Ladies and gentlemen let's put our hands together for the astonishing
(*girls singing*)
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A...
[Jay-Z]
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the 8th wonder of the world
The flow of the century.. oh it's timeless.. HOV'!
Thanks for comin out tonight
You coulda been anywhere in the world, but you're here with me
I appreciate that.. uuunnnh..
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Fo' shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down in VA
Was hurtin '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 birthin 'em
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Fo' sheezy my neezy keep my arms so freezy
Can't leave rap alone the game needs me
Haters want me clapped and chromed it ain't easy
Cops wanna knock me, D.A. wanna 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
Fo' 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!
[Jay-Z]
Holla at me...
I do this for my culture
To let 'em know what a nigga look like, when a nigga in a roaster
Show 'em how to move in a room full of vultures
Industry shady it need to be taken over
Label owners hate me I'm raisin the status quo up
I'm overchargin niggaz 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]
[Jay-Z]
Yeah...
Hov' is back, life stories told through rap
Niggaz actin 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 pro-jects, roaches and rats
Smokers out back, sellin they mama's sofa
Lookouts on the corner, focused on the ave
Ladies in the window, focused on the kinfolk
Me under a lamp post, why I got my hand closed?
Cracks in my palm, watchin the long arm of the law
So you know I seen it all before
I seen hoop dreams deflate like a true fiend's weight
To try and to fail, the two things I hate
Succeed in 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]
(*girls singing*)
H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A... (*repeat 4X to fade*)