Takeover
JAY-Z Lyrics

Bus' it
Let's get started

We gon' go through a couple of things tonight
Tonight, we're going to cover a variety of topics

We gon' go- we gon' party, of course
And of course, we're also going to have a great time and celebrate

Go through some 'motional songs, we gon' take it all the way back for y'all
We'll also delve into some emotional tracks, taking you back to earlier times

Then we gon' keep it in the truest essence of hip-hop: the battle
But we'll also stay true to the heart of hip-hop by engaging in a battle

We gotta keep it at the battle, right y'all?
Because battles are an essential part of the culture, isn't that right, everyone?

Y'all ready for that?
Are you all prepared for that?

Alright
Great

Let's do it
Let's get started

Lemme hear y'all
I want to hear all of you

R.O.C., we running this rap sh-
The Roc-A-Fella crew is dominating the rap industry

Memphis Bleek, we running this rap sh-
Memphis Bleek is also a force to be reckoned with in the rap game

B. Sigel, we running this rap shit
Beanie Sigel is another member of our crew who's running the rap scene

Uh, uh, uh, yeah
Just emphasizing our dominance

Freeway, we runnin' this rap sh-
Freeway is part of our crew and he's also running the rap game

O and Sparks, we runnin' this rap sh-
O and Sparks are contributing to our dominance in the rap industry as well

Chris and Neef, we runnin' this rap shit
Chris and Neef are also playing a major role in our rap supremacy

(Watch out, we run New York!)
We're even taking over the hip-hop scene in New York City, so watch out!

The takeover, the break's over, homie
This is a moment where we're asserting our dominance and the competition is over

God MC, me (Jay-Hova)
I am the god level of MC (emcee)

Hey lil' soldier, you ain't ready for war
You, as a lesser rapper, are not prepared for a battle with me

R.O.C. too strong for y'all
The Roc-A-Fella crew is too powerful for any competition

It's like bringing a knife to a gunfight, pen to a test
It's a mismatch, just like bringing a knife to a gunfight or a pen to a test

Your chest in the line of fire with your thin-ass vest
You're putting yourself in danger with your weak defense

You bringing them boys to men, how them boys gon' win?
You're bringing inexperienced boys into a battle, how do you expect them to win?

This is grown man B.I., get you rolled into triage, bi-atch
This is serious business for adults, I'll defeat you so badly that you'll need medical attention

Your reach ain't long enough, dunny
You don't have enough influence or power to compete with us, my friend

Your peeps ain't strong enough, uh-uh
Your crew isn't strong enough to match our strength, no way

Roc-A-Fella is the army, better yet the navy
The Roc-A-Fella crew is not just an army, but a powerful navy

Sure, we will kidnap your babies, spit at your lady
We're ready to go to extreme lengths to defeat you, even if it means threatening your family

We bring knife to fistfight, kill your Grandma
We're so ruthless that we'll even bring a knife to a fistfight and harm innocent people like your grandmother

We kill you iddy bitty ants with a sledgehammer
We overpower and crush weak opponents like tiny ants with a sledgehammer

Don't let me do it to 'em, dunny, 'cause I overdo it
You don't want me to go all out on them because I always exceed expectations

So he won't confuse it with just rap music
I'm doing this to make sure he understands that this is not just typical rap, it's a higher level

I don't care if you Mobb Deep, I hold triggers to crews
I don't care if you're as respected as Mobb Deep, I have power and control over entire rap collectives

You little, I got money stacks bigger than you
You're insignificant compared to me, I have much more wealth and success

When I was pushing weight, back in '88
In 1988, when I was involved in drug dealing

You was a ballerina, I got the pictures, I seen ya
You were pursuing a career in dance, and I have evidence to prove it

Then you dropped 'Shook Ones,' switched your demeanor
Afterwards, you released the song 'Shook Ones' and changed your whole attitude

Well, we don't believe you, you need more people
We find it hard to believe in your authenticity, you require more support

Roc-A-Fella, students of the game, we passed the class
The Roc-A-Fella crew, as students of the rap game, surpassed everyone in their knowledge and skill

'Cause nobody can read you dudes like we do
We have a deep understanding of your true nature that others can't grasp

Don't let 'em gas you, like, 'Jigga is ass and won't clap you'
Don't allow others to deceive you with false praise, claiming that I'm weak and won't retaliate against you

Trust me on this one, I'll detach you
Believe me, I will separate you from any sense of success or accomplishment

Mind from spirit, body from soul
I'll not only defeat you physically, but even separate your mind, spirit, body, and soul

They'll have to hold a mass, put your body in a hole
Your defeat will be so severe that they'll have to organize a funeral and bury you

Oh no, you're not on my level, get your brakes tweaked
You're nowhere near my level of skill and influence, adjust your expectations

I sold what your whole album sold in my first week
In just the first week of my album release, I sold more than what your entire album has sold

You guys don't want it with Hov
You don't want to engage in a battle with me, Hov (Jay-Z)

Ask Nas, he don't want it with Hov, no!
Even Nas, another respected rapper, doesn't want to face my challenge

I know you miss it, Nas, the (fame!)
I know you miss the fame, Nas

But along with celebrity comes 'bout seventy shots to your frame, homie
But with fame also comes the risk of getting shot multiple times, my friend

You's a (lame!)
You are a person of low credibility or ability

Know you's the fag model for Karl Kani, Esco ads
I know you used to model for Karl Kani and appeared in ads for Esco, implying a derogatory term for homosexuality

Went from Nasty Nas to Esco's trash
You transitioned from being known as Nasty Nas, a respected rapper, to being perceived as trash associated with the brand Esco

Had a spark when you started but now you're just garbage
You had potential and excitement when you began, but now you're considered as worthless

Fell from top ten to not mentioned at all
You went from being a top-ten rapper to not being mentioned or recognized by anyone

To your bodyguard's Oochie Wally's verse better than yours
Even your bodyguard's verse in the song 'Oochie Wally' is considered better than yours

Matter of fact you had the worst flow on the whole entire song
In fact, your flow was the weakest and most underwhelming on the entire song

But I know the sun don't shine, then son don't shine
If you don't have genuine talent, then you won't succeed

That's why your (lame) career's come to an end
That's why your unimpressive career has reached its conclusion

It's only so long fake thugs can pretend
Hollow and fake personas can only be maintained for a limited period of time

Homie, you ain't live it, you witnessed it from your folks' pad
You didn't actually live the lifestyle you portray, you watched it from your parents' home

You scribbled it in your notepad and created your life
You simply wrote about the experiences you observed and fabricated your own reality

I showed you your first TEC, on tour with Large Professor
I introduced you to your first gun, while we were on tour with Large Professor

Then I heard your album 'bout your TEC on the dresser
Later, I listened to your album where you claimed to have a gun on the dresser

So yeah, I sampled your voice, you was using it wrong
Yes, I used a sample of your voice, but you were utilizing it incorrectly

You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song
You turned it into a popular line, but I turned it into a popular song

And you ain't get a coin, homie, you was getting plugged then
And you didn't receive any financial benefit from it, my friend, you were just being used

I know who I paid, God, Serchlite Publishing
I know exactly who I paid for the sample, God and the publishing company Serchlite

Use your (brain!)
You need to think logically and intelligently

You said you've been in this ten, I've been in it five, smarten up, Nas
You claimed to have been in the rap game for ten years, but I've only been in it for five, so wise up, Nas

Four albums in ten years, homie? I could divide
You only released four albums in ten years, my friend? I could easily release more

That's one every two, two of them things was due
That's just one album every two years, and even two of those albums were subpar and disappointing

One was (nah), the other was Illmatic
One of them wasn't even worth mentioning, and the other one was Illmatic

That's a one-hot-album-every-ten-year average
So your average is only one successful album every ten years

And that's so (lame)
And that's incredibly unimpressive

Homie, switch up your flow
My friend, you need to change your style of rapping

Your shit is garbage, what you trying to kick, knowledge?
Your music is terrible, what are you attempting to express? Intelligence?

You cats gonna learn to respect the king
You all will eventually understand the importance of respecting the king (referring to himself)

Don't be the next contestant on that Unplugged screen
Don't become the next person who gets humiliated on the Unplugged TV show

Because you-know-(who) did you-know-what with you-know-who
Because someone (Jay-Z) had a personal altercation with someone and engaged in certain activities

But let's keep that between me and you, ma
But let's keep this information confidential, just between you and me