Released: November 12, 2002
Featuring: Lenny Kravitz
Songwriter: Lenny Kravitz Heavy D John McCrea JAY-Z
Producer: Heavy D
[Intro: Lenny Kravitz]
Yeah it's magic
Uhh, Jay-Z and Lenny Kravitz
And it's a Heavy D production you bastards
Come on
Ha, hey yo stop playing man
This is real serious
Ha (It's the rock) yeah yo
Let's go
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
Let's go
Post Positano, Hov' hanging with Bono
U2 can live like Salvatore Ferragamo
And you, too, can cool out poolside at the Delano
If you, too, flow like you was out of your mind yo
'Cause who knew dude that loved apple pies from McDonald's
Would soon be the boss of the Big Apple, ya know
And who knew dude that played ball for the NBA
Would make a mistake on the who knew estates, throw it away
Who knew that would be his last shot, who drew up that play
They giveth and they taketh life is cruel that way
But even a broken clock is right at least two times a day
You could have turned Guns into Roses like two times today
Now here's something you gotta say two times to Jay
I got my shades on waiting for the sun to shine my way
Got my boom box, suntan lotion waiting for action
They say when you play with skills, good luck could happen
Let's go
[Break: Jay-Z (Lenny Kravitz)]
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
Let's rock
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
Things got too hot so I jumped off in this rap shit
You got it Kris-crossed ain't no turning me backwards
Too many District Attorneys concerned with the actions
Of one individual, he's criminally attached
I turned in all my rap chips I'm earning my bachelors
By dating all the models and actresses
I'm learning all the potholes in every single barrio
Trying not to mess up my axis kid
On the road to the riches through trafficking
Through rapping and whatever's happening
Rocawear, I'm the young black Ralph Lauren
Every time I get out they put me right back in
The Michael Corleone of the microphone
The Michelangelo of flow, I paint pictures with poems
I gather no moss like a rolling stone
In case the Grim Reaper visits my home, nigga I'm gone c'mon
[Break: Jay-Z (Lenny Kravitz)]
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) Let's rock (c'mon)
[Chorus: Lenny Kravitz]
Life is all about Guns and Roses
Bittersweet like friends and foes is
Some get left behind and some get chosen
Just like life, Guns and Roses
Life is all about Guns and Roses
Bittersweet like friends and foes is
Some get left behind and some get chosen
Just like life, Guns and Roses
[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Tote more Guns than Roses, foes is
Visibly shook of the invisible bully (let's go)
Flowers need water to grow, it gotta rain
In order to experience joy you need pain
Every time a baby is born, somebody's slain
You know the saying, somebody's loss is another's gain
The sun comes out when the water goes down the drain
A rainbow then the clouds come out we do it again
Everything evens up, you just wait
Even a garbage can gets a steak
You ain't even a garbage can you have faith
But when it turns your way before it turns away
Gotta turn that into something you gotta learn from Jay
You'll get return on your investment if attention you pay, let's go
[Break: Jay-Z (Lenny Kravitz)]
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) That's right (c'mon)
[Chorus: Lenny Kravitz]
Life is all about Guns and Roses
Bittersweet like friends and foes is
Some get left behind and some get chosen
Just like life, Guns and Roses
Life is all about Guns and Roses
Bittersweet like friends and foes is
Some get left behind and some get chosen
Just like life, Guns and Roses
[Outro: Lenny Kravitz]
Life is all about Guns and Roses
Yeah it's magic
Uhh, Jay-Z and Lenny Kravitz
And it's a Heavy D production you bastards
Come on
Ha, hey yo stop playing man
This is real serious
Ha (It's the rock) yeah yo
Let's go
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
Let's go
Post Positano, Hov' hanging with Bono
U2 can live like Salvatore Ferragamo
And you, too, can cool out poolside at the Delano
If you, too, flow like you was out of your mind yo
'Cause who knew dude that loved apple pies from McDonald's
Would soon be the boss of the Big Apple, ya know
And who knew dude that played ball for the NBA
Would make a mistake on the who knew estates, throw it away
Who knew that would be his last shot, who drew up that play
They giveth and they taketh life is cruel that way
But even a broken clock is right at least two times a day
You could have turned Guns into Roses like two times today
Now here's something you gotta say two times to Jay
I got my shades on waiting for the sun to shine my way
Got my boom box, suntan lotion waiting for action
They say when you play with skills, good luck could happen
Let's go
[Break: Jay-Z (Lenny Kravitz)]
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
Let's rock
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
Things got too hot so I jumped off in this rap shit
You got it Kris-crossed ain't no turning me backwards
Too many District Attorneys concerned with the actions
Of one individual, he's criminally attached
I turned in all my rap chips I'm earning my bachelors
By dating all the models and actresses
I'm learning all the potholes in every single barrio
Trying not to mess up my axis kid
On the road to the riches through trafficking
Through rapping and whatever's happening
Rocawear, I'm the young black Ralph Lauren
Every time I get out they put me right back in
The Michael Corleone of the microphone
The Michelangelo of flow, I paint pictures with poems
I gather no moss like a rolling stone
In case the Grim Reaper visits my home, nigga I'm gone c'mon
[Break: Jay-Z (Lenny Kravitz)]
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) Let's rock (c'mon)
[Chorus: Lenny Kravitz]
Life is all about Guns and Roses
Bittersweet like friends and foes is
Some get left behind and some get chosen
Just like life, Guns and Roses
Life is all about Guns and Roses
Bittersweet like friends and foes is
Some get left behind and some get chosen
Just like life, Guns and Roses
[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Tote more Guns than Roses, foes is
Visibly shook of the invisible bully (let's go)
Flowers need water to grow, it gotta rain
In order to experience joy you need pain
Every time a baby is born, somebody's slain
You know the saying, somebody's loss is another's gain
The sun comes out when the water goes down the drain
A rainbow then the clouds come out we do it again
Everything evens up, you just wait
Even a garbage can gets a steak
You ain't even a garbage can you have faith
But when it turns your way before it turns away
Gotta turn that into something you gotta learn from Jay
You'll get return on your investment if attention you pay, let's go
[Break: Jay-Z (Lenny Kravitz)]
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) It's the Roc
(C'mon) That's right (c'mon)
[Chorus: Lenny Kravitz]
Life is all about Guns and Roses
Bittersweet like friends and foes is
Some get left behind and some get chosen
Just like life, Guns and Roses
Life is all about Guns and Roses
Bittersweet like friends and foes is
Some get left behind and some get chosen
Just like life, Guns and Roses
[Outro: Lenny Kravitz]
Life is all about Guns and Roses
more tracks from the album
From the albums
- The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse (2002)
- Blueprint 2.1 (2003)
JAY-Z popular songs
- Holy Grail
- Part II (On the Run)
- Empire State of Mind
- The Story of O.J.
- 4:44
- Tom Ford
- FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt
- 99 Problems
- Oceans
- Renegade
- Kill Jay Z
- Picasso Baby
- Takeover
- Family Feud
- Open Letter
- Run This Town
- Public Service Announcement
- Song Cry
- Smile
- Big Pimpin’
- Heaven
- Bam
- Beach Is Better (Interlude)
- ’03 Bonnie & Clyde