--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 20, I was the hustler…" description: "\"When I was 20, I was the hustler - rubbing my temples, stressed, trying to get out the streets, trying to take my life to another side of the game with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/e-40-4069_game_when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing_1691934.png" --- # When I was 20, I was the hustler - rubbing my temples… ![“When I was 20, I was the hustler - rubbing my temples, stressed, trying to get out the streets, trying to take my life to another side of the game with something I really loved to do: rap music.” quote by E-40](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/e-40-4069_game_when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing_1691934.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/e-40-4069_game_when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing_1691934.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/e-40-4069_game_when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing_1691934.png) > “When I was 20, I was the hustler - rubbing my temples, stressed, trying to get out the streets, trying to take my life to another side of the game with something I really loved to do: rap music.” E-40 ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. At twenty, he was a stressed hustler seeking escape, turning to rap music as a passion and new path. **In simple terms:** He used rap to leave a hard life. Key Takeaway Channel stress into creative pursuit. Themes struggle music transformation Mood determined hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - urban life - artist development - mental health coping Key Concepts escape self‑expression career shift Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to change? - How can art sustain long‑term growth? A Different Perspective Music may not guarantee stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Hustler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hustler/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Rap music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap-music/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) ## Related quotes > [I was, like, in a rap gang. I loved rap, and it was all around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watkin-tudor-jones/i-was-like-in-a-rap-gang-i-loved-rap-and-it-was-all-around-me/) [Watkin Tudor Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watkin-tudor-jones/) > [I loved rap, especially in the early days. But I wasn't trying to shove it down anybody's throats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-ramone/i-loved-rap-especially-in-the-early-days-but-i-wasn-t-trying-to-shove/) [Dee Dee Ramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-ramone/) > [But, Eminem... No, I've loved rap for a long time, especially when it got out of its first period and became this gangsta rap,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-vega/but-eminem-no-i-ve-loved-rap-for-a-long-time-especially-when-it-got/) [Alan Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-vega/) > [I had every major label in the world - I mean, any label that dealt with rap music wanted to sign me. I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-had-every-major-label-in-the-world-i-mean-any-label-that-dealt-with/) E-40 > [I'm 100 percent original, and that's what got me here. My rap music is more understandable, slower. It tells a story. You can write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/i-m-100-percent-original-and-that-s-what-got-me-here-my-rap-music-is/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [It's not that you don't make any money doing conscious rap music. You make a lot of money doing this, but if you're greedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/it-s-not-that-you-don-t-make-any-money-doing-conscious-rap-music-you/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [Personally, I just think rap music is the best thing out there, period. If you look at my deck in my car radio, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/personally-i-just-think-rap-music-is-the-best-thing-out-there-period/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [When rap music needed to have a teacher, I became it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/when-rap-music-needed-to-have-a-teacher-i-became-it/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [With rap music, there are billions and billions of samples that are uncleared that people have never been bothered about on an underground level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/girl-talk/with-rap-music-there-are-billions-and-billions-of-samples-that-are/) [Girl Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/girl-talk/) > [Am I the only one that really hopes Drake will one day make a Degrassi reference in one of his songs?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/am-i-the-only-one-that-really-hopes-drake-will-one-day-make-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I care most about what rappers think about me as a rapper, and I've gotten a lot of praise. I think rappers understand I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-dicky/i-care-most-about-what-rappers-think-about-me-as-a-rapper-and-i-ve/) [Lil Dicky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-dicky/) > [Let the voice be the voice of the voiceless and let it come from the world of rap music to keep the stereotype and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/let-the-voice-be-the-voice-of-the-voiceless-and-let-it-come-from-the/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [There was this hip-hop collective called People Crew. And at the time in Korea, there was no real place to access rap music. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/there-was-this-hip-hop-collective-called-people-crew-and-at-the-time/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [Public Enemy started out as a benchmark in rap music in the mid-1980s. We felt there was a need to actually progress the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/public-enemy-started-out-as-a-benchmark-in-rap-music-in-the-mid-1980s/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [I'm living proof that there's no age limit to rapping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-living-proof-that-there-s-no-age-limit-to-rapping/) E-40 ## More by E-40 > [I might like the Sacramento Kings. One of my favorite players is Dirk Nowitzki.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-might-like-the-sacramento-kings-one-of-my-favorite-players-is-dirk/) E-40 > [Music is very therapeutic and healing, and I hit it from all angles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/music-is-very-therapeutic-and-healing-and-i-hit-it-from-all-angles/) E-40 > [However God had it planned, I'm rockin' with how he do it. He took the steering wheel and I'm letting him drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/however-god-had-it-planned-i-m-rockin-with-how-he-do-it-he-took-the/) E-40 > [Some people be game-goofy and words don't sound right coming out of their mouthpiece. But whenever E-40 says something it's just solidified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/some-people-be-game-goofy-and-words-don-t-sound-right-coming-out-of/) E-40 > [I had every major label in the world - I mean, any label that dealt with rap music wanted to sign me. I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-had-every-major-label-in-the-world-i-mean-any-label-that-dealt-with/) E-40 > [Communication, that keeps everything cool. Not holding anything back, you got to tell each other what's on your mind, that's really it. Otherwise when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/communication-that-keeps-everything-cool-not-holding-anything-back/) E-40 > [I'm a survivor, man. I done had my ups and downs, but I've got get-back skills for real for real. I refuse to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-a-survivor-man-i-done-had-my-ups-and-downs-but-i-ve-got-get-back/) E-40 > [I'm living proof that there's no age limit to rapping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-living-proof-that-there-s-no-age-limit-to-rapping/) E-40 > [You feel me' - that's straight from me. You can put a stamp on that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/you-feel-me-that-s-straight-from-me-you-can-put-a-stamp-on-that/) E-40 > [I'm building my adult beverage empire the way I built my independent rap label. As my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-building-my-adult-beverage-empire-the-way-i-built-my-independent/) E-40 > [I'm not a full-fledged producer, but I can be one if I want to really spend my time on straight being a producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-not-a-full-fledged-producer-but-i-can-be-one-if-i-want-to-really/) E-40 > [I don't wanna be like everybody else, I don't wanna rap like everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-don-t-wanna-be-like-everybody-else-i-don-t-wanna-rap-like-everybody/) E-40 > [If you can play the piano, you can play any instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-any-instrument/) E-40 > [I'm the greatest game-spitter of all time. I talk about the swell, the block, the 'hood. I'm a street commentator. I narrate how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-m-the-greatest-game-spitter-of-all-time-i-talk-about-the-swell-the/) E-40 > [I think the Internet is right on time. I think it's very important. It's reaching out to millions of people. Even the most slimiest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-think-the-internet-is-right-on-time-i-think-it-s-very-important-it/) E-40 Explore all 116 E-40 quotes ## More Game quotes > [Raised by game where niggas ain't phased by fame. Come to the crib, get banged, they take your chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/raised-by-game-where-niggas-ain-t-phased-by-fame-come-to-the-crib-get/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [I've always been very hard on myself, and I never want to get to a point where I'm like, 'Alright, I'm kicking butt,' but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-sauerbrunn/i-ve-always-been-very-hard-on-myself-and-i-never-want-to-get-to-a/) [Becky Sauerbrunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-sauerbrunn/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) Gene Scott > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Often in my game as an actor, someone else pays for your travel and there's nothing like being able to lie flat on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioan-gruffudd/often-in-my-game-as-an-actor-someone-else-pays-for-your-travel-and/) [Ioan Gruffudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioan-gruffudd/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [With the Capital One Bowl, the average fan might think whoopty do. But if you are a team member, you win that game and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/with-the-capital-one-bowl-the-average-fan-might-think-whoopty-do-but/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [I remember throughout middle school and high school how excited my mom, sister and I would be when a UNC game was on TV.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/i-remember-throughout-middle-school-and-high-school-how-excited-my/) [Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/) > [Obviously, I want to win, but at the same time, at the end of the day, it's a game and that's what I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rendon/obviously-i-want-to-win-but-at-the-same-time-at-the-end-of-the-day-it/) [Anthony Rendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rendon/) > [It's more than a game. It's an institution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hughes/it-s-more-than-a-game-it-s-an-institution/) [Thomas Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hughes/) > [There are things you can do in training like learn from the manager and talk with team-mates, but it's the game that tests you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burke/there-are-things-you-can-do-in-training-like-learn-from-the-manager/) [Oliver Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burke/) [Browse all 13,309 Game quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was 20, I was the hustler - rubbing my temples, stressed, trying to get out the streets, trying to take my life to another side of the game with something I really loved to do: rap music.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E-40" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing-my-temples-stressed-trying-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Game" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing-my-temples-stressed-trying-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/e-40-4069_game_when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing_1691934.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/e-40-4069_game_when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing_1691934.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/e-40-4069_game_when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing_1691934.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was 20, I was the hustler - rubbing my temples, stressed, trying to get out the streets, trying to…” — E-40", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "E-40", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-40/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was 20, I was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing-my-temples-stressed-trying-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/when-i-was-20-i-was-the-hustler-rubbing-my-temples-stressed-trying-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```