"The Struggle" refers to the difficulty and danger that is faced, every day, by those of lower socio-economic class living in areas such as housing projects and ghettos. It is a term often used to in Hip-Hop music, particularly Gangsta Rap, as a means of enlightening the listener to the difficulty of day to day life for many African-Americans living in such localities.

when you're having a difficult time.

Anybody on the grind. Anybody who is going through physical and emotional struggles on a daily basis. In the ghetto, these may include poverty, drugs, crime. Elsewhere, this may include family breakup, constant relocating, and drugs.

A general response to anything bad that happens to someone. Comparable to "That sucks."

A goat-like utterance sometimes caused by uncontrollable spasms that depicts pain, agony, hardship, confusion, and/or remorse.

when the struggle is real