Released: November 12, 2002
Featuring: The Notorious B.I.G. Faith Evans
Songwriter: Tone Diddy Kanye West The Notorious B.I.G. James Mtume JAY-Z
Producer: Kanye West
[Intro]
It was all a dream
[Refrain: Faith Evans]
Last night I had a dream, thoughts was racin through my head
Felt so real to me, this is what was said
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
"Had a dream," I said; "Bout who?" he said
"'Bout B.I.G.," I said; "That's big," he said
"Dig what he said"; "Proceed," he said
"Indeed," I said, so, breathe I did
"Don't repeat what I say," I said, he said nothing
He agreed with his head, he just nodded like this
What I believe to be a yes, I repeated what was said
"It came to me like a whisper last evening," I said
"What's the deal, playboy?" was the greeting he said
First thing I wanted to know was the reason he was dead
"Mo' Money Mo' Problems,'" better believe it," he said
"Careful what you wish for, you might receive it," he said
"I see," I said, "jealousy" I said
"Got the whole industry mad at me," I said
Then B.I. said, "Hov, remind yourself:
Nobody built like you, you designed yourself!"
"I agree," I said, "my one of a kind self"
Getting stoned every day like Jesus did
"What he said," I said, "has been said before"
"Just keep doin your thing," he said; "say no more"
[Refrain: Faith Evans]
Was it all a dream - tell me
Was it all a dream, was it a dream
Was it all a dre-eeee-eeeee-eeam
I gotta know (It was all a dream)
Was it all a dream - was it a dream
Was it all a dream, a dream
Was it all a dre-eeee-eeeee-eeam
[Verse 2: Notorious B.I.G.]
It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up! magazine
Salt-n-Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine
Hanging pictures on my wall
Every Saturday, Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl
I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped
Smoking weed and bamboo, sipping on private stock
Way back, when I had the red and black lumberjack
With the hat to match
Remember Rapping Duke, "duh-ha, duh-ha"
You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far
Now I'm in the limelight 'cause I rhyme tight
Time to get paid, blow up like the (World Trade)
Born sinner, the opposite of a winner
Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner
Peace to Ron G, Brucey B, Kid Capri
Funkmaster Flex, Lovebug Starsky
I'm blowing up like you thought I would
Call the crib, same number same hood, it's all good
And if you don't know, now you know, nigga
[Refrain: Faith Evans]
Was it all a dream - tell me
Was it all a dream, was it a dream
Was it all a dre-eeee-eeeee-eeam
I gotta know (It was all a dream)
Was it all a dream - was it a dream
Was it all a dream, a dream
Was it all a dre-eeee-eeeee-eeam
[Outro: Jay-Z (spoken)]
"I see," I said, "jealousy" I said
"Got the whole industry mad at me," I said
Then B.I. said, "Hov, remind yourself:
Nobody built like you, you designed yourself!"
"I agree," I said, "my one of a kind self"
Getting stoned every day like Jesus did
"What he said," I said, "has been said before"
"Just keep doin your thing," he said; "say no more"
It was all a dream
[Refrain: Faith Evans]
Last night I had a dream, thoughts was racin through my head
Felt so real to me, this is what was said
[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
"Had a dream," I said; "Bout who?" he said
"'Bout B.I.G.," I said; "That's big," he said
"Dig what he said"; "Proceed," he said
"Indeed," I said, so, breathe I did
"Don't repeat what I say," I said, he said nothing
He agreed with his head, he just nodded like this
What I believe to be a yes, I repeated what was said
"It came to me like a whisper last evening," I said
"What's the deal, playboy?" was the greeting he said
First thing I wanted to know was the reason he was dead
"Mo' Money Mo' Problems,'" better believe it," he said
"Careful what you wish for, you might receive it," he said
"I see," I said, "jealousy" I said
"Got the whole industry mad at me," I said
Then B.I. said, "Hov, remind yourself:
Nobody built like you, you designed yourself!"
"I agree," I said, "my one of a kind self"
Getting stoned every day like Jesus did
"What he said," I said, "has been said before"
"Just keep doin your thing," he said; "say no more"
[Refrain: Faith Evans]
Was it all a dream - tell me
Was it all a dream, was it a dream
Was it all a dre-eeee-eeeee-eeam
I gotta know (It was all a dream)
Was it all a dream - was it a dream
Was it all a dream, a dream
Was it all a dre-eeee-eeeee-eeam
[Verse 2: Notorious B.I.G.]
It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up! magazine
Salt-n-Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine
Hanging pictures on my wall
Every Saturday, Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl
I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped
Smoking weed and bamboo, sipping on private stock
Way back, when I had the red and black lumberjack
With the hat to match
Remember Rapping Duke, "duh-ha, duh-ha"
You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far
Now I'm in the limelight 'cause I rhyme tight
Time to get paid, blow up like the (World Trade)
Born sinner, the opposite of a winner
Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner
Peace to Ron G, Brucey B, Kid Capri
Funkmaster Flex, Lovebug Starsky
I'm blowing up like you thought I would
Call the crib, same number same hood, it's all good
And if you don't know, now you know, nigga
[Refrain: Faith Evans]
Was it all a dream - tell me
Was it all a dream, was it a dream
Was it all a dre-eeee-eeeee-eeam
I gotta know (It was all a dream)
Was it all a dream - was it a dream
Was it all a dream, a dream
Was it all a dre-eeee-eeeee-eeam
[Outro: Jay-Z (spoken)]
"I see," I said, "jealousy" I said
"Got the whole industry mad at me," I said
Then B.I. said, "Hov, remind yourself:
Nobody built like you, you designed yourself!"
"I agree," I said, "my one of a kind self"
Getting stoned every day like Jesus did
"What he said," I said, "has been said before"
"Just keep doin your thing," he said; "say no more"
more tracks from the album
The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse
- The Watcher 2
- What They Gonna Do
- Diamond Is Forever
- Guns & Roses
- Nigga Please
- Show You How
- Some How Some Way
- Poppin’ Tags
- Some People Hate
- All Around the World
- U Don’t Know (Remix)
- Blueprint²
- A Dream
- A Ballad for the Fallen Soldier
- Excuse Me Miss
- Meet the Parents
- The Bounce
- Hovi Baby
- ’03 Bonnie & Clyde
- Fuck All Nite
- I Did It My Way
- As One
- 2 Many Hoes
- Bitches & Sisters
- What They Gonna Do Part II
From the albums
- The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse (2002)
- Blueprint 2.1 (2003)
JAY-Z popular songs
- 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