JAY-Z

Released: November 18, 2001

Songwriter: JAY-Z

Producer: Ski Beatz

[Sample]
[Its like finding feathers on a housecat]

(Jay-Z)
Lemme take yall somewhere else right now

[It's like searching for a needle in a haystack]

Lemme get y'all to zone out wit' me, man
(Its a'ight, don't be scared)
Take y'all niggas left and center (zone out wit')
Bullshit

[Hook: Sample x2]
I hear the people talk (I hear y'all)
Whistling when you walk (Y'all hear me)
Your kind is hard to find
Darling, I'm glad you're mine

(Jay-Z talking during chorus)
Y'all niggas should twist up sumthin
Real real real tight right here
Zone out wit' ya boy
If you don't smoke, grab you something to drink
Mix it up right
If you don't smoke or drink
Man, just light up an inscense
Fuck it
Close ya eyes... Vibe wit' a nigga
I want y'all to really hear me

[Verse]
I speak through music, I reach you dudes
We can get deeper in the dirt than cleat shoes
I refuse to lose
I peep you creeps three months in advance
I SEE RIGHT THROUGH YA, JUDAS!
The man that I am and damn you don't know
The harder you go at me the harder I flow
Let's do this
I'm just a mirror reflectin' your image
The minute you switch up your face I pick up the pace
There's nothin' to it
Pull hammers from my waist
We can clap at this amateur pace
If that's what's crackin'
Or we can play this on "All Madden"
Can you even fathom not havin' a fear in the world
I'm cool in my afterlife
If I'm readin' these chapters right
Please what have you, I breeze through Matthews
Bleed if I have to, you cowards die a thousand deaths
Fake fucks face-down on your housing steps
Are y'all even gettin' this message?
I ain't bein' aggressive
But if you testin' my life then, shit, I gotta answer
Gotta cut off the cancer, young'n, pull your pants up
You gettin' too big for ya britches
You fuckin' wit' a dude that did it wit' digits
Breathing's a privilege
Don't you know when you're defeated?
Won't you though? Throw in the towel
I'm better with vowels
I'm a man of principles; damn-near invincible
In my own mind now that my soul's aligned
I didn't know before now my role's defined:
Take hold and control what's mine
Come and get me!
Come and take my life, you comin' wit me
Come and try to take me for granted
I'll take you off this planet
Dammit, man this is the gift from God
This ain't happenstance
And your arms are too short to box
Plus we knuckle up unorthodox
You can't take me off my grind, get off my cock
Whatchu thought? It's the Roc

[Sample x3]
I hear the...

[Outro: Jay-Z]
Back in the mix of the scuffle
Since '86 I was sick with the hustle (Woo!)
Get a couple of chicks to touch you (Woo!)
Feather-weight fucker dont ever hate on the brothers

Heh-heh
Thought I was playin' but you niggas'll stop now
I ain't gotta sell another record in my life
The Blueprint 2, baby! (Mm-hmm)
See y'all in November (Oh shit!)

[Sample Hook]1x
I hear the people talk (C'mon)
Yes sir and when you walk (C'mon)
Your kind is hard to find
Darling, I'm
Darling, I'm
Darling, I'm

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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