JAY-Z

Released: September 11, 2001

Songwriter: D. Richards F. Perren A. Mizell B. Gordy Kanye West JAY-Z

Producer: Kanye West

[Produced by Kanye West]

[Intro]
"Ladies and gentlemen
Let's put our hands together for this dynasty!
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
Welcome ladies and gentlemen
To the 8th wonder of the world!
The flow of the century, always timeless: HOV!
Thanks for coming out tonight
You could've been anywhere in the world
But you're here with me, I appreciate that, ah"

[Verse 1]
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
For shizzle, my nizzle, used to dribble down in VA
Was herbing 'em in the home of the Terrapins
Got it dirt cheap for them
Plus if they was short with cheese I would work with them
Brought in weed, got rid of that dirt for them
Wasn't-born-hustlers, I was birthing 'em
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
For sheezy, my neezy, keep my arms so breezy
Can't leave rap alone, the game needs me
Haters want me clapped in chrome, it ain't easy
Cops want to knock me, D.A. wants to box me in
But somehow I beat them charges like Rocky
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
Not guilty, he who does not feel me
Is not real to me, therefore he doesn't exist
So poof! —Vamoose, son of a bitch!

[Chorus]
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
For shizzle, my nizzle, used to dribble down in VA
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
That's the anthem, get'cha damn hands up!
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
Not guilty, y'all got to feel me
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
That's the anthem, get'cha damn hands up!

[Verse 2]
I do this for my culture, to let them know
What a nigga look like when a nigga in a roaster
Show them how to move in a room full of vultures
Industry is shady, it needs to be taken over
Label owners hate me, I'm raising the status quo up
I'm overcharging niggas for what they did to the Cold Crush
Pay us like you owe us for all the years that you hoed us
We can talk, but money talks, so talk mo' bucks

[Chorus]
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
For shizzle, my nizzle, used to dribble down in VA
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
That's the anthem, get'cha damn hands up!
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
Not guilty, y'all got to feel me
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
That's the anthem, get'cha damn hands up!

[Verse 3]
Hov is back, life stories told through rap
Niggas acting like I sold you crack
Like I told you sell drugs, no, Hov did that
So hopefully you won't have to go through that
I was raised in the projects, roaches and rats
Smokers out back sellin' their mama's sofa
Lookouts on the corner focused on the ave
Ladies in the window, focused on the kinfolk
Me under a lamppost, why I got my hand closed?
Crack's in my palm, watching the long arm of the law
So you know I seen it all before
I've seen Hoop Dreams deflate like a true fiend's weight
To try and to fail: the two things I hate
Succeed and this rap game: the two things that's great
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
What else can I say about dude? I gets bu-sy

[Chorus]
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
For shizzle, my nizzle, used to dribble down in VA
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
That's the anthem, get'cha damn hands up!
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
Not guilty, y'all got to feel me
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
That's the anthem, get'cha damn hands up!

[Outro]
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A
H to the Izz-O, V to the Izz-A

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.

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