JAY-Z

Released: November 21, 2006

Songwriter: JAY-Z Just Blaze

Producer: Just Blaze

[Intro]
You are tuned in
To the greatest
Young H-O-V
Let's go get 'em again, Just
(Oh my God, HOV)

[Verse 1]
Pops sped off, left mom with a bundle of
Joy, ya boy smacked 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 niggas in the hood
First niggas hating on me, it's all good
I'm buying things like my shit don't stink, Gucci links and Gucci gooses
Watching too many movies, bulletproof this
Had some nerve, like pulling tooth'ses
When you're 16, coming through roofless
Yea your 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're 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

[Chorus]
They gunning for me, wanna see me fall
You know my story, I've been through it all
Night's I've felt like dying, but I ain't crying
What didn't kill me, made me strong as iron
Iron, iron (Oh my God, Hov)

[Verse 2]
Now I'm knee deep in the concrete
Like a street's made a quicksand, it's beyond deep
I got a "chemical romance", two left feet
So now I dance with the devil, please G-O-D
Save me from the "black parade", release me
My life like Grand Theft Auto, PSP
I'm in that Volvo, puffing on that la-la
Ducking from the po-po, every time I drive by
Say hi to the bad guy, all my momma's friends was like
"Mmm, mmm, mmm" would you just look at him
So sorry dear momma for your embarrassment
But give me a couple years and pray I'll never sin again
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 am)
I'm feeling like the world's against me Lord
Call me crazy, but strangely I love the odds

[Chorus]
They gunning for me, wanna see me fall
You know my story, I've been through it all
Night's I've felt like dying, but I ain't crying
What didn't kill me, made me strong as iron
Iron, iron (Oh my God, Hov)

[Verse 3]
Now these baby ballers, toy rappers
Callin out my name to bring the boy backwards
Shooting air-balls at the basket
What you call money, I pay more in taxes
I got crowned king down in Africa
Out in Nigeria, do you have any idea
Sold out shows out in Seoul, Korea
Jo'burg, Dublin, Tanzania
Lunch with Mandela, dinner with Cavalli
Still got time to give water out to everybody
Everybody, fall back
Y'all rapping, I'm reenacting
CNN, you see it's accurate
ESPN, see me in action
Monday night's, when the half ends
When you 10 years in, holla back then

[Chorus]
They gunning for me, wanna see me fall
You know my story, I've been through it all
Night's I've felt like dying, but I ain't crying
What didn't kill me, made me strong as iron
Iron, iron (Oh my God, Hov)

[Outro]
Good Lord, good Lord, good Lord
Good Lord, I said I feeeeeeeeeeeel like I'm dyiiiiiiiing

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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