Released: November 4, 1997

Featuring: Too $hort

Songwriter: Anthony Dent Too $hort JAY-Z

Producer: Anthony Dent

[Chorus: Jay-Z]
Real niggas do real things
Hanging with the honeys is the song I sing
Real niggas do real things
On the road to riches and diamond rings
Real niggas do real things
Bustin' my toast off the roof, drinkin' 90 proof 'til spring
Real niggas do real things, check

[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
We started out makin', small time bacon
Two little niggas bakin', talkin' 'bout whippin' cakes
Get clothin' and big cheddar, hopin it gets better
We had no knowledge of this shit we just was with whatever
In front of your building clockin', thought I was makin' a killin'
Right in front of your children, eight-ball in my side pocket
They was corrupt too, disrespectin' the fiends I used to
Look up to, take it or leave it, fuck you
In different parts of the planet, Oakland to New York
I'm hollerin' Lifetimes, he hollerin' Life's Too $hort
Parallel lives and jew-els held high
The Range or the rove, get exchanged, for your soul
You know how the game goes, slang to get cheese
And speak in Chinese, everybody gains the same dough
Get your shit scarred fuckin' with my sick squad
From Marcy, to the Bay y'all, we get large, bee-eeyee-otch

[Chorus: Jay-Z]
On the road to riches and diamond rings
Real niggas do real things
Hangin' with the honies is the song I sing
Real niggas do real things
On the road to riches and diamond rings
Real niggas do real things
Bustin' my toast off the roof, drinkin' 90 proof 'til spring
Real niggas do real things

[Verse 2: Too $hort]
So now you own a record label, I got one too
We on a roll now, can't nobody stop our crew
You can treat us like convicts, you know we got records
On the shelf and on the charts the double decker
The fat donkey house down the block, belongs to me
You criticize the way I walk, you wanna see my bankbook?
I'm not a crook, I flipped the script and changed my ways
So I can get paid, everyday
I see the same old shit, I see in the streets
I know you think I'm sellin' keys but I only sell beats
Dopefiend music, it's drug related
You can buy it on the corner, get a radio and play it
It always sounds better when you turn it up loud
Rap music let these motherfuckers know what we about
I know these gay ass record labels keep fuckin' niggas
It's just like in the streets mane, how much you get?

[Chorus: Jay-Z]
On the road to riches and diamond rings
Real niggas do real things
Hangin' with the honies is the song I sing
Real niggas do real things
On the road to riches and diamond rings
Real niggas do real things
Bustin' my toast off the roof, drinkin' 90 proof 'til spring
Real niggas do real things

[Verse 3: Too $hort (Jay-Z)]
That's right, I been a hustler for a long time
Always got the right beats, never sayin' wrong rhymes
I started off with nothin' ended up with everything
Now we sip Hennessy in first class on every plane
Ask Jay-Z, he know what I'm sayin'
Always see me at the bank and yes I'm goin' again
There ain't no dollar amount, that can make me happy
Fine women, a big house, a truck and a Caddy (that's right)

[Verse 4: Jay-Z]
Now peep, how sweet, niggas lives can get
Put beef aside, the East and Westside connect
$hort Dawg, and Jigga with the, fo'-fo' flow
I got love for y'all motherfuckers y'all just don't know
I know y'all got a thing for them rag six-fo's
I like the five speed drops pop the clutch then go
If you're ballin', keep ballin', if you jealous, stop
I want Biggie to rest in peace, as well as 'Pac
How real is that?

[Chorus: Jay-Z]
On the road to riches and diamond rings
Real niggas do real things
Hangin' with the honies is the song I sing
Real niggas do real things
On the road to riches and diamond rings
Real niggas do real things
Bustin' my toast off the roof, drinkin' 90 proof 'til spring
Real niggas do real things, check

[Outro: Too $hort & Jay-Z]
Beyotch! $hort Dawg's in the house
Jigga
Much love
$hort Dawg, get your money mane
All the way from the West coast
Uhh, how real is that

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.