JAY-Z — Takeover MTV Unplugged

[Intro: Jay-Z] What's— We gonna go through a couple of things tonight We gon' go—We gon' party, of course Gonna be some emotional songs We're gon' take it all the way back for y'all Then we gon' keep it in the truest essence of hip hop The battle! We gotta keep it in the battle, right, y'all? Y'all ready for that? Alright Let's do it Let me hear y'all [Hook: Jay-Z] R-O-C, we running this rap sh— Memphis Bleek, we running this rap sh— B. Sigel, we running this rap sh— Ugh, ugh, ugh, yeah! Freeway, we running this rap sh— O and Sparks, we running this rap sh— Chris and Neef, we running this rap sh— Watch out! We run New York [Verse 1] The takeover, the break's over, homie God MC! Me! (Jay-Hova) Hey, lil' soldier, you ain't ready for war R-O-C too strong for y'all It's like bringing a knife to a gunfight, pen to a test Your chest in the line of fire with your thin-ass vest You bringing them boys to men, how them boys gon' win? This is grown man B-I-, get you rolled in the triage, bi-atch Your reach ain't long enough, dunny Your peeps ain't strong enough, uh-uh Roc-A-Fella is the army, better yet the navy Sure, we will kidnap your babies, spit at your lady We bring knife to fistfight, kill the grammar We kill you itty-bitty ants with a sledgehammer Don't let me do it to em, dunny, 'cause I overdo it So he won't confuse it with "just rap music" [Hook: Jay-Z] R-O-C, we running this rap sh— B. Sigel, we running this rap shit M-Easy, running this rap shit Get zipped up in plastic; when it happens, that's it Freeway, we running this rap sh— O and Sparks, we running this rap sh— Chris and Neef, we running this rap shit! Watch out! We run New York! [Verse 2] I don't care if you Mobb Deep, I hold triggers to crews You little *—*, I got money stacks bigger than you When I was pushing weight, back in '88 You was a ballerina, I got the pictures, I seen ya Then you dropped "Shook Ones," switched your demeanour Well, we don't believe you, you need more people Roc-A-Fella, students of the game, we passed the class 'Cause nobody can read you dudes like we do Don't let em gas you, like, "Jigga is ass, and won't clap you" Trust me on this one, I'll detach you Mind from spirit, body from soul They'll have to hold a mass, put your body in a hole Oh no, you're not on my level; get your brakes tweaked I sold what your whole album sold in my first week You guys don't want it with Hov Ask Nas—he don't want it with Hov, no! [Hook: Jay-Z] R-O-C, we running this rap sh— B. Sigel, running this rap shit M-Easy, running this rap shit Get zipped up in plastic; when it happens, that's it Freeway, we running this rap sh— O and Sparks, we running this rap sh— Chris and Neef, we running this rap shit Watch out! We run New York [Verse 3: Jay-Z] I know you miss it, Nas—the (Faaaame!) But along with celebrity Comes 'bout 70 shots to your frame, homie You's a (Laaaame!) Naww, you's the fag model for Karl Kani, Esco ads Went from Nasty Nas to "Esco's trash" Had a spark when you started, but now, you're just garbage Fell from "Top Ten" to "not mentioned at all" To your bodyguard's "Oochie Wally"'s verse better than yours Matter of fact, you had the worst flow on the whole entire song But I know: the sun don't shine if son don't shine That's why your (Laaaame!) career's come to an end It's only so long fake thugs can pretend Homie, you ain't live it; you witnessed it from your folks' pad You scribbled it in your notepad, created your life I showed you your first TEC, on tour with Large Professor Then, I heard your album about your TEC on the dresser So yeah, I sampled your voice; you was using it wrong You made it a hot line; I made it a hot song And you ain't get a coin, homie, you was getting plugged then I know who I paid, God: Serchlite Publishing Use your (Braaaain!) You said you've been in this ten I've been in it five—smarten up, Nas Four albums in ten years, homie? I can divide That's one every... hmm, two; two of them things was due One was (Ehhhh), the other was Illmatic That's a one-hot-album-every-ten-year average And that's so (Laaaame!) Homie, switch up your flow Your shit is garbage—what, you tryna kick knowledge? You cats gonna learn to respect the king Don't be the next contestant on that Unplugged screen Because you-know... Did you-know-what with you-know-who Let's just keep that between me and you, ma [Hook: Jay-Z] R.O.C., we running this rap sh— B. Sigel, running this rap sh— M-Easy, running this rap sh— Get zipped up in plastic; when it happens, that's it Freeway, we running this rap sh— O and Sparks, we running this rap sh— Chris and Neef, we running this rap shit Watch out!! We run New York! [Outro: Jay-Z] R-O-C!