[Excerpt from Jay-Z interview with Ash Cash]
Ash: What is the correlation between money and happiness?
Jay-Z: It's complex, right, and it's deceiving, at times, you know, because people think the two equate
Ash: Yes
Jay-Z: You know, to each other, and they don't, right
Ash: You have a lot of money
Jay-Z: (laughs) Yeah, and I have a lot of happiness! But that doesn't mean that the two equate to each other
Ash: Has your happiness risen at the same amount as your bank account?
Jay-Z: No. That's the thing, they don't, they don't...
Ash: They're not tied in anyway...
Jay-Z: They're not tied to each other. I mean, it allows you freedom, and it allows you to go places where you can smile and look at the sunset and things like that. That's what you choose to do, and you enjoy to do
[Verse 1]
What's the worst that can happen?
You shoot, I shoot back,we go back and forth on some whack sh**
It's your professor, the cla** dismissed, study your flash cards
I been doing this since mud pies filled up my backyard
Since Josh was smaller than I was and that's that ancient sh**
Red bull is giving me some wings on some angel sh**
Never equate happiness with your wallet, calculator sh**
Maybe if you lucky you can be part of my latest sh**
I smile when I need to fill the void
Ba** hit my soul, orgasm, I need feel your voice
And that ice is everywhere like the blizzard blew
These days I'm being called out for what I didn't do
These days n***as wanna marry what they can't obtain
And then complain when b**hes don't hit that DM on Instagram
Damnit I'm something else, other than these hoes
f** em, leave em, never call em up forget that number hoes
Purple label is 4 feet under the ground you dig us
Come a little closer so you can hear us
It's injustice how I start rapping and the dudes get scared
Go to church get baptized if you think I care
Got so much on my mind that it takes books to spell it out
Then find me a Halle Berry to act that motherf**er out
Sex this mic like a dil*o, and it's ditto for the little time that I do spend
But stand by cause it's worth sticking around when I do win
Like
[Paraphrased 2Pac interview excerpt]
We turn words into money. You know what I mean? What greater gift can there be? So I believe God blesses us. I believe God blesses those that hustle. Those that use their mind, and those that know all are righteous. I believe that your karma, everything you do bad comes back to you. So anything that I'ma do bad, I will suffer for it. But in my heart I think what I'm doing is right. So I feel like I'm going to heaven. Know what I mean?"
[Verse 2]
What's the best that can happen?
I get signed to a corporation, while they create my branding
Look out for my little brothers, bring them in the spotlight, don't call me Brandy
Three shots to the head to get that b**h's panties
Victoria's Secret, it's more like Faded Glory
My sh** is bloodied, and my method's gory
We crypt the tales (tails), just come hear the story
Knew life was fake as interviews on Maury
I'm the mother, father, and the f**ing Maury
My parents been separated, never had the hopes
I'm like if he did right the first time, I wouldn't have to scope
On every candidate, double dates at the movie shows
Giving up what I shouldn't have to get the feeling I love the most
I'm as real as they do come when they do come
Tryna own the city that you come from
On my Versailles sh**, the high sh** of the king's court
I only wanted everything. Why the f** should I be queen for?
You kiss up to me for a f**ing feature, n***a you can kiss my a** while you kissing features
Hope your lip gloss is popping while your career is lacking
Don't beg for forgiveness, ask for permission to give up after
I'll rewind the damage on my hip hop
Devil's tongue lashed while our lips locked
Got you thinking you bigger than I and all my crew
But nobody can k** this sh** just like I do
I want three stacks in my account by the time this song drops on the record
Ball's in my pocket, never dropped it, for the record
I could let you in if I thought that I would profit
But that won't benefit me or the ones that seen my progress
[Speaking]
I'm trying to tell you something. Something that you never heard before