Jay-Z

thumb|Jay-Z in 2011 Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4 1969), better known as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, actor, entrepreneur, businessman, investor, and philanthropist and is the current president and CEO of Roc-A-Fella Records and the former president and CEO of Def Jam. He is one the most financially successful American hip-hop artists. Quotes If you are having girl problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one, you think - this guy is talking about women, but I am not. I am not talking about women at all. In the first verse I am talking about the industry, magazines and radio. I am using that as a metaphor. And in the second verse I am talking about a K9, which is a female dog, which is a bitch. And then in the third verse I am talking about a guy trying to punk me. So I am not talking about a female at no time in that song. But if you just hear the record, 99 problems but a bitch ain't one, you'll think that I am talking about about women, but I am not, at no point in the song. Jay-Z being interviewed by Charlie Rose 2/7/05 The Dynasty: Roc La Familia Jay Hov about to change my name to Jay Pesobut in a meantime called me William H thoughon a platinum Yamaha got the engine gunningthrowing it up like liquor on an empty stomach. Change the Game Song Lyrics Reasonable Doubt (1996) There's heaven, then there's hell niggasOne day your cruising in your 7 next day your sweatin forgettin your liesAlibis ain't matchin up, bullshit catchin upHit with the rico, they repo your vehico'Everything was all good just a week ago'Bout to start bitching ain't you? Ready to start snitching ain't you?I'll forgive your weak ass, hustling just ain't youAside from the fast cars; honey's that shake theyass at bars you know you wouldn't be involvedwith the underworld dealers, carriers of Mac MillerEast coast bodiers, west coast cap peelersLittle monkey niggas turn gorillas Dead Presidentz I Reasonable Doubt (1996) For nine six, the only mc wit a fluYeah I rhyme sick I be what you tryin to doMade a fortune off Peru, expedite, china white heronNigga please like short sleeves I bear arms. Brooklyn's Finest Hand gettin the mic. Forgettin all I ever knew, convenient amnesia. I suggest you call my lawyer, I know the procedureLock my body, can't trap my mindeasily, explains why we adapt to crimeI'd rather die enormous than live dormant, that's how we on it. Can I Live Whoever said illegal was the easy way out couldn't understand The mechanics and the workings of the underworld, granted Nine to five is how to survive, I ain't trying to surviveI'm trying to live it to the limit and love it a lot Life's ills poison my bodyI used to say Fuck mic skills, I never prayed to God, I prayed to GottiThat's right it's wicked, that's life, I live itAin't asking for forgiveness for my sins D'Evils Even if it ain't sunny, hey, I ain't complaining I'm in the rain doing a buck 40, hydroplaning, what, shorty? (Where you disappear to, son?) Maintaining Putting myself in a position most of these rappers ain't in I'm living, the ill street blues got you hunger painin' Nothing to gain and a whole lot to lose, you still singing, fool I'm thorough, in every borough, my name be ringing Feelin' It The Blueprint (2001) They say you can't turn a bad girl goodBut once a good girl's gone bad, she's gone forever Song Cry Hov' is back, life stories told through rapNiggas acting like I sold you crackLike I told you sell drugs; No, Hov did thatso hopefully you won't have to go through that. [[w:Izzo (H.O.V.A.)|Izzo (H.O.V.A.)]] I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hellI am a hustler, baby, I'll sell water to a well U Don't Know 6 oohie, jewels dripping big toolyI ball for real: y'all niggas is Sam BowieAnd with the third pick, I made the earth sickM.J., him Jay, fade away perfect. Hola Hovito Niggas pray and pray on my downfallBut every time I hit the ground I bounce up like round ball. Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)' On repeat, the CD of B.I.G.'s 'Me and My Bitch'Watching Bonnie and Clyde, pretending to be that shitEmpty gun in your hand saying, 'Let me see that clip'Shopping sprees, pull out your Visa quickA nigga had very bad credit, you helped me lease that whipYou helped me get the keys to that V dot 6We was so happy poor but when we got richThat's when our signals got crossed, and we got flipped. [[w:Song Cry|Song Cry]] Motherfuckers say that I'm foolish I only talk about jewelsDo you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?See I'm influenced by the ghetto you ruinedThat same dude you gave nothing, I made something doing. Renegade The Black Album (2003) Good-bye to the game all the spoils, the adrenaline rushYour blood boils, you in a spot knowin' cops could rushyou in the drop, you so easy to touchNo two days are alike, except the 1st and 15th pretty muchAnd trust, is a word you seldom hear from usHustlers, we don't sleep, we rest one eye upAnd a drought could define a man when the well dries upYou learn the worth of waterWithout work you thirst 'til you die, yup! December 4th Music business hate me ‘cause the industry ain't make meHustlers and boosters embrace me and the music I be makingI dumbed down for my audience to double my dollarsThey criticized me for it, yet they all yell "holla"If skills sold, truth be told, I'd probably be lyrically Talib KweliTruthfully I wanna rhyme like Common SenseBut I did 5 mill' – I ain't been rhyming like Common sinceWhen your cents got that much in commonAnd you been hustling since your inceptionFuck perception! Go with what makes senseSince I know what I'm up againstWe as rappers must decide what's most importantAnd I can't help the poor if I'm one of themSo I got rich and gave back, to me that's the win/winSo next time you see the homie and his rims spinJust know my mind is working just like them (rims, that is) Moment of Clarity (move to the black album) Now you know yo' ass is Willie when they got you in the magfor like half a billy, and yo' ass ain't lilywhite that mean that shit you write must be illyEither that or your flow is silly - it's bothI don't mean to boast, but damn if I don't bragThem crackers gon' act like I ain't on they assThe Martha Stewart, that's far from JewishFar from a Harvard student, just had the balls to do it "What More Can I Say" I'm not a biter, I'm a writer for myself and others / I say a B.I.G. verse, I'm only biggin' up my brother / Biggin' up my borough, I'm big enough to do it / I'm that thorough, plus I know my own flow is foolish / So them rings and things you sing about, bring 'em out / It's hard to yell when the bar-rell's in your mouth w:What More Can I Say'What more Can I Say Pop died, didn't cry, didn't know him that well / Between him doin' heroin and me doin' crack sales / With that in the eggshell, standin' at the tabernacle / Rather the church, pretendin' to be hurt - wouldn't work / So a smirk was all on my face / Like damn, that man's face is just like my face / So pop, I forgive you for all the shit that I lived through / It wasn't all your fault homey, you got caught Moment of Clarity 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 since -- 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 "Moment of Clarity", I never asked for nothin' I don't demand of myself / Honesty, loyalty, friends and then wealth / Death before dishonor and I tell you what else / I tighten my belt 'fore I beg for help / Foolish pride is what held me together through the years / I wasn't felt which is why I ain't never played myself / I just play the hand I'm dealt, I can't say I've never knelt / Before God and asked for better cards at times to no avail / But I never sat back feelin sorry for myself / If you don't give me heaven I'll raise hell ('Til it's heaven) Justify My Thug If you're havin' girl problems I feel bad for you son / I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one. 99 Problems I’m already the GOAT, the next stop is the billie “I Get Money Remix” If you kill me you're famous,If I kill you, I’m brainless,What’s a nigga to do? "Streets Is Watching" I’ve got demons in my past so I’ve got daughters on the way,If the prophecy is correct then the child should have to pay,For the sins of the father so I barter my tomorrows against my yesterday’s In hopes that she’ll be okay "Beach Chair" No compass comes with this life, just eyes,so to map it out you must look inside,sure books could guide you but your heart defines you, chica "Beach Chair" The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002) Rumor has it "The Blueprint" classicCouldn't even be stopped by Bin LadenSo September 11th marks the era foreverof a revolutionary Che Gueverra The Bounce A wise man told me don't argue with foolsCause people from a distance can't tell who is who Takeover Kingdom Come (2006) I'm still here mon frere I know the cross I bear,They like, that's why they call you Hov? I'm like yeaI'm like air, little shots go through me, won't tearOne tissue no tears, no tissue not an issue Dig a Hole I heard motherfuckers saying they made HovMade Hov say, "Ok so, make another Hov" Lost Ones While I'm watchin every nigga watchin me closelymy shit is butter for the bread they wanna toast meI keep my head, both of them where they supposed to beHoes'll get you sidetracked then clap from closed feet "Can I Live" But reality bites and this is her life / He wasn't really her husband though he called her wife / It was just this night, when the moon was full and the stars were just right and her dress was real tight / He had her sounding like Lisa Lisa / "Wonder if I take you home, will you still love me after this night" / Mike was the hard head from around the way / That she wanted all her life / Cause she wanted all the hype / She used to hold on tight when he wheelied on the bike / He was a Willie all her life / He wasn't really the one to like / There was a dude name Chi, who would really treat her right / He wanted to run to the country to escape the city life / But Isis, liked this, Broadway life / She loved the Gucci sneakers / The Red, Green and White / Hanging out the window when she first seen him fight / So turned on that she had to shower twice* "Meet The Parents" - Blueprint 2 The Gift and The Curse (2002) I guess it's just the need to be heard / I need niggas to say / I can't believe your words / I'm just an addict / Addicted to music / Thoughts is sporadic / I gotta un-confuse it / Sorta like a Rubik's Cube is / Every albums' a color / But I fuck up the other / Color / (laughs) I guess I'm more like / A bitch with a belly but her ass is right / (laughs) Y'all don't understand me still / I never enjoy my success but my family will / And I'm alright with that / So the rap Jerry Rice is back / To fulfill a need / Though I lead the league / I pray everyday I travel at God Speed / Not a minute slower cause the minute you Hova / Everybody praying for your spinach to slow up / It's sad but it's true / But nigga's ass gone turn blue / Holding' ya breath, cause the force that's controlling my step / Won't let me lose it till I'm undisputed / Until I'm one with the music / Till I'm dead and gone in search of the perfect song* - "Addicted to the Game" - Blueprint 2 (Unreleased and Underground) (2002) Late Registration (2005) This ain't no tall order, this is nothin to meDifficult takes a day, impossible takes a week Diamonds from Sierra Leone (note) Paper Trail (2008) ("No one on the corner") Got a bop like thisCan't wear skinny jeans cause my knots don't fitNo one on the corner got a pocket like thisSo I rock Roc jeans cause my knots so thickYou can pay for school, but you can't buy class Swagga Like Us Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008) With the same sword they knight you, they gon' good night you withShit, that's only half if they like youThat ain't even the half what they might doDon't believe me, ask MichaelSee Martin, see MalcolmSee Biggie, see Pac, see success and its outcomeSee Jesus, see JudasSee Caesar, see Brutus, see success is like suicideSuicide, it's a suicideIf you succeed, prepare to be crucifiedMedia meddles, niggas sue you, you settleEvery step you take, they remind you you're ghettoSo it's tough being Bobby BrownTo be Bobby then, you have to be Bobby nowAnd the question is, "Is to have had and lostBetter than not having at all? "Lost! by Coldplay Feat. Jay-Z (add note) Theater of the Mind (2008) Thank God for Cool HercWithout this shit I probably would’ve got murkedShout outs to Grandmaster Flash and the cashAnd even Jaz bum ass Do It For Hip-Hop (note) The Blueprint 3 (2009) If Jeezy's payin' LeBron, I'm payin' Dwyane WadeThree dice Cee-lo, three Card MollyLabor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob MarleyStatue of Liberty, long live the World TradeLong live the King yo, I'm from the Empire State that's Empire State of Mind'' About Jay-Z If you want to make more than Jay-Z, go do more than Jay-Z. Dave Ramsey, in response to criticism of the rapper spending lavishly for a friend's birthday party, Jay-Z Spending $91,135 in One Night Shouldn't Make You Mad, The Dave Ramsey Show Feb 25, 2018, YouTube.com, quote at 13:06 External links Official website Category:Rappers from the United States Category:Music producers from the United States Category:Essayists from the United States Category:Actors from New York City Category:Businesspeople from the United States Category:Publishers from the United States Category:Fashion designers from the United States Category:Philanthropists from the United States Category:Memoirists from the United States Category:African Americans Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Members of the Democratic Party (United States) Category:Brit Award winners Category:MTV Europe Music Award winners Category:MTV Video Music Award winners