[Jay-Z]

It's the thought of a ride that make my eyes wide, I'm caught up

I'm trying to make, all of my dreams materialize, so I sorta

say my goodbyes to the straight and narrow

I found a new route, you bout to see my life change

I make the means justify the ends, I make the cream

materialize keys to a Benz, and so I'm rollin

For now, holdin down the fort, who's controllin?

The ground's gotta blow em, yep, y'all shoulda told em

Uhh, my first felony's approachin, copped my first key

Took a freeze, now I'm frozen

I bought a black Mac, I'm outta control

Losin bankrolls on blackjack, you gotta know

it always crossed my mind that Feds be tappin the lines like Gregory Hines

Still on the phone discussin my biz like it could never be mines

I know the price, know the risk, know the wrongs, and the rights

Still my blood flows ice, it's just my life



Chorus:



What's the meaning, what's the meaning of life?

*scratched "In my lifetime"*

What's the meaning, what's the meaning of life?

*scratched "In my lifetime"*



[Jay-Z]

I'm like the bass with the ass, splashin cold cash

The Big Willie get you chilly when I pass, brrrrrr

Is it, just a mirage all these girls thankin God

Is this, world my world, am I the star of stars?

Baby pimped out, I'm gettin too large and smokin cigars

All chicks is hollerin bout chica, the whole city's buzzin

wasn't checkin for me a dozen or so, months ago

Now I'm all they know, I'm a person

Lettin the Cristal's breathe at the Barnacle Bar

Under my sleeve, vernacular, 50 G's

I'm talkin big cheese, you gotta be down to dig these, uhh

Give me a rush like you wouldn't believe, my head's about to bust

Acceleratin what drives me, hope I don't gotta die

to see, see I can't lie to me

I know the price, know the risk, know the wrongs and the rights

Still my blood flows ice, it's just my life



Chorus 2X



[Jay-Z]

Uhh, from the beginning see we never seen the ending

Running up in all the women, all the linen, all the jewels, huh

We sported Pele's, gold diamonds and Pirelli's

Sports cars, the good life'll give you a belly but that's cool

as I, zone in the Al Capone, watch me

cause the Medusa's head on Versace turned me to stone

Now my poems just ain't poems, they bloody, when I recite em

Bones get disconnected like the phones

Now, I'm a hardened criminal with game

Like the Garden, all my penpals life controlled by the warden

Still the drill makes me blind to the fact

I could do real time, I'm a prisoner, of my crimes

Know the price, know the risk, know the wrongs and the rights

Now I'm, incarcerate for my life



Chorus 5X to fade