 Genius Meanings
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JAY-Z – Public Service Announcement
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This standout track from The Black Album is one of Jay’s most popular live concert staples. It’s a wide-ranging, pun-heavy tune that ranks in the upper echelon of his extensive
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JAY-Z – Interlude
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Produced by Just Blaze, this isn’t the first time that Jay used an intro to an album that he doesn’t appear on. For Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life he let Pain In Da Ass and, more
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JAY-Z – Beach Is Better (Interlude)
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The 12th track off of Jay-Z’s highly anticipated Magna Carter Holy Grail.
https://twitter.com/S_C_/statuses/354288450243002369
Producer Mike Will Made It breaks it down:
http://
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JAY-Z – Hova Interlude
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This rare one-verse interlude was released only on the European version of Jay-Z’s 1999 album Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter. It features the same beat as the album’s intro, “
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JAY-Z (Ft. 50 Cent) – Reebok (Interlude)
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[Verse 1: 50 Cent] / Man, I told y'all I was finna blow like C-4 / Stunt in the G5, fly in the G-IV / G-Unit footwear, G apparel / I'm so hood / That blue and that white looks so
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THE CARTERS – SUMMER
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Interpolating JAY-Z’s 2013 track, “Beach is Better (Interlude),” Beyoncé is added to the mix to give us sexy summer vibes with “SUMMER”— the first track of their surprise debut
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JAY-Z – Versus (Interlude)
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“Versus” is a quick eight-bar sonning from Hov.
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JAY-Z (Ft. Beyoncé) – Family Feud
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The track is about the separation in the hip-hop culture and community. Hov is witnessing new rappers disrespecting their old heads, while old school artists and fans misunderstand
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JAY-Z – Lucifer
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“Lucifer” is one of the stand-out tracks off of The Black Album, produced by JAY-Z’s friend and frequent collaborator, Kanye West.
This song heavily relies on religious and
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JAY-Z – December 4th
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“December 4th” is Jay-Z’s lyrical autobiography, based around distinct phases in his life. He rhymes about his birth on December 4th, his days as a drug dealer, and his transition
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JAY-Z – What More Can I Say
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In the “street single” off of The Black Album, Jay contemplates the retirement he had promised himself after the album’s release. He also uses this song to boast (though many of
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JAY-Z – Legacy
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The song is an upbeat track which discusses the legacy for the Carter family name. It goes on to discuss members of the family and what they have done in the family name and how
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Dreamville & J. Cole – Adonis Interlude (The Montage)
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[Intro] / It's that time, huh / [Verse] / Things just ain't the same for young Jermaine / Still underrated but far from underpaid / And though some problems did fade, the hunger
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JAY-Z – Threat
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From Jay Z’s The Black Album. The song contains a sample from “A Woman’s Threat” by R. Kelly.
The song is likely a general “threat” addressed to no one in particular. The lyrics
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JAY-Z (Ft. Nas) – Success
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This song is off Jay-Z’s 2007 album American Gangster. Inspired by the movie of the same name, the album uses the life arc of main character Frank Lucas – the humble beginnings as
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JAY-Z – Tom Ford
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Jay Z’s “Tom Ford” includes a sample from M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls,” the lyrics of which follow the same cadence and flow.
Get back, get down
Pull me closer if you think you can hang
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JAY-Z – 22 Two's
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“22 Two’s” is Jay’s extended word game — go ahead, count the two/too/to’s!
In an interview with Spin magazine, producer Ski Beatz talked about “22 Two’s”:
That’s like my
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JAY-Z & Kanye West – New Day
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Produced by Kanye West and RZA, this song samples Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.” It is an uncharacteristically personal and emotional song from Jay Z, in which both rappers speak to
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JAY-Z – Super Ugly [I Got Myself A Gun]
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This is the last notable diss song in the 2001-02 beef between Jay-Z and Nas, recorded after Nas released the classic “Ether.”
Jay had already hinted at a lil' something something
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JAY-Z – Jay Z Blue
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About his daughter Blue Ivy Carter. This is not the first song he’s written about her.
Note also that “Jay-Z Blue” is indeed a real color that Hov tried to trademark back in 2002
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JAY-Z & Kanye West – Niggas in Paris
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Kanye West, XXL Magazine, October 2010:
I am where art meets commercial. The sweet spot between the hood and Hollywood. Having a conversation with Karl Lagerfeld and Jay-Z within
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Beyoncé (Ft. JAY-Z) – Crazy in Love
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“Crazy In Love” is the ridiculously successful lead single from Beyoncé’s first solo album Dangerously In Love.
Penned by Beyoncé and Rich Harrison, the song revolves around
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JAY-Z (Ft. John Legend) – Do U Wanna Ride
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“Do U Wanna Ride” is dedicated to Jay-Z’s close friend Emory “Vegas” Jones. Jay wrote the song while Emory was away in prison to express his thoughts and feelings on his situation
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JAY-Z (Ft. Pain In Da Ass) – Intro / A Million and One Questions / Rhyme No More
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[Produced by DJ Premier] / [Intro: Pain In Da Ass] / 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
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JAY-Z – The Story of O.J.
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The song title refers to O.J. Simpson, the former NFL running back who was accused and acquitted of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. The trial
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Rick Ross (Ft. JAY-Z) – Maybach Music
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The first edition of the “Maybach Music” series finds Jay and Rozay dropping verses over a J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League track, and producer Rook talked about how the track came together:
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JAY-Z (Ft. M.O.P.) – U Don't Know (Remix)
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As Just Blaze tells it:
“I always wanted to make [U Don’t Know] bigger and better, and make the drums hit harder, and the bass more in your face. I always say to myself, ‘I wish I
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JAY-Z – Encore
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Jay-Z kills the jive turkeys like it’s Thanksgiving
The production features vocals by John Legend, Don Crawley, GLC and Kanye West – a family singalong
Kanye samples the trumpet
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JAY-Z – Flow
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This track is from S. Carter The Re-mix. It begins with an audio clip from 60 minutes, wherein the interviewer asks Jay to explain what ‘flow’ means.
As he begins try to explain
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JAY-Z (Ft. DMX) – Money, Cash, Hoes
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“Money, Cash, Hoes” is about the 3 most important things in life:
Money
Cash
Charitable Acts (no j/k! #3 is Hoes)
It was released on November 9, 1998 as the third single from
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JAY-Z (Ft. James Blake) – MaNyfaCedGod
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“MaNyfaCedGod” finds JAY-Z delving back into the state of his relationship with wife Beyoncé and how they have conquered any trouble in their way.
In the television series Game of
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JAY-Z – Public Service Announcement (Live
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[Intro: Jay-Z] / Everybody put they diamonds in the air tonight / Fellow Americans / It is with the utmost pride and sincerity that I present this recording / As a living testament
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JAY-Z (Ft. Beyoncé) – Part II (On the Run)
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Released as the 3rd single off Magna Carta… Holy Grail, the record serves as a spiritual sequel to the consummation of their budding relationship: “03' Bonnie and Clyde”, released
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JAY-Z – Dead Presidents II
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“Dead Presidents II” is all about getting money that has drawings of dead presidents on it (and/or Benjamin Franklin & Alexander Hamilton, who were not ever President, but whatever
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JAY-Z – U Don't Know
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In “U Don’t Know” Jay-Z explains his monetary success in both the drug and rap games. Providing the blueprint for the marriage of soul-sampling and heavy bass, it is recognized as
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JAY-Z (Ft. Travis Scott) – Crown
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“Crown” is a triumphant track from Magna Carta… Holy Grail that sees Jay-Z declaring himself the king of hip-hop music. The song marks the first official collaboration between Jay-
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K. Jayz – I've Come This Far / Stay Focused (Interlude)
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I’ve Come This Far / [Intro] / I’ve really made it a long way / Ha, I really got a lot to say / So c’mon, let’s get it / [Hook] / I’ve come too far to ever really give up / So many
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DJ Khaled (Ft. Harmonies by The Hive, James Fauntleroy, JAY-Z & Nas) – SORRY NOT SORRY
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On “SORRY NOT SORRY,” DJ Khaled recruits rap titans Nas and Jay-Z, as well as vocalists James Fauntleroy and Beyoncé (under the alias Harmonies by The Hive.) He explained how the
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JAY-Z – Moment Of Clarity
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This song, with beat by Eminem, shows Jay looking back on his life and career, and the roads taken – and not taken – therein
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Drake (Ft. JAY-Z) – Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2
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One of the most anticipated songs off Nothing Was The Same, which was originally a loose Magna Carta… Holy Grail track, features El Padrino himself. This marks the third time they’
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X Ambassadors – Good News on the Remix (Interlude)
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Sam is elated that the one and only Jay Z contributed a verse to a remix of “Jungle.”
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JAY-Z (Ft. Pain In Da Ass) – The Prelude
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The first track on his comeback album, “The Prelude” is designed to address the areas Jay thinks have been lacking in rap music since his departure.
It carries on his tradition of
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J. Cole – Mo Money (Interlude)
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The track’s title is a reference to The Notorious B.I.G.’s hit song “Mo' Money Mo' Problems”. Meanwhile Cole’s “money” flow here is seemingly an ode to verse 1 of Jay-Z’s “
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JAY-Z (Ft. Pharrell Williams) – Change Clothes
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This Neptunes-produced track was the lead single from 2003’s The Black Album.
The song is an ode to dressing better and losing throwback jerseys, a message so powerful that it
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Jeezy (Ft. JAY-Z) – Put On (Remix)
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In this Drumma Boy-produced remix (Kanye, not Jay-Z, was on the original), Jeezy and Jay-Z make one thing clear: They “Put On” for their city! (Jeezy puts on for Atlanta and Jay-Z
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JAY-Z – Song Cry
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“Song Cry” is an emotional ballad in which Jay describes the pain of a long-term relationship ending, caused by his professional schedule and personal philandering. Since his pride
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Memphis Bleek (Ft. JAY-Z) – Dear Summer
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Produced by Just Blaze, “Dear Summer” is one of Jay-Z’s best efforts displaying his supreme language consciousness and elite word play. The first time Hov unleashed this verse was
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