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Track: In This Life...
Artist: Gang Starr
Album: The Ownerz

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Name: Gang Starr
Spotify Genres: east coast hip hop, old school hip hop, hip hop, boom bap
Followers: 1,076,911
Popularity:

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Biography

Gang Starr was an East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guru and DJ/producer DJ Premier. Their style combined elements of New York jazz and hip hop. The group was founded by Keith Elam in Boston, Massachusetts in 1985 (then known as Keithy E. The Guru) and DJ 1,2 B-Down (also known as Mike Dee) with various producers, such as Donald D, J.V. Johnson or DJ Mark the 45 King helping out. In 1987 and 1988, Gang Starr released three 12" vinyl singles on the Wild Pitch label. In 1989, the group split and the only member willing to continue under the name Gang Starr was Guru. He soon got in touch with DJ Premier (then known as Waxmaster C) who sent him a beat tape which Guru liked. He invited DJ Premier to join Gang Starr and in that same year they released their first single "Words I Manifest" along with the album No More Mr. Nice Guy (1989). During their career Gang Starr helped pioneer the New York hip hop sound. The entire Gang Starr's catalog, especially Step in the Arena (1991), Daily Operation (1992), Hard to Earn (1994) and Moment of Truth (1998) are well-respected among critics. Their track "Jazz Thing" was featured on the soundtrack to Spike Lee's film Mo' Better Blues.

Source: Discogs

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Release: Gang Starr - The Ownerz (The Instrumentals)
Year: 2003
Genres: Hip Hop
Styles: Instrumental

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Source: MusicBrainz

LYRICS

(feat. Snoop Dogg, Uncle Reo)
[all (sung parts) in Chorus performed by Uncle Reo]
[DJ Premier]
Word up
Aiyyo Rome' (yo)
Yo life ain't what it's cracked up to be these days, y'knahmean?

[Rome]
Word! Knahmsayin?
Life hard out this muh'fucker, y'knahmsayin?

[DJ Premier]
So you gotta make the best of a bad situation, and hold your head

[Rome]
Knahmsayin? You gotta progress through the struggle man

[Chorus]
[Guru] In this life.. (ohhh, this life)
[DJ P] "You better wake up"
[Guru] In this life.. (talkin bout this life)
[DJ P] "R-R-Remember this"
[Guru] In this life.. (whoah-ohhh)
[DJ P] [Nas] "S-S-Survival of the fittest"
[Guru] In this life..
[DJ P] "I go all out" - "Y'knahmsayin?"

[Verse One: Guru]
From New York to Cali it remains the same
Bitch niggaz always wanna go against the grain
The strong will survive, the weak shall perish
Y'all need more courage, I keep y'all nourished
Get in line, I let you know right now
You need to slow right down or you get blown right now
From what I see it's systematic how we push to addicts
Demographics make the street life hell or drastic
In the hood we see oppressive genocide
Cause if it's on it's on, you know at least 10 men'll ride
But on the other side, corruption runs deep
I'm aware of the conspiricies, discussion is brief
They're building more prisons, spendin less on schools
On the block Smith & Wess-ons and Teflons rule
It's hard to escape it, certain laws are sacred
In this life my nigga, it's mad hard to make it

[Chorus]
[Guru] In this life..
[Dogg] Money is key
[Dogg] And everybody you see ain't what they claim to be
[Guru] In this life..
[Dogg] I try to do right
[Dogg] I live a treacherous life, I know I ain't right, mm
[Guru] In this life..
[Dogg] You got to keep on
[Dogg] You got to be strong, you got to hold on
[Guru] In this life, heh, I come in peace
[Guru] But still yo, I come from the streets

[Verse Two: Snoop Dogg]
This one's for my sons and my lil' daughter
Peace to JMJ and my nigga Headquarters
A +GangStarr+ with a gangster, on a mission
World +Premier+, limited edition
My mind keeps driftin cause I haven't had a spliff in
a long time, I'm doin fine, I feel teriffic
I bop up the street, C-walk to the beat
It's cold outdoors, so I got to keep some heat
I never know when a cutthroat gon' try to test me
Disrespect me, things could get messy
Yes he, shoot a good game, like James
I mean Jesse, watch out nigga, heavens to Betsies
The big drum beater
With a car full of heaters and some fly senoritas
In some Stacy's or some Chucks, cause I gotsta keep it G'd up
Run up on the Dogg man you bound to get beat up

[Chorus]
[Guru] In this life.. (ohhh, this life, I'm tryin to make it better)
[DJ P] "You better wake up"
[Guru] In this life.. (I won't have to struggle no mo', no I won't)
[DJ P] "R-R-Remember this"
[Guru] In this life.. (ohhh, this life, this life)
[DJ P] [Nas] "S-S-Survival of the fittest"
[Guru] In this life.. (tryin to make it better, yes I am)

[Outro: Uncle Reo]
Ooooohhh, talkin bout this life
WhoahhhOHHHHHHHHHH, this life, this life.. [fades out]