U Don't Know
½Ü˹Jay Z Lyrics
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I'm from the streets where the
Hood could swallow a man, bullets'll follow a man
There's so much coke that you could run the slalom
And cops comb the shit top to bottom
They say that we are prone to violence, but it's home sweet home
Where personalities crash and chrome meets chrome
But this is worse than the Dow Jones your brains are now blown
All over that brown Brougham, one slip you are now gone
Welcome to hell where you are welcome to sell
But when them shells come you better return 'em
All scars we earn 'em, all cars we learn 'em like the back of our hand
We watch for cops hopping out the back of van
Wear a G on my chest, I don't need Dapper Dan
This ain't a sewn outfit homes, homes is about it
Was clapping them flamers before I became famous
For playing me y'all shall forever remain nameless
I am Hov'
Sure I do, I tell you the difference between me and them
They trying to get they ones, I'm tryin' to get them M's
One million, two million, three million, four
In just five years, forty million more
You are now looking at the forty million boy
I'm rapping Def Jam 'til I'm the hundred million man
R., O., C.
I came into this motherfucker a hundred grand strong
Nine to be exact, from grinding G-packs
Put this shit in motion ain't no rewinding me back
Could make 40 off a brick but one rhyme could beat that
And if somebody would of told 'em that Hov' would sell clothing
Heh, not in this lifetime, wasn't in my right mind
That's another difference that's between me and them
Heh, I'm smarten up, open the market up
One million, two million, three million, four
In eighteen months, eighty million more
Now add that number up with the one I said before
You are now looking at one smart black boy
Momma ain't raised no fool
Put me anywhere on God's green earth, I'll triple my worth
Motherfucker, I, will, not, lose
I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell
I am a hustler baby, I'll sell water to a well
I was born to get cake, move on and switch states
Cop the Coupe with the roof gone and switch plates
Was born to dictate, never follow orders
Dickface, get your shit straight, fucker this is Big Jay
Will, not, lose, ever, fucker!
In "U Don't Know," Jay Z reflects on his success in the rap industry and draws a stark contrast between his current lifestyle and the violent streets where he was raised. Throughout the song, Jay Z lists his achievements, stating that he is not just trying to earn money; he wants to earn millions. He reflects on how he has overcome the odds and rose to the top of the music industry.
The first verse emphasizes the way Jay Z's upbringing in the streets has shaped his personality and work ethic. He raps about how cops are always searching for drug dealers and how his community is known for violence. The cities he came from were difficult to navigate, with the constant danger of getting caught or killed. Despite the harsh environment, he learned valuable lessons about survival and resourcefulness. He continues to describe himself as a street-savvy hustler and how he’s been clapping flamers before he became famous. When he says that because of his scars and cars, he knows who's who on the streets, he means that he's earned the right to call himself a spokesperson for the streets.
The second verse of "U Don't Know" is a boast, as Jay Z brags about his financial successes. He tells listeners to compare his achievements to those of his competitors, who are "trying to get their ones," while he's "tryin' to get them M's" (millions of dollars). He talks about how he has made eighty million dollars in just eighteen months, and he's confident that he can make billions, given enough time. Overall, the song emphasizes how Jay Z has risen from a life of poverty to become a hugely successful rapper worth millions of dollars.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn my music high, high, high, high-er
I want to crank up my music as loud as possible
I'm from the streets where the Hood could swallow a man, bullets'll follow a man
I come from a dangerous neighborhood where violence and shooting are common
There's so much coke that you could run the slalom, And cops comb the shit top to bottom
There is a huge drug problem in my community, and the police are always searching for drugs
They say that we are prone to violence, but it's home sweet home
People claim that we are violent, but we are just living in the place we call home
Where personalities crash and chrome meets chrome
Our cars often collide due to reckless driving and aggressive behavior
The coke prices up and down like it's Wall Street homes, But this is worse than the Dow Jones your brains are now blown
The price of cocaine fluctuates like the stock market, but drug addiction has serious consequences
All over that brown Brougham, one slip you are now gone, Welcome to hell where you are welcome to sell
One mistake can cost you everything in this dangerous lifestyle, and we are living in a literal hell
But when them shells come you better return 'em, All scars we earn 'em, all cars we learn 'em like the back of our hand
If someone shoots at you, you better shoot back; we are used to getting injured and are familiar with our vehicles
We watch for cops hopping out the back of van, Wear a G on my chest, I don't need Dapper Dan
We keep an eye out for police and wear a 'G' on our clothes to show our gang affiliation
This ain't a sewn outfit homes, homes is about it, Was clapping them flamers before I became famous
Our clothes are not designer or expensive, we are all about representing our lifestyle and we were violent before I became famous
For playing me y'all shall forever remain nameless, I am Hov'
If you disrespect me, you will never be acknowledged, and my name is Jay Z
Sure I do, I tell you the difference between me and them, They trying to get they ones, I'm tryin' to get them M's
I am different from others because they are only trying to make a little money, but I want to make millions
One million, two million, three million, four, In just five years, forty million more, You are now looking at the forty million boy, I'm rapping Def Jam 'til I'm the hundred million man
I made 40 million dollars in just five years and am aiming for 100 million dollars; I will continue to work for Def Jam
I came into this motherfucker a hundred grand strong, Nine to be exact, from grinding G-packs, Put this shit in motion ain't no rewinding me back
I started with $100,000, specifically from selling drugs, and I will not let anything hold me back from success
Could make 40 off a brick but one rhyme could beat that, And if somebody would of told 'em that Hov' would sell clothing
I used to make 40 thousand dollars selling cocaine, but now I can make even more money from my music; no one would have expected me to have my own clothing line
That's another difference that's between me and them, Heh, I'm smarten up, open the market up
I am smarter than others and will expand my business
In eighteen months, eighty million more, Now add that number up with the one I said before
I made 80 million dollars in 18 months, in addition to the previous 40 million
You are now looking at one smart black boy, Momma ain't raised no fool, Put me anywhere on God's green earth, I'll triple my worth
I am an intelligent black man who was raised well, and I am confident that I can make great profits anywhere
I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell, I am a hustler baby, I'll sell water to a well
I can sell anything to anyone, anywhere, anytime
I was born to get cake, move on and switch states, Cop the Coupe with the roof gone and switch plates
I was born to make money, move on to new territories, and modify my car to avoid the police
Was born to dictate, never follow orders, Dickface, get your shit straight, fucker this is Big Jay, Will, not, lose, ever, fucker!
I was meant to be the leader and will never be told what to do, so pay attention and don't mess with me; I will always win
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOBBY BYRD, SHAWN CARTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind