Released: September 4, 2006

Featuring: JAY-Z

Songwriter: Makeba Riddick Cameron Wallace Swizz Beatz Willie Clarke Solange Sean Garrett JAY-Z Clarence Reid Beyoncé Angela Beyince

Producer: Sean Garrett Swizz Beatz Beyoncé Cameron Wallace

[Intro: JAY-Z & (Beyoncé)]
Hehehe! Yeah, B!
Talk yo' shit! Hehe (Partner, let me upgrade you)
How you gon' upgrade me?
What's higher than number one?
You know I used to beat that block
Now I be's the block (Partner, let me upgrade you)

[Verse 1: Beyoncé]
I hear you be the block, but I'm the lights that keep the streets on
Notice you the type that like to keep them on a leash though
I'm known to walk alone, but I'm alone for a reason
Sending me a drink ain't appeasing, believe me
Come harder, this won't be easy
Don't doubt yourself, trust me, you need me
This ain't a shoulder with a chip or a ego
But what you think they all mad at me for?

[Pre-Chorus: Beyoncé]
You need a real woman in your life (That's a good look)
Taking care of home and still fly (That's a good look)
And I'mma help you build up your account
(That's a good look, better yet, a hood look, ladies that's a good look)
Believe me
When you're in them big meetings for the mills (That's a good look)
It take me just to compliment the deals (That's a good look)
And anything you cop, I'll split the bill
(That's a good look, better yet, a hood look, ladies that's a good look)
Believe me

[Chorus: Beyoncé]
Partner, let me upgrade you, Audemars Piguet you
Switch your neck ties to purple labels
Upgrade you (I can) up, (Can I?) up, (Let me) upgrade you
(Partner, let me upgrade you)
Partner, let me upgrade you, flip a new page
Introduce you to some new things and
Upgrade you (I can) up, (Can I?) up, (Let me) upgrade you
(Partner, let me upgrade you)

[Verse 2: Beyoncé]
I can do for you, what Martin did for the people
Ran by the men, but the women keep the tempo
It's very seldom that you're blessed to find your equals
Still play my part and let you take the lead role, believe me
I'll follow, this could be easy
I'll be the help, whenever you need me (You need me)
I see your hustle with my hustle, I can keep you
Focused on your focus, I can feed you

[Pre-Chorus: Beyoncé]
You need a real woman in your life (That's a good look)
Taking care of home and still fly (That's a good look)
I can help you build up your account
(That's a good look, better yet, a hood look, ladies, that's a good look)
Believe me
When you're in them big meetings for the mills (That's a good look)
It take me just to compliment the deals (That's a good look)
Anything you cop, I'll split the bill
(That's a good look, better yet, a hood look, ladies, that's a good look)
Hey, believe me, I can upgrade you

[Chorus 2: (Beyoncé & JAY-Z)]
Partner, let me upgrade you, Audemars Piguet you (Audemars Piguet you)
Switch your neck ties to purple labels (Have you rock in purple labels)
Upgrade you (I can) up, (Can I?) up, (Let me) upgrade you
(Partner, let me upgrade you)
Partner, let me upgrade you, flip a new page
Introduce you to some new things and
(Uh!) upgrade (HOV!) you
(I can) up, (Uh huh!), (Can I?) up, (Let me) (HOV!) upgrade you
(Partner, let me upgrade you) (Uh huh!)

[Verse 3: JAY-Z]
I be the d-boy who infiltrated all the corporate dudes
They call shots, I call audibles
Jacob the jeweler, baubles, Lorraine Schwartz oughta do
It's big balling, baby, when I'm courting you
I'm talking spy bags and fly pads
And rooms at the Bloomberg, and rumors
You on the verge of a new merge
'Cause that rock on ya finger's like a tumor
You can't fit ya hand in ya new purse
It's humorous to me, they watching and we just yachting
Island-hopping off the Amalfi coast
Mafioso, Hov, baby, you ever seen Saturn?
No, not the car, but everywhere we are
You're sure to see stars, this is high level
Not eye-level, my bezel courtesy of Audemars
I order yours tomorrow, now look at the time I saved you
Mama, let me upgrade you (Hehe)

[Bridge: Beyoncé]
Just when you think we had it all
Big ends, condos, collecting cars
Picture your life elevating with me
Now you my project celebrity
I keep ya name hot in them streets
That little glimpse of light
Makes that diamond really shine
And you already is a star, but unless you're flawless
Then ya dynasty ain't complete without a chief, like me

[Chorus: Beyoncé]
Partner, let me upgrade you, Audemars Piguet you
Switch your neck ties to purple labels
Upgrade you (I can) up, (Can I?) up, (Let me) upgrade you
(Partner, let me upgrade you)
Partner, let me upgrade you, flip a new page
Introduce you to some new things, and
Upgrade you (I can) up, (Can I?) up, (Let me) upgrade you
(Partner, let me upgrade you)

[Outro: Beyoncé]
Audemars Piguet watch, dimples in ya necktie
Hermes briefcase, Cartier tie clips
Silk-lined blazers, diamond creamed facials
VVS cuff links, six-star pent suites
Partna, let me, upgrade ya, grade ya
Partna, partna, let me, upgrade ya, grade ya
Let me, let me, let me, upgrade ya, grade ya
Partna, partna, partna, let me upgrade ya (Huh!)

Beyoncé

In the twenty-first century, no pop star was as poised, as polished, or as generally fierce as Beyoncé. She scored early success with Destiny’s Child, who started out as a sexier and sassier (if less adult) version of TLC, then steadily became more and more of a vehicle for Beyoncé’s operatic vocals and general diva-tude, which may have been the plan all along.

Whether appearing in TV spots, co-starring in films like Dreamgirls, or killing it every night on stadium tours, Beyoncé was omnipresent in the 2000s. Almost everybody, Beygency member or otherwise, loved shiny, hip-hop-fueled hits like “Crazy in Love”, and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”. Moving into the 2010s, Beyoncé fights on, gaining more and more traction in pop culture with her work and music.

She has made a significant impact upon the music landscape in general with her recent albums 4 and BEYONCÉ, which explored complex themes like motherhood, feminism, marriage, sexuality, and doubt in a greater depth. With Lemonade, she went a step further—the fierce, intimate exploration of marriage, infidelity, and forgiveness was her most personal and musically daring album yet.