Shell Shocked – English Lyrics

• By: Nipsey Hussle
• Album: Slauson Boy 2

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Look, all money in what I been bout'

Since Fifth Ave on a Scwhinn out

In too deep had to swim out

But ain't nothin sweet but the penthouse

Droptop Benz on the ten now

Dropped green dots to the pen now

I came up but I been down

Cause I standup nigga when they sit down

And I gas on niggas in the six now

And I built my lane in a brick pile

Not a broke real nigga or a rich clown

And I coach lil niggas in the mix now

Got em thinkin' pro tools 'stead of pistols

And I train these bitches like a pit now

Every time that I pull up at the Ritz now

They be like young hussle you the shit now

It's amazing to niggas how I get down

But it's crazy to me that I exist still

Cause the maze in my city leave you crazy and dizzy

Cause you either doing life or get chipped now

Lot of ghosts in my pics now

It ain't souls occupy the obyss now

Tryna cry for em it don't drip down

Cause when you deep in the shit it'll get foul look

I just ball like I sposed' to

Quarter mill when I roll through

Got the game from the old school

Focused on break no rules

Operate on my own truth

I've been making my own moves

I keep hearing this game say

You could be the one if you so choose

You could be the one if you so choose

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
swim /swɪm/ A1	verb - to move through water using your arms, legs, and body
sweet /swiːt/ A1	adjective - having the pleasant taste of sugar or honey
drop /drɒp/ A1	verb - to fall or let something fall vertically
standup /ˈstændʌp/ B1	adjective - upright, not sitting or lying down
gas /ɡæs/ A2	verb - to supply with gas or fuel
build /bɪld/ A2	verb - to construct or create something
coach /koʊtʃ/ A2	verb - to train or instruct someone
train /treɪn/ A2	verb - to teach or develop skills in someone
amazing /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/ B1	adjective - causing great surprise or wonder
crazy /ˈkreɪzi/ A2	adjective - mentally deranged or insane
maze /meɪz/ B1	noun - a complex network of paths or passages
occupy /ˈɒkjuːpaɪ/ B1	verb - to fill or use a space or time
foul /faʊl/ B1	adjective - very unpleasant or offensive
focused /ˈfoʊkəst/ B1	adjective - concentrating on something in particular
operate /ˈɒpəreɪt/ B2	verb - to control the functioning of or perform a process
choose /tʃuːz/ A1	verb - to select something from a range of options

Key Grammar Structures

• I've been making my own moves

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous

  ➔ The verb "have been" + gerund ("making") forms the present perfect continuous, showing an action that started in the past and continues now.

• You could be the one if you so choose

  ➔ Modal verb "could" + first conditional

  ➔ The modal verb "could" expresses possibility, and the clause "if you so choose" is a first‑conditional structure indicating a real future condition.

• I stand up nigga when they sit down

  ➔ Zero conditional (present simple + present simple)

  ➔ The clause "when they sit down" uses the present simple to state a general truth; the main clause also uses the present simple "stand up".

• I came up but I've been down

  ➔ Contrast of Past Simple vs Present Perfect

  ➔ "I came up" is simple past, referring to a finished action; "I've been down" uses present perfect to link the past state to the present.

• Every time that I pull up at the Ritz now

  ➔ Adverbial clause of time with "every time that"

  ➔ "Every time that" introduces a repeated temporal reference; the clause "I pull up at the Ritz" tells what happens each time.

• It’s amazing to niggas how I get down

  ➔ "how" introducing an indirect question / content clause

  ➔ "how" functions as a wh‑word that heads a content clause "how I get down", which acts as the object of "amazing".

• It ain't souls occupy the abyss now

  ➔ Negative contraction "ain't" (informal present simple)

  ➔ "Ain't" replaces "is not" or "are not" in informal speech; here it stands for "are not".

• I train these bitches like a pit now

  ➔ Simile using "like" + noun phrase

  ➔ "Like" introduces a comparison; the phrase "a pit" serves as the object of comparison, showing how the speaker treats the people mentioned.

• Focused on break no rules

  ➔ Reduced clause / participle phrase functioning as an adjective

  ➔ "Focused" is a past participle used without a subject; it modifies the implied speaker, equivalent to "I am focused on break, no rules".