The Black Album

[Jay-Z's Mom:]
Sean Carter was born December 4th
Weighing in at 10 pounds 8 ounces
He was the last of my 4 children
The only one who didn't give me any pain when I gave birth to him
And that's how I knew that he was a special child

[Jay-Z Verse 1]
They say "they never really miss you til you dead or you gone"
So on that note i'm leaving after the song
So you ain't gotta feel no way about Jay so long
Atleast let me tell you why i'm this way, Hold on
I was conceived by Gloria Carter and Adaness Revees
Who made love under the Siccamore tree
Which makes me
A more sicker emcee my momma would claim
At 10 pounds when I was born I didn't give her no pain
Although through the years I gave her her fair share
I gave her her first real scare
I made it from birth when I got here
She knows my purpose wasn't purpose
I ain't perfect I care
But I feel worthless cause my shirts wasn't matchin my gear
Now i'm just scratchin the surface cause what's burried under there
Was a kid torn apart once his pop disappeared
I went to school got good grades could behave when I wanted
But I had demons deep inside that would raise when confronted
Hold on

[Jay-Z's Mom:]
Shawn was a very shy child growing up
He was into sports
And a funny story is
At 4 he taught hisself how to ride a bike
A two wheeler at that
Isn't that special?
But, I noticed a change in him when me and my husband broke up

[Jay-Z Verse 2]
Now all the teachers couldn't reach me
And my momma couldn't beat me
Hard enough to match the pain of my pops not seeing me, SO
With that distain in my membrain
Got on my pimp game
Fuck the world my defense came
Then Dahaven introuced me to the game
Spanish Jose introduced me to cane
I'm a hustler now
My gear is in and i'm in the in crowd
And all the wavey light skinned girls is lovin me now
My self esteem went through the roof man I got my swag
Got a volvo from this girl when her man got bagged
Plus I hit my momma with cash from a show that I had
Supposedly knowin nobody paid Jaz wack ass
I'm geting ahead of myself, by the way, I could rap
That came second to me movin this crack
Gimme a second I swear
I will say about my rap career
Til 96 came niggas i'm here
Good-bye

[Jay-Z's Mom:]
Shawn use to be in the kitchen
Beating on the table and rapping
And um, until the wee hours of the morning
And then I bought him a boom box
And his sisters and brothers said he would drive them nuts
But that was my way to keep him close to me and out of trouble

[Jay-Z Verse 3]
Good-bye to the game all the spoils, the adreneline rush
Your blood boils you in a spot knowing cops could rush
And you in a drop your so easy to touch
No two days are alike
Except the first and fifteenth pretty much
And "trust" is a word you seldom hear from us
Hustlers we don't sleep we rest one eye up
And the drought to find a man when the well dries up
You learn to work the water without workin thirst til die YUP
And niggas get tied up for product
And little brothers ring fingers get cut up
To show mothers they really got em
And this was the stress I live with til I decided
To try this rap shit for a livin
I Pray i'm forgiven
For every bad decision I made
Every sister I played
Cause i'm still paranoid to this day
And it's nobody fault I made the decisions I made
This is the life I chose or rather the life that chose me

If you can't respect that your whole perspective is wack
Maybe you'll love me when I fade to black

If you can't respect that your whole perspective is wack
Maybe you'll love me when I fade to black
[repeat 2 more times to fade]

(Woooooo)
(Yeah)
(Turn the music up turn the lights down i'm in my zone)

[Chorus]
Thank God for grantin me this moment of clarity
This moment of honesty
The world'll feel my truths
Through my Hard Knock Life time
My Gift and The Curse
I gave you volume after volume of my work
So you can feel my truths
I built the Dynasty by being one of the realest niggas out
Way beyond a Reasonable Doubt
(Yall can't fill my shoes)
From my Blueprint beginnings
To that Black Album endin
Listen close you hear what i'm about
Nigga feel my truths

[Verse One]
When pop died
Didn't cry
Didn't know him that well
Between him doin Heroine
And me doin Crack sales
With that in the egg shell
Standin at the tabernacle
Rather the church
Pratendin to be hurt
Wouldn't work
So a smirk was all on my face
Like damn that mans face was just like my face
So pop I forgive you
For all the shit that I live through
It wasn't all your fault
Homie you got caught
And to the same game I fault
That Uncle Ray lost
My big brothers and so many others I saw
I'm just glad we got to see each other
Talk and re-meet each other
Save a place in Heaven
Til the next time we meet forever

[Chorus]

[Verse Two]
The music business hate me
Cause the industry ain't make me
Hustlers and boosters embrace me
And the music I be makin
I dump down for my audience
And double my dollars
They criticize me for it
Yet they all yell "Holla"
If skills sold
Truth be told
I'd probably be
Lyricly
Talib Kweli
Truthfully
I wanna rhyme like Common Sense
(But I did five Mil)
I ain't been rhymin like Common Sense
When your sense got that much in common
And you been hustlin since
Your inception
Fuck perception
Go with what makes sense
Since
I know what i'm up against
We as rappers must decide what's most impor-tant
And I can't help the poor if i'm one of them
So I got rich and gave back
To me that's the win, win
The next time you see the homie and his rims spin
Just know my mind is workin just like them
(The rims that is)

[Chorus]

[Verse Three]
My homie Sigel's on a tier
Where no tears should fall
Cause he was on the block where no squares get off
See in my inner circle all we do is ball
Til we all got triangles on our wall
He ain't just rappin for the platinum
Yall record
I recall
Cause I really been there before
Four scores and seven years ago
Prepared to flow
Prepare for war
I shall fear no man
You don't hear me though
These words ain't just paired to go
In one ear out the other ear
NO
YO
My balls and my word is alls I have
What you gonna do to me?
Nigga scars'll scab
What you gonna box me homie?
I can dodge and jab
Three shots couldn't touch me
Thank God for that
I'm strong enough to carry Biggie Smalls on my back
And the whole BK nigga holla back

[Chorus]

Your boy back in the building, Brooklyn we back on the map
[Verse Three]

[Chorus + Chorus Two]

No chrome on the wheels, I'm a grown-up for real
I paid a grip for the jeans, plus the slippers is clean
At the 40/40 club, ESPN on the screen
with a boss bitch of course S.C. on the sleeve
In case fifty-two broads come out, now you chillin
Now, fifty-two cars roll out, remove ceiling
Now fifty-two bars come it, now you feel 'em
But like, fifty-two cards when I'm, I'm through dealin
Keep the Heckler close, you know them smokers'll test ya
Tryin to stretch out the coca, like a wrestler, yessir
I just whipped up a watch, tryin to get me a Rover
Your homey Hov' in position, in the kitchen with soda
[Verse Two]

You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder
You gotta get, that, dirt off your shoulder

[Chorus Two]

[Chorus]
I can run it back nigga cause I'm straight with the Roc
Like a running back, get it man, I'm straight off the block
Nigga London, Japan and I'm straight off the block
Came from the bottom the bottom, to the top of the pots
But all the hustlers they love it just to see one of us make it
All the rappers be hatin, off the track that I'm makin
All the ballers is bouncin they like the way I be leanin
Stab the ladies they love me, from the bleachers they screamin
Middle finger to the LAW, nigga grip I'm a boss
Feelin no remorse, feelin like my hand was forced
Tryin to hustle some things, that go with the Porsche
I probably owe it to y'all, proud to be locked by the force

[Verse One]
Get, that, dirt off your shoulder
Niggaz is crazy baby, don't forget that boy told you
Ladies is pimps too, go and brush your shoulders off
If you feelin like a gimp nigga, go and brush your shoulders off

[Chorus: Jay-Z]
I got you, yeah
Tim, you can go and brush your shoulder off nigga
Turn the music up in the headphones
You're now tuned into the muh'fuckin greatest
Me and my beautiful beeeeeeeitch in the back of that 'Bach
I'm the realest that run it, I just happen to rap
I ain't gotta clap at 'em, niggaz scared of that black
I drop that +Black, Album+ then I back, out it
As the best rapper alive nigga aks' about me
From Bricks to Billboards, from grams to Grammys
The O's to opposite, Orphan Annie
You gotta pardon Jay, for sellin out the Garden in a day
I'm like a young Marvin in his hey'
I'm a hustler homey, you a customer crony
Got some, dirt on my shoulder, could you brush it off for me?

[Chorus + Chorus Two]

You're now tuned into the muh'fuckin greatest

Best rapper alive, best rapper alive

[Notorious B.I.G. interview]
I'm just, tryin to stay above water y'know
Just stay busy, stay workin
Puff told me like, the key to this joint
The key to staying, on top of things
is treat everything like it's your first project, knahmsayin?
Like it's your first day like back when you was an intern
Like, that's how you try to treat things like, just stay hungry

[Verse One: Jay-Z]
Uhh, uhh, yes, yes
Y'all wanna know, why he don't stop
Y'all wanna know, why he don't flop
Let me tell you pe-eople why
Came from the bottom of the block I
When I was born, it was sworn, I was never gon' be shit
Had to pull the opposite out this bitch
Had to get my ri-ide on
Eyes on the prize, Shawn knew I had to
Had to had to get these chips
Had to make moves like Olajuwon
Started out sellin dimes and nicks
Graduated to a brick
No exaggeration, my infatuation with the strip
Legendary like a schoolboy
Crushin merely nearly every every chick
Heavy shit - that's how schoolboy got whipped
And got left on some "Just +Me, Myself and I+"
On some Trugoy shit
Had your boys threw place up, to a place of no return
Had to play with fire and get burned
Only way the boy ever gon' learn
Had to lay way in the cut, 'til I finally got my turn
Now I'm on top in the spot that I earned

[Chorus]
It's my life - it's my pain and my struggle
The song that I sing to you it's my ev-ery-thing
Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first
And my thirst is the same as - when I came
It's my joy and my tears and the laughter it brings to me
It's my ev-ery-thing

[Verse Two: Jay-Z]
Like I never rode in a limo
Like I just dropped flows to a demo
Like it's ninety-two again and
And I got O's in the rental
Back in the Stu' again, no prob' livin was a whole lot simpler
When you think back, you thought that
you would never make it this far, then you
take advantage of the luck you handed
Or the talent, you been given
Ain't no, half steppin, ain't no, no slippin
Ain't no different from a block that's hidden
Gotta get it while the getting's good
Gotta strike while the iron's hot, 'fore you stop
Then you gotta bid it, good riddance
Goodbye, this is my second major breakup
My first was, with a pager
With a hooptie, a cookpot, and the GAME
This one's with the stool, with the stage, with the fortune
Maybe not the fortune, but certainly the FAME

[Chorus]
It's my life - my pain and my struggle
The song that I sing to you it's my ev-ery-thing
Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first
And my thirst is the same as - when I came
It's my joy and my tears and my laughter it brings to me
It's my ev-ery-thing
Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first
And my thirst like the first song I sang

[Outro: Jay-Z]
Woo! It's like the blues - we gon' ride out on this one
Ta-tah, be-hah
Yo Hah, 'member you was makin them dashes
for them niggaa at radio and shit?
Clark Kent, that was good lookin out nigga
Carlene - who ever thought we'd make it this far homey?
Sha, they can't stop us, knahmsayin? Lenny S
Dame whattup? Robbin the bank
Niggaz thought we was crazy man, 'member uhh
You had that fucked up ass handwritin
You was writin all the numbers that we was spendin now
for the videos we was doin ourselves, whattup?
Original Flavor, your accountant was crazy wrong and shit
But we we still put it together
Bigs, whassup? 'Member we went to St. Thomas and uh
But y'all my nizzle, your dog peed on homey leg and shit
at his crib - I think that was Rudy
And they was havin a lil trouble with the pool
You and Ta-tah was laughin
Emory was there, whattup Emory? What up Ta?
Hip-Hop, whattup man?
Ay, ay Hobb, you ain't, you ain't have no uhh
You ain't have no muh'fuckin seat on your, on your bicycle
Now you uhh, the head of black music
That's what I'm talkin bout right there homey - G, whattup G?
Yessir, e'rybody in the Roc
Hey Guru, I know you spoiled man
I be takin them shits in one take
You gon' have to punch niggaz shit, STICK IT, you gon' be tight
OG One, whattup?
I'm a little upset that you wasn't involved in this whole process
But it's all good - whassup Dash?
My whole family, my nephew, cousin Angie, whassup? Te-Tee
(B, B, B, B) Mom, you made the album, how crazy is that?
Bob Allah, rest in peace
My pops, rest in peace (Sup A.J.?)
Biggie Smalls, rest in peace
Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
Nigga, I'm bout to go golfin man
Ay, I might even have me a cappuccino, fuck it!
I'm goin somewhere nice where no mosquitos at nigga
Holla at me - it's your boy!

See, See, See
I'm from the murder capitol where we murder for capitol

See, See, See
Kanyeeze you did it again you a genius nigga

So you niggas change your attitude 'for they askin what happened to you

[Verse One]
Lord forgive him
He got them dark forces in him
But he also got a rightous cause for sinnin
Them a murder me so I gotta murder them first
Emergency doctors performin procedures
Jesus
I ain't tryin to be facetious
But "Vengance is mine" said the Lord
You said it better than all
Leave niggas on deaths door
Breathin off res-por-rators
for killin my best boy, HATERS
On perminate hiatus as I skate
In the Mabach Benz
FLYA' THEN SANIA' LATHAN
Pumpin "Brown Sugar" by D'Angelo
In Los Angeles
Like an evangelist
I can introduce you to your maker
Bring you closer to nature
Ashes after they cremate you bastards
Hope you been readin your psalms and chapters
Payin your ties being good Catholics
I'm commin

[Chorus]
See, See, See
I'm from the murder capitol where we murder for capitol

See, See, See
So you niggas change your attitude 'for they askin what happened to you

[Verse Two]
Yes
This is Holly war
I wet cha all with the Holly water
Spray from the Hetckler Koch auto
Matic all the static shall cease to exist
Like a sematical I throw a couple at you
Take six
Spread love to all of my dead thugs
I'll pour out a little Louie til I head above
Yes Sir
And when I perish
The meek shall inherit the earth
Until that time it's on a poppin Church
Like Don Bishop
The fifth upon cock either
Lift up your soul or give the Holly ghost please
I leave ya in somebodys Catedrial
And stuntin like Evil Kenevil
I'll let you see where that bright light lead you
The more you talk the more you irkin us
The more you gonna need memorial services
The Black Albums second verse is like
Devil's Pie please save some dessert for us

Man I gotta get my soul right
I gotta get these Devils out my life
These cowards gonna make a nigga ride
They won't be happy til somebody dies

Man I gotta get my soul right
'For i'm locked up for my whole life
Evertime it seems it's all right
Somebody want they soul to rise
(I'll chase you off of this Earth)

[Verse Three]
I got dreams of holdin a Nine milla
To Bobs killa
Askin him "why?" as my eyes fill up
These days I can't wake up with a dry pillow
Gone but not forgotten holmes I still feel ya
SO...Curse the day that birthed the bastard
Who caused your Church mass
Reverse the crash
Reverse the blast
And reverse the car
Reverse the day, and there you are
Bob Allah
Lord forgive him we all have sined
But Bobs a good dude please let him in
And if you feel in my heart that I long for revenge
Please blame it on the sun of the mournin
Thanks Again

[Intro: Jay-Z (Pharrell)]
Uh, uh, uh, yeah, uh, your boy is back
(Sexy sexy) I know y'all miss the bounce
Need to bounce for the sexy you know

[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
Yeah ma, your dude is back, made back roof is back
Tell the whole world the truth is back
You ain't got to argue about who could rap
Cause the proof is back just go through my rap
New York New York yeah where my troopers at
Where my hustlers where my boosters at
I don't care what you do for stacks
I know the world glued you back to the wall
You gotta brawl to that
I been through that, been shot at shoot back
Gotta keep it peace like a buddhist
I ain't a New Jack nobody 'gon Wesley Snipe me
It's less than likely, move back
Let I breathe Jedi knight
The more space I get the better I write
(Oh) Never I write, but, if, ever I write
I need the space to say whatever I like, now just

[Chorus: Jay-Z (Pharrell)]
(Change clothes and go)You know I stay fresh to death
I bought you from the projects
And I'm a take you to the top of the globe so let's go (Change numbers and go)
Uh huh yeah, uh (Now girl I promise you, no substitute) It's just me

[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
And I 'gon tell you again let's get ghost in the phantom
You could bring your friend we copuld make this a tandem
You could come by yourself and you could stand him
Best believe I sweat out weaves, give afropuffs like R.A.G.E.
Awww you get If you could move it
Back it on up like a U Haul truck
Then run and tell them thugs you heard Hovi knew
He and the boy for real make beautiful music
He is to the east coast what Snoop is, to the west coast what Face is to Houston
Young Hov in the house it's so necessary
No bra with the blouse it's so necessary
No panties and jeans that's so necessary
Now why you frontin on me is that necessary
Do I to you look like a lame
Who don't understand a bra with a mean shoe game
Whose up on Dot Dot Dot and Vera Wang
Ma are you insane, let's just
(Woman speaking: What you want me to do?)

[Chorus: Jay-Z (Pharrell)]
(Change clothes and go)You know I stay fresh to death
I bought you from the projects
And I'm a take you to the top of the globe so let's go (Change numbers and go)
Uh huh yeah, uh (Now girl I promise you, no substitute) It's just me

[Bridge: Jay-Z (Pharrell)]
Uh, uh (Sexy sexy) Woo! (Ah ah!!!)
Uh huh (Sexy sexy) It's so necessary right) (Ah ah!!!)
Uh huh, woo! (Sexy sexy) That's right it's a groove (Ah ah!!!)
Uh huh, it's a groove (Sexy sexy) bring it back (Ah ah!!!!)

[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
Young Hovi in the house it's so necessary
No bra with that blouse it's so necessary
No panties and jeans it's so necessary
Why you frontin on me?
Let's go to my hotel cause this don't go well
With those S Dots, try to stay fresh ma
Ma, I don't shop what the rest by
Oh no ma please respect ma
Jiggy this is probably purple label
Or that BBC or it's probably tailored
But y'all niggaS actin way to tough
Throw on a suit get it tapered up, and let's just

[Chorus: Jay-Z (Pharrell)]
(Change clothes and go)You know I stay fresh to death
I bought you from the projects
And I'm a take you to the top of the globe so let's go (Change numbers and go)
Uh huh yeah, uh (Now girl I promise you, no substitute) It's just me

[Outro: Jay-Z (Pharrell)]
(Ah ah!!!) Uh uh (Sexy sexy) sing along (Ah ah!!!)
Yeah, uh (Sexy sexy) turn your radio up (Ah ah!!!)
Woo! (Sexy sexy) Put your hands in the air if your in the car (Ah ah!!!)
Uh! Snap your fingers now (Sexy sexy) woo, uh (Ah ah!!!)
Uh, uh, your boy is back
Uh huh, uh, uh, uh, the bounce is back
Uh, uh, woo, uh Hov is back, peace!!!

This is a public service announcement
Sponsored by Just Blaze and the good folks at Roc-A-Fella Records

"Fellow Americans, it is with the utmost pride and sincerity
that I present this recording, as a living testiment and recollection
of history in the making during our generation."

[Jay-Z]
Allow me to re-introduce myself
My name is Hov', OH, H-to-the-O-V
I used to move snowflakes by the O-Z
I guess even back then you can call me
CEO of the R-O-C, Hov'!
Fresh out the fryin pan into the fire
I be the, music biz number one supplier
Flyer/flier than a piece of paper bearin my name
Got the hottest chick in the game wearin my chain, that's right
Hov', OH - not D.O.C.
But similar to them letters, "No One Can Do it Better"
I check cheddar like a food inspector
My homey Strict told me, "Dude finish your breakfast"
So that's what I'ma do, take you back to the dude
with the Lexus, fast-forward the jewels and the necklace
Let me tell you dudes what I do to protect this
I shoot at you actors like movie directors [laughing]
This ain't a movie dog (oh shit)

"Now before I finish, let me just say
I did not come here to show out, did not come here to impress you
Because to tell you the truth when I leave here I'm GONE!
And I don't care WHAT you think about me - but just remember,
when it hits the fan brother, whether it's next year, ten years,
twenty years from now, you're gonna be able to say
that these brothers lied to you JACK!"

[Jay-Z]
Ving ain't lie
I done came through the block in everything that's fly
I'm like, Che Guevara with bling on, I'm complex
I never claimed to have wings on
Nigga I get my - by any means on whenever there's a drought
Get your umbrellas out because, that's when I brainstorm
You can blame Shawn, but I ain't invent the game
I just rolled the dice, tryin to get some change
And I do it twice, ain't no sense in me
lyin as if, I am a different man
And I could blame my environment but
there ain't no reason why I be buyin expensive chains
Hope you don't think youse as hardy
Only a fews-us niggaz, gettin high within the game
If you do then, how would you explain?
I'm ten years removed, still the vibe is in my veins
I got a hustler spirit, nigga period
Check out my hat yo, peep the way I wear it
Check out my swag' yo, I walk like a ballplayer
No matter where you go, you are what you are player
And you can try to change but that's just the top layer
Man, you was who you was 'fore you got here
Only God can judge me, so I'm gone
Either love me, or leave me alone