a different place

Key Grammar Structures

• All my life, been grindin' all my life

  ➔ Reduced Present Perfect Continuous (informal)

  ➔ This is an informal reduction of "I have been grinding all my life." The auxiliary verb "have" and the subject "I" are omitted, which is common in casual spoken English, especially in rap. It emphasizes an action that started in the past and continues up to the present.

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

  ➔ Object Complement, Idiomatic Expression "married to"

  ➔ "I'm 'married to' this game" uses the idiomatic expression "married to" meaning deeply committed or dedicated. In "that's who I made 'my wife'", "my wife" acts as an object complement, describing the direct object "who" (referring to "this game"). It shows the result of the action "made".

• Said I'll die alone, I told that bitch she prolly right

  ➔ Reported Speech (Indirect Speech), Informal Contraction ("prolly")

  ➔ "Said I'll die alone" is a form of reported speech, where the speaker is reporting what someone else said. The phrase "she 'prolly' right" uses "'prolly'" as an informal contraction of "probably", common in casual speech.

• I like the life I built

  ➔ Reduced Relative Clause

  ➔ This sentence contains a reduced relative clause. The full clause would be "I like the life 'that I built'" or "I like the life 'which I built'". The relative pronoun ("that" or "which") can be omitted when it's the object of the relative clause, making the sentence more concise.

• I might got killed

  ➔ Modal Verb "might" + Informal Passive Voice ("got" passive)

  ➔ The phrase "'might' got killed" uses the modal verb "might" to express possibility, combined with an informal way of forming the passive voice using "got" instead of "be" (e.g., "might be killed"). This construction is common in casual spoken English and implies an unfortunate or unexpected event.

• Successful street nigga touchin' his first mil

  ➔ Present Participle as a Descriptor/Adjective Phrase

  ➔ Here, "'touchin' his first mil'" (touching his first million) is a present participle phrase acting as an adjective, describing the "successful street nigga". It provides additional information about the subject's current state or achievement, often implying an ongoing or recently completed action.

• It look like I'm just gon' keep on gettin' rich

  ➔ Informal "look like", Informal Future Intention ("gon' keep on"), Phrasal Verb + Gerund

  ➔ "''look like'" is an informal way of saying "it seems as if". "''gon' keep on'" is an informal reduction of "going to keep on", expressing a future intention to continue an action. The phrasal verb "keep on" means to continue, and it is followed by a gerund ("'gettin' rich'").

• If a rap nigga diss, Swiss cheese his bus

  ➔ Conditional Type 1 (Implied "will"), Informal Imperative

  ➔ This is a Conditional Type 1 sentence, implying a real or probable future situation and its consequence. The first clause "'If a rap nigga diss'" (if a rap artist disrespects) sets the condition. The second clause "'Swiss cheese his bus'" acts as an informal imperative, stating the direct, forceful consequence without explicitly using "will" or "then".

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

  ➔ Future Continuous, Phrasal Verb ("switch up"), Quantifier ("too much")

  ➔ "''You'll be switchin' up'" uses the Future Continuous tense to describe an action that will be in progress at a specific time in the future, or an anticipated ongoing action. "'switchin' up'" is the phrasal verb "switch up" (to change or alter). "'too much'" is a quantifier indicating an excessive amount or degree.

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

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase "after all", Gerund as Noun, Informal Past Simple ("seen" for "saw")

  ➔ "''After all'" is a prepositional phrase meaning "despite everything" or "in spite of". "'lookin' tough'" (looking tough) uses a gerund acting as a noun, referring to the act of appearing tough. "'all he seen'" uses "seen" informally as the past simple form of "see" instead of the standard "saw", which is common in some dialects.