The Jews (Hebrew: יְהוּדִים ISO 259-3 Yhudim Israeli pronunciation [jehuˈdim]), also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and an ethnoreligious group, originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation.Converts to Judaism, whose status as Jews within the Jewish ethnos is equal to those born into it, have been absorbed into the Jewish people throughout the millennia.
In Jewish tradition, Jewish ancestry is traced to the Biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the second millennium BCE. The modern State of Israel defines itself as a Jewish state in its Basic Laws, and Israel's Law of Return states: "Every Jew has the right to come to this country as an oleh." Israel is the only country where Jews are a majority of the population. Jews achieved political autonomy twice before in ancient history. The first of these periods lasted from 1350 to 586 BCE, and encompassed the periods of the Judges, the United Monarchy, and the Divided Monarchy of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, ending with the destruction of the First Temple. The second was the period of the Hasmonean Kingdom spanning from 140 to 37 BCE. Since the destruction of the First Temple, most Jews have lived in diaspora. A minority in every country in which they live (except Israel), they have frequently experienced persecution throughout history, resulting in a population that has fluctuated both in numbers and distribution over the centuries.
Henry Albert "Hank" Bauer (July 31, 1922 – February 9, 2007) was an American right fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He played with the New York Yankees (1948 – 1959) and Kansas City Athletics (1960 – 1961); he batted and threw right-handed. He served as the manager of the Athletics in both Kansas City (1961-62) and in Oakland (1969), as well as of the Baltimore Orioles (1964-68), becoming the winning manager of the 1966 World Series, four games to none, over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Born in East St. Louis, Illinois as the youngest of nine children, Bauer was the son of an Austrian immigrant, a bartender who had earlier lost his leg in an aluminum mill. With little money coming into the home, Bauer was forced to wear clothes made out of old feed sacks, helping shape his hard-nosed approach to life. (It was said that his care-worn face "looked like a clenched fist".)
While playing baseball and basketball at East St. Louis Central Catholic High School, Bauer suffered permanent damage to his nose, which was caused by an errant elbow from an opponent. Upon graduation in 1941, he was repairing furnaces in a beer-bottling plant when his brother Herman, a minor league player in the Chicago White Sox system, was able to get him a tryout that resulted in a contract with Oshkosh of the Class D Wisconsin State League.
The term black people is used in some socially-based systems of racial classification for humans of a dark-skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups represented in a particular social context. Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class and socio-economic status also play a role, so that relatively dark-skinned people can be classified as white if they fulfill other social criteria of "whiteness" and relatively light-skinned people can be classified as black if they fulfill the social criteria for "blackness" in a particular setting.
As a biological phenotype being "black" is often associated with the very dark skin colors of some people who are classified as "black". But, particularly in the United States, the racial or ethnic classification also refers to people with all possible kinds of skin pigmentation from the darkest through to the very lightest skin colors, including albinos, if they are believed by others to have African ancestry, or to exhibit cultural traits associated with being "African-American". As a result, in the United States the term "black people" is not an indicator of skin color but of socially based racial classification.
Richard William Littlejohn (born 1954) is an English author, broadcaster, journalist and satirist. He currently writes a twice-weekly column for the Daily Mail.
Littlejohn was previously a columnist for The Sun and has also written for The Spectator and London's Evening Standard. Littlejohn earned a place in the inaugural Press Gazette Newspaper Hall of Fame as one of the most influential journalists of the past 40 years.
Primarily a newspaper journalist, Littlejohn has also presented numerous radio and TV shows and has authored or co-authored several books. Although many of his newspaper columns are devoted to life and society in England, Littlejohn lives for much of the year in the United States.
Littlejohn was born in Ilford, Essex (now Greater London) in 1954, and his family moved to Peterborough when he was five. His father worked as a policeman and then for British Rail. Littlejohn passed the eleven-plus, obtaining the highest marks in his year. He was offered a public school scholarship which he turned down because the school didn't play football, and subsequently attended Deacons Grammar School.
Simon Michael Schama, CBE (born 13 February 1945) is a British historian and art historian. He is a University Professor of History and Art History at Columbia University. He is best known for writing and hosting the 15-part BBC documentary series A History of Britain. Other works on history and art include The Embarrassment of Riches, Landscape and Memory, Dead Certainties, Rembrandt's Eyes, and his history of the French Revolution, Citizens. Schama is an art and cultural critic for The New Yorker.
The son of Jewish parents with roots in Lithuania, Romania, and Turkey, Schama was born in London. In the mid-1940s, the family moved to Southend-on-Sea in Essex before moving back to London. Schama writes of this period in the Introduction to Landscape & Memory (pp. 3–4)
I had no hill [the previous paragraph had talked of his enthusiasm for Puck of Pook's Hill], but I did have the Thames. It was not the upstream river that the poets in my Palgrave claimed burbled betwixt mossy banks. ... It was the low, gull-swept estuary, the marriage bed of salt and fresh water, stretching as far as I could see from my northern Essex bank, toward a thin black horizon on the other side. That would be Kent, the sinister enemy who always seemed to beat us in the County Cricket Championship. ...
Uh-huh uh huh uh
Gee-gee-geyeah
Baby, watchin, streets
Uh-huh uh huh uh
You don't have to look
Uh-huh uh
The streets is watching
Check it, check
Uh-huh uh, check
Look, if I shoot you, I'm brainless
But if you shoot me, then you're famous -- what's a n*gga to do?
When the, streets is watching, blocks keep clocking
Waiting for you to break, make your first mistake
Can't ignore it, that's the fastest way to get extorted
But my time is money, at twenty-five, I can't afford it
Beef is sorted like Godiva, chocolates
N*ggaz you bought it, I pull the slide back and cock it
Plan aborted, you and your mans get a pass
This rhyme, you're operating on f*ck time
Y'all n*ggaz ain't worth my shells, all y'all n*ggaz
tryin to do is hurt my sales, and stop trips to John McNale
The type to start a beef then, run to the cops
When I see you in the street got, one in the drop
Would I rather be on tour getting a, hundred a pop
Taking pictures with some b*tches, in front of the drop
The streets is watching
When the, streets is watching
Blocks keep clocking
Waiting for you to break, make your first mistake
Can't ignore it
Now it's hard not to kill n*ggaz
It's like a full time job not to kill n*ggaz, can't chill
the streets is watching you, when you froze your arms
N*ggaz wanna test you and your gun goes warm
Can't get caught with your feet up, gotta keep your heat up
Sweet n*ggaz running 'round swearing sh*t is sweeter
Once you're tagged lame the game is follow the leader
Everybody want a piece of your scrilla, so you gotta keep it realer
Kidnap n*ggaz wanna steal ya
Broke n*ggaz want no cash, they just wanna kill ya
for the name, n*ggaz don't know the rules
Disrespectin the game, want you to blow your cool
Force your hand, of course that man's plottin
Smarten up, the streets is watching, it's on
My street mentality flip bricks forever, know me and money
we like armed co-defendants, n*gga we stick together
Sh*t whatever for this cheddar ran my game into the ground
Hustle harder to see if indictment time came around
Now you can look up and down the streets and I can't be found
Put in twenty-four hour shifts but, that ain't me now
Got a face too easy to trace, n*ggaz mouths got slow leaks
Had to hide between my workers, couldn't play those streets
She got his face like Mercury you jerkin me? Hectic
Had to call upon my wolves to send, n*ggaz the message
I said this: 'Let's play fair and we can stay here
I'm trying to transform you Boyz II Men like daycare'
Hey there's money to be made and, n*ggaz got the picture
Stopped playing with my paper and, we got richer
Then hard times fell upon us, half of my staff
had warrants, the other half, in the casket lay dormant
I felt like life was cheating me, for the first time
in my life I was getting money but it was like my concious was eating me
Was this a lesson God teaching me? Was he saying that?
I'm playing the game straight from Hell from which few came back
like bad coke, pimp or die, was my mindframe bad
Was n*ggaz thinkin simplify was turning cocaine crack?
Ain't a whole lot of brain to that, just trying to maintain a stack
and knock a lot like two trains that's on the same track
'Fore I get my life together like the oars I bring back
In the bottom of the pot where no, water gets hot
Got my transporter take it 'cross the border then stop
Set up shop with a quarter of rock, here's the plan
For three straight weeks, n*ggaz slaughtered the block
But you know the game is 'lluted, f*cked up me and my dues
One drop can wipe a n*gga out, faster than the cops
and this unstable way of living just, had to stop
Half of my n*ggaz got time, we done real things
By ninety-four became the subject of half of y'all n*ggaz rhymes
Public apoligies to the families of those caught up in my street
But that's the life for us lost souls brought up in the streets
The life and times of a demonic mind, excited with crime
And the lavish luxuries that just excited my mind
I figured, 'Sh*t why risk myself I just write it in rhymes
And let you feel me, and if you don't like it then fine'
The mindstate, of a n*gga who boosted the crime rate
so high in one city they send National Guards to get me
Ya dig?
That old fashioned word.. it's a word called LOVE!
Called looooove, called looo-oooo-oooo-oooo-oooo-ove
Oh! This must be the way the nigga 'Pac felt when he made
"Me Against the World," "All Eyez on Me"
Y'all niggaz got me feelin like all eyes on me, me against the world
Mmm, y'all got me on my shit
Thought niggaz would appreciate what I did to this game
Bein that, I'm flesh of your flesh, blood of your blood
Come from the same hood you come from
We share basically the same stories
Thought niggaz would appreciate what I came and did
since ninety-six, every year
Somethin must be seriously wrong with the world
I know y'all ain't hatin
(Some people hate!) Don't tell me niggaz is hatin
(Some people hate!) Nah.. you know what I think?
(Some people hate!) I think..
(I think they've lost their minds) Think y'all lost your mind
Y'all got me on my shit
Raw rough and rugged, when addressin the mass public
My attitude is fuck it cause motherfuckers love it
Got a, chip on my shoulder the size of the Golden Nugget in Vegas
And fuck bein famous, I came to get the butters
I came from the gutter, my success in this game
is sort of like "Pro-jectic Justice," a payment for brushes
with police officers, a peace offering
From the Gods for the streets I was tossed in
'Til I'm deceased in a coffin
I'ma be a beast on these beats, releasin early and often
Please, your disdain for the brothers ain't gon' change the numbers
It's the strengthenin of chain among us
Please, we ain't afraid of none of yas, who want it with us?
Ain't nuttin changed since the ninety-six summers, c'mon
(Some people hate!) Jeah, uh, yeah
(Some people hate!) Uh, uhh, uhh
(Some people hate!) Yeah.. you know what I think?
(I think they've lost their minds) They say success breeds envy
I guess it's just the penalty of leadership
I guess I'm what niggaz wanna be and shit
Or niggaz just bored, wanna be in shit
'Fore they get to rappin, start believin it
Think they Ali and shit
I roll with the punches so I survive
I bob and weave, move my feet from side to side
I'm back, stronger than ever, surprise surprise
They try to take me out the game, but I's alive
It's like a old negro spiritual, but I mastered Tobey
With a splash of Monster Kody, shoot faster than Kobe, nigga
You bastards know me, the one and only
Big homey from the Roc, I think you pastors lonely
You need Jesus in your life.. it's either that
or y'all gon' make me put the double Desert Eagles in your life, nigga!
(Some people hate!) I know niggaz are hatin man, let me find out
(Some people hate!)
Jealousy's a weak emotion, y'all gotta overcome that man
(Some people kill their brothers)
C'mon man be stronger than that.. you know what I think?
(I think they've lost their minds) You'll be aight though
Au contraire nigga, I am here cause I earned the shit
By ridin out, when niggaz had learner's permit
We bring the knives out, or we let them burners spit
I bring them pies out if niggaz wanna burn the strip
Bring your rides out, bring your buggy eyes out, turn your 6
I laid back in the Maybach
Nigga this the payback, I know you bitch niggaz from way back
Niggaz wanna clown but the pound it don't play dat
Get yourself found, drowned, where the lake at
Run up on 'em +Notoriously+, "Take that!" (take that)
And then we comin where your wake at
Eight maniac cats strapped with gats, you can hate that
Face facts, fake rap cats
can't take back what I took back to the Brook', look
(Some people hate!)
(Some people hate!)
(Some people kill their brothers)
(I think they've lost their minds)
Uh-huh, yeah hah
Never Sprung huh?
Jigga, Roc-a-Fella y'all
Never Sprung huh?
Yeah, peep the repertoire
Peoples, feel me on this one
Peoples, feel this
Never Sprung huh? Know my style
I love bitches, thug bitches, shy bitches
Rough bitches, don't matter you my bitches
Gold diggers witcha eyes on my riches
Can't Knock Your Hustle for real, exotic bitches
I'm game tight, see it all through the platinum french
frames with the french name in the same night
Pull you and your tight friend
lift your little dress like light wind, hah, then I slide right in
You know the whole repertoire, U.S. to the U-S-S-R
Sexin in a Lexus car
Match wits with the best of y'all the rest of y'all
is like vege-tables in my presence, check it
Reminescin to nuttin you ever heard, Iceberg
Slim baby ride rims through the suburbs
Funds come in lump sums never ends deferred
Get money like I'm down South Wednesday the 3rd, it's on
Dough to get, more shows to rip
I suggest you all roll with the click, who you wit
Frozen wrists and it's flows that's sick
More O's than you know exist, bitch who you wit
Can't scheme on em, Roc-a-Fella got a team on em
Chicks dream on him trick cream on him
Lose it when dudes think it's just music
Lean on em flash green on em and diamond rings on em
Sex around the way girls down to mida's
I'm somethin every girl gotta have like Levi's
Chiquita, me got more, see I brawl
You can love me or hate me, either or
I'ma stay winnin, rock the custom drop Bentleys
Never eat at Denny's and party like Lil Penny
can he live? Trick or main chick but if she leave
just as quick, indian give, ha-hah
Now what I look like? Givin a chick half my trap
like she wrote half my raps, yeah, I'm havin that
you be the same chick when you leave me
the bankbook and the credit cards and take everything you came wit*chorus*
Here's somethin niggaz gon find, not at all funny
We takin all ya bitches, takin all ya money
Jay-Z rated A.G. baby that's All Good
I sink this ball in your hole, I'm Tiger Woods
If the money was the grass and your ass was tee
when I hit it with this club love you comin with me
Grip you right up under your ass, put your back on the wall
Kinda tipsy, seein triple, so I'm fuckin ya all
You remind me of this dream I had the night before
I'm kinda hopin the condom break to have a reason to go raw
I'm playin, hit the showers, hit the money spot
Where all the models play and big money is dropped
Drop the top, let her feel the moonlight it entranced her
She jumped all in my seat like some private dancer
I tell you somethin new, if you don't hop down off that
butter soft shit with your shoes, I'ma step on the gas
She laughed, put her ass back in the proper place
She said, 'I played my cards right and look I got the ace'
I told her
'Slow down baby'
You dealin with a baller, who, hold ground crazy it's on
Beyatch! Fucka
Jigga, nine-seven shit, next millenia
Recognize, realize, it's on
Roc the block y'all
Laugh
Jeah.. uhh.. it's what I do for a livin nigga
Eat for a livin nigga (watcher)
That's how I live for a livin nigga.. (watcher)
Okay, let's do this (the watcher)
Things just ain't the same for gangsters
But I'm a little too famous to shoot these pranksters
All of these rap singers claimin they bangers
Doin all sorts of twisted shit with they fingers
Disrespectin the game, no home trainin or manners
I was doin this shit when you was shittin Pampers
I was movin them grams 'fore you, knew what a hand that hand was
Duckin the vans, radars, the scanners
'Fore you knew what hard white to tame was
I was hittin the turnpike, aight with the bammers
I was nice with my hands, cuss aight with them hammers
I was prickin my finger 'fore you knew what a Fam was
I had it laid out 'fore you knew what a plan was
Three hundred mill' later, now you understand us
Y'all ain't see us comin through Vegas
You ever seen so much cham' bust in one night
Grand fucked up one fight
I was on the Peter Pan bus
You was Peter Pan up in your room, y'all fuckin with whom?
Allowed me to be taught
You cowards is just now learnin the shit that we talk
You niggaz ain't know about a Robb Report
Bout a high speed Porsche, i.e.
You niggaz ain't know how to floss 'til I came through the door
like "Eric B. for Pres," respect me in this BITCH!
You can't disrespect us cause you got a little check cut
You was suckin for so long, fuckin your little neck up
Now you too big for your britches, you got a few little bitches
You think you Hugh Hefner, you just ridiculous
I blew breath for you midgets, I gave life to the game
It's only right I got the right to be king
Niggaz that got life really like what I sing
Cause they know is he really like, niggaz feel my pain
Know the shit I DON'T write be the illest shit that's ever been recited
in the game word to the hyphen in my NAME!
J, A, Y, DASH, Hoffa
The past present nigga the future, proper
The holy trinity of hip-hop is us
We give, Dre his props BUT that's where it stops
It's the Roc
I know, you got your eyes on me
I feel you watchin me
But it ain't hard to see that you can't see me
You try, but what you think you saw
Ain't what you thought you saw
You bed-da off not lookin at all
(Everywhere that I go, ain't the same as befo')
(People I used to know, just don't know me no mo')
(But everywhere that I go, I got people I know)
(Who got people they know, so I suggest you lay low)
I'm still on top of the game
Still droppin flames, still cock and aim
Still at the top had the Roc for the fame
over setbacks, there's been a lot since I came
You seen it all, how I got, how I gained
The momentum when it dropped, how I got through the pain
When I roll and shock, they watched me reclaim
the streets, they made a special spot for my name
Dre, haters wanna stop to my reign
But the music lives in me, every drop in my veins
The pride and the pain
All the way back from the rise of my name
See the world clear through the eyes of the mane
See the world chear for the rhymes that I gave
When the beat bangs it'll drive them insane
The eyes that I played
The best to emerge in the game is The Watcher
I'm "Rated R," my brain contains graphics thangs
It turn traumatic teens into addicts, and fiends
It's like, watchin a movie through a panoramic screen
Which means, I can see the whole planet in the scene
Cash is the topic, the object, a fatter pocket
Some take the crack and chop it, but those that haven't got it
take away the added profit, it's catastrophic
I take the gat and cock it, and I'll sit back and watch it
These New York streets is ugly, I keep it gully
The world is mine and can't nobody keep it from me
Yo, my neighborhood is never sunny
In the place where the number one cause of death is money
You can try copin
I've seen enough shit to leave your frame of mind broken
I'm still alive and scopin
Be another hundred years 'til my skies close in
What, tssh, y'all, what
Jigga, uhh uhh uhh, uh-huh
Pa-pa, uhh, pa-pa, uhh
The G, Roc-A-Fella y'all
Who be, in a Japanese restaurant, eating sushi
Drinking saki, it's me, and my mami with the doobie
Cutie, smellin like Tiaka, half-Phillipine thing
For now, let's call her Suki, got me this booty bangin
Properly, in Versace pants, cocky bow-legged stance
A thing of beauty, watch me, body crazy
Tits Firm like Nature, Foxy, Nas and AZ
Truly reason to bug the toolie and keep laced in jewelry watch me
Girlie tried to lure me and lock me you gotta get up early
Cause who's gettin played is not me
"Surely you jest," she said, "if you thought I was purely
out for the bucks you woulda bucked stuck and dropped me"
I said maturely, "You right
but better safe than sorry, but for the lovebirds
can move to the suburbs, I need to double check your story
To make sure that you one of a kind
And you deserve to be my Sunshine"
Touch me with, a heart of gold (uh-huh)
I can't go a day without my sunshine (uh-huh) ahh-haaa (say what? uhh)
Touch me with, a smile of gold (yeah)
I can't go a day without my sunshine, sunshine (uhh, uhh, uhh)
A year gone, and she seein things most chicks only
hear in songs (uh-huh) keep in gear phenom
Lots of ice in the air, round the neck the charm (that's right)
Risked a four to life bid to keep that shit on her arm
Keep her impressed at all times, cats would love to creep (uh-huh)
just to say they crept with mine, slept with mine, she said
I ain't deaf nor blind, niggaz stressin
Hatin cause they less than mine, they wanna sex me
We chose each other, you actin like you chose me
They oppose you then, they oppose me
We could creep at a low speed, the gat in the hosiery
Double cross you they got to triple cross me
(I'm thinking that's the way it's supposed to be) Uh-huh
(One more thing:
If I ever go broke, would you hit the block for me?) Fo' sho'
(She replied, eyes open wide) Uhhhh
(Put that on everything?) I put that on my life
(Right)
If I needed would you, give me your kidneys? (Uhh, uhh, fo' sho')
Catch a case you catch it with me? (Mmm, fo' sho')
Pawn your jewlery to come get me? (You better know)
Catch me with a chick, forgive me? (Uhh, now that, I don't know)
They spread rumors, will you defend me, tooth and nail? (Uh-huh)
They try to frame me, will you be there, till the truth prevail? (uhh)
(But would you be the same dude, when you blow the roof off sales
that you was, throwin rocks, at the Roof at 12, nigga?)
This is the truth I shell, till the loot gets frail
I put this on my nephews, from the smallest to La'Velle
Me and you ballin, from the heavens, or the hell
Won't let you hit the ground if I'm fallin myself
Now picture me leavin you in this cold world, rollin for delf
It's me and you in this old girl, we takin the belt
From the lows, to the highs, to the foes we shine
The sixty second assassin
TrackMastahhhhhhhhhs
Turn that music up!
Rocklaaaaaaaaand
Hovahhhhhhhhh
Woo! Yes, yes
Somebody's girl is at this party (woo!)
Shakin that ass to this (uh-huh)
Somebody's girl is at this party (woo!)
Drink that glass of Cris' (that's right)
Somebody's girl is at this party (uh)
Sittin in V.I.P.
Somebody's girl (yeah) is at this party (that's right)
And she's comin home with me
Ummmmmm.. I don't mean no harm
But your boy young Hov' got a mean ol' arm
Got all the young ladies wanna lean on him
And I don't turn them away, I'm like - bring them on
Now - where's her man is not my concern
It's not what I'm worried about, I'm just tryin to hurry her out
Clear her whole area out
And bring this whole party little nearer to my house
Now - where's her spouse? I don't know
So, I don't ask, I don't probe
I just - get in 6, get out on Rov'
Let her, sip on Cris', go out on tours
Now - back at the lab, I'm actin bad
Cause the, pool is warm, a booze is on
Just a - select few, the fools are gone
It's slow jams and the grooves is on, groove on
Somebody's girl is at this party
Shakin that ass to this
Somebody's girl is at this party
Drink that glass of Cris'
Somebody's girl is at this party
Sittin in V.I.P.
Somebody's girl is at this party
And she's comin home with me
Uhh, is it my fault they call me young heat rock
Hardhead, go through walls like sheet rock
And she's comin with me, when the beat stop
When the party is done, I party with hon
Now - is it my fault you neglect your broad
and she wanna party with me, no ex at all?
No ex-boyfriend, no ex involved
Just the highway exit that we exit off
And I - fall back, I let her talk
I inquire sometime, I admire her mind
I - like her wit, I'm lovin her shoes
I'm a alternative rap, I'm playin the blues
I'm a thorough street nigga never breakin the rules
And her man's shortcomin is turnin me into somethin
that of which she has never seen
So she wanna crossover where the grass is green, knahmean?
The moral of the story if you love your bitch
you better - hold your hoe, hug your bitch
You better - slow your roll, trick some bread
When she wanna go out, you like Craig and 'em said
"See ya when I see ya," now she's callin me up
And I'm like, "Geah, of course I wanna chill"
Now she with the real, and you all fed
Millenium flow
Serena Altschul's here live outside the criminal courthouse
This is {bullshit} y'all
in New York City for the first day in the trial of
I'm gone
the State vs. Shawn Carter, a.k.a. Jay-Z
Uhh, uh-huh-uh, uhh, uh-huh-uh, uhh
Whatever the verdict in this trial may be
the effects will undoubtedly be felt worldwide
Aiyyo, stand forward, 'fore you take notice
or witness to me killin the track
Testify 'til me spillin the smack
Now they got me for traffickin, racketeerin, audio crack
They call me Dope Man, Dope Man
I try to tell em I'm where hope, floats man
Ghetto spokes-man
A broke man, approachin the bench with intent
to bury me under the cell, fingered me as the toast man
Evidence stemmin from ninety-six
They say the world ain't recovered from his fix
While they was usin cut I was on some other shit
Gave it to you raw and they just discovered it
Nowaday, the jury got they brow raised
Listenin to testimony about my foul ways
Exhibit A: "Reasonable Doubt"
They say this was the first thing that turned the peoples out
You can feel the tension building here
as an unprecedented number of people have turned out
for what may be the "Trial of the Century"
How come, you label your brand of dope
"Volume 1" and spread it through the slums?
Fed it to the young with total disregard
Your honor, the State seeks the maximum charge
And how could you, turn right around
and release a lethal dosage called "Volume 2"
And is true you operate the criminal enterprise
known as Roc-a-Fella in charge of his meteoric rise?
And do you deny you're responsible for the demise
of record execs, and do you object?
Your distribution's Polygram, and through your connects
Def Jam, you pushed over five million SoundScan
And not to mention, your co-horts and henchmen
Dame, Biggs, Lyor, Kev' and Russell Simmons
And we ain't gon' talk about Murder, Inc.
That just establishes a darker deeper criminal link
The State is seeking the maximum penalty
and with the overwhelming amount of evidence
the D.A.'s presented, things aren't looking good
Despite the grim outlook at this point
the rapper has been known to emerge triumphant
in the face of adversity
Jay-Z is taking the stand
Right hand on the Bible, left hand in the air
Before I spoke one word, made sure my throat was clear
A-hem, I'm a prisoner of circumstance
Frail nigga, I couldn't much work with my hands
But my mind was strong, I grew where you hold your blacks up
Trap us, expect us not to pick gats up
Where you drop your cracks off by the Mack trucks
Destroy our dreams of lawyers and actors
Keep us spiralin, goin backwards
At age nine, saw my first hate crime
Blindfolded, expected to walk a straight line
Mind molded, taught to love you and hate mine
Climbed over it, at a early age, Jay shined
Fuck the system at Lady Justice I blaze nine
Your Honor, I no longer kill my people, I raise mine
The soul of Mumia in this modern day time
While the jury is inside deliberating
outside the crowd is frozen with anticipation
Well the verdict has just been announced: NOT GUILTY!
It is complete pandemonium out here!
People are cheering and hugging - there he is
Jay-Z is exiting the courtroom right now
There is a swarm of cameras surrounding him
and people are just rushing up to him
R.O.C., we runnin this rap shit
Memphis Bleek, we runnin this rap shit
B. Mac, we runnin this rap shit
Freeway, we run this rap shit
O & Sparks, we runnin this rap shit
Chris & Neef, we runnin this rap shit
The takeover, the break's over nigga
God MC, me, Jay-Hova
Hey lil' soldier you ain't ready for war
R.O.C. too strong for y'all
It's like bringin a knife to a gunfight, pen to a test
Your chest in the line of fire witcha thin-ass vest
You bringin them Boyz II Men, HOW them boys gon' win?
This is grown man B.I., get you rolled in the triage(?)
Beatch - your reach ain't long enough, dunny
Your peeps ain't strong enough, fucka
Roc-A-Fella is the army, better yet the navy
Niggaz'll kidnap your babies, spit at your lady
We bring - knife to fistfight, kill your drama
Uh, we kill you motherfuckin ants with a sledgehammer
Don't let me do it to you dunny cause I overdo it
So you won't confuse it with just rap music
R.O.C., we runnin this rap shit
M-Easy, we runnin this rap shit
The Broad Street Bully, we runnin this rap shit
Get zipped up in plastic when it happens that's it
Freeway, we run this rap shit
O & Sparks, we runnin this rap shit
Chris & Neef, we runnin this rap shit
"Watch out!! We run New York" ->
I don't care if you Mobb Deep, I hold triggers to crews
You little FUCK, I've got money stacks bigger than you
When I was pushin weight, back in eighty-eight
you was a ballerina I got your pictures I seen ya
Then you dropped "Shook Ones," switch your demeanor
Well - we don't believe you, you need more people
Roc-A-Fella, students of the game, we passed the classes
Nobody could read you dudes like we do
Don't let 'em gas you like Jigga is ass and won't clap you
Trust me on this one - I'll detach you
Mind from spirit, body from soul
They'll have to hold a mass, put your body in a hole
No, you're not on my level get your brakes tweaked
I sold what ya whole album sold in my first week
You guys don't want it with Hov'
Ask Nas, he don't want it with Hov', nooooo!
R.O.C., we runnin this rap shit
B. Sigel, we runnin this rap shit
M-Easy, we runnin this rap shit
Get zipped up in plastic when it happens that's it
O & Sparks, we runnin this rap shit
Freeway, we run this rap shit
Chris & Neef, we runnin this rap shit
"Watch out!! We run New York" ->
I know you missin all the - FAAAAAAAME!
But along with celebrity comes bout seventy shots to your brain
Nigga; you a - LAAAAAAAME!
Youse the fag model for Karl Kani/Esco ads
Went from, Nasty Nas to Esco's trash
Had a spark when you started but now you're just garbage
Fell from top ten to not mentioned at all
to your bodyguard's "Oochie Wally" verse better than yours
Matter fact you had the worst flow on the whole fuckin song
but I know - the sun don't shine, then son don't shine
That's why your - LAAAAAAAME! - career come to a end
There's only so long fake thugs can pretend
Nigga; you ain't live it you witnessed it from your folks pad
You scribbled in your notepad and created your life
I showed you your first tec on tour with Large Professor
(Me, that's who!) Then I heard your album bout your tec on your dresser
So yeah I sampled your voice, you was usin it wrong
You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song
And you ain't get a corn nigga you was gettin fucked and
I know who I paid God, Serchlite Publishing
Use your - BRAAAAAAAIN! You said you been in this ten
I've been in it five - smarten up Nas
Four albums in ten years nigga? I could divide
That's one every let's say two, two of them shits was due
One was - NAHHH, the other was "Illmatic"
That's a one hot album every ten year average
And that's so - LAAAAAAAME! Nigga switch up your flow
Your shit is garbage, but you try and kick knowledge?
(Get the fuck outta here) You niggaz gon' learn to respect the king
Don't be the next contestant on that Summer Jam screen
Because you know who (who) did you know what (what)
with you know who (yeah) but just keep that between me and you for now
R.O.C., we runnin this rap shit
M-Easy, we runnin this rap shit
The Broad Street Bully, we runnin this rap shit
Get zipped up in plastic when it happens that's it
Freeway, we run this rap shit
O & Sparks, we runnin this rap shit
Chris & Neef, we runnin this rap shit
"Watch out!! We run New York" ->
A wise man told me don't argue with fools
Cause people from a distance can't tell who is who
So stop with that childish shit, nigga I'm grown
Please leave it alone - don't throw rocks at the throne
Do not bark up that tree, that tree will fall on you
I don't know why your advisors ain't forewarn you
Please, not Jay, he's, not for play
I don't slack a minute, all that thug rappin and gimmicks
I will end it, all that yappin be finished
You are not deep, you made your bed now sleep
Don't make me expose to them folks that don't know you
Nigga I know you well, all the stolen jew-els
Twinkletoes you breakin my heart
You can't fuck with me - go play somewhere, I'm busy
And all you other cats throwin shots at Jigga
I'm not trying to be nosey babe oh no
I'm not trying to give you no advice
(Hovie's home)
I don't plan to be (New addition to the roc) no philosopher
But I still know this is the life Baby Baby
You gotta let this one breathe, just
Just let it breathe for a sec
Yup, Hovi's home
Newest edition to the Roc
M.O.P.
The Blueprint 2 is on its way
I know ya hear my footsteps out there...comin'
Let's go get 'em just
Time to duck, fire
Duck, fire, duck, fire
Duck, fire, duck, FIYAAAAAAAHHH!
(U Don't know what you're doing, doing, doing, doing)
It's the MOP (Yes)
In a zip-code that's
1, 1, 2, 3, 3
And motherfucker we comin, 100 miles and gunnin
I'm still runnin with cash that's robbed
From the era of exhale 80's and hats back stomp
(SAME GAME!) operation for this industry lockdown
We still tote hammers that go BLOCKOWWWW
Run up if you wanna, believe me dog
These hammers with they owners, fuck ya G up
Have ya with blue 'jamas in a coma, and
Ya family now moan, look, 70 pounds gone
A little fuck, scribbled up with a hospital down on
(WE HOLDIN IT DOWN HOLMES!)keep pushin weak frail bastards
To get over, we prowl with slimmer re-shelled tactics
Jiminy frail bastards, your tracks need tune-ups
No limit, what the fuck, recordin for nig' junior
(The game aint changed)it just got harder
Plus we sponsored by laz' Dame Dash and Mr. S. Carter
Brownsville(yep), we stomp in this bitch all day
Rock with my cock out, face the crowd and piss off stage
Uh, Uh, Uh, I'm from the G side of thangs
Where we ride and bang, where the heat died of flame
That's how we got the name(WARRIORS!)
And better than ya bank, and someone should be tellin 'em
The veterans have came, and we're better in the game
(YOU BETTER MAKE IT RAIN!) "27 grams" my man
It's better than cocaine, now everything will change
In this family we'll rule the world
And you haters can eat a dick up till you hiccup and erm
A decade on the grind, nigga I paid mine
So it's my time to shine and for you can ride the pine
I wont sit back and rap like these dumb ass kids
I been around, I put it down, I aint these young ass kids
(MOP!) The OG's repped and survived around this motherfucka
(FIRST FAMILY!) We kept it live around this motherucka
When it's crunch time, we do it our wizzay
For shizzle my nigga, learn to grip pistols and BK
WHOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Turn my music high, high, high, high-er
Mo' fire, mo' problems, more Roc-a-wear attire
Mo' money, mo' murder now that M.O.P.'s hired
Mo' murder for the ROC empire, ya'll wont surface
Ya'll nervous knowin them guns on full service, ready to fire
One body, two body, three body, four
Young sittin on paper, I'm above the law
Young shittin on haters, I aint fuckin with ya'll
For my Brownsville neighbors, How About Some Hardcore?
And it just get worser, every time I write my signature in cursive
Just add another million to these verses
One million, two million, three million, four
And the money's really worthless, I'm pissing you off on purpose
My nephew's situated, and my mama's straight
So I'm ready for whatever drama should come our way
And you fuckers rappin to me, so your drama is fake
Ya'll niggas is noodles, I got more fetti to bake
{sung vocals}
Think there's been a murder-errra-ahhh-hahh-ahhh
I ahh, think there's been a..
I.. I think there's been a..
Think there's been a murder-errra-ahhh-hahh-ahhh
I ahh, think there's been a..
I.. I think there's been a..
I hustle from, night to morning, dawn to dusk
Kidnap and robberies like, (c'mon nigga) "You goin with us"
I held roundtable meetings so we could go on and discuss
not only money but all the emotions goin through us
Why we don't cry when niggaz die, that's how the street raised him
Look in the air, say a prayer (hail mary) hopin God forgave him
Cop liquor, twist it, tap it twice, pour it to the pavement
We live dangerous, often findin ourself in the eyes of strangers
(Who the fuck is you?) My dream is big and in it my team is rich
as seen through the eyes of a nigga who ain't seen shit
Back to live action, I'm packin, I'm still in the mix
like new hits, I think I'm goin over your head a lil' bit
But I let you know I changed names when I roam through town
Stay free and be who I'm professional known as now
Jay-motherfuckin-Z; and with that said
back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is dead, and uhh
My infatuation with autos led to autos gettin sprayed
Houses gettin broken in, quarters gettin trayed
Bricks gettin chopped, mom's pots gettin used
One thrown in that water, try the soda in there too
Expensive shoes worn, Louis Vuitton seat, roof gone
Coke cheap, my face is like a coupon
I gotta do Shawn, cause even when Jay-Z was lukewarm
I was gettin my loot on, nigga I'm too strong
Eat til the food's gone, they placed me on this earth
The twin brother of rich/poor though, seperated at birth
I got the soul of a hustler, quiet noise like a muffler
Fuck with us, walk through the ghetto, see the place that corrupted us
Learn why we buck at the guys that come up with us
Ain't enough bucks for us to split in this shit
Plus ain't nobody lovin us; and with that said
back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is dead, and uhh
See my life is like a see-saw
And until I move this weight it's gon' keep me to the floor
Travel with me through my deep thoughts
Y'all can't learn Jigga by the shit y'all be readin in The Source;
It's deeper of course
Follow the life of this reckless minor
At sixteen in the 600, unlicensed driver
Playin, cops and robbers, like shots can't stop us
Flippin a bird to the choppers (fuck you coppers)
Buck-thirty on the turns
Reckless abandon, when I'm standin on this pedal
Hand on my metal, minus all this time they tryin to give me
Lord help me, all I ever wanted to be was wealthy or
somebody to tell me that they felt me
I tried to play the hand you dealt me
but you gave me five funnies an' shit
I was hungry I need menage money
Nothin less than a 520; and with that said
back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is *BLAM*
Lucifer, dawn of de morning! I'm gonna, chase you out of Earth
Lucifer Lucifer, dawn of de morning...
(I'm from the murder capital, where we murder for capital)
Lucifer Lucifer, dawn of de morning! I'm gonna, chase you out of Earth
(Kanyeeze you did it again, you a genius nigga!)
Lucifer Lucifer, dawn of de morning...
So you niggas change your attitude
For they askin what happened to you
Lord forgive him
He got them dark forces in him
But he also got a rightous cause for sinnin
Them a murder me so i gotta murder them first
Emergency doctors performin procedures
Jesus
I ain't tryin to be facetious
But "Vengance is mine" said the Lord
You said it better than all
Leave niggas on deaths door
Breathin off res-por-rators
for killin my best boy, HATERS
On perminate hiatus as i skate
In the Maybach Benz
Flya the Sanna Lathan
Pumpin "Brown Sugar" by D'Angelo
In Los Angeles
Like an evangelist
I can introduce you to your maker
Bring you closer to nature
Ashes after they cremate you bastards
Hope you been readin your psalms and chapters
Payin your ties being good Catholics
I'm commin
Lucifer, dawn of de morning! I'm gonna, chase you out of Earth
Lucifer Lucifer, dawn of de morning...
(I'm from the murder capital, where we murder for capital)
Lucifer Lucifer, dawn of de morning! I'm gonna, chase you out of Earth
Lucifer Lucifer, dawn of de morning...
So you niggas change your attitude
For they askin what happened to you
This is Holly war
I wet cha all with the Holly water
Spray from the Hetckler Koch auto
Matic all the static shall cease to exist
Like a sematical i throw a couple at you
Take six
Spread love to all of my dead thugs
I'll pour out a little Louie til i head above
Yes Sir
And when i perish
The meek shall inherit the earth
Until that time it's on a poppin Church
Like Don Bishop
The fifth upon cock either
Lift up your soul or give the Holly ghost please
I leave ya in somebodys Catedrial
And stuntin like Evil Kenevil
I'll let you see where that bright light lead you
The more you talk the more you irkin us
The more you gonna need memorial services
The Black Albums second verse is like
Devil's Pie please save some dessert for us
Man i gotta get my soul right
I gotta get these Devils out my life
These cowards gonna make a nigga ride
They won't be happy til somebody dies
Man i gotta get my soul right
'For i'm locked up for my whole life
Evertime it seems it's all right
Somebody want they soul to rise
(I'll chase you off of this Earth)
I got dreams of holdin a Nine milla
To Bobs killa
Askin him "why?" as my eyes fill up
These days i can't wake up with a dry pillow
Gone but not forgotten holmes i still feel ya
SO...Curse the day that birthed the bastard
Who caused your Church mass
Reverse the crash
Reverse the blast
And reverse the car
Reverse the day, and there you are
Bob Allah
Lord forgive him we all have sined
But Bobs a good dude please let him in
And if you feel in my heart that i long for revenge
Please blame it on the sun of the mournin
Uh-huh uhh, uhh, uh-uhh
Uh-huh uhh, uhh, uhh
Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!
I, am, back, niggaz
Ha ha ha ha ha.. uh-oh, uh-oh - whoo!
Ladies and gentlemen.. H, to the Izzo
I wanna thank everybody out there for they purchase
I surely appreciate it - whoo!
What you about to witness is my thoughts
Just my thoughts man - right or wrong
Just what I was feeling at the time, uhh
You ever felt like this, you vibe with me
Walk with a nigga man - just vibe with me
Yo, gather round hustlers that's if you still livin
And get on down, to that ol' Jig rhythm
Here's a couple of jewels to help you get through your bid in prison
A ribbon in the sky, keep your head high
I, Young 'Vito, voice of the young people
Mouthpiece for hustlers I'm back motherfuckers
Your reign on the top was shorter than leprechauns
Y'all can't fuck with Hov', what type of X y'all on?
I got great lawyers for cops so dress warm
Charges don't stick to dude he's teflon
I'm too sexy for jail like I'm Right Said Fred
I'm not guilty, now GIMME back my bread
Mr. District Attorney I'm not sure if they told you
I'm on TV every day, where the fuck could I go to
plus - Hov' don't run, Hov' stand and fight
Hov's a soldier, Hov' been fightin all his life so
What could you do to me? It's not new to me
Sue me; fuck you - what's a couple dollars to me?
But you will respect me, simple as that
Or I got no problem goin back
I'm representin for the seat where Rosa Parks sat
Where Malcolm X was shot, where Martin Luther was popped
So off we go, let the trumpets blow
And hold on, because the driver of the mission is a pro
The ruler's back
Uhh, uh-huh uhh uhh
I, am, BACK, niggaz - whoo! whoo! whoo! whoo!
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Turn the motherfuckin music up
The ruler's back
I, am, back, niggaz
Yeah, geah, yeah, geah, yeah, geah, yeah
Well in these times, well at least to me
There's a lot of rappers out there tryin to sound like Jay-Z
I'll help you out, here's what you do
You gonna need a wide lens cause that's a VERR' big shoe
And you got a couple of +Beans+ and you don't have a +Clue+?
You situation is +Bleek+, I'ma keep it +Rell+ cause
Fuckin with me, you gotta drop +Amil+
Cause if you gonna cop somethin you gotta cop f'real
Don't only talk it, walk like it - from the Bricks to the booth
I can predict the future like Cleo the psychic
You can't date skee-os and wife it (uh-uh)
And you can't sell me bullshit, we know the prices
So what your life is? We gon' roll
'til the wheels fall off, y'all muh'fuckers check the tires
Off we go, let the trumpets blow
And hold on, because the driver of that Bentley is a pro
The ruler's back
Uhh, uhh
I, am, back, niggaz
Feels good! Ha
Pah, holla at me!
The ruler's back
Yeah.. whoo!
Yeah.. yeah.. yeah..
Now bounce, c'mon, bounce
Uhh, whoo! Whoo!
Bounce, c'mon, bounce
Uhh, uhh, yeah, yeah
Bounce, c'mon, bounce
Uhh, yeah, just my thoughts ladies and gentlemen
Just what I'm feelin at the time, you know what I mean?
Yeah.. DJ Clue! A/K/A/, William, M. Holla..
with William H. Holla
The world's most infamous
The Holla family nigga
Roc-A-Fella Records, c'mon
Dynasty! New Jay-Z! Beanie Sigel!
Stick to the script!
We live money over bitches nigga stick to the script
Remember where you heard it first.. stupid!
Cop, flip, we re-up; get back to the shift
Money over bitches nigga stick to the script
D.. J.. CLUE!
YO, they call me William H. (H!) the all-time great (GREAT!)
I fuck the most hoes out of New York State (STATE!)
I rock my jewels (JEWELS) I'm not a fool (FOOL!)
In the small of my back I got this big-ass tool (Ha hah!)
When I'm skatin through the city and I stop and kick it
Be the most asked question - how I got them digits?
I say I stay on my grind, never stop for bitches
Never talk like a mom, I gotta watch you snitches
And I stick to the script, that's my advice so life
Eat nigga, let it stick to your ribs
I seen niggaz go from handlin birds to ramblin words
to the man, seen a Sammy the Bull emerge on the stand
And it was all good just a week ago
We lost Todd E., but we still eatin though
For like a hundred weeks nigga, we gon' run the streets
til we reach Malik or the date of E's release
Peep Hova in a Jeep Rover, passin reefer over
to this freak, breathe mami this is good weed mami
Three, hymies under the belt, three extra clip
We aim, we shoot; y'all shoot aim, we stick to the script
C'mon!
Money over bitches nigga stick to the script
We cop, we flip, we re-up; get back on our shift
Money over bitches nigga stick to the script
Money over bitches nigga stick to the script
We cop, we flip, we re-up; get back on our shift
Money over bitches nigga stick to the script
Geah, uh-huh
Yeah, money over bitches nigga
{*scratch* "This Philly cat ba.. back at it"}
Stick to the script, yo
Aiyyo they don't call me Mac for nuttin
I don't give a whore jack, man they all say that Mac be frontin
But if you can't take a case bitch and take it to the chin
take the heat, beat your feet bitch, skate in the wind
Don't snitch, we can blow dough, make it again
You can be my hoe bitch, I can't make you my friend
because - friends depend on friends, not Bean Sigel's shit
I don't need you; let welfare feed you
Mac'll, stick to the script, and stick to the flip
I got a sick whip game, water stick to the bricks
I got a sick flip game, order gettin and shit
I got a strict strip, flip 'caine, get it in shifts
Bitch, you can't get at me, shit I get at you
only in the physical, I tell you like Mystikal
"Shake that ass (yeah) watch yourself
(Yeah) show me what you workin with but wash yourself"
Fuck a dirty bitch (yeah) man I roll with a sturdy click
that'll murder shit, empty clips you never heard a spit
Slide a bitch what? Slide a bitch shit
Slide a bitch dick, then I slide out a bitch shit
Ain't no time to stick around and play step pops
Shit I'm tryin to get down, cop and upset blocks
Low price, quick flip, 2-8-K quick
Shit don't go right, 2 AK's spit - stick to the script nigga
Money over bitches nigga stick to the script
We cop, we flip, we re-up; get back on our shift
Money over bitches nigga stick to the script
Money over bitches nigga stick to the script
We cop, we flip, we re-up; get back on our shift
Money over bitches nigga stick to the script
Y'all get knocked, y'all turn bitch
This is final
Ladies and gentlemen, put our hands together for the astonishing...
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the 8th wonder of the world
The flow o' the century...always timeless...HOVE!
Thanks for comin' out tonight
You coulda been anywhere in the world, but you're here with us
We appreciate that...uuunnnh...
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Fo' shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down in VA
Was herbin' em in the home of the Terrapins
Got it dirt cheap for them
Plus if they was short wit' cheese I would work wit' them
Boy and we...got rid of that dirt for them
Wasn't born hustlers I was burpin' em
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Fo' sheezy my neezy keep my arms so breezy
Can't leave rap alone the game needs me
Haters want me clapped and chromed it ain't easy
Cops wanna knock me, D.A. wanna box me in
But somehow, I beat them charges like Rocky
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Not guilty, he who does not feel me is not real to me
Therefore he doesn't exist
So poof...vamoose son of a bitch
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Fo' shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down in VA
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
That's the anthem get'cha damn hands up
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Not guilty ya'll got-ta feel me
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Yo, It starts with
One thing, I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time
All I know
time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
It's so unreal
I Didn't look out below
I Watch the time go right out the window
Trying to hold on, and didn't even know
Wasted it all just to
Watch you go
I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart
What it meant to me, will eventually, be a memory, of a time when I tried so
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
LP, Jay-Z, help me out
Oh, they havin' a good o' time out there
It starts with
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
LP, Jay-Z, help me out
Oh, they havin' a good o' time out there
It starts with
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
LP, Jay-Z, help me out
Ladies and Gentalmen
"I'm not a one girl's guy... (real talk for ya, peep game)
aint they know it, when it comes to love, I don't lie (we don't lie man)
and the girls respect me for it (you gotta respect that)
aint gonna say my nose? can't be over (I may never say never)
right now it's just too many fine ladies out there to choose one from"
(too many ladies, ha)
I love girls, girls, girls, girls, girls I do adore
Yo put your number on this paper cuz I would love to date ya
Holla at ya when I come off tour
Whoo! Who you lovin, who you wanna be huggin, heh
who you wit, who you wanna be fuckin
got this smarty art chick to whom I pose this question
I read a couple books to add to her soul's progression
to put this in laymen's term, I gave her some knowledge
she gave me, brains in return, she had to drop out of college
knowin she does this homework, I give her in house tutoring
in and out I'm movin through her student body union and
she, call me professor, say daddy come and test her
so she could fail on purpose and repeat the semester
I'm like, at this rate ma you never graduate
she said, I aint no fool I make it up in summer school
I love girls, girls, girls, girls, girls, I do adore
Yo put your number on this paper cuz I would love to date ya
Holla at ya when I come off tour
Now let the people sing
I'm tryin girls out, (just tryin girls out) just tryin girls out
Yo put your number on this paper cuz I would love to date ya
Holla at ya when I come off tour
Heh, who you lovin, who you wanna be fuckin
who said what, why you trippin girl, why's you fussin?
got this model slash actress slash part time waitress
spend a whole day she hangin round with part time haters
all they do is diss dirt and put a up on my latest
itinerary, but since I tend to vary see
I tend to carry, more rumors than ten Mariah Careys
tend to hurries in ten places at once
plus she can't front just peep how I run mines
ma, our time together is our time together, and uh
our time apart is our time apart
so love Jay with your mind girl and not your heart
and some day I slow down, but for now I get around
like the late Makiavelli or Perelli twenty inches
or caine and O-dog, stick up tape from menace
you tell 'em chicks if they must know my buisness
I'm tryin girls out, just tryin girls out
put your number on this paper cuz I would love to date ya
holla at ya when I get off tour
I'm tryin girls, girls, girls, girls, girls I do adore
yo put your number on this paper cuz I would love to date ya
holla at ya when I come off tour
I'm lookin for, southern girl that cook like Patti LaBelle
big ghetto booty, scarf over doobie
Chanell under the louie, Gucci over booty
Vicki covered titties, attitude of the city
pretty, witty, girly, whirly
one who likes to party but come home early
light kinda dark, short sorta tall
slim, kinda thick I swear I love 'em all
she can cook the coke and got hook up on the license
but she can get you first class seats for coach prices
isn't this great, my flight leaves at eight
her flight lands at nine, my game just rewinds
I'm tryin girls out, just tryin girls out
put your number on this paper cuz I would love to date ya
holla at ya when I get off tour
I'm tryin girls, girls, girls, girls, girls I do adore
yo put your number on this paper cuz I would love to date ya
holla at ya when I come off tour
"I'm not a one girl's guy, and they know it
when it comes to love, I don't lie, and the girls respect me for it
aint gonna say my nose? can't be over,
but right now it's just too many fine ladies out there to choose one from
I'm tryin girls out, waiting patiently,
Thank you, thank you, thank you, you're far too kind
Now can I get an encore, do you want more
Cookin raw with the Brooklyn boy
So for one last time I need y'all to roar
Now what the hell are you waitin for
After me, there shall be no more
So for one last time, nigga make some noise
Who you know fresher than Hov'? Riddle me that
The rest of y'all know where I'm lyrically at
Can't none of y'all mirror me back
Yeah hearin me rap is like hearin G. Rap in his prime
I'm, young H.O., rap's Grateful Dead
Back to take over the globe, now break bread
I'm in, Boeing jets, Global Express
Out the country but the blueberry still connect
On the low but the yacht got a triple deck
But when you Young, what the fuck you expect? Yep, yep
Grand openin, grand closin
God damn your man Hov' cracked the can open again
Who you gon' find doper than him with no pen
just draw off inspiration
Soon you gon' see you can't replace him
with cheap imitations for DESE GENERATIONS
{What the hell are you waiting forrrr?}
Look what you made me do, look what I made for you
Knew if I paid my dues, how will they pay you
When you first come in the game, they try to play you
Then you drop a couple of hits, look how they wave to you
From Marcy to Madison Square
To the only thing that matters in just a matter of years (yea)
As fate would have it, Jay's status appears
to be at an all-time high, perfect time to say goodbye
When I come back like Jordan, wearin the 4-5
It ain't to play games witchu
It's to aim at you, probably maim you
If I owe you I'm blowin you to smithereeens
Cocksucker take one for your team
And I need you to remember one thing (one thing)
I came, I saw, I conquered
From record sales, to sold out concerts
So muh'fucker if you want this encore
I need you to scream, 'til your lungs get sore
OWWWW! It's star time
This man is MADE! He's KILLIN all y'all jive turkeys
Do y'all want more of the Jigga man?
Well if y'all want more of the Jigga man
Then I need y'all to help me, bring him back to stage
Say Hova, c'mon say it!
HO-VA! HO-VA! Are y'all out there?
Are y'all out there? C'mon, louder!
Yeah, now see that's what I'm talkin bout
They love you Jigga - they love you Jigga!
I like the way this one feel
It's so muh'fuckin soulful man!
(Whoaaaaaahhhh, whoahhhhhhhhhhhhh, whoahhhhhhhhhhhhh)
Yeah
okay
So this here is the victory lap
Then I'm lea-vin, that's how you get me back
After a year of them 16's, it's one point two
And that's two point four, and I'm only doin two
You wanted to gain attention new dudes
I can get you BET and TRL too
You wanna be in the public, send your budget
Well fuck it, I ain't budgin!
Young did it to death, you gotta love it
Record companies told me I couldn't cut it
Now look at me, all star-studded
Golfer above par like I putted
All cause the shit I uttered, was utterly ridiculous
How sick is this?
You want to bang, send Kanye change, send Just some dust
Send Hip a grip, then you got' spit
A little somethin like this, WOO!
Roc-A-Fella
Y'all know what this is
We givin y'all five seconds to put your drinks down
and report to the dance floor immediately
All the bustas we giving y'all five seconds to get close to an exit
It's about to get real ugly in here
Five Seconds is up
Let's go!
Throw the hands up (uh, uh, uh)
Throw the hands up (Niggaz)
Throw the hands up (Bitches)
Throw the hands up (Bustas)
Throw the hands up (Hustlers)
Throw the hands up (Hos)
Throw the hands up (Posta's)
Throw the hands up (MAC)
You know how Mac come through on the club tip
Everybody real deep on that thug shit
Cop Cris' spray the club on that thug shit
Cop frisks suits snub in the club quick
Told y'all real high, when I come through
You can try if you want to, you can die if you want to
We hittin whores on the floor, whole crew be wild
Bitch "Back That Azz Up" like Juvenile (huh)
When my peeps come through to spend a dime apiece
You know Mac come through with a line of freaks
Every bitch on the hit be a 9 at least
We getting head on the floor, while you grinding freaks
Whole squad get it down like this
Whole squad buying rounds of Cris
Whole squad got they crowns on wrist
Whole squad got a pound of twist
Whole squad got a pound to spit
In case a clown wanna flip
Mac never slip in a club, told y'all niggas 4/5th in a club
If a nigga wanna draw then the blood it can drip in the club
You know how niggaz get in the club, shit you know how I be
All high in VIP, rolling up to B.I.G. (Baby)
Niggaz be all liquored up talkin shit
Till' they man gotta come pick them up
Got bitches in the back bouncin to "Jigga What"
You got your hands up and I ain't even stick y'all up
Throw the hands up (uh, uh, uh, Everybody get it up)
Throw the hands up
12 AM on the way to the club (uh)
1 AM DJ made it erupt (uh-huh)
2 AM now I'm gettin with her (what up?)
3 AM now I'm splittin with her (splitting with who?)
4 AM at the waffle house (waffle house)
5 AM now we at my house (uh)
6 AM I be diggin her out (who?)
6:15 I be kickin her out (what?)
7 AM I'ma call my friends (uh-huh)
12AM we gonna do it again, we gon, we gon, we gonna do it again
(We gonna do it again)
By the way yo
Yo, how the fuck you gonna talk about MC's on our hill
When we just cop them things homey the chromy wheels
Both arms are chunky the sleeves on chill
Any given times 100 G's in your grill
Don't talk to me bout MC's got skillz
He's alright but he's not real
Jay-Z's that deal with seeds in a field
Never fear for war, hug, squeeze that steel
Fuck, you gotta a flow that's cool with me
You gotta lil' dough that cool with me
You gotta little cars little jewelries
But none of y'all motherfuckers could fool with me
You know the wrist frost bit minus two degrees
Bout as blue as the sea the way I manuever the V
Hat cocked can't see his eyes, who could it be?
With that new blue Yankee on, who but me?
Niggaz shift two million, then I blew the three
Then I skated the four, before I went on tour
I came back and it's plain
Y'all niggaz ain't rappin the same
Fuck the flow y'all jackin our slang
I seen the same shit happen to Kane
Three cuts in your eyebrow tryin to wild out
The game is ours will never foul out
Y'all just better hope we gracefully bow out
Throw your hands up
Niggaz, Bitches, Bustas, Hustlers FUCK THAT
(Throw the hands up)
12 AM on the way to the club (uh huh)
1 AM bout to shake the butt (uh)
2 AM now I'm checkin the mix (ah yeah)
3 AM now he buyin me drinks (what you drinkin on)
4 AM exit the club (let's go)
5 AM think he gettin some butt (that's right)
6 AM nigga still ain't bust (what)
6:15 nigga will get up (uh)
7 AM gotta tell my friends (ah huh)
12 AM I'ma do it again, uh, uh
I'ma Do it again
12 AM we gonna do it again
(Uh, uh Let's go)
12 AM on the way to the club
1 AM DJ made it a rub
2 AM now I'm gettin with her
3 AM now I'm splittin with her
4 AM at the waffle house
5 AM now we at my house
6 AM I be diggin her out
6:15 I be kickin her out
7 AM I'ma call my friends
12 AM We gonna do it again, we gon, we gon, we gonna do it again
Yeah, yeah, it's here niggaz! (wooo-WEEE!)
Rockland/Roc-A-Fella collaboration
What, what, what, what..
Tone the Referee - the best of both worlds
Welcome to the best of both worlds
R. Kelly
Chi-Town
Let's just start frontin on 'em right away (c'mon Jay)
I pull up with the big boy truck, nigga big boy drop
We be the only big boys that the big boys watch
Sing to 'em Kelly
Best of.. both worlds.. (rock for 'em Hov')
The combination of Pappy Mason and Larry Davis
Martin and Malcolm, this is the bigger than the album
R-ah
Oh yeah
The best of (best of both) both worlds - ohhhhHHH!
I got a million on that boy singin whatever on the flow
Y'all got cheddar to blow, whatever, let a nigga know
Kel's
The best of..
Back and forth, back and forth, let's do it
.. both worlds (rock for 'em Hov')
It's not even close, just leave it alone
I'm Michael Jordan, I play for the team I own
Sing to 'em Kel'
The best of.. both worlds - ohhhhHHH!
Young.. H - flow feared in fifty states
Young.. Kel's - nigga the best of both worlds
Holla
The best of..
Just get gangsta with a nigga
.. both worlds
Just get gangsta with it (rock for 'em Hov')
You can't possibly think you can stop this
It's prophecy; plus I feel like the nigga Big watchin me
Kel..
Best of.. both worlds
Stop playin with these niggaz, talk to 'em!
This is for my niggaz down bottom and them hustlers on twenty-two's
Single parent mothers in the hood is who I'm talkin to
I know it's rough in the ghetto but let me walk witchu
Talk witchu, uh-huh, yeah-hea
And for the ones who put you down and said you wouldn't make it
But you still held your ground and came up out that basement
In the memory of those that we lost, it's deicated
We miss y'all, uh-huh, yeah-hea
This right here this whole album's..
in the memory of all our fallen soldiers (uh-huh)
we lost along the way (ohhhhhoooh) knahmsayin, ghetto to ghetto
City to city, worldwide, we got y'all, y'knahmean?
(Ghetto America) This album right here represents strength
(Ohhhh! Yeahhh) Strength in our people, understand it
Cock-suckers can not touch us, the block love us
We got the ghetto on our back muh'fuckers
The best of..
Yeah, right
both worlds (rock for 'em Hov')
We got this locked for two reasons: we from the hood
plus we promised both our mommas that we would
Kel - take 'em to church
The best of.. both worlds - ohhhhHHH!
We mastered this, don't you know
I eat beef and breathe acid, weak bastards
We copped and we crash it
Then we cop again cause we are classic
Let me speak for ya R we "Scarface" re-enacted
"The Godfather" trilogy re-casted
But it's real like we grievin for Aaliyah with the masses
But I hope my boy Dash get to see it when he passes
I feel her soul when the Lee passes
When the wind blows, it's almost like I see her in the Hamptons
Even more reason to be up in them mansions
Laid back, feet up in the hammock, I'ma live for ya
Big too, 'til they put me in the grave
I'ma floss 'til they toss me a Bed-Stuy parade
'Til Chi-Town make a nigga Mayor for a day
In the memory of Joanne Kelly, let us pray
Intro:
Ha ha, ha ha, Roc-a-Fella y'all
Futuristic shit beeotch
Uh, what the fuck? How we do. How we do. Uh ha
Verse 1:
Triple platnum nigga with the solid gold fade
All that nickle and dime shit, don't hold no weight
Fortune 5, top 5 in the Forbes (you'll see) as you
Thumb through the Source I read the Ride report
Class C, cold me down with the plastic
That's all I Ask Of You, like Raphael Saadiq
At the hotel, Nico, robbin' the val suite
My people's eyes through the peep hole
I'm lovin' you down freak as I
Shoot through the city like a rumor
Not soon enough, to stop 'em from spreadin' the news
Paper headin' read "Jay-Z breaths, 80 degrees"
the only thing to cool them off is a Malibu day breeze
Can't sop for the feds, say cheese
You know they wanna take a nigga picture
Pray for the day to get ya, but I'm a parlay and stay richer for now
Jigga hasn't done dirt in a while
YOu know my stomach getin' weak from livin' on the streets for real
Tryin' to oversee it from suites, orderin' eats
At the top where the criminal minds meet
That's where the cream is (right) , that's where your dream is (well ain't
it?)
Hook:
You're only a customer (uh)
Walkin' in the presence of hustlers
You spend money all night long
"All night long" - Mary J. Blige
Verse 2:
A-yo my youth had a nigga too aggressive
I use to speed excessive, both eyes closed
No thought infested
Hittin' pot holes, cop-o's will snatch your weight
But your game most precious
Had to rethink things, is pinky ring worth
Life on the run and time served in Sing Sing
I don't know to tell the truth
If I'm pressed for doe, I got to consoul Irv Gotti y'all
Irv Gotti:
Heads got to roll
Jay-Z:
I was raised to live, Lord I pray you forgive
If not, I just handle it like Jason Kidd
What you're facin' is official (it's official)
Most cases when I"m blazin' won't miss you (won't miss you)
Case and point mad bullshitted issue
I see it to the end, my writting is so personal
My heart bleedin' out my pen, make no mistake aobut me
It's only one nigga livin', I got a half a cake about me
I got love, to make a nigga die bleedin' is nothin'
You make a motherfucker die breathin' then you sayin' somthing, beeotch
Hook (X3)
More flavor than y'all can image havin'
Graphic like Sega, Saturn, traffic like the Bodega
It just so happens, you caught me at the the tail end of my dive
My brain ain't right from inhaling the work of my life
Fuck it, 3's in ya, had to hold
D.C. high pissy off Cristle
3 G's high seasoned Bacardy, UV's
Blesses my body, we be fresh at the party
Play yourself go head if you don't no the ledge
It's like spittin' to God
Get it in your face fuckin' with niggas over your head
Take your time with me, shiftee
Use to make Coke stretch like the samplin' a 950
Shit with that, while I'm o a Kawasoki bike
At the light, doin' a pike, with a bitch on the back
And take flight, my life like it was directed by Hype
In 35 slow-mo, with the Rockafella logo
Accapoco to Arruba, bay breezes and caviar baluga
Very little loot, a loser
In the grashish blueish, Les Coup it's the root of evil in these people
Hook (X3)
YEAH!
Uh uhh uh-uhh, boom boom boom
D-R-E!
Say it with me niggaz, boom boom
And Jay-Z!
Boom boom boom boom
What the fuck?!
Boom boom boom boom
Watch me!
Jigga-Man, ya heard? Boom boom boom
Brooklyn, ya heard? Boom boom booom
Compton!
Gotti Gotti ya heard? Yo..
C'mon!
You gotta, pop that styles, rock that watch dial
See that Benz? Cop that now
Drop-that-top-down, they gon' kill us anyway
Them cops uptown hit holmes with forty-one rounds
Live yo' life, get yo' ice
She been with you since day one nigga, trick on yo' wife
Spend that dough, when in doubt, take that trip
She ain't livin for the moment homey shake that bitch
He that cool, he can't take you nowhere? Then leave that fool
Be that rude if he that cool
Save for what? Ball til your days is up
This place is fucked, all type of AIDS and such
How they make it where you afraid to fuck
They gave us drugs then turned around and investigated us
Life is short, then you on life support
so in between it all I'ma say I seen it all, watch me
Place yourself in the shoes of true felons (uh-huh)
and tell me you won't ball every chance you get (uhh, watch me)
At any, chance you hit (that's right) we live for the moment
(yo, watch, watch) Makes sense don't it? Now make dollars
(Watch me) You see me around some cheese
(Watch me) See me with hustlers around them G's
(Watch me) Blowin 'dro runnin through pounds of weed
(Watch me) At the bar baby, round's on me
(Watch me)
Watch me turn somethin out of nothin, turn platinum from gold
Watch me light the Cohiba off the Viking stove
I take an empty bank account, fill it with oh's
I take an empty building then I fill it with hoes
Watch me, cop that Coupe, shine for the ladies
have em sayin, "Damn I never seen a watch that blue"
And while they still mesmerized I pop that cooch'
Shit, law enforcement couldn't stop that dude
Guess who? Fresh off of "Volume 2"
Back at you, peep the numbers my album do
They call me Cham-pagne-hovah, wake up with a hangover
When y'all think the game's over, do the same thing over
Still with the same soldiers
Still gettin brain and it's plain ain't a thang gon' change over
Hop out the truck, hand on my cock and nuts
Who got the bank, I'm stoppin it up, watch me
Place yourself in the shoes of true felons (uh-huh)
and tell me you won't ball every chance you get (watch me)
At any, chance you hit, we live for the moment
Makes sense don't it? Now make dollars
(Watch me) You see me around some cheese
(Watch me) Hangin with hustlers around them G's
(Watch me) Blowin 'dro runnin through pounds of weed
(Watch me) At the bar bitch, round's on me
(Watch me)
Yo the watch too rocky, need shades
Continental sittin on blades, spinnin like waves
Gun too Brock-y, behave
Big shot, plus I'm feelin like Rocky these days
Ice don't melt I could ski through a heatwave
Nights won't help you see Jay, it'll be day
My shit too bright, I rip through mics
plus I push more powder than Crystal Light
Chick mad, said I hold my pistol too tight
Get a grip bitch, this how I get through life
I buy out the bar, spit Crist' through the mic
See Jigga in the 6 and all the shit you like
See Jigga givin dick to every bitch you like
I told her, "It's Jay-Day and Hit-You-Night"
You wanna, see me again you gotta get two dice
I got rules I can't hit you twice, you heard me?
Watch me
Place yourself in the shoes of true felons (uh-huh)
and tell me you won't ball every chance you get (that's right)
At any, chance you hit, we live for the moment
Makes sense don't it? Now make dollars
(Watch me) You see me around some cheese
(Watch me) See me with hustlers around them G's
(Watch me) Blowin 'dro runnin through pounds of weed
(Watch me) At the bar baby, round's on me
(Watch me)
(Watch me) You see me around some cheese
(Watch me) Hangin with hustlers around them G's
(Watch me) Blowin 'dro runnin through pounds of weed
(Watch me) At the bar bitch, round's on me
(Watch me)
Uh-huh-uh uh-uhh uh-uhh.. uh
Uh-huh-uh uh-uhh uh-uhh..
Uh-huh-uh, Jigga Jigga shit huh?
Uh-huh, uh-huh-uh, Brooklyn-Brooklyn shit huh?
(Compton) Uh-huh-uh, Gotti Gotti shit huh?
(C'mon) Uh-huh, uh-huh-uh, Lil' Rob shit huh?
(C'mon) Uh-huh-uh-UHH, Roc-a-Fella shit y'all
(C'mon) Uh-huh, uh-huh, murder murder shit y'all
Uh-huh
Blackhand Ent.
Roc-a-Fella Records
In association with the streets
The Black Gangster
In conjunction
With everything official
Yeah
I ride throught the ghetto windows down halfway
Halfway out of my mind music on 9, blasting Donny Hathaway
Me and my niggas spending half the day
Plotting, how we gon get this math with out getting balst away
I wake up to the same problems after today
Life is harsh, niggas gotta ?
Right from the start they place me in the ghetto tender age of nine
I tend to mine and to surrender to crime
Wouldnt wish this on nobody like the end of like mine
Ever since i was quite young a nigga been in divine
Had to scratch for every plaque, rap aint even all its cracked up to be
Niggas dont stack up to me
Had to hustle in a world of trouble
trapped in, clostrophobic the only way out was rapping
America dont understand it, the demographics i tapped in
I'm the truest nigga to do this nigga and anything else is foolish
Like those who stay high, under God's grey skies
My lyrics is like Bible, made to save lives
In the midst of all your misery nigga, stay fly
Never let em see you frown, even smile when you down
Shit, i floss on my off-days fuck what they all say
Niggas cant stop me like rumors, i'm too strong
All-day
Socks explode and sweatpants pockets is bulging
Holding it down on the corner with my glock holding
My spot is golden, drop the price on the coke and
Drove the competition out and let the dough flow in
The cops is closing in, i can do the time
But whats really on my mine, is there's no hoes in the pen
I play the low and try and make it hard to find me
Feds still tryna build a case since '93
I told them, i'm retired but they like whatever
You know them pigs dont wanna see you get your life together
I'm stuck in this life forever
The more things change the more they stay the same
Who am i to change the game?
You gotta move quick like her-o-in and dope can
The blocks hotter than its ever been
Once again
Hold the gun at eye level, i aint afraid of conflict
I let the nine rip, nigga say "hi" to the devil
I blind with the bezel, i'm in line with the ghetto
What yall nigga afraid of my mind or the metal
Niggas tryna subtract my life, my mathematics is precise
I carry the nine, so fucking with me just aint the answer
I cant lose when i was young i was like Fresh
Poppa raised me to chess moves
And though your gone i'm not bitter you left me prepared
We got divided by the years, but i got it from here
Dont sweat that, sounds bump from Marcy to Lefrak
To that pocket in DC where my man caught his death at
Over my years i've seen Rooks get tooken by the Knight
Lose they Crown by tryna defend a Queen
Checkmate, in 4 moves the Bobby Fischer of rap
??? in a time where we all move
Lets face it either your dough chasin, or basing
Lacing, cops got your face sprung like mason
Careful, any infultration i'm leaving niggas
Leaving more than just information
Real shit
The Black Gangsta
Blackhand Ent.
Roc a Fella
Never interrupt this thing of ours
The Black Ganagsa
Jigga
Hova
Uh-huh, uh
Jigga man, uh-huh MC
ThatÒs right
Swizz Beatz
Uh, uh, come on
It's the things that you do
That make me feel so...
(Come on, inhale, exhale, breathe on it for me)
And I don't know the way I feel
I can explain
(Uh)
I love you
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
(Bounce, bounce)
It's the things that you do
That make me feel so..
(Exhale breathe on it for me)
And I don't know the way I feel
I can explain (Yeah)
I love you
(Uh come on)
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
You know the flow sicka, know Jigga, mo' sicka now right
You know what me and Swizz's shit sound like
Crazed and demonic, uh without blazin chronic
Product of Reaganomics
You know that motherfuckin stoop raised me
Ringin in da hoops but I was too lazy
School made me sick, teachers said I was too crazy
Low and behold, it's the new and improved Jay-Z
Let me explain this to you baby
I spent nights out, days in
Niggaz was blazing, twelve noon where I was raised in
I felt caged in but kept roaming
Prayed for the Day of Atonement
Married to the streets no date of annulment
It seems every time it comes up
They postpone it
So I kept my chrome at the waist
Waiting for the omen
Savoring the moment and now you know
The reason that I flow the way I flow baby
It's the things that you do
(Uh, inhale, exhale, breathe on it)
That make me feel so..
And I don't know the way I feel
I can explains
I love you
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
(Bounce, shake, bounce, shake)
It's the things that you do
That make me feel so..
(Uh, exhale, breathe on it for me)
And I don't know the way I feel I can explain (Uh)
I love you
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
(Drop, bounce, yo)
You know I move like an ounce
Bottled up like crack
That's how I make you bounce like that
Defy Webster's words they can't pronounce like that
That's why no other rapper got a sound like that
Trap, trap of my life
Flashback, kill niggaz
Rap skills unmatched, Jigga man baby
I can't entertain it sometimes I can't explain it
God given, gifts of a soul for hard living
Far be it from me to question Allah's wisdom
Could've been lost in the system
Instead I'm involved with the rhythm
I dodged prison, came out unscathed from car collisions
I know I must be part of some mission
Shit I used take it for granted
Why they placed me on this planet
I would ask myself while writin raps to myself
But right there under my nose
Was the flow of all flows
Not a demon but a rose in the cement, come on
It's the things that you do
That make me feel so..
(Inhale, exhale, breathe on it MC)
And I don't know the way I feel
I can explain
(Uh)
I love you
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
(Bounce, shake, shake it, uh)
It's the things that you do
That make me feel so..
(Exhale, uh)
And I don't know the way I feel I can explain
I love you
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
(Lights out nigga)
You know I've traveled through zones
Homes spazzed like a bad back
I came into this game on Jaz's back
I jumped off stood on my own two like boom, that's that
Yeah I'm here to show and prove
Don't matter to me the Garden or flowin on Clue
Whatever niggas wanna do - it's alright with me
Whether you big or bossy, jig or flossy
Dusty or musty, sober or saucy
Broker than Todd Bridges, richer than Bill Cosby
Forgive me for my arrogance or you still salty?
Past on to the next life and you still haunt me
I'mma keep doing me unfortunately
I make the club rock, make thugs pop guns
Make old folks do the bus stop; can't stop son
Shit I give you what's hot and what's not, I never knew
Y'all (niggas) know (niggas) how (niggas) do
It's the things that you do that make me feel so..
(Uh, exhale, inhale)
And I don't know the way I feel
I can explain
I love you
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
(Uh, bounce, shake, what? uh-huh)
It's the things that you do that make me feel so..
(Uh-huh, inhale, exhale)
And I don't know the way I feel I can explain
I love you
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
(Bounce, shake ladies)
It's the things that you do that make me feel so..
(Uh-huh, breathe for me, uh, uh-huh)
And I don't know the way I feel
I can explain
(Uh)
I love you
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
(Lights out niggas)
It's the things that you do that make me feel so..
And I don't know the way I feel I can explain
I love you
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
It's the things that you do that make me feel so..
And I don't know the way I feel I can explain
I love you
You thug look at what you make the clubs do
It's the things that you do that make me feel so..
And I don't know the way I feel I can explain
I love you
How can you fairly assess something from the outside looking in?
There's gotta be them times you'll be wrong. Nah Mean?
How can a mother fucka go round and hate a nigga
he never even met that he dont even know and shit?
I think this rap shit is all beef
Y'all dont even know every day I'm livin with stress
Got up out the streets you think a nigga could rest
Can't even enjoy myself at a party unless
I'm on the dance floor hot ass vest
You think I'm freakin' these chicks right?
I'try not to brush against they chest
You get a lawsuit for shit like that, I feel trapped
Swear to everything when I leave this earth
It's gon' be on both feet, never knees in the dirt
You could try me fucka but when I squeeze it hurts, fine
We'll lose two lives, yours and mines
Gimme any amount of time dont let Ms. Carter grieve
at the funeral parlor drippin' tears on my sleeve
Told the judge didn't budge it was him or me
and I ain't trying to be hard but I'm guilty as charged
Put my mercy on this court and my faith in God
And pray hard none of my nephews wanna be stars...Lucky Me
You only know what you see,
You dont understand what it takes to be me.
I hate all girls with alterior motives
That's why I'm twenty plus years old, no sons no daughters
Hate putting my life in the hands of fake promoters
Hear the hate in my voice right? I hate that you noticed
Niggas wanna strip to the bone for shit you own
Hate a nigga like that faggot, get your own
Hate that I can't roam the street without the clip and chrome
Knowing one day Im'a have to flip, c'mon
You know the shit don't stop 'til the Crist don't pop
And you have to kill a nigga and your wrist don't lock
I'm trapped the whole worlds against me in fact,
It aint no turning back. Bring It On
Hate the price of fame cause it cost too much
Can I live without y'all niggas saying I floss too much?
Hate the way you make this hate flow all through us
Steady looking for flaws through us.... Lucky Me
You only know what you see,
You dont understand what it takes to be me
You only know what you see,
(Since I was 4 years old, I been told, everything that glitters ain't gold)
You dont understand what it takes to be me
(And now that I've arrived
I see those truths unfold before my eyes in this world so cold)
Nigga see you in the street, pretend to be friendly
But I know any type of success breeds envy
I know in the back of your mind your conjuring ways to hen me
Leave my friends in a circle pouring out Henny
But G's is heaven bound so how I'm gon' receive
Anything y'all pour to the ground next time throw it up
And ain't nothing changed so even in my afterlife I show it up
Dont grieve for me my art remains
like a dart from the speaker to your heart
Spiritually through the portal now my words as a mortal
Plan to leave without a fight I plant a seed I give life
Though I can't see past the girls greed to call her wife
Next time your thinking heist better be precise
Cause I'm fully prepared. One of us is gon' leave here
I have no regrets even though I wanna see grow
Woo! Uhh, uhh
It's "The Gift & the Curse"
Uhh, uhh yea
First they love me then they hate me then they love me again
.. they love me again
Let's take a trip down.. I gotcha
Let's take a trip down memory, lane at the cemetary
Rain grey skies, seems at the end of every
young black life is this line, "Damn - him already?
Such a good kid," got us pourin Henn' already
Liquor to the curb for my, niggaz up above
When it, cracks through the pavement that's my way of sendin love
So, give Big a hug, tell Aa-liyah I said hi
'Til the next time I see her, on the other side
He was just some thug that, caught some slugs
And we loved him cause, in him we, saw some of us
He walked like ussss, talked like ussss
His back against the wall, nigga fought like us - damn
Poor Isis, that's his momma name
Momma ain't strong enough to raise no boy, what's his father name?
Shorty never knew him, though he had his blood in him
Hot temper, momma said he act just like her husband
Daddy never fucked with him, so the streets raised him
Isis blamin herself, she wish she coulda saved him
Damn near impossible, only men can raise men
He was his own man, not even him can save him
He put his faith in her, thirty-eight in his waist
But when you live by the gun you die by the same fate
End up, dead before thirty-eight and umm
That's the life of us raised by winter, it's a cold world
Old girl turned to coke, tried to smoke her pain away
Isis, life just, ended on that rainy day
When she got the news her boy body could be viewed
down at the City Morgue, opened the drawer, saw him nude
Her addiction grew, prescription drugs, shift and brew
Angel dust, dipped in WOO!
She slipped into, her own fantasy world
Had herself pregnant by a different dude
But reality bites and, this is her life
He wasn't really her husband, though he called her wife
It was just this night when, moon was full
And the stars were just right, and the dress was real tight
Had her soundin like Lisa Lisa - I wonder if I take you home
will you still love me after this night?
Mike was the hardhead from the around the way
that she wanted all her life, shit she wanted all the hype
Used to hold on tight when he wheelied on the bike
He was a Willie all her life he wasn't really the one to like
It was a, dude named Shy who would really treat her right
He wanted to run to the country to escape the city life
But I-sis, like this, Broadway life
She loved the Gucci sneakers, the red green and whites
Hangin out the window when she first seen him fight
She was so turned on that she had to shower twice
How ironic it would, be some fight that
turned into a homicide that'll alter their life
See Mike at thirty-two was still on the scene
Had a son fifteen that he never saw twice
Sure he saw him as an infant, but he dissed on him like
"If that was my son, he would look much different.
See I'm light-skinnded and that baby there's dark
so it's, momma's baby; poppa's maybe."
Mike was still crazy out there runnin the streets (fuck niggaz want?)
Had an older but light with thirty-eight gun in his reach
It's been fourteen years, him and Isis ain't speak
He runnin around like life's a peach, 'til one day
he approached this thug that, had a mean mug
And it looked so familiar that he called him "Young Cuz"
Told him, get off the strip but the boy ain't budge (fuck you)
Instead he pulled out a newer thirty-eight snub
He clearly had the drop but the boy just paused (hold up)
There was somethin in this man's face he knew he seen before
It's like, lookin in the mirror seein hisself more mature
And he took it as a sign from the almighty Lord
You know what they say about he who hesitates in war
(What's that?) He who hesitates is lost
He can't explain what he saw before his picture went blank
The old man didn't think he just followed his instinct
Six shots into his kid, out of the gun
Niggaz be a father, you're killin your son
Six shots into his kid, out of the gun
Niggaz be a father, you killin your sons
IT AIN'T FOR EVERYBODY!
(Uhhhh) Welcome to Hollywood baby
(Take a picture) Uh huh
You coming with? (Let's not even talk about it)
Let's do it (Let's Go!)
(Uh huh) I see your jealousy as you watching
(I see you watching me baby) You watching (Its's all good)
It's kinda sexy to me how you watching (I love it) You watching
(Uh huh come on)
I see your face (I see your face)
You wanna touch it (You wanna touch it)
Come to my place (Come to the crib)
And let's discuss it (Let's chop it up)
Tonight you'll be (Tonight you gon' be a superstar baby)
a superstar
come let me sign you up
(let's get into it)
Ooh it's the lights (You blinded by the)
Action! (You need that)
Hollywood
Ooh it's the lights (You blinded by the)
Satisfaction! (You need that)
Hollywood
(Uh huh come on)
Paparazzi spots me
In the lobby
Of my high-rise
I hide
Behind my shades
Cause the fame is blinding my eyes
My god
I know how Ozzie Oz
Once had felt when he was as high
As I have got
I have got
To make this stop
People often warn me
That the fame ain't for the vain if heart
It'll change those
Who they had love for you
Into strangers
When your fame starts
It's a chain reaction
Locomotion like when the train departs
Stranger
Things have happened
Rapping
Stacking
Platinum plaquin'
Born in Brooklyn got a place in Manhattan
Going back to Brooklyn
To escape the madness
When your friends is
Chris and Gwyneth
When your girl is more famous
Then you then is
Time to get all your windows tinted
Keep your eyes squinted
It's gon' flash any minute
The music biz is like musical chairs
Its about where you standing when the music stop spinning
In a
You got to get it
oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh
Do you want it
oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh
But you don't need it
oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh
What do you do (now that you got what you want)
oh oh oh
What do you do (oh you want more?)
oh oh oh
Hey mista
Pay sixa
A lista
You're in the mist of
The ride of your life
But you gotta keep them hits up
Can't put your guard down
Gotta keep your mitts up
Take a sip sir
It's so in toxicating
ain't it
Try not pick you jaded
Hollywood's been good to ya
Startin' feel like birds to ya
Don't lie
Gon' fly
You addicted to the lights
Without the fame
How you gon survive
It's like livin on
Heroine
You so high
And everybody warning you about it (Try to told you)
And once you taste you can't live without it (It's addictive)
Not cause you choose to not live without it (Sure you want this baby)
It's now a part of you (It's a part of you)
It's now a part of you
And everybody warning you about it (I see you blinded)
And once you taste you can't live
Ooh it's the lights (It's the lights)
Action! (Action)
Hollywood (Hollywood)
Ooh it's the lights (Satisfaction)
Satisfaction! (So addictive)
(Hey) Hollywood (Hollywood)
Wanna be seen
Male groupies
What you once despised
James Dean
John Belushi
Blow your whole life
Tryna live in the lights
Heroins followin Marilyn
Hoppin' over the edge
just like Janice Joplin
River Phoenix
Jimi Hendrix
All of them ended by
Hollywood
Thank God for Hollywood
Hollywood
Sure you want this baby?
(Oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh)
Hollywood
Most addicted drug in the world
Want the fame
Want the lights
Dear God, how can I explain myself?
Oh God, bless me indeed when I'm so confused
Enlarge my territory
Place Your love and protection over me at all times
Help me
Keep me away from evil, somebody answer me
Allow me not to cause pain
Police in the background, screamin', "Put the thing down"
That's how hard I was trying to put my thing down
Sirens ringin' out, old ladies screamin' out
All this attention for me and I'm barely sixteen now
It's feelin' like a dream now
Handcuffed, roughed up, I'm tossed in the bing now
I'm lyin' next to fiends now, that's the end of the story
Let me bring y'all niggaz back to the very first scene now
December 4th, a child is born
Before I knew it, had my pops trousers on
That's how we do it when the man of the house is gone
You either stand or fall, I chose to stand
The hawk outside, so I blow my hand
It's a cold, cold world but I overstand
Tryin' to stay focused but I feel hopeless damn
Can't cope with bein' broke, I'm a man, c'mon
Son, don't let these streets, get the best of you
I will be right by your side, when you goin' through
Son, just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Get the best of you
Late one night I was rollin' the streets
Just thinkin' about what's goin' on with me
And trapped in this thug life, tryin' to break free
But this thug life just keeps callin' me
I'm livin' life way too dangerously
I'm drownin' in my misery
Looked in the mirror, there's my enemy
'Cause poppa never was a part of me
"Take one step at a time", mama said
Sweet memories still remain in my head
All of my life been lied to, misled
Voices be like, "Don't you wish you was dead?"
No ground to place my feet, I feel the fire under me
A way out is all I need, somebody, answer me
Son, don't let these streets, get the best of you
I will be right by your side, when you goin' through
Son, just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Get the best of you
Now the only thing left is more spirit to roam free
'Cause ain't no goin' home for me
It's a cold, cold world but I blew my hand
A true first 'cause I knew that man
I knew what he would do if I didn't draw first
And I couldn't stand the thought of
My momma steppin' foot inside a church
All I try to do is try to get up out the dirt
Guess, he's tryin' to do the same
Told me, get up out his turf
I wanted to talk to him but that shit'd never work
We was cut from the same cloth
And what was under his shirt was his momma's rent
His young brother's clothes, my nephew's food
And with that I suppose and with that I froze
Now my life is frozen in time behind these iron folds
And this story is told for young soldiers
Who never choose the life we chose
Son, don't let these streets, get the best of you
I will be right by your side, when you goin' through
Son, just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Get the best of you
Tears in my eyes as I look up
I'm tryin' to hold back my pride but reality is screamin'
Gotta get a job 'cause momma also screamin'
Streets are just like drugs and it's like I'm out here fiendin'
Forget all the hits in the industry
'Cause ain't no exceptions in this game for me
Look, neither God or my enemies
I choose God 'cause He understands
This young man with a thuggish heart
Whole world in his hands but still torn apart
Like I'm so close but it's still so far
Nightmares of me in a swervin' car, oh
No ground to place my feet
(My feet)
I feel the fire under me
(Hey)
A way out is all I need
(All I need)
Somebody answer me
Son, don't let these streets, get the best of you
I will be right by your side, when you goin' through
Son, just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
Just don't let it
(Just don't let it)
You know how we do, Roc-a-Fella... forever... You can catch me
skatin through your town puttin it down y'all relatin
No waitin I'll make your block infrared hot I'm like Satan
Y'all feel a nigga's struggle, y'all think a nigga love to
hustle behind the wheel, tryin to escape my trouble
kids stop they greetin me, I'm talkin sweet to keys
Cursin the very God, that bought this wreath to be
My life is, based on sacrifices, jewels like ices
and fools that think I slip, you fuck around
you get your guys hit, they built me to be filthy
on some I-do-or-die shit, for real
The price of leather's got me, deeper than ever and
just think, with this here, I'm tryin to feel made nig-ga
Politics as us-ual... I took my
Frito to Tito in the district, blessed me with some
VS somethins I can live with, stop frontin
And for the dough I raise, gotta get shit appraised
No disrespect to you, make sure you word is true
I'm takin wages down in Vegas just in case Tyson
have a major night off, that's clean money, the tax write-off
You ain't seen money in your life, when it
comes to this cheese y'all like Three Blind Mice
A smokin bro, who pump Willie Ike spokes
The furthest you Chiles been is the Pocanos
My portfolio reads: leads to Don Corleone, nigga please
Ten year feleon, heavy on the wrist, our face used
with the diamond blooded Jesus and blind your face
youse for life... sharight, Jigga, I keep it tight nig-ga
Politics as us-ual...
You feel my triumph never, feel my pain I'm lyin
Low in the leather Zion, the best that's ever came
The game changes like, my mind just ain't right
We 'gwan get this dough, I guess it ain't your night
Suckin me in like a vacumn, I remember
tellin my family I'll be back soon, that was December
Eighty-five and, Jay-Z rise ten years later
got me wise still can't break my underworld ties
I wear black a lot, in the Ac', act a lot
Got matchin VCR's, a huge Magnavox
to nitch, green like spinach pop wines that's vintage
It's a lot of big money in my sentence
Hittin towards a mil', lip a, written I kill like that
chick faked me one-two cat, yeah, I do dat
Ain't no stoppin the champagne from poppin
the drawers from droppin, the law from watchin, I hate em
Yo, Duro, tell Rob to hurry up back in the booth, man
We got the Track joint
Yo, this Tone the referee, while I got your attention
I gotta we set out to bring you the best possible heat
For your two step, me, Jigga and Kells
You know, so y'all just enjoy, aight
Yo, Rob you there? (Yeah) Your mic sound nice (uh-huh uh-huh)
You first to blow (yeah) Ight, you ready to blow (uh-huh)
Aight, let's go
Hold up, wait a minute, stop
Jigga, I'm about to put the shit down
Hold up, wait a minute, stop
I'm about to, make these niggaz get down
Hold up, wait a minute, stop
Guaranteed, these niggaz gonna feel us
Hold up, wait a minute, stop
Tone and Poke, blow the motherfuckin' speakers
Grab a bottle, get two models
Thugs at Apollo's, niggaz wanna follow
I'm about to show you, how wild it gets
That nigga Hov', is the craziest
Stop at the club, bout a quarter to six
With a bottle in my hand, yellin' "Bitch, I'm rich"
Hey, y'all niggaz see me, I can't believe it
You startin' to sound like, you don't want it
Tony's on the drop, blue and yellow rocks
He keep yellin', stop, Sisqo's album flopped
What you wanna do, if you drinkin', I'm hangin' out with you
Five, four, three, two, one
Hang on y'all, let's have some fun
It's Young... uh, mack alone, I'm back in the zone
I'm out they way, still these rappers won't leave me alone
I can give a fuck what these rappers sayin' bout me
That just let's me know, they can't go a day without me
Scared of me succeading, that's the reason you doubt me
Cuz if you ain't believe me, you wouldn't be thinkin' bout me
Sorta how like you, never crossed my mind
Until you crossed the line, stop...
Then I gotta come accross a rhyme
To let the world know you come across a mime
I do so much sauce with lines, with someone who saws my climb
From Marcy to party, where you soakin' up blue nine
Prude, am I, got a du-lema, I'm a dude from the hood
Who loves jewels, who am I?
You where placed in the same shoes, size 10/5
With a sick view, of the place you grew, dude, can I
Live, what I did, for this whole rap circus
I open up more doors for y'all fuckers than car service
Ya'll nervous, I ain't back yet
I'm on extended vaca', I ain't unpack yet, stop worrying
Five, four, three, two, one
Hang on y'all, let's have some fun
Shit, she back with the nigga inf dot
Uh-oh, somebody better tell this broad
I'm a nine year veteran, I'm back with my breathren
I sware to god, it feel like '96 again
Bitches snatchin' bags, see, they fuckin' with my shit again
We bout to let them hammers pop
In the 'Stuy, dudes, callin', you a problem, Fox'
I got the automore pierre watch
Butterscotch, GT, good toe on, three eight cock
Ya'll ain't see this much love since they cried for 'Pac
Since Big passed, or since Jay passed the Roc
I'm in a clearport, full length mink in a G4
Fuck I'm lookin' like rhyming for a hundred g's, for?
No, I don't talk to media guys
I don't chatter with the best, ain't no question whose the best
Shawn and Kelly, Fox, best of both worlds, I see y'all
Aiyo, Kel, nigga, holler at your peoples
Five, four, three, two, one
Mmm, you don't understand now be..cause you're cryin, and you hurt
You'll understand soon enough.. soon enough
Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll un-der-stand
You're my best friend's sister, grown woman and all
But you see how I am around girls; I ruin 'em all
Plus your mom call me son, around you since I was small
Shit I watched you mature - nah, this ain't right
But still when your boyfriend ditched you, life's a bitch you cried
Over my right shoulder I told you to wipe your eyes
Take your time when you likin a guy
Cause if he sense that your feelings too intense, it's pimp or die
I bought you earrings on your birthday
Drove you to college your first day
It must be sad, though it hurts to say
We could never be a item, don't even like him
You deserve better - this is ugly; Gina, please don't love me
There's better guys out there other than me
(You need a lawyer or a doctor or somebody like that you know)
Like a lawyer or a doctor with a Ph.D
Think of how upset your mother and brother would be
if they found that you was huggin me
My conscience is fuckin with me
Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll un-der-stand
Man, I look in the eyes of a..
this.. a kid that stole life and me together..
We're tryin, really tryin to make it work
I'm young, and I ain't ready, and I told you
Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll un-der-stand
It ain't like, I ain't tell you from day one, I ain't shit
When it comes to relationships, I don't have the patience
Now it's too late, we got a little life together
and in my mind I really want you to be my wife forever
But in the physical it's like I'ma be trife forever
A different girl every night forever; told you to leave
but you're stubborn and you love him and,
no matter what despite all the fuckin and the cheatin,
you still won't leave him, now you're grievin
And I feel bad, believe me
But I'm young and I ain't ready, and this ain't easy
Wasn't fair to tell you to wait, so I told you to skate
You chose not to, now look at the shit we gotta go through
Doin a fight, throw in a fuss, you the mother of my baby
I don't want you to hate me, this is about us
Rather me; I ain't ready to be what you want me to be
Because I love you, I want you to leave, please
Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll un-der-stand
Mm... listen ma
I mean, I seen you workin two or three jobs
Daddy left... I I thought I was makin things better
I made it worse
Let him hold you, let him touch you
Soon you'll un-der-stand
Dear ma, I'm in the cell, lonely as hell
Writin this scribe, thinkin bout how you must feel inside
You tried to teach me better, but I refused to grow
God damn I ain't the young man that you used to know
You said the street claim lives, but I wanted things like
bling bling ice I was wrong in hindsight
Shit we grew apart, try to blame it on your new spouse
I know it hurt like hell the day you kicked me out
But your house is your house, I ain't respect the rules
I brought crack past your door, beefed with rival crews
And who wants to be the mother of a son who sold drugs
Co-workers saw me on the corner slingin Larry Love
Meanwhile, you workin hard like, two or three jobs
Tryin to feed me and my siblings, makin an honest livin
Who am I kiddin I, call myself easin the load
I made the load heavy, I need money for commissary
Try to understand, please
Let him hold you, let him touch you
The most incredible baby
Uhh - mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
Yeah, yeah.. uhh
I can't see 'em comin down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
I can't see 'em comin down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
Good dudes - I know you love me like cooked food
Even though a nigga got move like a crook move
We was together on the block since free lunch
We shoulda been together havin 4 Seasons brunch
We used to use umbrellas to face the bad weather
So now we travel first class to change the forecast
Never in bunches, just me and you
I loved your point of view cause you held no punches
Still I left you for months on end
It's been months since I checked back in
Well somewhere in a small town, somewhere lockin a mall down
Woodgrain, four and change, Armor All'd down
I can understand why you want a divorce now
Though I can't let you know it, pride won't let me show it
Pretend to be heroic, that's just one to grow with
But deep inside a nigga so sick
I can't see 'em comin down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
I can't see 'em comin down my eyes
So I gotta let the song cry
I can't see it comin down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
I can't see it comin down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
On repeat, the CD of Big's "Me and My Bitch"
Watchin Bonnie and Clyde, pretendin to be that shit
Empty gun in your hand sayin, "Let me see that clip"
Shoppin sprees, pull out your Visa quick
A nigga had very bad credit, you helped me lease that whip
You helped me get the keys to that V dot 6
We was so happy poor but when we got rich
That's when our signals got crossed, and we got flipped
Rather mine, I don't know what made me leave that shit
Made me speed that quick, let me see - that's it
It was the cheese helped them bitches get amnesia quick
I used to cut up they buddies, now they sayin they love me
Used to tell they friends I was ugly and wouldn't touch me
Then I showed up in that dubbed out buggy
And then they got fussy and they don't remember that
And I don't remember you..
I can't see it comin down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
I can't see it comin down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
Yeah I seen 'em comin down your eyes
But I gotta make the song cry
I can't see it comin down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
A face of stone, was shocked on the other end of the phone
Word back home is that you had a special friend
So what was oh so special then?
You have given away without gettin at me
That's your fault, how many times you forgiven me?
How was I to know that you was plain sick of me?
I know the way a nigga livin was whack
But you don't get a nigga back like that!
Shit I'm a man with pride, you don't do shit like that
You don't just pick up and leave and leave me sick like that
You don't throw away what we had, just like that
I was just fuckin them girls, I was gon' get right back
They say you can't turn a bad girl good
But once a good girl's goin bad, she's gone forever..
I'll mourn forever
Shit I gotta live with the fact I did you wrong forever
I can't see 'em comin down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
I can't see 'em comin down my eyes
So I gotta let the song cry
I know I seen 'em comin down your eyes
But I gotta make the song cry
I can't see 'em comin down my eyes
So I gotta make the song cry
That nigga let his fuckin flow go
Niggaz tryin to switch up the flows on niggaz
Hit niggaz, slip niggaz with a micky
Drop that joint
Yeah yeah (it's the remix y'all)
Like a muh'fucker (oh yeah)
Whassup my nigga (and still hot up in that boy, ain't it man)
(Yo Jay, Kel, fin' ta set it off for y'all)
C'mon
It's, the, remix
TrackMaster remix y'all, Kels and Jigga
Big chips with Twista y'all, get this money
I, heard the ballers when I pulled up to the club
Cause I'm rollin up on fo' flickers
Peanut-butter interior, black body
And in case you didn't know, I be the Twista
Hundred bombs in my pockets, put your ones up
I hear some niggaz lookin at me for the come up
Try to creep creep, I pull a gun up
I put a hole in the first nigga that run up
The ballers be Jay, R, and T
Spit it cold cause the music is a part of me
Can't nobody spit it fast as me
Got an academy of haters comin after me
I know I got what you want, I know I got what you need
Come and mob to the top before you get, this, money
Pull up on the block in the alien gray Bentley
Full of sport modes, you never could hang with me
Just to get in early, I paid a extra 50
Gettin that money my nigga
Oh-five Chrysler, trees for the blunts
Three hoes in the back, two fiends in the front
Twenty-two inch shoes, CV's in the trunk
Gettin that money my nigga
Makin dough off a style I be the best in
Glad to be down with these two livin legends
Now let me see which league I'ma invest in
Gettin that money my nigga
Rollin this cheer, put the niggaz in fear
Makin bitches shed tears, take a look at my career
Now the shit's swell; when I get up to 70 in the Coupe
Peep the wing when I hope out the tail - tell 'em Kel
We off up in the club, we got our hands up
Drinks in the club because we gettin that money my nigga
We rollin 24's, open them Bentley do's
Got plenty hoes because we gettin that money my nigga
Pull up to the club, chicks in the back
Some smokin on weed, some sippin Co-gnac
Into the club, whole crew to the back
Super the stars make it sharp as a tack
Gotta have my forty-five inch in it
In the house, from the gate, twenty minutes
Game over and I'm still not finished
I play haters like V play tennis
Livin like a motherfuckin Richie Rich nigga
Got a butler for my Maybach nigga
White linen, smokin ci-gar
Lyrics like bullets, tongue like a trigger
Feelin on your booty
Tryin to get one of these nice ladies
to come up to my room and do, me
Have her man like who's, he
Was a pimp at birth, first ho was a nurse
And I'ma be a pimp 'til I'm stretches in a hearse
Sometimes showbiz is the worst
I'm blessed with "The Gift & The Curse," whoa
Shoot ball, now I'm off to the spa
Fresh and clean, now I'm off in the car
Got a date with a superstar
We take lunch, now twelve o'clock
Hit the mall bout two o'clock
In the movies bout five o'clock
Seven o'clock 'til nine o'clock
we in my crib, my bed, goin non-stop
This for my project niggaz, widebody Mo' sippers
Pimps hustlers herb flippers, get, this, money
Gettin this money switchin my whips and my kicks
Like I'm just addicted to difference you pick what you want from me
To be a, lame with visions of riches, enter my brain
Like I picture myself in deep dishes, just switchin lanes
It's just insane, is it? I'm from the district where niggaz
either in prison or pay visits like in-laws
So we fend for ourself, and the wealth is in raw
We can't help but been lost, what else gon' make that engine roar?
Lay back in 745, big boy cars, that's all we drive
Into the club we get all the eyes when you gettin that money my nigga
TrackMaster remix y'all, Kels and Jigga
I thought this was America people!
Uhh, yeah, guilty until proven innocent huh?
That's how we workin huh? Okay
Before me there was many; after me there will be none
I am the one
Uh-huh, okay, I see how we playin
Yeah, I get it down - anxiously the public can't wait
Niggaz had to have it way before it's release date
Jigga get irate, press get it fucked up
Took me one point eight but I had to get it straight
Get the CD, twelve inch vinyl, get the tape
Jigga give out food for thought dog, get a plate
I get it down, get it krunk when I get in the state of mind
that what's mine is mine, nobody get to take
I don't bend, break, fold, scratch, go down
My mental rolodex see these words? I just don't know
I know stress, drama, niggaz upsettin my mama
Arrested, put in the lineup, tryin to put dents in my armor
But I'm a survivor, plus I'm liver than most
Out on bail, fifty thou', still ridin with toast
I ain't tryin to collide with folk,
but I don't want folk takin Jigga for joke
I guess you niggaz just woke - good morning!
You can't touch me, no you can't touch me
Jigga, Kelly, not guilty
Try to charge me but I'm not guilty
I got, all, my mamis
I've got all of my mamis
Tell me, what you, want from me
Tell me.. what y'all want from me?
I'm not guilty
I see how you comin at me now, I'm cool
I'm not the snitch I don't go to the cops to get rich
.. I go to the block and pitch
I go with the glock and click, I go with the pop I'm sick
I go with you hard; I ain't gon' stop for shit
Look in my eyes dog, right in my pupils
If I'm your rival, why would I have to do you?
Press try to throw dirt on my name, disturbin my game
Seemed happy when they heard he was arraigned, glad he's indichted
Got big money, big lawyers to fight it
Just like Cochran, cocksuckers you never see me boxed in
Y'all all knnow it, Jigga's a fighter
Plus I'm clausterphobic, back on the streets before you know it
And my word niggaz, I heard you niggaz
I'm address each and every one of you cocksuckers
Fuck the white press, the block love us, hip-hop forever
B.I.G. is here, the soul of Tupac hovers - above us
You can't touch me, no you can't touch me
Jigga, Kelly, not guilty
Try to charge me but I'm not guilty
I got, all, my mamis
I've got all of my mamis
Tell me, what you, want from me
Tell me.. (I am the one)
What you want from me? Not guilty
Uhh, okay, you on my radar, I got you too bitch
Got lame bitches tryin to fuck with my case
Same lame bitch I bust in her face
Honey just mad I got her fuckin replaced
Plus a birthday pass without me even touchin my safe
But I ain't gon' lie, the head was sick
But what we need to do, is put that mouth on a betta bitch
You heart the rhetorhic, Jigga hit me over the head
with a champagne bottle at the bar, can he buy me a car?
Naw, how do y'all equate your pain
Would it all go away if I bought you a Range?
I got one or two of those, nothin gon' change
For nothin else, you gotta live with yourself
Try and lie on Hov' cause I ride on the road
in what, most would describe as a Rolls
NO, that's that Continental T
The only car that fit intercontinental me, not guilty
You can't touch me, no you can't touch me
Jigga, Kelly, not guilty
And you wanna charge me, when I'm not guilty
I got, all, my mamis
(I am the one) I've got all of my mamis
Tell me, what you, want from me
Tell me.. what you want from me?
Not guilty
I, am, the, one
Y'all, cats, can't touch me
So you can't touch me nigga, you can't touch me
Jigga, Kelly, not guilty
Said Jigga, Kelly, not guilty
I got, all, my mamis
And I got, all my, mamis
Tell me, what you, want from me
I don't, know why, y'all can't see that
Y'all, cats, can't touch me
Y'all, dudes, can't touch me
Jigga, Kelly, not guilty
Jigga, Kelly, not guilty
I got, all, my mamis
I got, all my, mamis
Tell me, what you, want from me
So tell me, what you, want from me
Y'all, cats, can't touch me
Y'all, niggaz, can't touch me
Jigga, Kelly, not guilty
Jigga, Kelly, not guilty
I got, all, my mamis
And I got, all my, mamis
Tell me, what you, want from me
So tell me, what you, want from me
Y'all, cats, can't touch me
Jigga, Kelly, not guilty
I got, all, my mamis
Tell me, what you, want from me
Girls I love you.. I love all y'all
Hehehe, hehehe, f'real
I love girls, girls, girls, girls
Girls, I do adore
Yo put your number on this paper cause I would love to date ya
Holla at ya when I come off tour, yeah
I got this Spanish chica, she don't like me to roam
So she call me cabron plus marricon
Said she likes to cook rice so she likes me home
I'm like, "Un momento" - mami, slow up your tempo
I got this black chick, she don't know how to act
Always talkin out her neck, makin her fingers snap
She like, "Listen Jigga Man, I don't care if you rap
You better - R-E-S-P-E-C-T me"
I got this French chick that love to french kiss
She thinks she's Bo Derek, wear her hair in a twist
My, cherie amor, t£ est belle
Merci, you fine as fuck but you givin me hell
I got this indian squaw the day that I met her
Asked her what tribe she with, red dot or feather
She said all you need to know is I'm not a ho
And to get with me you better be Chief Lots-a-Dough
Now that's Spanish chick, French chick, indian and black
That's fried chicken, curry chicken, damn I'm gettin fat
Arroz con pollo, french fries and crepe
An appetitite for destruction but I scrape the plate
I love
Girls, girls, girls, girls (uh-huh)
Girls, I do adore
Yo put your number on this paper cause I would love to date ya
Holla at ya when I come off tour
I love girls, girls, girls, girls
Girls all over the globe
I come scoop you in that Coupe, sittin on deuce-zeroes
Fix your hair in the mirror, let's roll - c'mon
I got this young chick, she so immature
She like, "Why you don't buy me Reeboks no more?"
Like to show out in public, throw tantrums on the floor
Gotta toss a couple dollars, just to shut up her holla
Got a project chick, that plays her part
And if it goes down y'all that's my heart
Baby girl so thorough she been with me from the start
Hid my drugs from the NARCs, hid my guns by the parts
I got this model chick that don't cook or clean
But she dress her ass off and her walk is mean
Only thing wrong with ma she's always on the scene
God damn she's fine but she parties all the time
I get frequent flier mileage from my stewardess chick
She look right in that tight blue dress, she's thick
She gives me extra pillows and seat back love
So I had to introduce her to the Mile High Club
Now that's young chick, stewardess, project and model
That means I fly rough early, plus I know Tahoe
That means I'm new school, pop pills and stay in beef
But I never have a problem with my first class seat
I love
Girls, girls, girls, girls
Girls, I do adore
Yo put your number on this paper cause I would love to date ya
Holla at ya when I come off tour
I love girls, girls, girls, girls
Girls all over the globe
I come scoop you in that Coupe, sittin on deuce-zeroes
Fix your hair in the mirror, let's roll
I got this paranoid chick, she's scared to come to the house
A hypochondriac who says ouch before I whip it out
Got a chick from Peru, that sniff Peru
She got a cousin at customs that get shit through
Got this weedhead chick, she always catch me doin shit
Crazy girl wanna leave me but she always forgets
Got this Chinese chick, had to leave her quick'
Cause she kept bootleggin my shit - man
I got this African chick with Eddie Murphy on her skull
She like, "Jigga Man, why you treat me like animal?"
I'm like excuse me Ms. Fufu, but when I met your ass
you was dead broke and naked, and now you want half
I got this ho that after twelve million sold
Mami's a narcolyptic, always sleepin on Hov'
Gotta tie the back of her head like Deuce Bigalow
I got so many girls across the globe..
I love girls, girls, girls, girls
Girls, I do adore
Yo put your number on this paper cause I would love to date ya
Holla at ya when I come off tour
I love girls, girls, girls, girls
Girls all over the globe
I come scoop you in that Coupe, sittin on deuce-zeroes
Fix your hair in the mirror, let's roll
I love girls, girls, girls, girls
Girls, I do adore
Yo put your number on this paper cause I would love to date ya
Holla at ya when I come off tour
I love girls, girls, girls, girls
You can't roll a blunt to this one
You gotta, you gotta well, ya gotta light a J
You gotta puff a J on this one {*inhales*}
You can't even drink Crist-ALL on this one
You gotta drink Crist-ALL
Buy some red wine, a little Gocha 9-7
This is for the grown and sexy, uhh
You're so contagious, I can't take it
Have my baby, let's just make it
Ex-cuse me; what's your name?
Yeah, can I get my grown man on for one second?
Cause I see some ladies tonight that should be hangin wit Jay-Z, Jay-Z
(Pharrell: So hot to trot.. la-dy!)
Excuse me miss, what's your name?
Can you come, hang with me?
Possibly, can I take you out, to-night
You already know what it's hittin for
Ma I got whatever outside and you know what I'm sittin on
50/50 venture with them S dots kickin off
Armadale poppin now, only bring a nigga more
Only thing missin is a Missus
You ain't even gotta do the dishes, got two dishwashers
Got one chef, one maid, all I need is a partner
to play spades with the cards up, ALL TRUST
Who else you gon' run with, the truth is us
Only dudes movin units - Em, Pimp Juice and us
.. it's the Roc in here!
Maebach outside got rocks of air
PJ's on the runway, Young got air
I don't land at a airport, I call it the clearport
Therefore, I don't wanna hear more
back and forth about who's hot as Young, holla!
Sex-cuse me... damn!
You're so contagious, I can't take it
Have my baby, let's just make it
I got my Gocha 9-7 on right now
La-dy..
You gotta puff a J to this one
Can't roll a blunt up to this one boy
You're so contagious, I can't take it
Have my baby, let's just make it
Ex-cuse me; what's your name? (AOWW!)
Cause I see some ladies tonight
that should be rollin wit Jay-Z, Jay-Z
So hot to trot.. la-dy! What's your name?
Cause I see some ladies tonight
that should be rollin wit Jay-Z, Jay-Z
You're so foxy girl.. you're so hot to trot..
Everybody's like, "He's no item! Please don't like him.
He don't wife 'em, he one nights 'em!"
Now she don't like him, she never met him
Groupies try to take advantage of him, he won't let 'em
He don't need 'em, so he treats 'em like he treats 'em
Better them than me, she don't agree with him
She's mad at that, he's not havin that
So those opposites attract like mag-a-nets
She sees more than the Benz wagon, the friends taggin along
with a flashy nigga braggin on the song
She gets a glimpse of Shawn and she likes that
He 2-ways her, so she writes back
Smiley faces after all of her phrases
Either she the one or I'm caught in "The Matrix"
But fukkit, let the +Fish-burne+
Red or green pill, you live and you learn, c'mon!
Sex-cuse me... damn!
You gotta throw on your fine linens for this one
You're so contagious, I can't take it
Have my baby, let's just make it
You might go, you mighta gotta go get you some Scooby Doo's
La-dy..
Gotta throw on ya Scooby Doo's; those are shoes by the way
You're so contagious, I can't take it
Gotta throw on Scooby Doo's, hehehehe
Have my baby, let's just make it
Ex-cuse me; what's your name?
This for the grown and sexy, only for the grown and sexy
So hot to trot.. la-dy! What's your name?
Woo!
You're so foxy girl.. you're so hot to trot..
Love let's go half on a son, I know my past ain't one
you can easily get past, but that chapter is done
... but I'm done readin for now
Remember spades face up, you can believe him for now
But ma you got a f'real f'serious role
I'm bout to give you all the keys and security codes
Bout to show you where the cheese, let you know I ain't playin
But, before I jump out the window, what's your name?
Sex-cuse me... damn!
You're so contagious, I can't take it
Have my baby, let's just make it
La-dy..
You're so contagious, I can't take it
Have my baby, let's just make it
Ex-cuse me; what's your name?
So hot to trot.. la-dy! What's your name?
Dear God, bring our P-O-Ws home
And our brothers on lockdown, home
AMEN!!!
JEAH !!! Back blocked on everybody laptop
(HOV) Hittin' niggas from da shower, hold a note like da guy who said da British is comin'
(KELL) Oh yeah da niggas is comin' get out ya good dishes or somethin' like it's Thanksgiving
(HOV) And non other than da "R" and without further a due like Freddy get ready it's .....
Whatever happen Lord, dont pass me by
Cause whenever I did wrong it was ya name I cried
I heard you forgave over and over again
But when I found out I love you, you became ammune to my sins
Laid wide awake in da middle of my sleep (I see dead people)
And sometimes it's me Lord
I never wanted to be a thug father
I only wanted to be a son of a father
That's how it sounds inside, worse than da war in Iraq, when it's me against I
I gave up da weed and somehow Im still high
Three years still seein' them three guys Lord (Whoo)
Sometimes I dont know what you want from me, but I do know you know what I want from you
(Give it to me)
(Come on) Take away this Hennessey, take away me runnin' da streets
Stop people from rapin' me, take away all this jealously and prejudicy
Lord you said it was better place, I grew up around pimps, hustlers, hoes and project gates
Its HARD TO BELIEVE in what I cant see
I got to get this money and feed my family
Whatever in me guides my life, dear Lord Dont Let Me Die tonight
But if I shall before I wake, what shall I say
Its been a good run from hoodlum to outin' da states
How could one who made so much foul mistakes, still be allowed to have a smile on my face
How whatever da case Im glad it wasnt murder, in a town you never heard of
From a nickel plated burner
Now my life straight like a perm, tried to take da spot I earn
Muthafucka better learn
(Its HOV) Back blocked on everybody laptop
(KELL) Hit niggas from da shower, hold a note like da guy who said da British is comin'
(HOV) Oh yeah da niggas is comin get out ya good dishes or somethin' like its Thanksgiving
(KELL) And non other than da "R" and without further a due like Freddy get ready
Lord hear me out, got a few more things to say
These demons be chasin' me like everyday (Come here)
Nah my life on crutches, never say I never walk again
But da devil is a lie cause I believe within'
You're da reason that Im still here, even though I dont act like it
Even though I hear my callin' and fight it
Fools do me so wrong, its hard to stay righteous
Pimpin was allowed to happen I'll hide it
Believe me Lord I want you, got money and fame but still it just wont do
Sometimes I dont like who I am, when I look in da mirror my reflection is Uncle Sam (Uncle Sam)
And every night I have these weird dreams, that a preacher trapped inside of me wake up and cant
breathe
I feel like its twenty of me, goin' twenty different directions on a one way street Lord
I got houses, money and cars, and met every single superstar
I got da whole music industry sold, but it still dont matter .......
When Im gone and my casket closed!!!
Whatever in me guides my life, dear Lord Dont Let Me Die tonight
But if I shall before I wake, I'd accept my fate
I did what I did my heart was in da right place (Ohhh)
I guess so I can live it put food on my plate
You must still love me not to let it in by three that day
Well whatever da case Im glad it wasnt murder, in a town you never heard of
From a nickel plated burner
I guess Im not finished wit my journey, please forgive me for my sins
Shit Im still tryna learn me
(HOV) From da back block on everybody laptop
(KELL) Hit niggas from da shower, hold a note like da guy who said da British was comin'
(HOV) Oh yeah da niggas is comin get out ya good dishes or somethin' like its Thanksgiving
(KELL) And non other than da "R" and without further a due like Freddy get ready
Many men (Whoo) have come and gone in these streets (Feel Me)
Walked alone in these streets (Ohhh) waitin' to hear from you (Come on Lord)
Oh Lord,(Whoo)wrap your arms (Wrap your arms around us God)around da hood
This is the operator with a collect call from "Emory Jones"
To accept the charges, press one now
Uhh, woo!
Emory whattup?
Told you I ain't too good with writin letters and all
Shit I don't even write rhymes
But what I will do
I'ma send you this opus scribed through the airwaves
Vibe with me
I knowwwww.. I knowwwwww
Some places we can go, some places we can go
I knowwwww.. I knowwwwww!
Some places we can go, some places we can go
Do you wanna riiiiiiide... with me
Do you wanna RIIIIIIIDE... with me
Uh-huh, uh-huh
Yeah nigga I bet we was kids and had dreams of bein here
I said "we" cause I'm here, you here!
Yeah, ride with me, your spot is reserved family
Cigarette boats, yachts, ain't nowhere we can't go
We in South Beach and the Hamptons too baby!
You know why they call The Projects a project, because it's a project!
An experiment, where in it, only it's objects
And the object for us to explore our prospects
And sidestep cops on the way to the top - yes!
As kids we would daydream, sittin on our steps
Pointin at cars like yeah that's our sex
Hustlers, prophets, made our eyes stretch
Swanson got the spot, shit we started our trek
Some of us made it, most of us digressed
In the name of those who ain't made it my progress
Show success please live through me
See I'm the eyes for Emory, keep him alive
(This is a collect call) So everytime I press five
All he wanna hear is his boy talk fly
Up in the fed, and still holdin his head
So when he hits the streets he gon' eat through this bread
Now let's ride
Uh-huh, geah
I'm crushin 'em all for Jones
MTV, BET, the Grammys, crushed linen, purple label
All that fly shit we talked about
Give him some nice pinky rings with the blue diamonds and e'rything
Hehehe, that's what we talked about right?
Uh-huh... tried to told you, ride with me
International Hov', I told you so
Forty 40's out in Tokyo
Singapore, all this from singin songs
Comin up though we thought slingin raw
was the end all be all of bein rich didn't we
Little did I know my mo' potent delivery
would deliver me, kingpin of the inkpen
Monster of the double entendre, Coke is still my sponsor
Heh, the Cola, yeah
Hova still gettin it in with soda
Diet, no sir, I ain't lose no weight
Started from the crates now I'm sittin on a whole case
Since they got you sittin on that old case
Our dreams is on hold like Tivo
So I can't wait 'til you get your date
I got some temp plates outside of the gate
We gon' ride
Uh-huh, uh-huh
Geah
Don't even worry about it though, you ain't missed nuttin
It only gets better, they got the Maybach Coupe now
Look like the Batmobile, the Phantom the top just comes off that joint
It only gets better
They caught your body they can't trap your mind
Keep your spirit alive read your books
Matter of fact, let me take you somewhere
Vibe with me, c'mon
Now me and my lil' mama, Kita and Tata
Juan and Dez out in San Tropez
Jay round in Gabana, sneakin marijuana
You know that Mary J. give you +No More Drama+
Lost a couple friends this whole shit got weird
But when you get home you know your spot's reserved, ya heard?
I put my niggaz on, my niggaz put they niggaz on
Now we all somewhere fun, chillin in the sun
I ain't forget you cousin, hehe
Yeah nigga y'all can wear sneakers on the beach if you want to
Y'all niggaz come and c'mon, playin money marathon
My young'n is LeBron, you know what that makes me baby
Big Homey! Hehe, Emory what's up?
Wan' ride with us? You're more than welcome
We ain't on no bullshit, uhh
Put your feet up
Big Tye I see you boy
Guru, I don't usually do this but
Roll me up son man
Let me get mellow on this shit right here
Uh-huh, yeah
Uh-huh, white paper though nigga
Can't even fuck with those blunts
White paper baby, old school nigga gimme a joint
Smooth it out, Young H.O.
Henry Jones
Uh-uhh-uh, ge-ge-geyeah
You belong to the city (Uh-uhh-uh, what what)
You belong to the night (Uh-uhh-uh, ge-ge-geyeah)
In the river of darkness
He's a man of the night
Uhh, yeah
What the deal playboy, just rest your soul
I be holding it down yo still love the dough
Got these ladies on the cock now you know how we go
Got the whole world on lock down you know how we flow
Don't worry about Brooklyn I continue to flame
Therefore a world with amnesia won't forget your name
You held it down long enough, let me take those reigns
And just like your spirit the commision remains
Niggaz can cross the T's and, dots the I's
Now that I got too popular to cop them pies
I'm takin this rap shit serious, to my demise
Jay shit's like cake mix, watch me rise
Basics in the basement, waste it
Asking my dog for advice so when he can't say shit
my hatred is, fueled just give me a sign
And I let the world know that the city is mine, what?
You belong to the city (The city is mine, what-what-what)
You belong to the night (Ge-ge-geyeah, uh-uhh-uh, pa-pau)
In the river of darkness
He's a man of the night (The city is mine, that's right...)
Y'all want to know how I flow just seek and you find
I'm like a brain in the voicebox, I speak my mind
About to redefine rap mami, either I'm
the illest nigga doing it or these niggaz is losin it
I read a article that said I was ruinin shit
But every time I look, I'm movin units in quick
So I'ma hit y'all, with these last two and split
and leave niggaz with nothing but my influences-es
Soon it's the Jigga, I ain't mad yeah, bite my shit
Sell half of what I sell because it's not quite my shit
I'm the type to buy a Roley and just ice my shit
on the spot, fuck comin back twice to shit
How real is that? My floss game, still intact
Boss game, you lame dudes can't feel that
Like the first dude to cop the 850 and 89
and drove it up to 55th, the city is mine, what?
You belong to the city (The city is mine)
You belong to the night (Yeah, uhh, the city is mine)
In the river of darkness (Pa-pa, feel me)
He's a man of the night (Yeah, yeah, bounce, bounce)
I snatch your girl cause your arm ain't strong enough
Plus ya don't stay in the studio long enough
I make hits while y'all stay hatin and take bricks
Had it locked til I came in the club, Take 6
Got your chick cause you swore she was innocent
Got her a Chinese manicure hair done by Dominicans, all for what
So I could be in a dark corner, all in the butt
at the bar alchoholing her up
I represent the lifestyle of those who thirst cream
A buck fifty a shot, Louis the Thirteenth
Jay-Z, Roc-A-Fella yo, know the name
I ain't a player get it right, I'm controllin the game
From now until they blow holes in my frame
I'ma stand firm, holdin my aim, feel me?
I'm the focal, point like Biggie in his prime
Uhh, just point out the bounce
Uh-huh, show me the bounce, yeah
Just point out the bounce, yeah
Timbo the king, yeah
Young Hov' the king, yeah
Just point out the bounce..
Yes, just point out the bounce nigga
Yo, listen
Rumor has it "The Blueprint" classic
Couldn't even be stopped by Bin Laden
So September 11th marks the era forever
of a revolutionary Che Gueverra
Now it's a whole museum of, Hov' MCers
Everybody dupin the flow, you see 'em
Everybody loopin up soul
It's like you tryin to make "The Blueprint 2" before Hov'
Shout out to Just Bleezy and, Kan-yeezy
See how we adjusted the game so easy
Chicks barely dancin, glancin every chance they get
Like - oh shit, he's so handsome
Still in demand in the longest run standin
Kidnap rap seven years, no ransom
Can't one nigga get it back no rap
Young Hov's goin to Canton, I'm now eligible
Point out the bounce - and show you how to get this dough in
large amounts 'til it's hard to count
Point out the bounce - I turn a 8 to an ounce
to a whole ki to the R.O.C.
Point out the bounce - Timbo the king nigga
Uhh, yeah, uhh
Point out the bounce - jeah, Young Hov' the king nigga
Uhh, I got y'all..
For those that think Hov' fingers bling bling'n
Either haven't heard the album or they don't know english
They only know what the single is, and singled that out
to be the meaning of what he is about
And bein I'm about my business, not minglin much
runnin my mouth, that shit kept lingerin
But no dummy, that's the shit I'm sprinklin
The album width to keep the registers ringin
In real life, I'm much more distinguished
I'm like a bloke from London, England
Jeah, you jinglin baby
See I go right back and I bring 'em in baby
Business mind of a Ross Perot, but never lost my soul
Crossed the line, I bought pop across the row
Then I walk through the hood, where they up to no good
Slangin them O's like a real O.G. should
Oh, he's good, no he would never sell out he's so young
Magazines call me a rock star, girls call me cock star
Billboard, pop star, neighborhood block star
Chi-Town go-gettin pimps, we mobsters
Gingerbread Man even said, "You're a monster!"
Yeah, that's how I feel
To be down, you must appeal
To the crew, we're rated R
O.C., O.G., Bobby Johnson son
Ask me, "Rey-Rey, is that yo' car?"
I seen MTV, I know who you are
You did "Takeover," do you got beef with Nas?
I did take over the game, brought back the soul
Got tracks to go, got plaques that's gold
Platinum to go, yeah that's the flow
All I, know, I gots the flow
And I don't play cause I'm from Chicago
[Jay-Z]
uh-huh, je-je je-je-jeah
ye-ye-yeah, ye-ye-yeah
How real is this, how real is this
Uh-huh huh, Inspect this here, check
[Verse One:]
I'm from where the hammer's rung, New's cameras never come
You and your man hung in every verse in your rhyme
where the grams is slung, niggas vanish every summer
Where the blue vans would come, we throw the work in the can and run
Where the plans was to get funds and skate off the set
To achieve this goal quicker, sold all my weight wet
Faced with immeasurable odds still I get straight bets
So I felt some more something and you nothing check
I from the other side with other guys don't walk to much
And girls in the projects wouldn't fuck us said we talked too much
So they ran up to younkers and sought them dudes to trust
I don't know what the fuck they thought, those niggas is foul just like us
I'm from where the beef is inevitable, Summertime's unforgetable
Boosters in abundance, buy a half-price sweater new
Your word was everything, So everything you said you'd do
You did it, Couldn't talk about it if you ain't lived it
I from where niggas pull your card, and argue all day about
Who's the best MC's, Biggie, Jay-Z, and Nas
Where the drugs czars evolve, and thugs are at odds
At each other's throats for the love of foreign cars
Where cats catch cases, hoping the judge R and R's
But most times find themselves locked up behind bars
that all
I'm from where they ball and breed rhyme stars
I'm from Marcy son, just thought I'd remind y'all
[Chorus: 5x]
Cough up a lung, where I'm from, Marcy son, Ain't nothing nice
Mentally been many places but I'm Brooklyn's own
[Verse Two:]
I'm from the place where the chruch is the flakiest
And niggas is praying to god so long that they Atheist
Where you can't put your vest away and say you'll wear it tomorrow
Cause the day after we'll be saying, damn I was just with him yesterday
I'm a block away from hell, not enough shots away from straight shells
An ounce away from a triple beam still using a hand-held weight scale
Your laughing, you know the place well
Where the Liqour Store's and the base dwell
And Government, fuck Government, niggas polotic themselves
Where we call the cops the A-Team
cause they hop out of vans and spray things
And life expectancy so low we making out wills at eight-teen
Where how you get rid of guys who step out of line, your rep solidifies
So tell me when I rap you think I give a fuck who criticize?
If the shit is lies, god strike me
And I got a question, are you forgiving guys who live just like me?
We'll never know
One day I pray to you and said if I ever blow, I'd Let 'em know
the stakes and exactly what takes place in the ghetto
Promise fulfilled, but still I feel my job ain't done
Cough up a lung, where I'm from, Marcy son, ain't nothing nice
[Chorus 4x]
[Verse Three:]
I'm from where they cross-over and clap boards
Lost Jehovah in place of rap lords, listen
I'm up the block, round the corner, and down the street
From where the Pimps, Prostitutes, and the Drug Lords meet
We make a million off of beats, cause our stories is deep
And fuck tomorrow, as long as the night before was sweet
Niggas get lost for weeks in the streets, twisted off leaf
And no matter the weather, niggas know how to draw heat
Whether your four-feet or Manute size, it always starts out with
Three dice and shoot the five
Niggas thought they douce was live, then I hit 'em with trips
And I reached down for their money, pa forget about this
This time around it's platinum, like the shit on my wrist
And this glock on my waist, y'all can't do shit about this
Niggas will show you love, That's how they fool thugs
Before you know it your lying in a pool of blood
Damn how am I gonna say this shit?
hey... hey dad, yeah it's your boy
remember me? I wanna talk to you scrap
I remember being kicked out the house
'cause I looked just like you
Said I'd be nothing but a crook
just like you
The niggaz in the hood was shook
Where the just like you
'Cause all they said was little whitey look
I'm just like you
But dog I can't see it at all, shit
We never kicked it at all
We never pitched or kicked at a ball
dog, you never taught me shit
how to fight, ride a bike, fix a flat
none of that sorts of shit
Nigga you was an abusive pops
fuck you left me out to dry, stuck
gotta teach news to box
gotta teach news to bop
and that aint the half of it man
I gotta teach news to block
It's about time we have a father to son (nigga sit down)
sit down let me tell you 'bout your fatherless sons
how they grew to be men and father they sons
father they daughters
nigga, you left a fatherless daughter
I never follow your orders
nigga you make me sick
pussy you could....ooh
how you gonna leave these memories in the back of my mind
I can see it clear as day you smackin my mom
I 'member that day you showed me that gat, that 9
put it in my palm when I was young
and said that would be mine, you turned me out
the reason why I hit the block
reason why I tried to hit them cops
reason why I started hittin shots
reason why I started gettin licked
and drinkin syrup and skippin court
ginger bread man never think of gettin caught
look at your hand man damn you fought
nigga you left my mom
left us with no good-bye's
you left us out to dry
you left us with no letters, notes, (nothing!) no replies
no digits numbers was unlisted
you left us with some of my loneliest night
nigga some of my hungriest nights
shit, one of the reasons for years (shit embarrasin)
damn we used to think money was white
yeah you gave us life like, fruit from a plant
we aint eat right from them foods from them stamps
and to think you was my pop,
man i gotta stop shit
Female: Daddy, Where Have You Been?
Beanie: And when you come home, you got us here all alone
Female: Mommy, Where Daddy Went?
Beanie: You always stick up for him
Always said you'd make up for him
Female: Mommy, What Happened Then?
Beanie: What was you cheatin on him?
Why he's always beatin' on you?
Female: Daddy, Where Have You Been?
Beanie: Nigga, you gonna hear me out
I wanted to walk just like him (remember?)
wanted to talk just like him (word)
often momma said I look too much
and I thought just like him (it could happen)
wanted to drink Miller nips
and smoke Newports just like you
but you left me, now I'm goin to court just like you
I would say "my daddy loves me and he'll never go away"
bullshit, do you even remember December's my birthday?
do you even remember the tender boy
you turned into a cold young man
with one goal and one plan
get mommy out of some jam, she was always in one
always short with the income
always late with the rent
You said that you was comin through
I would stay in the hallway (waitin)
always playin the bench (waitin)
and that day came and went
Fuck You! very much you showed me the worst kind of pain
but I'm stronger and trust me I will never hurt again
will never ask mommy "why daddy don't love me?
Why is we so poor?, why is life so ugly?
Mommy why is your eyes puffy?"
please don't cry everything'll be alright
I know it's dark now, but we gon' see the light
It's us against the world
we don't need him, right? (right)
mommy drivin 6's now (yeah), I got riches now (yeah)
I bought I nice home for both of my sisters now
we doin real good
we don't miss you now
(Are you not entertained?)
(Are..you..not..entertained?)
(Is this not why you're here?)
Uh, Uh, Huh
Turn the music up
Turn me down
Guru...Lets go get 'em again
This time it's for the money my nigga
Brooklyn stand up
There's never been a nigga this good for this long
This hood
Or this pop is hot
Or this strong
With so many different flows
This ones for this song
The next one i'll switch up
This one will get bit up
These fucks
To lazy to make up shit
They crazy
They don't...paint pictures
They just trace me
You know what
Soon they forget who they plucked
They whole style from
And try to reverse the outcome
I'm like...CLUCK
I'm not a biter
I'm a writter
For myself and others
I say a B.I.G. verse i'm only biggin up my brother
Biggin up my borough
I'm big enough to do it
I'm that therough
Plus i know my own flow is foolish
So the rings and things you sing about
Bring em out
It's hard to yell when the bar-rel's in your mouth
I'm in...New sneakers
Deuce seaters
A few Diva's
What more can i tell you
Let me spell it for you
W-I-Double L-I-E
Nobody truer than H-O-V
And i'm back for more
New Yorks ambassador
Prime Minister back to finish my business up
What more can i say?
What more can i do?
I give this all to you
I know this much is true
My Life
(Look at my life)
(See what i see)
You already know what i'm about
Flyin birds down south
Movin wet off the step
Purple Rain in the drought
Stuntin on hoes
Brushin off my shirt
But ain't nothin on my clothes
'Cept my chain
My name
Young H-O
Pitch the yea faithful
Even if they patrol i make payroll
Benz paid for
Friends they roll
Private jets down to Turks and Kayko's
Chrys case loads
I don't give a shit
Nigga one life to live i can't let a day go
Without me being fly
Fresh to death
Head to toe until the day i rest
And i don't wear jerseys i'm thirty plus
Give me a crisp pair of jeans nigga button ups
S dots on my feet
Makes my cycle complete
What more can i say Guru play the beat
We gonna let this ride into the hook
I'mma snap my fingers on this one
What more can i say to you?
Get my grown man on
LET'S GO
(What more can i say?)
Now you know ass is willie
When they got you in a mag
For like half a billi
And your ass ain't Lilly
White
That mean that shit you write must be illy
Either that or your flow is silly
It's both
I don't mean to boast
But damn if i don't brag
Them crackers gonna act like i ain't on they ads
The Martha Stewart
That's far from Jewish
Far from a Harvard student
Just had the balls to do it
And no i'm not through with it
In fact i'm just previewin it
This ain't the show i'm just EQ'in it
One, Two and i won't stop abusin it
To gropie girls stop false accusin it
Back to the music
The mayback roof is translucent
Niggas got a problem Houston
What up B
They can't shut up me
Shut down I
Not even P.E.
I'mma ride
God forgive me for my brash deivery
But i remember vivily
What these streets did to me
So picture me
Lettin these clowns nit pick at me
Paint me like a pickiny
I will literally
Kiss Tee-Tee in the forhead
Tell her please forgive me
Then squeeze until your forhead
I'm not the one to score points off
In fact
I got a joint to knock your points off
Young
Hova the God nigga blast for me
I'm at the Trump International
Ask for me
I ain't never scared
I'm everywhere
You ain't never there
Nigga why would i ever care
Pound for pound i'm the best to ever come around here
Excluding nobody
Look what i embody
The soul of a hustler i really ran the street
I CEO's mine
That marketing plan was me
And no i ain't get shot up a whole bunch of times
Or make up shit in a whole bunch of lines
And i ain't animated, like say a, Busta Rhymes
But the real shit you get when you bust down my lines
Add that to the fact i went plat a bunch of times
Times that by my influence
On pop culutre
I supposed to be number one on everybodys list
We'll see what happens when i no longer exist
Fuck this
Uh, uhh, uh
Uh, ah, now Hov's in the building, Hov's in the building
Uh, uhh, uh
Kels in the building, Kels in the building
Uh, uhh, that's right
Hov's in the building, Hov's in the building
Uh what? Ho, ho
Yo Kels in the building, Kels in the building
I'm in the building tonight, it's goin down my nigga
Got a pocket full of cash and some 'dro my nigga
Attitude like I don't give a fuck my nigga
Probably the drunkest fool on the flo' my nigga
One of the best that ever did this here, every year
It's the #1 R&B; singer this year
But y'all know, still mo' money mo' problems
Mo' niggaz, mo' chicks, mo' clubs, Mo' bottles
One little note in your ear, and I gotcha
Ladies call me the black Frank Sinatra
Yeah a real pimp floss and the pimp be blingin
It's just the same reason why a young pimp be leanin
Hard liquor, couple sips, and I'm passin it
Maybach so big you can dance in it
Jigga lil' nigga fuckin with the baddest chicks
Got your girl lookin at you like the maddest chick
We goin
ho-ohh, ohh-oh
We got everybody up in the club, hands high
goin ho-ohh, ohh-oh
We got players, ballers, hustlers and they back
goin ho-ohh, ohh-oh
We got all of the pretty girls left in the city
goin ho-ohh, ohh-oh
We got 'em goin, we got 'em goin
Yo yeah it's the boy Hov', yeah I blow O's
Circles around competition, not an Optimo
To sit low, in a six-oh, oh
Solo, on lo-lo's, fuck po'-po's
Take a pho-to, last time you see a nigga so cold
So be-low zero, so froze
So-so rappers are so sore, hate his soul
It ain't my fault I'm so rock'n'roll
I'm just Hov'
Geah, it's the kid from the Stuy, and I stay high
In my A-O-L-A blowin lah lah lah
Goodbye, I see you chumps on top
Or on the highway in somethin that ends with I
Like I, 745, I
Or the F-E-double-R-the-A-R-I
AR-15 to spray y'all guys
You die (you die) goodbye (goodbye)
From New York to Chi, we blow like hy-dro
Blow out live shows without py-ro
See how I combined the I-O flow
Tone'll rep, Memph Bleek, Kels and Hov'
Bottles, models, follow, to the hotter
way we play like it's no day tomorrow
Spendin my dough like I just hit the lotto
I try to pretend that I'm different but in the end we're all the same (all the same)
I pray to god, father forgive a nigga I'm never gonna change (gonna change)
I try to pretend that I'm different but in the end we're all the same (all the same)
I pray to god, father forgive a nigga I'm never gonna change (gonna change)
When the singer Rob calls the police on me y'all niggaz ran out and copped the CD
see what I discovered is y'all snitch lovers I might speak, but I don't fuck with nobody
see What Doug, Jimmy & L.A. don't know, these youngins crossed the line with Hov, I'm letting it blow
had the papers writing stories like: "didn't they know, this what happen when they made that rapper CEO"
I know, its just a matter of time before the steady hate start to overflow then the leavey breaks
and my conscience go, you escape the rico, why throw everything away over ego?
you paper chasing, they paper hating, billionare Hov you on the pace to make it
fuck that exclamation comma quotations I love drama period
I try to pretend that I'm different but in the end we're all the same (all the same)
I pray to god, father forgive a nigga I'm never gonna change (gonna change)
I try to pretend that I'm different but in the end we're all the same (all the same)
I pray to god, father forgive a nigga I'm never gonna change (gonna change)
smelling like Petrone singing dirty rap songs, tip-toeing in the crib like 6 in the morn
every day its the same I said in blueprint that I'd never change its just a part of the game
respect me I'm a thug, I might cool out for a sec but expect me to bug its in my blood
but if my chick leave me she gonna leave me for something, she gone leave me cuz Halie,
she ain't gonna leave me for nothing, picture me gettin up with something sleazy
something something so easy you could take out its beat like nothing something
soon as you finish cuttin you like leave me please, not me I need Angilina Jolize company,
so I ain't gonna make a move unless I got I got a plan b, that'll happen the day i have a baby by free,
not to say that anything is wrong with free, just to say that ain't nothing wrong with me
If my hands in the cookie jar, know one thing, ima take the cookie not leave my ring
if my hands in the cookie jar know one thing ima take (laughs) y'all know what I mean
I try to pretend that I'm different but in the end we're all the same (all the same)
I pray to god, father forgive a nigga I'm never gonna change (gonna change)
I try to pretend that I'm different but in the end we're all the same (all the same)
I pray to god, father forgive a nigga I'm never gonna change (gonna change)
unh, you little niggaz ain't deep you dumb, you niggaz ain't gangsta you gum, I chew little niggaz
hock-too, spew little niggaz, I can only view little niggaz like little niggaz
but in lieu of little niggaz trying to play that boy, I phew phew little niggaz with the latest toy
unlike you little nigga, I'm a grown ass man, big shoes to fill nigga, grown ass pants
prolly hustled with your pops, go ask your parents its apparent you're staring at a legend
who, put a few little niggaz in the they place before trying to eat without saying they grace before
blasphemous bastard get your faith restored you're viewing your version of the lord god
mc little nigga, applaud, or forever burn in the fire that I spit at y'all I rebuke you little nigga
the meek shall parish, ill roof you little nigga, Im a project terrorist, cute you little niggaz
think you in my class subsitute little niggaz soon feel my wrath, I mute you little niggaz
you a little nigga, I shall abuse you little nigga, I'm a ill nigga, now shoot you little niggaz
go somewhere and play, cuz the day I loose to you little niggaz, no day
I try to pretend that I'm different but in the end we're all the same (all the same)
I pray to god, father forgive a nigga I'm never gonna change (gonna change)
I try to pretend that I'm different but in the end we're all the same (all the same)
Yo once a pimp gets threats
That's right, that's the - the that's, that's threats them
And I'm serious about mine, I'm so sin-surr
And I, nigga I'll kill ya, I'll chop ya up
Put ya inside the mattress like drug money nigga
Yeah, I done told you niggaz
9 or 10 times stop fuckin with me
I done told you niggaz
9 albums, stop fuckin with me
I done told you niggaz
The 9 on me, stop fuckin with me
You niggaz must got 9 lives
9th wonder
Put that knife in ya, take a little bit of life from ya
Am I frightenin ya? Shall I continue?
I put the gun to ya, I let it sing you a song
I let it hum to ya, the other one sing along
Now it's a duet, and you wet, when you check out
the technique from the 2 tecs and I don't need two lips
To blow this like a trumpet you dumb shit
This is a un-usual musical I conductin
You lookin at the black Warren Buffett so all critics can duck sic
I don't care if you C. Delores Tuck-it
Or you Bill O'Reilly, you only rylin me up
For three years, they had me peein out of a cup
Now they bout to free me up, whatchu think I'm gon' be, what?
Rehabilitated, man I still feel hatred
I'm young black and rich so they wanna strip me naked, but
You never had me like Christina Aguiler-y
But catch me down the Westside, drivin like Halle Berry
Or the FDR, in the seat of my car
Screamin out the sunroof death to y'all
You can't kill me, I live forever through these bars
I put the wolves on ya, I put a price on your head
The whole hood'll want ya, you startin to look like bread
I send them boys at ya, I ain't talkin bout Feds
Nigga them body-snatchers, nigga you heard what I said
I make 'em wait for you 'til five in the mornin
Put your smarts on the side of your garment
Nigga stop fuckin with me
R. -- I. -- P.
That's right there nigga, nigga I'm wild
Nigga I keep trash bags with me
Never know when you gotta dump a nigga out
This sin-surr, this some sin-surr SHIT right hurr!
Grown man I put hands on you
I dig a hole in the desert, they build The Sands on you
Lay out blueprint plans on you
We Rat Pack niggaz, let Sam tap dance on you
Then, I Sinatra shot ya God damn you
... I put the boy in the box like David Blaine
Let the audience watch, it ain't a thang
Y'all wish I was frontin, I George Bush the button
Front of all you in your car lift up your hood nigga run it
Then lift up your whole hood like you got oil under it
Your boy got the goods y'all don't want nuttin of it
Like, castor oil, I Castor Troy you
Change your face or the bullets change all that for you
... y'all niggaz is targets
Y'all garages for bullets, please don't make me park it
in your upper level, valet a couple strays
from the 38 special, nigga, God bless you
Yeah I'm threatening ya, YEAH I'm threatening ya!
Who you thank you dealin with?
They call me Threats, nigga I been makin threats
since I been in kindergarten nigga!
Huh, ask about me, see if you ain't heard
When the gun is tucked, untucked, nigga you dies
like numchuks held by the Jet L-I
I'm the one, thus meanin no one must try
No two, no three, no four, know why?
Because one's four-five might blow yo' high
You ain't gotta go to church to get to know yo' God
It's a match made in heaven when I
'splay the 7
Put you on the nigga news, UPN at 11
Where you been, you ain't heard, got the word that I'm
that I'm so sin-surr?
I'm especially Joe Pesci with a grin
I will kill you, commit suicide, and kill you again
That's right
Whattup? Motherfucker I keep three motherfuckers what?
Nigga I'll throw a Molotov cocktail through your momma's momma's house
Nigga what the - where everybody live!
Undercover nigga take your teeth out your mouth nigga
Chew your food up and put the shit back in your mouth nigga
and help you swallow
Nigga I take a mop handle off nigga
Geah.. whassup?
Where's all my street niggaz, project niggaz
Real niggaz, worldwide
Let's reflect.. e'rybody got a story
We all ghetto B - here's mine
Geah
See I was -- born in sewage, born to make bomb music
Flow tight like I was born Jewish
Used the streets as a conduit - I kept arms
38 longs inside my mom's Buick
At any given moment Shawn could lose it, be on the news
Iron cuffs - arms through it; or stuffed with embalmin fluid
Shit, I'm goin through it - mom dukes too
Tears streamin down her pretty face, she got her palms to it
My life is gettin too wild
I need to bring some sort kinda calm to it
Bout to lose it; voices screamin "Don't do it!"
It's like '93, '94, bout the year
that Big and Mag dropped; and "Illmatic" rocked
outta every rag drop, and the West had it locked
Everybody doin 'em, I'm still scratchin on the block
like "Damn; I'ma be a failure"
Surrounded by thugs, drugs, and drug - paraphenalia
Cops courts, and their thoughts is to derail us
Three time felons in shorts with jealous thoughts
Tryin figure where your mail is, guesstimate the weight you sellin
So they can send shots straight to your melon; wait!
It gets worse, baby momma water burst
Baby came out stillborn, still I gotta move on
Though my heart still torn, life gone from her womb
Don't worry, if it was meant to be, it'll be -- soon
This can't be life, this can't be love
This can't be right, there's gotta be more, this can't be us
This can't be life, this can't be love
This can't be right, there's gotta be more, this can't be us
Chill dog
Second oldest born, from Michelle Brown my mother
Hell bound, grew with two sisters and one brother
Pop wasn't around, so many stories that's another
I'm thinkin damn; how my older sister gon' make me tougher
When steel sharpens steel, I'ma keep it real
I'm tired of tryin to hide my pain behind the syrups and pills
Dead to the world, stretched out like a corpse for real
Y'all niggaz thinkin what y'all readin in The Source is real
What my life like, you lookin at the source, it's real
What your life like? Mine dog, of course it's real
Passin judgment, you niggaz second-guessin Beans
Cause you don't eat swine don't make you Amin
Dog you know a couple suras, out the Qur'an
I guess you all on your din and I ain't on mine
Stop that Akki, 'fore I send shots though your body
Make 'em feel feel hell on earth before Allah drop thee
I feel the line's drawn here, nuttin more can stop me
Till them feds pick me up, or them boys pop me
There's only three things that make Mac not act like Beans
Amatullah Tisha, Po Aldin, Samir Amin
My seeds dog, gotta teach 'em that before I leave dog
Shit I know that I'ma see 'em when I leave dog
I come back in the afterlife
Like fuck it I done touched hell twice; what's the meanin?
Yeah.. uhh..
Now as I walk into the studio, to do this with Jig'
I got a phone call from one of my nigs
Said my homeboy Reek, he just lost one of his kids
And when I heard that I just broke into tears
And see in the second hand; you don't really know how this is
But when it hits that close to home you feel the pain at the crib
So I called mine, and saddened my wife with the bad news
Now we both depressed, countin our blessings cause Brad's two
Prayin for young souls to laugh atlife through the stars
Lovin your kids just like you was ours
And I'm hurtin for you dog; but ain't nobody pain is like yours
I just know that heaven'll open these doors
And ain't no bright side to losin lifel; but you can view it like this
God's got open hands homey, he in the midst.. of good company
Who loves all and hates not one
And one day you gon' be wit your son
I could've rapped about my hard times on this song
But heaven knows I woulda been wrong
I wouldn'ta been right, it wouldn'ta been love
It wouldn'ta been life, it wouldn'ta been us
This can't be life
Uhh, uhh, uh-huh
Uhh (paper chase)
Bonnie n Clyde
Y'all motherfuckers know how it's goin down
(gotta get that paper y'all)
That's right, uhh
(Uh-huh uh, yeah, Roc-a-Fella, yeah
Paper chase y'all, paper chase WHAT? Uh)
Greyhound bitch, stay down bitch
Bout to set up shop with Jay, round this bitch
Half a brick of yea, bout to lay down this bitch
(til November?) Nah, I'm here to like slay down this bitch
What you think? I don't wanna have to spray down this bitch
Call my whole team, from around the way down this bitch
I'm tryin to stay down this bitch, play down this bitch
Had a sound, so my nigga Jay drown the six
Roll the windows down and, weight round this bitch
But there's a couple things 'fore it's OK round this bitch
Gotta talk to the natives, let em know I'm here
for all to get the paydays, first I line up all the haters
I got jobs for ya, drop stars for ya
More arms than Green Bay's Brett Favre for ya
Money providentials hope that's not a problem for ya
If so, Jigga be here, day after tomorrow for ya (That's right!)
Gotta get that paper dog
Gotta touch that, love that, paper dog, uhh!
Gotta get that paper dog
Gotta have that grab that paper dog!
Gotta get that paper dog
Gotta spend that, bend that, split that, get that
Gotta get that paper dog
When I needs that, G stack, tell me where the weed's at?
I got my two guns, I came to scoop ones
A down ass bitch and she down to click
Got a nice little hooptie that I get around with
And my plan is, not to leave this town til I'm rich
Gotta find a nigga sellin all them ounces and shit
Tell them get down with the click or get found in a ditch
See I drop down and strip, I turn around and spit
Not to hit em, just to let em know the sound of shit
Return later that evening in the club with Fox
And I got the snub nosed for those that love to box
I'm in search of them young niggaz that hug the block
all day, til it's like gray outside
Shoot dice talkin shit all day outside
And even when it's hot, they outside
Let em know, how it's gon' go, Bonnie n Clyde
And aiyyo, you will want me on your side
Yo, yeah, I got that stress and I got it the best
I ain't got it to give but I got it to test
And if you wanna get down, all you gotta invest
is your time, I gotta move this in a, week or less
For the next couple of days I brought her all I posess
The Rolex, necklaces with the VVS
Twin to drive in the passenger with a TV rest
For my top draft picks I cop the new GS
Now all the little soldiers wanna roll with my team
Cause I ain't sold em a dream, I just showed em the cream
Picked em up in the afternoons and told em some things
You know the regular shit you do when you moldin them teens
Yo, never lay your head where you holdin them things
From family, to your business, nothing goes in between
Never feared no man, put four in his Beem
Pops sped off
Left Mom with a bundle of
Joy ya boy
Smack dab in the jungle
Took tunnel vision
But he would soon become a mogul
But first he brought that crack back like a yo-yo
Don't play with my yo-yo
Loco ni**as in the hood
First ni**as hating on me
It's all good
I'm buying things like my sh*t don't stink
Gucci links and Gucci gooses
Watching too much movies
Bulletproof this
Had some nerve
Like pullin toothes
When you sixteen, comin thru roofless
Yeah ya boy ruthless
Like Ice Cube was
Turn the whole city on
I'm the new plug
So if this is your first time hearing this
You are about to experience someone so cold
A journey seldom seen
The American dream
From the bottom to the top of the globe
They call me HOV
They coming for me
Wanna see me fall
You know my story
I been thru it all
Nights I felt like dying
But I ain't crying
What didn't kill me
Made me strong as iron
I am
I am
Oh my God, HOV
Now I'm knee-deep in the concrete
Like the streets made of quicksand beyond deep
I got a chemical romance, two left feet
So I dance with the devil, please GOD
Save me for the life of love release me
My life like grand auto theft PSP
I'm in the Volvo puffing on the la la
Running from the po po
Every time I drive by
Say hi to the bad guy
All my momma friends is like hmm hmm hmm
Would you just look at him
Sorry dear momma for your embarrassment
Give me a couple years I pray I never sin
Got all these rival dealers trying to do me in
And all these little rappers don't know how prepared for them I am
I feel like the world is against me Lord
Call me crazy but I love them odds
Now these baby ballers toy rappers
Calling out my name to bring the boy backwards
Shooting air balls at the basket
What you call money I paid more in taxes
I got crowned came down in Africa
Down in Nigeria do you have any idea
Sold out shows in Seoul Korea
Jo-berg, Dublin, Tanzania
Lunch with Mandela, dinner with Cavalli
Still got time to give water to everybody
Everybody fall back
Y'all rapping I'm reenacting
CNN you see it's accurate
ESPN see me in action
Monday nights when the half ends
Geyeah, NYMP the realest, uhh
This is educated thug MU-SIC, niggaz
Life's a battle, mean streets eat you alive
Blocks'll have you, tryin to maintain your course
through the potholes and gravel
Hot holes and what-have-you, tryin to clock dough
Foes tryin to pop shots through you by code
Pigs tryin to grab you and lock up your soul
Through the Hot Apple, nighttime shots crackle
(bucka bucka bucka) Fiends tryin to gaffle you
Not only cokeheads but the Feds in the Mercuray Topaz
after you, up the avenue
Tryin to give you big numbers, you got math to do
Tryin to make you miss summer, shit, that ain't cool
I caught smaller cases tryin to get cap or two
Up against the wall, tryin to pass through
Ghost-like, hear the cries from the tortured souls
Most nights, I hold my toast tight, and it goes like
N.Y.M.P., the realest niggaz
N.Y.M.P., the realest niggaz
Uhh, uh-huh-uh-UHH, N.Y.M.P. the realest
Marcy.. Brooklyn..
Yo; I come through, gettin money, sittin on twenties
Niggaz throwin me shade, but ain't shit sunny
Hot shells only thing niggaz could get from me
Cocktails thrown in your living room, KA-BOOM
I'm so confrontational;
they shoulda never let me go on probation yo
I'm a hustler; except that..
no correctional facilities can correct that
I took a step back, I viewed myself, seen where my head was at
It's where that dough is homey, gotta get that
Gotta get away, some try but head back
Uhh, street smart niggaz got left back
Some died, they left stacks
Me, I ball right, and on top of that I'm dog nice
Jigga been cold as fuck before ice
Not before Christ, but a long fuckin time
Get your mind right niggaz
N.Y.M.P., the realest
Uh-huh-uh-UHH, N.Y.M.P., the realest niggaz
Uhh uh-huh, uh-UHH, N.Y.M.P. the realest niggaz
Marcy.. feel me..
I looked Death in the face years back
I held tears back, I gathered myself and stared back
I'm from where you don't crack, the weak don't live
You gotta bounce back homey, the streets don't give
I take and rape villages, who gon' stop him?
Not Rudy Guiliani, not Hillary Rodham
Still I still pop him
Shit I grassy knoll and hilltop him, it's all political now
I think big when I spit at you now
Between my dog and the figures, the four gonna get'cha
Between life and death, they killed my spirit
So what little life I got left, y'all can expect me to ball
I ? myself, teacher said I was a lost cause
cause I used to roam them halls
Still I spit knowledge, dropped out of high school, skipped college
Who woulda thought I'd make it "Big" like Ms. Wallace?
Uhh, yeah, N.Y.M.P., the realest niggaz
Brooklyn, what? N.Y.M.P., the realest niggaz
Uhh, uh-huh-uh-UHH, N.Y.M.P. the realest niggaz
Marcy.. Brooklyn, N.Y.M.P. the realest, feel me
Educated, thug mu-sic niggaz
This is Brooklyn, this is gangsta, this is project
Real shit, N.Y.M.P. the realest niggaz
Marcy, Brooklyn, stompin grounds
Featuring: Paul Anka
Now the end is near
(Can you believe this shit guru?)
So I face
(I'm from the hood man)
The final curtain
(No the real hood, the hood, not the rap hood)
(The real hood like three pair of pants)
My friends I'll say it clear
(Pair of sneakers)
(My mom's bustin' her ass)
State my case
(Nigga I'm goin' to Japan tomorrow)
Which I'm certain
(You understand what I'm sayin'? Can you believe that?)
I lived a life that's full
(They have people waitin')
(At the airport like five days like I'm a Beetle or somethin')
(That's really somethin')
And I traveled each and every highway
(Seen the best of the best, the worst of the worst)
And more, much more than this
(Still here)
I did it my way
(Let's try this one)
Yeah gangsta nigga
Put my hustle down tore the game up nigga
Took your high score down put my name up nigga
Tore the doors down till the hall of fame is jigga
I did it my way
(And more, much more than this)
That's right, it's a beautiful thing man
(I did it my way)
I did it my way, Hovi baby
Mommas youngest and strongest, survived summers like saunas
Mastered a corner like Deion in his uniform
Pop hurtin' assertive flirted with death
Damn near murdered before my first album hit the shelf
Grandma's favorite she could not understand
How this people in the world who wouldn't want me as a neighbor
Has to explain to her you think these folks want me in the penthouse
As a reminder that I make top paper
Black entrepreneur nobody did us no favors
Nobody gave us shit, we made us
The Rap Pack, I'm Sinatra, dame's Sam Davis
Bigs the smart one on the low like Dean Martin
We came in this game not beggin' niggaz pardon
Demandin' y'all respect, hand over a check
And while y'all at it hand over the jet
We the reason they ain't hand over Def Jam so quick
They knew every year I was droppin' new product
I was raisin' the stock up, while buildin' the roc up
But that's alright 'cause they knew they had to see us
When it was time for us to re up, make us multi-millionaires
Je je jeah
(And more, much more than this, I did it my way)
Jeah, in my lifetime I caught smaller cases but I had capital
Hypocritic system let me right back at you
You better hope a rich rapper never attacks you
Not even that scratches you 'specially if you black dude
They don't give a shit unless the accused just happen to rap
And they can look good by paintin' him as bad news
'Cause in my past I seen dudes get half of they views
Exposed to the curb and nobody said a word
So imagine how disturbed I was
When I seen how big they made my fight scene at the club
Let me explain you exactly how this shit was
This nigga un yo I scratched him he went home without an aspirin'
But it's cool 'cause he's back friends and half inning is over
It's in the past and I'm glad now I'm back to been Hova
Me back with the chauffeur laid back
Helicopter seat feat inclined shit feelin' like a sofa
Helicopter meet me Teta Vero takes me over
Somewhere peaceful for the weekend now
It's back to speakin' of vultures
So the next time that page six approaches us
Here's a quote from Jay, nigga I did it my way
(Please believe that) Some how some way
We gotta make it up out the hood some day
Some how some way
We gotta make it up out this life
Some how some way
We gotta make it up out this life
Some way we gotta make it up out this life
Weather we dribble out this motherfucker
Rap metaphors and riddle out this motherfucker
Work second floors, hospital out this motherfucker
Some how we gotta get up out this motherfucker
Some day the cops will kill a motherfucker
I don't always want to be this drug dealing
Motherfucker damn
Wish I could take us all on this magic carpet ride
Through the sky I
Use to play the hall up fifth floor me and my boys we
All poor getting high I
seen the worst of the worst I deserve every blessing
I received I'm from the dirt
I planted my seed on unfertile land Myrtle Park
Marcy, Flushing and Nostrand and
Still I grew some how I knew the sun will shine through
And touch my soul take hold of my hand
Look man a tree grows in Brooklyn
Some how some way
I gotta make it up out the hood someday
Some how some way
I gotta make it up out this life
Some way I gotta make it up out this hood someday
To old Nell, Sigel street I ain't forget you
Twenty niggas on the block trying to chase that buck
Nosey neighbors and haters keep their face on stuck
Cops roll up on the pavement break the dice games up
Behind smoke kids can't chase the ice cream truck
Girls fighting over Rollie young boys hype things up
Niggas fighting over Cold young boys light things up
All the petty ass wars fuck the night scene up
Remember Lil' Eddie man how he light mean up
Then they wonder why we light green up
Back to back steamers trying to relax but I can't
I lean up ain't the L or the refer that steam up
It's my head stress to the point I get a fever
Thinking bout the block and all the mothers and kids
That can't leave and how the Chinks gotta feed'em
For the rest of their life fucking wings fried
Vegetable rice(gotta be kidding)
No breakfast Cap'n Crunch at night
Our kids eating lunch at night
In their beds all bunched in tight
No less than three or four(you know how it go)
Two by the foot two by the headboard
Man I'm getting scared for them (Yeah I know)
Thats how I feel for them
And we gotta grip the shorties on the block
All they do is smoke weed and drink forties
Cop their quarties
Enough to get the latest ROC, newest glock, and old Jordies
Some how some way
We gonna make it up out the hood someday
Some how some way
We gonna make it up out this life
Some how some way
We gonna make it up out the hood one day
Some way we gonna make it up out this life
Right here another lil' story bout this click I claimed
Another chapter based on how I get that game
Hanging round my neighborhood and bang my street
Sit and watch the passer-bys play my sweep
South-side sunny side
Blocks I run South Vegas, South Paul
Nigga all got guns
Over here we got this poor (?) get that there
We know tomorrow ain't promise so we get that there
Fuck sitting in the living room guarding the steps
Working inside a slump house starving to death
Serving these nigga flippers, quarter-ounces and
Zippers agents snapping your picture neighbors
Plotting to get ya
Situations is critic I was out here to get it
Living it like a savage cause nigga I gotta have it
And holding back all the mothers for a minute
Pumping hard dog
Erase enough to walk it down and fuck it all dog
Love being willied and your creek gonna rise
I'm be a nigga and these streets gonna rise
(Some how some way)
(Some how some way)
I'm be a nigga and these streets gonna rise
Some how some way
We gotta make it up out the hood some day
Some how some way
We gotta make it up out this life
Some how some way
We gotta make it up out the hood some day