Jay, via Vibe:
[One of my sister’s names is Andrea], but we call her Annie. That’s how the Annie sample came about. When I seen that on TV, I was like, ‘Annie?’ And then, I watched the movie. […] Any person that goes from ashy to classy or, you know, is from the orphanage or the projects—it’s pretty similar.
As detailed in Decoded, to clear the ‘Annie’ sample, Jay wrote a letter to the song’s copyright holders, telling them that he’d seen the musical on Broadway as a child and written a competition-winning essay on it at school.
Hard Knock Life
JAY-Z Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jigga (bounce wit it), uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh, yeah
Let it bump, though
It's the hard knock life (uh-huh) for us
It's the hard knock life, for us
'Stead of treated, we get tricked
'Stead of kisses, we get kicked
From standin' on the corners boppin'
To drivin' some of the hottest cars New York has ever seen
For droppin' some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard
From the dope spot, with the smoke Glock
Fleein' the murder scene, you know me well
From nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hell
But since when y'all niggas know me to fail? Fuck nah
Where all my niggas with the rubber grips? Bust shots
And if you with me, ma I'll rub on your tits, and what-not
I'm from the school of the hard knocks, we must not
Let outsiders violate our blocks, and my plot
Let's stick up the world and split it fifty-fifty, uh-huh
Let's take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh-huh
And sip the Cris' and get pissy-pissy
Flow infinitely like the memory of my nigga Biggie, baby
You know it's hell when I come through
The life and times of Shawn Carter
Nigga, Volume 2, y'all niggas get ready
It's the hard knock life, for us
It's the hard knock life, for us
'Stead of treated, we get tricked
'Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life
I flow for those 'dro'ed out, all my niggas
Locked down in the ten by four, controllin' the house
We live in hard knocks, we don't take over we borrow blocks
Burn 'em down and you can have it back daddy, I'd rather that
I flow for chicks wishin', they ain't have to strip to pay tuition
I see your vision, mama, I put my money on the long shots
All my ballers that's born to clock
Now I'ma be on top whether I perform or not
I went from lukewarm to hot, sleepin' on futons and cots
To king size, green machines, the green fives
I've seen pies let the thing between my eyes analyze life's ills
Then I put it down, type braille
I'm tight grill with the phony, rappers y'all might feel we homies
I'm like still, y'all don't know me, shit
I'm tight grill when my situation ain't improving
I'm tryna murder everything movin', feel me?
It's the hard knock life, for us
It's the hard knock life, for us
'Stead of treated, we get tricked
'Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life, for us
It's the hard knock life, for us
'Stead of treated, we get tricked
'Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life
I don't how to sleep, I gotta eat, stay on my toes
Gotta a lot of beef, so logically, I prey on my foes
Hustling's still inside of me, and as far as progress
You'd be hard-pressed, to find another rapper hot as me
I gave you prophecy on my first joint, and y'all all lamed out
Didn't really appreciate it, 'til the second one came out
So I stretched the game out, X'ed your name out
Put Jigga on top, and drop albums non-stop for ya, nigga
It's the hard knock life, for us
It's the hard knock life, for us!
'Stead of treated, we get tricked
'Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life, for us
It's the hard knock life, for us!
'Stead of treated, we get tricked
'Stead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life
It's the hard knock life
It's the hard knock life
The lyrics to Jay-Z's song "Hard Knock Life" reflect on the difficult and harsh realities of life for those who grow up in the inner city. Jay-Z speaks of the struggle to survive and make it in a world that often feels stacked against him and others in his community. The catchy chorus, "It's the hard knock life for us," echoes the famous line from the musical Annie, but instead of a happy-go-lucky tone, Jay-Z instead gives us a glimpse into the less glamorous side of life. The verses detail Jay-Z's own experiences in this world, from his past as a drug dealer to his rise to fame in the rap world. Throughout, he's realistic about the challenges he's faced but optimistic about his ability to overcome them.
The lyrics also nod to the way that the world often treats those living in poverty. Instead of being treated with respect, Jay-Z says, they are "tricked." Instead of being shown affection, they are "kicked." Even as Jay-Z achieves fame and success, he never forgets the struggles he faced when he was trying to make it, and he continues to advocate for those who are fighting similar battles. Ultimately, "Hard Knock Life" is a powerful anthem for anyone who has ever faced adversity and persevered in the face of overwhelming odds.
Line by Line Meaning
Take the bassline out, uh-huh
Remove the bass and bounce with the rhythm
It's the hard knock life (uh-huh) for us
Our life is full of hardships
'Stead of treated, we get tricked
We don't get fair treatment, we get deceived
'Stead of kisses, we get kicked
We don't get love and care, we get hurt and abandoned
From standin' on the corners boppin'
We used to hangout aimlessly on street corners
To drivin' some of the hottest cars New York has ever seen
But now, we drive some of the most luxurious cars
For droppin' some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard
Because we create some of the best rap lyrics and songs
From the dope spot, with the smoke Glock
We used to do drug deals, hanging out with a gun
Fleein' the murder scene, you know me well
We are always on the run from the police after a murder
From nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hell
Imprisonment has been a living hell for us, in every sense
But since when y'all niggas know me to fail? Fuck nah
But do you know anyone who has seen us fail?
Where all my niggas with the rubber grips? Bust shots
Where are all my friends with guns? Start shooting
And if you with me, ma I'll rub on your tits, and what-not
And if you're with me, I'll touch you and do other things
I'm from the school of the hard knocks, we must not
I'm from the life of hardships, and we must not show weakness
Let outsiders violate our blocks, and my plot
We must not let outsiders take over our territory and ruin our plans
Let's stick up the world and split it fifty-fifty, uh-huh
Let's rob the world and divide everything equally
Let's take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh-huh
Let's take the money and enjoy life
And sip the Cris' and get pissy-pissy
Let's drink Cristal champagne and party
Flow infinitely like the memory of my nigga Biggie, baby
Let's keep making great music like my friend Biggie Smalls
You know it's hell when I come through
You know it's chaos and destruction when I appear
The life and times of Shawn Carter
This is the story of my life, including my struggles and achievements
Nigga, Volume 2, y'all niggas get ready
This is my second album and it's better than the first. Be prepared
I flow for those 'dro'ed out, all my niggas
I make music for those who do drugs, all my friends
Locked down in the ten by four, controllin' the house
Those who are imprisoned in small cells and still have power
We live in hard knocks, we don't take over we borrow blocks
We live in harsh conditions, and we don't own anything; we just use them
Burn 'em down and you can have it back daddy, I'd rather that
Destroy it and you can have it back; I don't want it anymore
I flow for chicks wishin', they ain't have to strip to pay tuition
I make music for women who want to get an education without resorting to stripping for money
I see your vision, mama, I put my money on the long shots
I understand your struggle, and I invest in the underdogs
All my ballers that's born to clock
All my friends who are good at getting money
Now I'ma be on top whether I perform or not
Now, I'm going to stay on the top, whether I make good music or not
I went from lukewarm to hot, sleepin' on futons and cots
I went from being nobody to being successful and sleeping in luxurious beds
To king size, green machines, the green fives
To owning big cars and expensive shoes
I've seen pies let the thing between my eyes analyze life's ills
I have seen and experienced many things, and I have analyzed life's problems
Then I put it down, type braille
Then I write it all down, making music that moves the soul
I'm tight grill with the phony, rappers y'all might feel we homies
I'm not friends with fake rappers, even if you like to pretend we are
I'm like still, y'all don't know me, shit
I'm not really interested in befriending you because you don't really know me
I'm tight grill when my situation ain't improving
I'm bitter when I'm not getting better and life continues to be hard
I'm tryna murder everything movin', feel me?
I'm trying to dominate in everything and will do anything it takes to achieve success
I don't how to sleep, I gotta eat, stay on my toes
I can't rest; I have to keep working hard to survive
Gotta a lot of beef, so logically, I prey on my foes
I have many enemies so I have to take action to protect myself
Hustling's still inside of me, and as far as progress
The hustler spirit is still present in me and is driving my progress
You'd be hard-pressed, to find another rapper hot as me
It is hard to find another rapper as successful or as talented as me
I gave you prophecy on my first joint, and y'all all lamed out
I warned you on my first album, but you didn't listen
Didn't really appreciate it, 'til the second one came out
You didn't really understand its value until I released my second album
So I stretched the game out, X'ed your name out
So I became more successful and left you behind in the process
Put Jigga on top, and drop albums non-stop for ya, nigga
I became the best rapper and released albums regularly for all of you
It's the hard knock life
This is the story of the hard life we live
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles Strouse, Mark James, Martin Charnin, Sean Carter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@OutsideDuhBox
Take the bass line out, uh-huh
Jigga, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, yeah
Let it bump though
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life
From standin' on the corners boppin'
To drivin' some of the hottest cars New York has ever seen
For droppin' some of the hottest verses rap has ever heard
From the dope spot, with the smoke Glock fleein' the murder scene
You know me well
From nightmares of a lonely cell, my only hell
But since when y'all n- know me to fail? F- naw
Where all my n- with the rubber grips, bust shots?
And if you with me, mom, I rub on your -, and what-not
I'm from the school of the hard knocks, we must not
Let outsiders violate our blocks, and my plot
Let's stick up the world and split it 50-50, uh-huh
Let's take the dough and stay real jiggy, uh-huh
And sip the Cris' and get pissy-pissy
Flow infinitely like the memory of my n- Biggie, baby
You know it's hell when I come through
The life and times of Shawn Carter, n-, Volume 2
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life
I flow for those 'dro'ed out
All my n- locked down in the 10 by 4, controllin' the house
We live in hard knocks, we don't take over, we borrow blocks
Burn 'em down and you can have it back, daddy, I'd rather that
I flow for chicks wishin', they ain't have to strip to pay tuition
I see your vision mama, I put my money on the longshots
All my ballers that's born to clock
Know I'ma be on top whether I perform or not
I went from lukewarm to hot, sleepin' on futons and cots
To King size, green machines, to green 5's
I've seen pies, let the thing between my eyes analyze life's ills
Then I put it down type braille
I'm tight grill with the phony, rappers y'all might feel we homies
I'm like still, y'all don't know me, sh-
I'm tight grill when my situation ain't improvin'
I'm tryna murder everything movin', feel me
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life
I don't know how to sleep, I gotta eat, stay on my toes
Got a lot of beef, so logically, I prey on my foes
Hustling's still inside of me, and as far as progress
You'd be hard-pressed to find another rapper hot as me
I gave you prophecy on my first joint, and y'all lamed out
Didn't really appreciate it 'til the second one came out
So I stretched the game out, etched your name out
Put Jigga on top, and drop albums non-stop for ya, n-
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life
It's the hard knock life
It's the hard knock life
🔥 Still waiting for my hard knock life to end, ya heard?
Throw your boi a sub. ;)
@beaniegee5129
1998 was definitely a great year for hip-hop we had a lot of classic albums released that year such as
Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life by Jay-Z
The Love Movement by A Tribe Called Quest
Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star by Black Star
Aquemini by OutKast
Capital Punishment by Big Pun
Don Cartagena by Fat Joe
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill
40 Dayz and 40 Nightz by Xzibit
Whatcha Gonna Do by Jayo Felony
Money, Power and Respect by The Lox
400 Degreez by Juvenile
El Nino by Def Squad
It's Dark and Hell is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh Blood of My Blood by DMX
Lost by 8Ball
2PAC'S Greatest Hits
Confessions of Fire by Cam'ron
Life in 1472 by Jermaine Dupri
Da Game is to be Sold Not to be Told by Snoop Dogg
Shut em Down by Onyx
MP Da Last Don by Master P
G Funk Classics Vol. 1 and 2 by Nate Dogg
Moment of Truth by Gang Starr
Doc's Da Name 2000 by Redman
Tical 2000: Judgment Day by Method Man
So many classic albums were released that year
@drupac40
This song still goes harder than anything out out in the last ten years
@AbrahamPalmer-wj5cb
Facts
@DoNotReanimate
ASK diddy
@schuylerhecht8253
I just got real nostalgic reminiscing my summer of 98'...that was a hot NYC summer that year.
@lucienedacostasilva1206
Estou tristonha com os novos fatos 😢
@WillMay-fr9ps
Jay spoke his success into existence way back then..he said I'm gonna be on top whether I perform or not.... POWERFUL
@brittanycunningham787
Hes a pęd0
@phillipmixon6624
Nope. I believe the meaning of the lyrics is how he views himself is not related to any commercial success and he is and always will be a man of the streets with his ear down low listening for whats coming around the corner and being more prepared than that guy for the surprise. Gang gang. Powerful.
@who399
He meant on top of diddy
@inexpugnabilis
One of the best hip hop songs of all time!