JAY-Z

Released: November 14, 2003

Songwriter: JAY-Z DJ Quik Madonna Ingrid Chavez Larry Smith D.M.C. Rev Run Lenny Kravitz

Producer: DJ Quik

[Produced by DJ Quik]

[Intro: JAY-Z]
Uhh, this feel right right here, Quik
It's like it's supposed to happen this one right here
Young! God damn
Let me justify my thug on this one right here

[Verse 1: JAY-Z]
It goes one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, Roc
Five six seven o'clock, eight o'clock, Roc
11 o'clock, 12 o'clock, the party 'bout to pop
Then, Roc-A-Fella y'all, it's your boy S. Dot
And I ain't never been to jail; I ain't never pay a nigga
To do no dirt for me I was scared to do myself
I will never tell, even if it means sittin' in a cell
I ain't never ran, never will
I ain't never been smacked; a nigga better keep his hands
To himself or get clapped for what's under that man's belt
I never asked for nothin' I don't demand of myself
Honesty, loyalty, friends and then wealth
Death before dishonor and I tell you what else
I tighten my belt 'fore I beg for help
Foolish pride is what held me together through the years
I wasn't felt which is why I ain't never played myself
I just play the hand I'm dealt, I can't say I've never knelt
Before God and asked for better cards at times to no avail
But I never sat back feelin' sorry for myself
If you don't give me heaven I'll raise hell
'Til it's heaven

[Chorus: Sharlotte Gibson]
Justify my thug for you
My thug (hoping)
My thug (praying) for you
To justify my thug
My thug (hoping)
My thug (praying) for you
For you

[Verse 2: JAY-Z]
Now if you shoot my dog, I'ma kill yo' cat
Just the unwritten laws in rap, know that
For every action there's a reaction, don't have me relapsin'
Relaxin's what I'm about, but about mine
Don't be actin like you can't see street action
Take me back to Reasonable Doubt time
You see my mind's on the finish line, facin' the wreck
I put my muh'fuckin' faith in the TEC, tell Satan not yet
You understand I am chasin' my breath
I am narrowly escapin' my death, oh yes
I am the Michael Schumacher of the Roc roster
Travellin' Mach 5, barrel in my apparel can stop God
God forgive me but I can't let them deliver me to you
Until, I won this race, then eventually
My engine gon' burn out, I get whatever is meant for me
However it turns out fine, red line!

[Chorus: Sharlotte Gibson]
Justify my thug for you
My thug (hoping)
My thug (praying) for you
To justify my thug
My thug (hoping)
My thug (praying) for you
For you

[Verse 3: JAY-Z]
They say an eye for an eye, we both lose our sight
And two wrongs don't make a right
But when you been wronged and you know all along that it's just one life
At what point does one fight? (Good question, right?)
'Fore you knock the war, try to put your dogs in his
Ten-and-a-halfs, for a minute-and-a-half
Bet that stops all the grinnin' and the laughs
When you play the game of life and the win ain't in the bag
When your options is none and the pen is all you have
Or the block, niggas standin' tight as lemons on the ave
Tryin' to cop a shop - call theyself cleansin' in the cash
But can't put they name on paper 'cause, then you on blast
Mr. President, there's drugs in our residence
Tell me what you want me to do, come break bread with us
Mr. Governor, I swear there's a cover up
Every other corner there's a liquor store, fuck is up?

[Chorus: Sharlotte Gibson]
Justify my thug for you
My thug (hoping)
My thug (praying) for you
To justify my thug
My thug (hoping)
My thug (praying) for you
For you

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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