JAY-Z

Released: September 11, 2001

Songwriter: Just Blaze JAY-Z

Producer: Just Blaze

[Sample]
So I had to memorize these rhymes until I got home
You understand? You know, once you memorize a sentence
It's like an exercise

[Intro]
Y'all niggas can't be serious right now
I'm the all time heavyweight champion of flowers
I'm leading the league in at least six statistical categories right now:
Best flow, most consistent, realest stories
Most charisma, I set the most trends
And my interviews are hotter! Holla!

[Verse 1]
I jog in the graveyard, spar in the same ring
That was housed by the building where Malcolm X was slain
I spring train in the winter, 'round early December
Run suicide drills over and over
With the weight of the world on my shoulder
That's why they call me "Hova"
I'm far from being God, but I work goddamn hard
I wake up the birds so when the nerds asleep
I'm catching my second wind the second the first one ends
I am focused, man, and I'm not afraid of death
And I'm going all out, I circle the vultures in a van and
I run the block (run), pull up in a drop (pull up)
Push up on my money (push up), I'm in great shape dunny (woo!)
I keep jacks jumping, thirty six sets
Like a personal trainer I teach coke to stretch
I pump in Roc sweats, all white trainers
The ghetto's Billy Blanks, I show you niggas what pain is
Maintain your stamina, Hov will damage ya
Spot you two rhymes, y'all niggas is amateurs
The fifth, a dead lift if niggas don't want to get shot
Then y'all niggas better squat, I drop your set for rep
No need to hit the showers, the spit from the fifth leave you wet
Lyrical exercise, y'all niggas ain't tired right?

[Chorus]
One (and, and, and) one
Two (and, and, and) two
Three (and, and, and) three
(and) four, breathe easy...
One (and, and, and) one
Two (and, and, and) two
Three (and, and, and) three
(and) four, breathe easy...
One (and, and, and) one
Two (and, and, and) two
Three (and, and, and) three
(and) four, breathe easy...
One, two, three, four, breathe easy

[Verse 2]
Suckers, get your weight up, not your hate up
Jigga man is diesel when I lift the eight up
Y'all ain't ready to workout with the boy
Your flow is brain on drugs, mines is rap on steroids
I lift every voice when I sing, my ability
Make yours look like an exercise in futility
Bring your squad, biceps, triceps, and quads
We don't struggle with undeveloped muscles
Y'all ain't real, that's y'all Achilles' heel
Same routine when you see me you know the drill
I spot ya, I lift the weight of the watch
Off your arm, remain nice and calm
Put down your things, Trinidad of the game
Know my way around your ring
No matter how many pounds you bring
It sounds like the same old thing
R-O-C is the strongest team, fuckers

[Chorus]
One (and, and, and) one
Two (and, and, and) two
Three (and, and, and) three
(and) four, breathe easy...
One (and, and, and) one
Two (and, and, and) two
Three (and, and, and) three
(and) four, breathe easy...
One (and, and, and) one
Two (and, and, and) two
Three (and, and, and) three
(and) four, breathe easy...
One, two, three, four, breathe easy

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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