American Gangster is the tenth studio album by American hip hop rapper Jay-Z. It was released on November 6, 2007 in the United States via the record labels Island Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella. American Gangster is Jay-Z's first concept album, which was inspired by the film of the same name. The album features production from Diddy & The Hitmen, Just Blaze, and The Neptunes, among others. Guest appearances include Beanie Sigel, Lil Wayne, and Nas. Jay-Z released a cappella version of the album on his birthday, December 4, 2007. Music critics praised American Gangster, and noted that Jay-Z was trying Read Full BioAmerican Gangster is the tenth studio album by American hip hop rapper Jay-Z. It was released on November 6, 2007 in the United States via the record labels Island Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella. American Gangster is Jay-Z's first concept album, which was inspired by the film of the same name. The album features production from Diddy & The Hitmen, Just Blaze, and The Neptunes, among others. Guest appearances include Beanie Sigel, Lil Wayne, and Nas. Jay-Z released a cappella version of the album on his birthday, December 4, 2007.
Music critics praised American Gangster, and noted that Jay-Z was trying more "complex lyrics". The album was released to significant commercial success, despite being pulled from the iTunes Store, selling 425,861 copies in its first week and debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, tying Elvis Presley for the second most number one albums. The Rolling Stone magazine named American Gangster the third best album of 2007.
Two singles have been released from American Gangster. The first, "Blue Magic", was released on September 20, 2007, peaking at 55 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, 31 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and 17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks. The track's name is a reference to the kind of heroin that Frank Lucas sold in the movie American Gangster, the CD even came in a package similar to the one the heroin came in. The second single, "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)..." was released on October 10, 2007, and reached 63 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks.
Music critics praised American Gangster, and noted that Jay-Z was trying more "complex lyrics". The album was released to significant commercial success, despite being pulled from the iTunes Store, selling 425,861 copies in its first week and debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, tying Elvis Presley for the second most number one albums. The Rolling Stone magazine named American Gangster the third best album of 2007.
Two singles have been released from American Gangster. The first, "Blue Magic", was released on September 20, 2007, peaking at 55 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, 31 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and 17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks. The track's name is a reference to the kind of heroin that Frank Lucas sold in the movie American Gangster, the CD even came in a package similar to the one the heroin came in. The second single, "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)..." was released on October 10, 2007, and reached 63 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks.
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Intro
Idris Elba Lyrics
"Man I worked for one of the biggest companies in New York City
He didn't own his own company, white man owned it, so they owned him
Nobody owns me though"
(Your gangster is not defined)
Your gangster is not defined by how low your jeans fall by your waist
But more how your genes stand up to their expectations
"Never forgetting where you came from"
(Your gangster, your gangster)
Your gangster is not defined by how many rocks are in your watch
But more, how many rocks you move while on your watch
(Gangsters, hustlers, republicans, democrats, pimps and hoes)
Conservatives, labor, the seller, the buyer, the product, the producer
"See you are what you are in this world"
The gangster is absorbed and adored by those that don't understand the laws that govern gangsterment
(Gangsterment, gangsterment)
Gangsterment allows you to make up your own laws and create brand new words
Gangster mentality
(Gangster mentality, an American way created by the white
Mastered by the black, and absorbed by the fiends, taxed by the governmentality, charted by Forbes
If you believe in Jay-Z then you too can be a gangster)
Then you too can be a gangster by any means necessary
By owning that dream, I mean it's a long walk to freedom but
While deep, deep, deep inside the bush
(The war on terror screams, damn it feels good)
Damn it feels good to be a gangster
(To be a gangster, swagger is not a must, it's a liability, a cliche, a bad suit
Cut the bullshit, you know if it wasn't for this, there would be no that)
Which we call, the American Gangster
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hector Luis Delgado, Idris A. Elba
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Kayke Santos
uma das melhores intros de todos os tempos
Kanye Wezt
Underrated Album from hOv
George Sangurima
Fuck I'll be the first.. one of the best intros
Omar Muniz
lol
Christina Graham
Idris Elbas accent😩🥴
divadlite
We love you Aungie😘
Jo Golightly-Hall
Nice, came here via Hot 🔥🥵 ones.
andrew kuracina
Thanks
Bailey Music Unedited
No problem