That's How I'm Livin'

Ice-T

About That's How I'm Livin'

"That's How I'm Livin'" is a song performed by American recording artist Ice-T. It was released as the second single from the rapper's fifth studio album Home Invation. The song was produced by Tracy "Ice-T" Marrow, Shafiq "SLJ" Husayn and Alphonso "DJ Aladdin" Henderson, and released via Rhyme $yndicate Records on September 21, 1993 in the United States, and on December 16, 1993 in the United Kingdom. The single peaked at number 21 in the UK, and later was included in the rapper's greatest hits album Greatest Hits: The Evidence.  


Year:
1993
4:39
146 
#2

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

I was born in new jersey, I said it before
But I guess nobody heard me
My mother died young
No sistas or brothas, I was the only son
When I was twelve my pops died too
What a brotha was supposed to do?
They sent me out West
To live with my aunt
I guess they though it was the best
But there was no love there
Growin' with no moms 
I guess I was prepared to live in a vacuum
The bedroom the kitchen, the hall and the bathroom
I didn't leave home much, didn't like L.A.
Didn't have no friends to trust
Got busted to a school
Blacks and whites, I guess the shit was cool
But in highschool I changed
Didn't want to bust, didn't want to play the game
I walked to Crenshaw high, shit was fly
I hooked up with new cru
Some brothas that knew what the f*ck to do
You might call it gang but we called it a set
And it was our own thang
The whole school was down
And one way or another everybody fucked around
When the hardcore or not
you wore the right color or your ass got shot
That's how i'm livin'...
I did three years in and made close friends
Havin' no love my homies came my only
I was glad: a family I never had
But I grew up fast got a girl on 10th grade pregnant
Needin' cash, I had to change my style
Switched from bangin' to hustlin'
No more goin' buckwild
Had to get a cashflow
But my hustle was weak, it was a no go
I join the army, four years in that shit
Be all fucked you can be
Came back to the hood
My homies had done good
Had elevated their game
About 100 gees a lick, no mothafuckin' shame
Passed for the jewels
Baby sledgehammers with the tools
I speak on this with a hesitation
Even though it passed the statue of limitation...
I checked the bank
Bought a porsche and gear, earn high streetrank
But as I grew my whole crew fell through
Cops had us on the books as innerstate crooks
Murder robbery rape escape, the whole damn nine
You robbed a nigga blind
I had too much juice, I cut my boosters loose
I was intread with the pimpgame
Took on the ice-name
But the pimpgame moved too slow
Especially for a nigga who was hooked on quick dough
In one night late I was in a carwreck
And I was lucky to escape
Hospital for teen weeks, in bed almost dead
And when I got well, I got gaught in a cross
And got locked in a jailcell
That's how I'm livin'...
They cutted me loose
And I had to change troops
This time they didn't catch me
Next time they'll strecth me
Cause my time was gettin' short
All my homies was in court
Or locked in a hole, this shit was gettin' old
So I changed my life
Putted down the gun and picked up the mic
It took ten years to get from there to here
But I still keep a gun, cops got me on the run
And they hate me more now
Than they ever did before
My homies came back from pen
And we all worked together 
True friends but every once and while
Some punk mistakes me as a junk
And he gets in my face
Wrong mothafuckin' place
And I ain't lyin', that's how you dyin'...

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!


Ice-T

Tracy Marrow (born February 16, 1958), better known by his stage name Ice-T, is an American rapper and actor. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, and moved to the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles when he was in the 7th grade. After graduating from high school, he served in the United States Army for four years. He began his career as a rapper in the 1980s and was signed to Sire Records in 1987, when he released his debut album Rhyme Pays, the first hip-hop album to carry an explicit content sticker. The next year, he founded the record label Rhyme Syndicate Records (named after his collective of fellow hip-hop artists called the Rhyme Syndicate) and released another album, Power. more »

1 fan

Written by: TRACY LAUREN MARROW, ALPHONSO HENDERSON

Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Artist Background
"Ice-T", born as Tracy Lauren Marrow, is an influential rapper and actor from Los Angeles who released his hit song "That's How I'm Livin'" in 1993.
Album Information
"That's How I'm Livin'" is one of the tracks from Ice-T's fifth studio album called "Home Invasion". The album title reflects Ice-T’s controversial political views which were often expressed in his music.
Musical Influence
As with most of Ice-T's works, "That's How I'm Livin'" exemplifies the Gangsta Rap genre - a style of hip hop characterized by themes and lyrics that generally emphasize the "gangsta" lifestyle.
Lyrical Content
In "That's How I'm Livin'", Ice-T continues to rap about the realities of street life, which offers an critique on inner-city violence and police brutality.
MTV Controversy
The music video for "That's How I'm Livin'" was deemed too controversial by MTV due to its violent and sexually explicit content, and was subsequently banned.
Album Cover Controversy
The album "Home Invasion" which "That's How I'm Livin'" comes from, initially had a cover that was considered controversial due to its violent imagery and was eventually replaced with a less provocative design.
Critical Reception
The "Home Invasion" album received positive reviews from music critics, with “That's How I'm Livin'" being singled out for its lyrical depth and storytelling.
Ice-T’s Acting career
Around the time he released "That's How I'm Livin'", Ice-T was also scoring major roles in Hollywood, including in the hit TV series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit".
Band
Ice-T also formed a heavy metal band named ‘Body Count’. “That’s How I’m Livin’” was produced during the period when Ice-T was also engaged in this band.
Collaborations
"That's How I'm Livin'" also features collaborations with other artists like Brother Marquis previously of 2 Live crew, which helped provide a different flavor to the track.

Discuss the That's How I'm Livin' Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "That's How I'm Livin' Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 17 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/1006823/Ice-T/That%27s+How+I%27m+Livin%27>.

    Missing lyrics by Ice-T?

    Know any other songs by Ice-T? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    That's How I'm Livin'

    22,719
    248     5

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    What is the meaning behind the BTS band acronym?
    A Behind The Scene
    B Bulletproof Boy Scouts
    C Blood Sweat & Tears
    D Be There Soon

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Ice-T tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!