Released: November 12, 2002

Songwriter: Charlemagne Ennio Morricone JAY-Z

Producer: Charlemagne

[Intro]
"JAY-Z this," "JAY-Z that."
("JAY-Z won't hold my hand no more.")
"JAY-Z this," "JAY-Z that."
"JAY-Z that," "JAY-Z this."
("JAY-Z won't give me no money.")
Get off JAY-Z' dick!
What, y'all niggas get front page articles?
Y'all mention JAY-Z name?
(This thing on?) JAY-Z, JAY-Z
(Check) In JAY-Z news
I understand what y'all tryin' to do
I brought the flutes this time, though (Check)
Unleash the flutes on 'em, Guru
Give me some more music in the headphone
Let's get to the proceedings preceding this evening
Let's do this thing (let's do it right this time)
C'mon!

[Verse 1]
H-O-V-A
I got my mojo back, baby, oh behave
Naw, naw, don't be afraid
Y'all and your articles hock spit at Jay
Y'all from afar threw darts my way
What you thought, I would not have nothin' to say? Nope!
Y'all fell into the booby trap
I set the trap just to see dude react, and now
And now you's can't leave
You opened the door, God, I'm at you annually
And I'm sorry Miss Rosie Perez
I call a spade a spade, it just is what it is
But you can't give cred to anything dude says
Same dude to give you ice and you owe him some head
Shorty, it's time to wake up the dead
You sound a little naive in them articles that I read

[Chorus]
H-O-V-A
The Blueprint 2, baby, on the way
H-O-V-A
I got my mojo back, baby, oh behave
H-O-V-A
The Blueprint 2, baby, on the way
H-O-V-A
I got my mojo back, baby, oh behave

[Verse 2]
Can't y'all see that he's fake, the rap version of T.D. Jakes
Prophesizin' on your CD's and tapes
Won't break you a crumb of the little bit that he makes
And this is with whom you want to place your faith?
I put dollars on mine, ask Columbine
When the Twin Towers dropped, I was the first in line (It's real)
Donatin' proceeds off every ticket sold
When I was out on the road, that's how you judge Hov, no?
Ain't I supposed to be absorbed in myself?
Every time there's a tragedy, I'm the first one to help
They call me this misogynist
But they don't call me the dude to take his dollars to give gifts at the projects
These dudes is all politics, depositin' checks
They put in they pocket, all you get in return is a lot of lip (Yap, yap, yap)
And y'all buy the shit, caught up in the hype
'Cause the nigga wear a kufi, it don't mean that he bright
'Cause you don't understand him, it don't mean that he nice
It just means you don't understand all the bullshit that he write (The fuck is you sayin'?)
Is it Oochie Wally Wally or is it One Mic?
Is it Black Girl Lost or shorty owe you for ice?
I've been real all my life, they confuse it with conceit
Since I will not lose, they try to help him cheat
But I will not lose, for even in defeat
There's a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me
When the grass is cut, the snakes will show
I gotta thank the little homie Nas for that, though (Ha ha)
Savin' me the hassle of speakin' to half of these assholes
And I'ma let karma catch up to Jaz-O, whoa
I'm back before you had a chance to miss me
My mama can't save you this time, niggas is history
Who you know flow vicious as me?
Yet so religiously, that's why they call me Hov'
I get the spoils 'cause the victor is me (Me, nigga!)
You're an actor, you're not who you're depicted to be
You street dreamin', all y'all niggas livin' through me
I gave you life when niggas was forgettin' you emcee
I'm a legend, you should take a picture with me
You should be happy to be in my presence, I should charge you a fee
I'm Big Dog, Glenn Rob – listen, God, you a flea
And the little homie Jungle is a garden to me
What's the problem, B? You not as hard as me
Nigga, hard as we, nigga, R-O-C, nigga
That's why they follow me
They feel my pain and my agony, nigga
I won't rest 'til you on one knee
You want war, then it's war it's gon' be, nigga
Until you on one knee
You want war, then it's war it's gon' be, nigga

[Chorus]
H-O-V-A
The Blueprint 2, baby, on the way
H-O-V-A
I got my mojo back, baby, oh behave
H-O-V-A
The Blueprint 2, baby, on the way
H-O-V-A
I got my mojo back, baby, oh behave

JAY-Z

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.