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Izzo (H.O.V.A.) [MTV Unplugged]JAY-Z

Released: December 18, 2001

Songwriter: Kanye West JAY-Z

Producer: The Roots ?uestlove Kanye West

[Intro]
Welcome to Jay Z's poetry reading
Halt, who goes there?
Do this, do this {*does poetry snaps, audience follows*}
It was the winter
It was cold
It was the cold winter
Welcome ladies and gentleman once again
As if we never left
It's MTV Unplugged
I'll be your host this evening
I go by a couple of names
People call me a lot of names, couple to my face you know
Sometimes they call me Jay Z
Sometimes they call me Jigga
Sometimes they call me Young Hov
Iceberg, tonight I'm
(H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A)
You gotta love that
(H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A)
I got the most incredible Roots band with me tonight y'all
(H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A)
It's a beautiful thing
Welcome everybody to the 8th Wonder of the world
(H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A)
The flow of the century
Always timeless
(H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A)
Hov
We gonna thank everybody for coming out
(H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A)
You could've been anywhere in the world, you're here with me
I appreciate that
Let's rock

[Verse 1]
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
For 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 with cheese I would work with them
I Brought in weed, got rid of that dirt for them
Wasn't born hustlers, I was birthing 'em
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
For sheezy my neezy keep my arms so breezy
Can't leave rap alone, the game needs me
Haters want me clap that chrome, it ain't easy
Cops want to knock me, D.A. wants to box me in
But somehow I beat them charges like Rocky
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Still 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!)

[Hook]
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
For 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
Still not guilty y'all got to feel me
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
That's the anthem, get'cha damn hands up!

[Verse 2]
I do this for my culture
To let them know what ya boy look like when ya boy in that Roadster
Show them how to move in a room full of vultures
Industry is shady, it needs to be taken over
Label owners hate me, I'm raising the status quo up
I'm overcharging labels for what they did to the Cold Crush
Pay us like you owe us for all the years that you hoed us
We can talk, but money talks, so talk more bucks

[Hook]
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
For 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
For 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!

[Verse 3]
Hov is back, life stories told through rap
They acting like I sold you crack
Like I told you sell drugs; no, Hov did that
So hopefully you won't have to go through that
I was raised in the projects, roaches and rats
Smokers out back selling their mama's sofa
Lookouts on the corner focused on the ave
Ladies in the window, focused on the kinfolk
Me under a lamppost, why I got my hand closed?
That's in my palm, watching the long arm of the law
So you know I seen it all before
I've seen Hoop Dreams deflate like a true fiend's weight
To try and to fail: the two things I hate
Succeed in this rap game: the two things that's great
H O V A
(What else can I say about dude? I gets bu-sy)
Yeah!

[Hook]
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
For 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
For 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
For 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
For shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down in VA
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Fo sheezy my neezy keep my arms so greasy

JAY-Z

Having sold over 100 million records worldwide, and holding the solo artist record of 14 Billboard 200 #1 albums, Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter is possibly the most talented, accomplished and respected rapper of all-time. He has released 13 studio albums and five collaborative albums over his 30-year career.

Three of his albums, Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, and The Black Album, are considered landmarks in the genre, with all of them featured in Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Hov has won 21 Grammy Awards from sixty-four nominations, making him the 10th most awarded artist of all-time.

Legendary for never writing down his lyrics, JAY-Z’s flow is considered one of the greatest to grace the genre, his wordplay and metaphorical ability is unmatched, and his live shows push the envelope of what it means to be a hip hop artist. His MTV Unplugged appearance introduced the idea of having a full band (The Roots) backing up a hip hop artist at major concerts, and during his 2004 documentary Fade to Black he doubled down, selling out Madison Square Garden (in mere minutes) while featuring an enormous live band performance.

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