Released: December 18, 2001
Featuring: Jaguar Wright
Songwriter: Charles Strouse Martin Charnin JAY-Z James H. Billington
Producer: ?uestlove The Roots DJ Mark The 45 King
[Intro]
Bounce
Left and right
Left and right
Come on
Uh
Uh
Che
Uhuh
Yeah keep it best man
Nah nah you don't sing yet man
Sing now!
[Hook: Jaguar Wright (Jay Z)]
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us!
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life!
(I love you)
[Verse 1]
From standing on the corners boppin'
To driving some of the hottest cars New York has ever seen
For dropping some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard
From the dope spot, with the smoke Glock fleeing the murder scene
You know me well...
From nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hell
But since when y'all know me to fail? Nuh uh
Where all my brother with the rubber grips, bust shots
And if you with me mama rub on your hips, and what-not
I'm from the school of the hard knocks, we must not
Let outsiders violate our blocks, and my plot
Let's stick up the world and split it 50/50, uh-huh
Let's take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh-huh
And sip the Cris' and get pissy-pissy
Flow infinitely like the memory of the homie Biggie, baby!
You know it's hell when I come through
The life and times of Shawn Carter, y'all Volume 2, y'all niggas get ready
Sing!
[Hook: Jaguar Wright (Jay Z)]
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us!
(I can't hear y'all)
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life!
Bounce
Left and right
Left and right
Come on
Uh
Uh
Che
Uhuh
Yeah keep it best man
Nah nah you don't sing yet man
Sing now!
[Hook: Jaguar Wright (Jay Z)]
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us!
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life!
(I love you)
[Verse 1]
From standing on the corners boppin'
To driving some of the hottest cars New York has ever seen
For dropping some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard
From the dope spot, with the smoke Glock fleeing the murder scene
You know me well...
From nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hell
But since when y'all know me to fail? Nuh uh
Where all my brother with the rubber grips, bust shots
And if you with me mama rub on your hips, and what-not
I'm from the school of the hard knocks, we must not
Let outsiders violate our blocks, and my plot
Let's stick up the world and split it 50/50, uh-huh
Let's take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh-huh
And sip the Cris' and get pissy-pissy
Flow infinitely like the memory of the homie Biggie, baby!
You know it's hell when I come through
The life and times of Shawn Carter, y'all Volume 2, y'all niggas get ready
Sing!
[Hook: Jaguar Wright (Jay Z)]
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us!
(I can't hear y'all)
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life!
MTV Unplugged
- People Talkin’
- I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me) (MTV Unplugged)
- Song Cry (MTV Unplugged)
- Can’t Knock the Hustle / Family Affair (MTV Unplugged)
- Ain’t No (MTV Unplugged)
- Hard Knock Life (MTV Unplugged)
- Can I Get A… (MTV Unplugged)
- Big Pimpin’ (MTV Unplugged)
- Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love) (MTV Unplugged)
- Jigga What, Jigga Who (MTV Unplugged)
- Girls, Girls, Girls (MTV Unplugged)
- Takeover (MTV Unplugged)
- Izzo (H.O.V.A.) [MTV Unplugged]
- Jigga That N**** (MTV Unplugged)
- MTV Unplugged (2001)
- 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