JAY-Z

Released: November 6, 2007

Featuring: Pharrell Williams

Songwriter: JAY-Z Pharrell Williams Thomas McElroy Terry Ellis (En Vogue) Maxine Jones Denzil Foster Bernard Kaun Dawn Robinson Cindy Herron

Producer: The Neptunes

[Produced by The Neptunes]

[Intro: Jay-Z]
Roc-A-Fella Records
The imperial Skateboard P
Great Hova
Y'all already know what it is! (Oh shit!)
C'mon! (Woooo!)
Yeah

[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
So what if you flip a couple words? I could triple that in birds
Open your mind, you see the circus in the sky
I'm Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey with the pies
No matter how you slice it, I'm your motherfuckin' guy
And just like a b-boy with 360 waves
Do the same with the pot, still come back beige
Whether right or southpaw, whether pot or the jar
Whip it around, it still comes back hard
So easily do I W-H-I-P
My repetition with wristses'll bring the kilo bidness
I got Creole C.O. bitches for my niggas
Who slipped, became prisoners, treats taped to the visitors
You already know what the bid-ness is
Unnecessary conversary, boy, we live this shit
Niggas wanna bring the '80s back
That's okay with me, that's where they made me at
Except I don't write on the wall
I write my name in the history books, hustlin' in the hall
Nah, I don't spin on my head
I spin my work in the pot, so I can spend my bread

[Chorus: Jay-Z & Pharrell]
And I'm gettin' it, I'm gettin' it
I ain't talkin' about it, I'm livin' it
I'm gettin' it, straight gettin' it
G—G—G—Get— Get— Get it, boy
Don't waste your time
Fighting the life
Stay your course
And you'll understand (Get it, boy)

[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
It's '87 state of mind that I'm in (mind that I'm in)
In my prime, so for that time, I'm Rakim (I'm Rakim)
If it wasn't for the crime that I was in
But I wouldn't be the guy who rhymes it is that I'm in (that I'm in)
No pain, no profit
P, I repeat if you show me where the pot is (pot is)
Cherry M3's with the top back (top back)
Red and green G's all on my hat
North Beach leathers, matching Gucci sweater
Gucci sneaks on to keep my outfit together
Whatever, hundred for the diamond chain
Can't you tell that I came from the dope game?
Blame Reagan for making me into a monster
Blame Oliver North and Iran-Contra
I ran contraband that they sponsored
Before this rhymin' stuff we was in concert

[Chorus: Jay-Z & Pharrell]
And I'm gettin' it, I'm gettin' it
I ain't talkin' about it, I'm livin' it
I'm gettin' it, straight gettin' it
G—G—G—Get— Get— Get it, boy
Don't waste your time
Fighting the life
Stay your course
And you'll understand (Get it, boy)

[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Ugh, push
Money over broads, you got it—fuck Bush
Chef, guess what I cooked?
Baked a lot of bread and kept it off the books
Rockstar, look
Way before the bars, my picture was getting took
Feds, they like wack rappers
Try as they may, they couldn't get me on the hook, ugh
D.A. wanna indict me
'Cause fishscale's in my veins like a Pisces
The Pyrex pot, rolled up my sleeves
Turn one into two like a Siamese twin
When it end, I'ma stand as a man
Never dying on my knees, last of a dying breed
So let the champagne pop
I partied for a while; now, I'm back to the block

[Chorus: Jay-Z & Pharrell]
And I'm gettin' it, I'm gettin' it
I ain't talkin' about it, I'm livin' it
I'm gettin' it, straight gettin' it
G—G—G—Get— Get— Get it, boy
Don't waste your time
Fighting the life
Stay your course
And you'll understand (Get it, boy)

[Outro: Denzel Washington from American Gangster]
"Blue Magic"—that's a brand name. Like "Pepsi"—that's a brand name. I stand behind it. I guarantee it. They know that, even if they don't know me any more than they know the— the Chairman of General Mills. My man...

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.

more tracks from the album

American Gangster

From the albums

American Gangster (2007)
Once Upon a Time in 2007 (2020)

JAY-Z popular songs

Blue MagicJAY-Z

JAY-Z

American Gangster