JAY-Z

Released: December 28, 1999

Songwriter: JAY-Z Rockwilder Bryan Russell Brenda Russell

Producer: Rockwilder

[Intro]
Geyeah, NYMP the realest, uhh
This is educated thug MU-SIC, niggas

[Verse 1]
Life's a battle, mean streets eat you alive
Blocks'll have you, tryin' to maintain your course
Through the potholes and gravel
Hot holes and what-have-you, tryin' to clock dough
Foes tryin' to pop shots through you by code
Pigs tryin' to grab you and lock up your soul
Through the Hot Apple, nighttime shots crackle
(Bucka bucka bucka) fiends tryin' to gaffle you
Not only coke heads but the Feds in the Mercury Topaz
After you, up the avenue
Tryin' to give you big numbers, you got math to do
Tryin' to make you miss summer, shit, that ain't cool
I caught smaller cases tryin' to get capital
Up against the wall, tryin' to pass through
Ghost-like, hear the cries from the tortured souls
Most nights, I hold my toast tight, and it goes like

[Chorus]
Uhh, N.Y.M.P., the realest niggas
N.Y.M.P., the realest niggas
Uhh, uh-huh-uh-UHH, N.Y.M.P. the realest
Marcy.. Brooklyn..

[Verse 2]
Yo, I come through, gettin' money, sittin' on twenties
Niggas throwin' me shade, but ain't shit sunny
Hot shells only thing niggas could get from me
Cocktails thrown in your livin' room, KA-BOOM!
I'm so confrontational
They shoulda never let me go on probation yo
I'm a hustler, except that..
No correctional facilities can correct that
I took a step back, I viewed myself, seen where my head was at
It's where that dough is homie, gotta get that
Gotta get away, some try but head back
Uhh, street smart niggas got left back
Some died, they left stacks
Me, I ball right, and on top of that I'm dog nice
Jigga been cold as fuck before ice
Not before Christ, but a long fuckin' time
Get your mind right niggas

[Chorus]
N.Y.M.P., the realest
Uh-huh-uh-UHH, N.Y.M.P., the realest niggas
Uhh uh-huh, uh-UHH, N.Y.M.P. the realest niggas
Marcy.. feel me..

[Verse 3]
I looked death in the face years back
I held tears back, I gathered myself and stared back
I'm from where you don't crack, the weak don't live
You gotta bounce back homie, the streets don't give
I take and rape villages, who gon' stop him?
Not Rudy Giuliani, not Hillary Rodham
Still I still pop him
Shit, I grassy knoll and hilltop him, it's all political now
I think big when I spit at you now
Between my dog and the figures, the four gonna get'cha
Between life and death, they killed my spirit
So what little life I got left, y'all can expect me to ball
I empowered myself, teacher said I was a lost cause
'Cause I used to roam them halls
Still I spit knowledge, dropped out of high school, skipped college
Who woulda thought I'd make it "Big" like Ms. Wallace?

[Chorus]
Uhh, yeah, N.Y.M.P., the realest niggas
Brooklyn, what? Uhh, N.Y.M.P., the realest niggas
Uhh, uh-huh-uh-UHH, N.Y.M.P. the realest niggas
Marcy.. New York, Brooklyn, N.Y.M.P. the realest, feel me

[Outro]
Educated, thug mu-sic niggas
This is Brooklyn, this is gangsta, this is project
Real shit, N.Y.M.P. the realest niggas
Marcy, Brooklyn, stompin' grounds
Fuck with me

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

Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter

From the album

Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)

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