"In My Lifetime Vol. 1" (1997)




The City Is Mine lyrics - Jay-Z (feat. Blackstreet)

[Jay-Z]
Uh-uhh-uh, ge-ge-geyeah

[Chorus: Blackstreet]
You belong to the city (Uh-uhh-uh, what what)
You belong to the night (Uh-uhh-uh, ge-ge-geyeah)
In the river of darkness
He's a man of the night

[Verse One: Jay-Z]
Uhh, yeah
What the deal playboy, just rest your soul
I be holding it down yo still love the dough
Got these ladies on the cock now you know how we go
Got the whole world on lock down you know how we flow
Don't worry about Brooklyn I continue to flame
Therefore a world with amnesia won't forget your name
You held it down long enough, let me take those reigns
And just like your spirit the commision remains
Niggaz can cross the T's and, dots the I's
Now that I got too popular to cop them pies
I'm takin this rap shit serious, to my demise
Jay shit's like cake mix, watch me rise
Basics in the basement, waste it
Asking my dog for advice so when he can't say shit
my hatred is, fueled just give me a sign
And I let the world know that the city is mine, what?

[Chorus: Blackstreet]
You belong to the city (The city is mine, what-what-what)
You belong to the night (Ge-ge-geyeah, uh-uhh-uh, pa-pau)
In the river of darkness
He's a man of the night (The city is mine, that's right...)

[Verse Two: Jay-Z
Y'all want to know how I flow just seek and you find
I'm like a brain in the voicebox, I speak my mind
About to redefine rap mami, either I'm
the illest nigga doing it or these niggaz is losin it
I read a article that said I was ruinin shit
But every time I look, I'm movin units in quick
So I'ma hit y'all, with these last two and split
and leave niggaz with nothing but my influences-es
Soon it's the Jigga, I ain't mad yeah, bite my shit
Sell half of what I sell because it's not quite my shit
I'm the type to buy a Roley and just ice my shit
on the spot, fuck comin back twice to shit
How real is that? My floss game, still intact
Boss game, you lame dudes can't feel that
Like the first dude to cop the 850 and 89
and drove it up to 55th, the city is mine, what?

[Chorus: Blackstreet]
You belong to the city (The city is mine)
You belong to the night (Yeah, uhh, the city is mine)
In the river of darkness (Pa-pa, feel me)
He's a man of the night (Yeah, yeah, bounce, bounce)

[Verse Three: Jay-Z]
I snatch your girl cause your arm ain't strong enough
Plus ya don't stay in the studio long enough
I make hits while y'all stay hatin and take bricks
Had it locked til I came in the club, Take 6
Got your chick cause you swore she was innocent
Got her a Chinese manicure hair done by Dominicans, all for what
So I could be in a dark corner, all in the butt
at the bar alchoholing her up
I represent the lifestyle of those who thirst cream
A buck fifty a shot, Louis the Thirteenth
Jay-Z, Roc-A-Fella yo, know the name
I ain't a player get it right, I'm controllin the game
From now until they blow holes in my frame
I'ma stand firm, holdin my aim, feel me?
I'm the focal, point like Biggie in his prime
on the low though - shhhhh, the city is mine!

[Chorus w/ variations to end]

Intro / A Million And One Questions / Rhyme No More lyrics - Jay-Z

[somebody whispering]
Somebody's pulling me closer to the ground
I ain't panicked, I been here before
Seems like only yesterday when I got up on that stage
In front of that crowd
And showed them who was who, and what was what
Man look at these suckers
I ain't no rapper, I'm a hustler
It just so happens that I know how to rap
Okay, I'm reloaded!
(music drops in)

[Jay-Z]
I did it again niggaz
Fucked up, right? I know
I know what y'all niggaz asking yourself
Is he gonna ever fall off?
No...

...a lot of speculation
on the monies I've made, honeys I've slayed
How is he for real? Is that nigga really paid?
Hustlers I've met or, dealt with direct
Is it true he slay the beef and slept with a tech?
What's the position you hold? Can you really match
a triple platinum artist buck by buck by only a single goin gold?
Roc-A-Fella ship fold, and you're left out in the cold
Is it back to charging motherfuckers 11 for an O
For the millionth time askin me
Questions like Wendy Williams, harrassin me
then get upset when I catch feelings
Can I get a minute to breathe? And in that minute you leave
While I'm looking at my Rol' ice spinnin on my sleeve
Uh, nice watch, do you really have a spot?
Like you said in Friend or Foe and if so, what block?
What you doin in L.A., with phillipinos and ese's
Latinos and Cheve's, down by Pico withh Frederico
I answer all your questions but then y'all got to go
Now the question I ask you is how bad you want to know? BLAOW!

Roc-A-Fella y'all, uhh, uh
Know my style

Motherfuckers can't rhyme no more, bout crime no more
Til I'm no more, cause I'm so raw
My flow expose holes that they find in yours
Wasn't for me, niggaz still be dying for whores
But I hate when a nigga sit back, admirin yours
Young blood you better get that, we frying baccars
Niggaz don't want to be confined to riding the iron horse
And don't listen to the rappers, they dying to floss
I used to be O.T., applyin the force
Shoot up the whole block, then the iron I toss
Come back with the click playing Diana Ross
I'm the boss and this is how it's gonna be
Burnt the turnpike, wild miles on the V
I got mouths to feed till they put flowers on me
And kiss my cold cheek, chicks crying like I was Cochise
Tombstone read 'He Was Holdin No Leaks'
Started from the crack game and then so sweet
Freaked it to the rap game, Jigga the old-G
On MTV, telling em how I sold D
And used to back work up out of apartment 4-B
Me and my homie, started out coldies
Picked the mailbox lock cause I ain't have no key
Had the cable with the anchor when Jaz made 'Sophie'
Then I went low key, but now I'm back it's on
Motherfuckers
Jigga, uh-huh, yeah
Roc-A-Fella y'all
Uhh, feel this

I Know What Girls Like lyrics - Jay-Z (feat. Lil' Kim, Puff Daddy)

[Verse One: Jay-Z]
Peep the scripts
Gold honey from the whips
Jumped out like YO! 
Who the fuck you with
Flash the juice 'cause that's the rule
Damn I like a girl who spend a little cash for her shoes ***
Natural - Can I get at you?
Saw a spot on the body look nice with a tattoo
With my name, but didn't want to jump the gun
I Didn't Know how many niggas was humping hon
I said I never seen a face like yours before
And I been around some cute whores before
That either me or my boys tore it up before
So I'm hoping you different 
Let you push the 6
And give you a different life and
Baby if it's right jump on it in the morning
And ride it 'til the night
Want to buy you real jury when it hits the light
Bitches are momentarily lose they sight
She said

[Chorus:]
I know what boys like
I know what they want
I know what boys like, boys like
I know what boys like
I know what they want
I know what boys like, boys like me

[Verse Two: Lil' Kim]
So want a cutie with a booty like OW!
Deeper than the MOW!
Airy Shine like TADOW!
But I'm a real bitch so you know I do real things
Only real bitches live like queens - Get it?
Safety deposit in the walk-in closet
Marvel Forts is for matching Rolls Royce's
In the driveway from Monday to Friday
I be the richest, shitting on these bitches
While chickens cluck giving up the butt
I blaze the cut with the daddy raw buff
You can call me a slut
Who gives a fuck
That's fine nigga shit
I'm a good with mine
I can tell by your shoes you know what I want
Fuck a prenup give me half up front
My sex be the best so we split these costs
You can stop saying mine
And start saying ours

[Chorus:]
I know what girls like
I know what they want
They want to sex me
They think I'm sexy
I know what girls like, girls like me

I know what boys like
I know what they want
They want to sex me
They think I'm sexy
I know what boys like, boys like me

[Verse Three: Jay-Z]
Got the bomb place, fireplace John Blaze
Victoria Secret lingerie
Ice like Don King 
The price was like 8 digits a long way, shit
Got the beachfront view
V1 too
Cop you one cop me one too
On the place, jetski's park by the lake
No neighbors, make all the noise you want to make
Invite your friends over
Better make their way through 
The Benz's and the Rovers before they reach the door
Vacate, hey wait, a week or more
First class to and fro, freakin off
Got the ham things lot
Champaigne popped
Cruise around the world 'til the damn thing stop
Cop rembrandt, handle, pay the lot
Can't complain, we balling, true or not?

[Chorus: 2x]
I know what girls like
I know what they want
I know what girls like, girls like
I know what girls like
I know what they want
I know what girls like, girls like me

I know what boys like
I know what they want
I know what boys like, boys like
I know what boys like
I know what they want
I know what boys like, boys like me

Imaginary Player lyrics - Jay Z

Yeah
I mean like
I gotta be like the pioneer to this shit, you know
I was popping that Cristal
when all y'all niggaz thought it was beer and shit, you know
Wearing that platinum shit
when all y'all chicks thought it was silver and shit
I got to be the pioneer of this shit
Bottom line
I'm going to show you how to do it
Check it

[Verse One:]
I spit that other shit 
That's the nice motherfucker shit
Fed time follow me around, deep cover shit nigga
You beer money, I'm all year money
I'm popping, you ain't got to count it, it's all there money
I never change money 'cause niggas got strange money
Knocked up, marked up, fucked up in the game money
I got bail money, XXL money 
You got flash now, one time we'll reveal money
I spit the hottest shit, you need it I got it shit
That down South Master P, Bout It Bout It shit
I got blood money, straight up thug money
That brown paper bag under your mattress drug money 
You got show dough, little to no dough
Sell a bunch of records and you still owe dough 
I got 900 and 96 plus 4 more dough
You crazy, you full gazy, and loco with dough papo

[Chorus: (4x)]

Imaginary Players

[Verse Two:]
And now you got these young cats acting like they slung cats
All in they dumb rap, talking about how they funds stack
When I see them in the street, I don't see none of that
Bad playboy, where the fuck is the hummer at?
Where is all the ice with all the platinum under that?
Those ain't rolex diamonds, what the fuck you done to that?
Y'all rapping-ass niggas, y'all funny to me
Selling records, being you but still you want to be me
I guess for every buck you make it's like a hundred for me
And still you running around thinking you got something on me
But I done did it
And y'all want to take my flow, and run with it
That's cool, I was the first one with it
Original, jiggas the future flow digital
Still busting a gat when she gets critical
Sit it down, I don't want y'all to get it confused
I rip it down, like I ain't got nothing to lose

[Chorus]

[Verse Three:]
Groupies I leave them all fucked 
Niggas - all struck
Your single was 99 cents, mines was 4 bucks
Last year, when niggas thought it was all up
But this year I've done it again, jigga! 
What the fuck
Nigga stop whining, jigga, still shining
Niggas kept complaining so I copped more diamonds
Rock more Versace, ain't nothing sweet
I still throw t'ree in your body, fleeing the party
Y'all can't go with me, nope, flow with me 
Bet 50, not dollars either I brought some dough with me
I flow like the 5 series, in various areas
And blow holes in your weak niggas theories
It's funny how one verse can fuck up the game
You bought a 4.0 you better get your change
Ain't no platinum in those Cartiers, switch your frame
Ain't no manicures on board, then switch your plane

[Chorus]

The Streets Is Watching lyrics - Jay-Z

Uh-huh uh huh uh
Gee-gee-geyeah
Baby, watchin, streets
Uh-huh uh huh uh
You don't have to look
Uh-huh uh
The streets is watching
Check it, check
Uh-huh uh, check

Look, if I shoot you, I'm brainless
But if you shoot me, then you're famous -- what's a nigga to do?
When the, streets is watching, blocks keep clocking
Waiting for you to break, make your first mistake
Can't ignore it, that's the fastest way to get extorted
But my time is money, at twenty-five, I can't afford it
Beef is sorted like Godiva, chocolates
niggaz you bought it, I pull the slide back and cock it
Plan aborted, you and your mans get a pass
This rhyme, you're operating on fuck time
Y'all niggaz ain't worth my shells, all y'all niggaz
tryin to do is hurt my sales, and stop trips to John McNale
The type to start a beef then, run to the cops
When I see you in the street got, one in the drop
Would I rather be on tour getting a, hundred a pop
Taking pictures with some bitches, in front of the drop
The streets is watching

[Chorus]
When the, streets is watching
Blocks keep clocking
Waiting for you to break, make your first mistake
Can't ignore it

Now it's hard not to kill niggaz
It's like a full time job not to kill niggaz, can't chill
the streets is watching you, when you froze your arms
niggaz wanna test you and your gun goes warm
Can't get caught with your feet up, gotta keep your heat up
Sweet niggaz running 'round swearing shit is sweeter
Once you're tagged lame the game is follow the leader
Everybody want a piece of your scrilla, so you gotta keep it realer
Kidnap niggaz wanna steal ya
Broke niggaz want no cash, they just wanna kill ya
for the name, niggaz don't know the rules
Disrespectin the game, want you to blow your cool
Force your hand, of course that man's plottin
Smarten up, the streets is watching, it's on

[Chorus]

My street mentality flip bricks forever, know me and money
we like armed co-defendants, nigga we stick together
Shit whatever for this cheddar ran my game into the ground
Hustle harder to see if indictment time came around
Now you can look up and down the streets and I can't be found
Put in twenty-four hour shifts but, that ain't me now
Got a face too easy to trace, niggaz mouths got slow leaks
Had to hide between my workers, couldn't play those streets
She got his face like Mercury you jerkin me? Hectic
Had to call upon my wolves to send, niggaz the message
I said this: 'Let's play fair and we can stay here
I'm trying to transform you Boyz II Men like daycare'
Hey there's money to be made and, niggaz got the picture
Stopped playing with my paper and, we got richer
Then hard times fell upon us, half of my staff
had warrants, the other half, in the casket lay dormant
I felt like life was cheating me, for the first time
in my life I was getting money but it was like my concious was eating me
Was this a lesson God teaching me? Was he saying that?
I'm playing the game straight from Hell from which few came back
like bad coke, pimp or die, was my mindframe bad
Was niggaz thinkin simplify was turning cocaine crack?
Ain't a whole lot of brain to that, just trying to maintain a stack
and knock a lot like two trains that's on the same track
'Fore I get my life together like the oars I bring back
In the bottom of the pot where no, water gets hot
Got my transporter take it 'cross the border then stop
Set up shop with a quarter of rock, here's the plan
For three straight weeks, niggaz slaughtered the block
But you know the game is 'lluted, fucked up me and my dues
One drop can wipe a nigga out, faster than the cops
and this unstable way of living just, had to stop
Half of my niggaz got time, we done real things
By ninety-four became the subject of half of y'all niggaz rhymes
Public apoligies to the families of those caught up in my street
But that's the life for us lost souls brought up in the streets
The life and times of a demonic mind, excited with crime
And the lavish luxuries that just excited my mind
I figured, 'Shit why risk myself I just write it in rhymes
And let you feel me, and if you don't like it then fine'
The mindstate, of a nigga who boosted the crime rate
so high in one city they send National Guards to get me
Ya dig?

The streets

Friend Or Foe '98 lyrics - Jay-Z

I'm done talking
Ran up in the spot gun smoking
Shot it in the air, one woke him
Sun-soaking, sweating in his bed like Dunlo
Thinking to himself what done provoked him
His thoughts is racing like a vulcan
I swear I saw a lightbulb when
He finally figured out who was the culprit
I said yeah, remember me from Friend or Foe when
I told you don't ever ever come around here no more
Time to pay now, you try to rise, I wave the gun - lay down
This time you're really going to listen to Jay now
I try to talk sensibly, hoping that eventually you realize
I had this locked and it just wasn't meant to be
Plus I had sympathy when we all wore rams with your keys
And it wasn't afterthought that maybe you'll try to revenge me
But I was like "Nah", Chromes had to know he was wrong
And if you caught me on the foul now you would sing me the same song
Plus you promised
And that's really no fun 
Yeah I find you in this Motel 6 with all these guns
And all your goons, lined up in adjoining rooms
Like some wild cowboys coming to get me at high noon
But my mind's like a flower in bloom
*** my eyes just scower the room
I'm alert, plus I paid the clerk I got it laid out
You think you the first nigga I played out, in a 2 hotel town? 
Come on now, I peep your Lexus at you
Left the exit got some niggas on that side of the town
Money well invested, rudely interrupted
Jamaican accents *** 
A gun in your face and that's all you can come up with?
I'm done talking, back up and clap them, one in the abdomen 
Do me a favor dude, get 2 ice cubes I pass them
Take that ice up, for the nicest MC
And please yo, tell BIG, he's unbelievable 
Friend or foe BIOTCH!

Lucky Me lyrics - Jay-Z

How can you fairly assess something from the outside looking in?
There's gotta be them times you'll be wrong. Nah Mean?
How can a mother fucka go round and hate a nigga 
he never even met that he dont even know and shit?
I think this rap shit is all beef

Y'all dont even know every day I'm livin with stress
Got up out the streets you think a nigga could rest
Can't even enjoy myself at a party unless
I'm on the dance floor hot ass vest
You think I'm freakin' these chicks right?
I'try not to brush against they chest
You get a lawsuit for shit like that, I feel trapped
Swear to everything when I leave this earth
It's gon' be on both feet, never knees in the dirt
You could try me fucka but when I squeeze it hurts, fine
We'll lose two lives, yours and mines
Gimme any amount of time dont let Ms. Carter grieve
at the funeral parlor drippin' tears on my sleeve
Told the judge didn't budge it was him or me
and I ain't trying to be hard but I'm guilty as charged
Put my mercy on this court and my faith in God 
And pray hard none of my nephews wanna be stars...Lucky Me

[Chorus: Karen Anderson]
You only know what you see, 
You dont understand what it takes to be me.

I hate all girls with alterior motives
That's why I'm twenty plus years old, no sons no daughters
Hate putting my life in the hands of fake promoters
Hear the hate in my voice right? I hate that you noticed
Niggas wanna strip to the bone for shit you own
Hate a nigga like that faggot, get your own
Hate that I can't roam the street without the clip and chrome
Knowing one day Im'a have to flip, c'mon
You know the shit don't stop 'til the Crist don't pop
And you have to kill a nigga and your wrist don't lock
I'm trapped the whole worlds against me in fact,
It aint no turning back. Bring It On
Hate the price of fame cause it cost too much
Can I live without y'all niggas saying I floss too much?
Hate the way you make this hate flow all through us
Steady looking for flaws through us.... Lucky Me

[Chorus: Karen Anderson, Jay-Z]
You only know what you see, 
You dont understand what it takes to be me
You only know what you see, 
(Since I was 4 years old, I been told, everything that glitters ain't gold)
You dont understand what it takes to be me 
(And now that I've arrived
I see those truths unfold before my eyes in this world so cold)

Nigga see you in the street, pretend to be friendly
But I know any type of success breeds envy
I know in the back of your mind your conjuring ways to hen me
Leave my friends in a circle pouring out Henny
But G's is heaven bound so how I'm gon' receive 
Anything y'all pour to the ground next time throw it up
And ain't nothing changed so even in my afterlife I show it up
Dont grieve for me my art remains
like a dart from the speaker to your heart
Spiritually through the portal now my words as a mortal
Plan to leave without a fight I plant a seed I give life
Though I can't see past the girls greed to call her wife
Next time your thinking heist better be precise
Cause I'm fully prepared. One of us is gon' leave here
I have no regrets even though I wanna see grow
My godsons Boogie, Sonny and Rimo

[Chorus x4]

Sunshine lyrics - Jay-Z (feat. Babyface, Foxy Brown)

[Jay-Z]
What, tssh, y'all, what
Jigga, uhh uhh uhh, uh-huh
Pa-pa, uhh, pa-pa, uhh
The G, Roc-A-Fella y'all

Who be, in a Japanese restaurant, eating sushi
Drinking saki, it's me, and my mami with the doobie
Cutie, smellin like Tiaka, half-Phillipine thing
For now, let's call her Suki, got me this booty bangin
Properly, in Versace pants, cocky bow-legged stance
A thing of beauty, watch me, body crazy
Tits Firm like Nature, Foxy, Nas and AZ
Truly reason to bug the toolie and keep laced in jewelry watch me
Girlie tried to lure me and lock me you gotta get up early
Cause who's gettin played is not me
"Surely you jest," she said, "if you thought I was purely
out for the bucks you woulda bucked stuck and dropped me"
I said maturely, "You right
but better safe than sorry, but for the lovebirds
can move to the suburbs, I need to double check your story
To make sure that you one of a kind
And you deserve to be my Sunshine"

[Chorus: Babyface (variations not listed except for first time)]

Touch me with, a heart of gold (uh-huh)
I can't go a day without my sunshine (uh-huh) ahh-haaa (say what? uhh)
Touch me with, a smile of gold (yeah)
I can't go a day without my sunshine, sunshine (uhh, uhh, uhh)

[Jay-Z, (Foxy Brown)]
A year gone, and she seein things most chicks only
hear in songs (uh-huh) keep in gear phenom
Lots of ice in the air, round the neck the charm (that's right)
Risked a four to life bid to keep that shit on her arm
Keep her impressed at all times, cats would love to creep (uh-huh)
just to say they crept with mine, slept with mine, she said

[Foxy Brown, (Jay-Z)]
I ain't deaf nor blind, niggaz stressin
Hatin cause they less than mine, they wanna sex me
We chose each other, you actin like you chose me
They oppose you then, they oppose me
We could creep at a low speed, the gat in the hosiery
Double cross you they got to triple cross me
(I'm thinking that's the way it's supposed to be) Uh-huh
(One more thing:
If I ever go broke, would you hit the block for me?) Fo' sho'
(She replied, eyes open wide) Uhhhh
(Put that on everything?) I put that on my life
(Right)

[Chorus]

[Jay-Z, (Foxy Brown)]
If I needed would you, give me your kidneys? (Uhh, uhh, fo' sho')
Catch a case you catch it with me? (Mmm, fo' sho')
Pawn your jewlery to come get me? (You better know)
Catch me with a chick, forgive me? (Uhh, now that, I don't know)
They spread rumors, will you defend me, tooth and nail? (Uh-huh)
They try to frame me, will you be there, till the truth prevail? (uhh)
(But would you be the same dude, when you blow the roof off sales
that you was, throwin rocks, at the Roof at 12, nigga?)
This is the truth I shell, till the loot gets frail
I put this on my nephews, from the smallest to La'Velle
Me and you ballin, from the heavens, or the hell
Won't let you hit the ground if I'm fallin myself
Now picture me leavin you in this cold world, rollin for delf
It's me and you in this old girl, we takin the belt
From the lows, to the highs, to the foes we shine
Just continue to be my Sunshine (uhhh)

[Chorus 2X]

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