JAY-Z

Released: July 13, 2013

Songwriter: Chris Godbey J-Roc Carlos “6 July” Broady Diddy Nashiem Myrick D.M.C. Timbaland The Notorious B.I.G. Justin Timberlake JAY-Z

Producer: J-Roc Timbaland

[Intro]
“I work and work 'til I'm half-dead and I hear people saying
"She's getting old," and what do I get? A daughter
Who cares as much about the beautiful dresses I give her
As she cares about ME!”

[Verse 1]
Let's do this for these babies
Mercedes truck, fuck, houses on acres
Blatantly ballin' on HD
Y'all need to step up y'all AV
Life changed again I was already taking off
My flight changed again
Slight change of winds
It's barely 12 noon and my wife changed again
Baby need Pampers
Daddy need at least three weeks in the Hamptons
Please don't judge me, only hugged the block
I thought my daddy didn't love me
My baby getting chubby
Cue that Stevie Wonder music, aww, isn't she lovely?
Now I'm staring at her praying that things don't get ugly
And I'm stuck in that old cycle like wife leaves hubby
Fuck joint custody, I need a joint right now
Just the thought alone fucks with me

[Hook]
High on life
I could die from the fall, imagine if I hit the floor
Apologies in order to Blue Ivy my daughter
If it was up to me, you would be with me, sort of like daddy dearest

[Interlude]
"Don't fuck with me fellas. This ain't my first time at the rodeo."

[Verse 2]
I dream filthy (My mom and pops)
Mixed me with Jamaican (Rum and whiskey, what a set off)
And I know I'm not perfect baby
I done been through so much trauma, it gonna be hard to reverse it
With some doctors and some nurses maybe
Teach me on how to treat a lady, open doors on the 'Cedes
This relationship shit is complicated
All I know if we ain't speaking everyday, I fucking hate it
I don't wanna duplicate it
I seen my mom and pop drive each other mothafuckin' crazy
And I got that nigga blood in me
I got his ego and his temper, all is missing is the drugs in me

[Hook]
High on life
I could die from the fall, imagine if I hit the floor
Apologies in order to Blue Ivy my daughter
If it was up to me, you would be with me, sort of like daddy dearest

[Interlude]
"No... wire... hangers... EVER!"

[Verse 3]
Father never taught me how to be a father, treat a mother
I don't wanna have to just repeat another leave another
Baby with no daddy want no momma drama
I just wanna take her back to a time when everything was calmer
Out in Paris on a terrace watching the Eiffel Tower
And a Ferris wheel yet and still, nothing could prepare us
For the beauty that you be Blue be
Looking in your eyes is like a mirror, have to face my fears
Cheer up, why can't you just be happy
Without these back and forth thoughts, you too much like your daddy
Badly I just wanna spent more time with him
Sadly life wouldn't let me get around with him
Now I got my own daughter, taught her how to take her first steps
Cut the cord watch her take her first breath
And I'm trying and I'm lying if I said I wasn't scared
But in life and death if I ain't here

[Hook]
High on life
I could die from the fall, imagine if I hit the floor
Apologies in order to Blue Ivy my daughter
If it was up to me, you would be with me, sort of like daddy dearest

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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