JAY-Z

Released: September 11, 2001

Songwriter: JAY-Z Bobby Byrd Just Blaze

Producer: Just Blaze

[Produced by Just Blaze]

[Intro]
Turn my music high, high, high, higher
You don't know what you're doin'— doin'— doin'—
Sure I do

[Verse 1]
I'm from the streets where the hood could swallow 'em and
Bullets'll follow 'em and
There's so much coke that you could run the slalom
And cops comb the shit top to bottom
They say that we are prone to violence, but it's home sweet home
Where personalities clash and chrome meets chrome
The coke prices up and down like it's Wall Street, holmes
But this is worse than the Dow Jones, your brains are now blown
All over that brown Brougham, one slip, you are now gone
Welcome to Hell, where you are welcome to sell
But when them shells come, you better return 'em
All scars, we earn 'em
All cars, we learn 'em like the back of our hand
We watch for cops hoppin' out the back of vans
Wear a G on my chest, I don't need Dapper Dan
This ain't a sewn outfit, holmes, holmes is about it
Was clappin' them flamers before I became famous
For playin' me, y'all shall forever remain nameless

[Interlude]
I am Hov
You don't know what you're doin'— doin'— doin'—
Sure I do

[Verse 2]
I tell you the difference between me and them
They tryin' to get they ones, I'm tryin' to get them M's
One million, two million, three million, four
In just five years, forty million more
You are now lookin' at the forty million boy
I'm rapin' Def Jam 'til I'm the hundred million man

[Interlude]
R-O-C
You don't know what you're doin'— doin'— doin'—
That's where you're wrong

[Verse 3]
I came into this motherfucker hundred grand strong
Nine to be exact, from grindin' G-packs
Put this shit in motion, ain't no rewindin' me back
Could make 40 off a brick, but one rhyme could beat that
And if somebody woulda told 'em that Hov' would sell clothin'
Not in this lifetime, wasn't in my right mind
That's another difference that's between me and them, hah
I smarten up, open the market up
One million, two million, three million, four
In eighteen months, eighty million more
Now add that number up with the one I said before
You are now lookin' at one smart black boy
Mama ain't raised no fool
Put me anywhere on God's green earth, I'll triple my worth, motherfucker

[Interlude]
I will not lose
You don't know what you're doin'— doin'— doin'—
Put somethin' on it

[Verse 4]
I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in Hell
I am a hustler, baby, I'll sell water to a whale
I was born to get cake, move on and switch states
Cop the coupe with the roof gone and switch plates
Was born to dictate, never follow orders, dick face
Get your shit straight, fucker, this is Big Jay

[Outro]
I— hahahaha
You don't know what you're doin'— doin'— doin'—
Will not lose, ever
Fucker

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

The Blueprint

From the album

The Blueprint (2001)

JAY-Z popular songs

U Don’t KnowJAY-Z

JAY-Z

The Blueprint