"I'm a Thug" is a song by American rapper

Trick Daddy Maurice Samuel Young (born September 27, 1974), better known by his stage name Trick Daddy, is an American rapper from Miami's Liberty City (Miami), Liberty City. Early life Trick Daddy was born on September 27, 1974, at Jackson Memorial Hospita ...

, and the second single from his fourth studio album '' Thugs Are Us'' (2001). Produced by Righteous Funk Boogie, it peaked at number 17 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and is Trick Daddy's second highest-charting song, behind " Let's Go".

Background and composition

The track serves as an ode to Trick Daddy's labelmate Buddy Roe, who at the time was serving a life term in federal prison for possession of cocaine. Lyrically, Trick raps about being perceived as a bad person due to his race and resemblance to a thug, in contrast to who he really is, and condemns the judicial system. The track also features a choir of children singing about being a "thug" with enthusiasm.

Critical reception

Jason Birchmeier of ''

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'' cited the song as a highlight of ''Thugs Are Us''.

Music video

The official music video was directed by

Nick Quested Nicholas Quested (born November 26, 1969) is an award-winning British filmmaker and producer of documentary films, music videos, and TV commercials. He is the executive director and owner of Goldcrest Films. Quested has produced over 40 documenta ...

. In one moment in the video, Trick hands out treats from an ice cream truck to a bunch of kids running toward him.

Charts

References

{{Trick Daddy 2001 singles 2001 songs Trick Daddy songs Songs written by Trick Daddy Atlantic Records singles Songs written by Rafe Van Hoy