Released: October 30, 2000

Songwriter: Rick Rock JAY-Z

Producer: Rick Rock

[Intro]
Uh, yeah, mmmm
William H., niggas
Holla, yeah, yo

[Chorus]
That's why I, squeeze first ask questions last
That's how most of these so called gangstas pass
I, squeeze first ask questions last
'Cause when I pull, I always pop, that's why I'm living today

[Verse 1]
Yo, when I meet ya, I heat ya down
When I greet ya, meet ya with pound
Not the handshake, but the kind that make ya demand a wake
The kind that put land over your face
I pop ya, let doctor stitch ya
I-N-F-R-A, will not miss ya
I move light, like my shoes too tight
Leave niggas confused from the day to the night
At night, see the light, when the pistol's sparking
Daytime it gets dark when that pistol barking
I keep cash 'case cops arrest me
'case kids kidnap me, kids can get back me
You shall repent 'fore you spend a red cent
If not you, somebody of close descent
Thou shalt not fuck with raw me, or he
Face a thousand deaths from Mr. Shawn Corey
Carter, rap harder like I'm part of a cult
Like Cuban cigar maker 'cept I'm hard to smoke
And y'all choke, motherfuckers

[Chorus]
That's why I, squeeze first ask questions last
That's how most of these so called gangstas pass
I, squeeze first ask questions last
'Cause when I pull, I always pop, that's why I'm living today

[Bridge]
Yo, I said thou shalt not fuck with raw me, or he
Face a thousand deaths from Mr. Shawn Corey
Carter, rap harder like I'm part of a cult
Like Cuban cigar maker 'cept I'm hard to smoke
Thou shalt not fuck with raw me, or he
Face a thousand deaths from Mr. Shawn Corey
Carter, rap harder like I'm part of a cult
Like Cuban cigar maker 'cept I'm hard to smoke
And y'all choke, niggas

[Chorus]
That's why I, squeeze first ask questions last
That's how most of these so called gangstas pass
I, squeeze first ask questions last
Cause when I pull, I always pop, that's why I'm living today

[Bridge]
Y'all don't understand
I said thou shalt not fuck with raw me, or he
Face a thousand deaths from Mr. Shawn Corey
Carter, rap harder like I'm part of a cult
Like Cuban cigar maker 'cept I'm hard to smoke
And y'all choke, niggas

[Chorus]
I, squeeze first ask questions last
'Cause when I pull, I always pop, that's why I'm living today

[Verse 2]
See when I'm low on digits, I push blow in a blizzard
I'm a player for real, I post and pivot
Coke distribute, be where the ghostes visit
Where the demons live, shit, my scene is vivid
Squeamish kids, y'all get the fuck outta this verse
It's about to get so obscene in a minute
I seen and live it, I did some things I admit it
Wasn't proud of it, but I was a child, fuck it
Kept a pow tucked in a brown belt
Couldn't sit down, big gun kept sticking my pelvis
Shit, it was either that or be living with Elvis
Niggas is jealous, hell is hot, you heard X
Wanted to tell God that I don't deserve this
Was afraid that he'd tell me I deserve less
My life was nervous, you haven't heard stress
'Til you heard the cries of my mama, me giving her drama
Told her I ain't promised tomorrow, gotta live for the day
And before she could say Jay...
I was out the door, pouch full of raw, a outlaw mentality
Men gotta do men things for men salary
Bad Boy, not Puff or Mike Lowery
Damn B.I.G. woulda been proud of me

[Outro]
Ahh shit man...
Young Hova, ya heard?
Who could fuck with him?
Uh, uh, geah

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.