American Gangster
JAY Z Lyrics

And you say New York City
Acknowledging the presence of the audience and requesting their participation.

I'm from the '80s
I am from the era when heroin was prevalent.

Home of the heroin
The '80s is known as the era of heroin.

Era of the hustlers, uh
The '80s is also known as the era of hustlers who dealt drugs.

The world is my custy
I have a worldwide customer base for my drug business.

New Rich Porter
I am following in the footsteps of the infamous drug dealer, Rich Porter.

The way I flip quarters
I have a talent for quickly turning over my money.

Front on all these other rap artists, but me
I am above all other rappers and they cannot match my success.

Mama was a mink wearer
My mother had a taste for luxury and was a symbol of wealth.

Papa ran numbers
My father was a bookie who organized illegal gambling.

So it's plain to see where my whole plan come from
My parents inspired me to seek wealth through illegal means.

American dream
I am living the American dream by achieving success through hard work and ambition.

I'm living the life still
I am still living my life of luxury and success.

Way I shine is like a zillion dollar light bill
I shine with such brilliance that it is comparable to the light of a billion-dollar bill.

Still I'm grinding, army jacket lining
Despite my success, I am still working hard and wearing my army jacket to protect myself from the cold.

40 below Timbs on, getting my M's on
I am wearing my Timbs in frigid temperatures while making money (M's).

My best friends gone, I seen bad days
I have lost friends and experienced difficult times.

I still find songs that I hear him on
I still hear my lost friend's voice in my mind and continue to remember him through music.

Getting my Mary J. Blige Reminisce on
I am listening to Mary J. Blige's song 'Reminisce' to remember my lost friend.

I hear his voice in my mind like, nigga live on
I can still hear my lost friend's voice in my head, reminding me to keep living my life to the fullest.

So I get on that fly shit I been on
I continue to live a luxurious lifestyle like I have been doing.

Spin on corners in Enzo with rims on
I drive around in my Enzo with rims on.

But for your info, puffing on Endo-Nesia
I am smoking Endo-Nesia marijuana.

Give me amnesia
I want to forget my troubles and relax.

I ease up, that's right, I'm high, nigga
I am feeling relaxed and high from smoking marijuana.

I want the sky
I want to achieve the highest levels of success.

The world when I'm done
When I am done achieving success, I will have the whole world under my belt.

I'ma give it to my son
I will pass on my success to my son.

Let him live it up, split it up, switch it up, uh
I want my son to enjoy his inheritance, make new investments, and change things up in his own way.

Sixes kit it up, man I did it up, done
I have upgraded my cars to sixes and have done everything I set out to do.

The rest of my belongings belong in the hall of fame
My remaining wealth and possessions deserve to be celebrated as a symbol of my success.

A list of hits next to all my names
My list of successful ventures will be remembered and celebrated alongside my name.

Uh-huh
Acknowledging the audience once again.

If the sky should fall
If everything falls apart and I lose everything I have built.

And it all goes tomorrow and they foreclose
If I lose all my assets and possessions and they are confiscated by the government.

On the house and auction off all my cars
If my house is foreclosed on and all my cars are sold off to repay debts.

Don't cry for me Argentina
Don't feel bad for me or feel sorry.

I mobbed in the Beamer
I drove around in my BMW.

Took trips abroad, got mobbed in Sardina
I traveled internationally and was recognized by fans in Sardinia, Italy.

In Ibiza, I had pizza in the club
I ate pizza while partying in Ibiza, Spain.

Ladies know I'm that guy
Women recognize and are attracted to me because of my success.

They wanna piece of my love
They want to be a part of my life and my success.

Now they wanna do your boy like Mike in his prime
Women are trying to claim that I fathered their child, like how Michael Jordan had paternity cases when he was at his peak.

Billie Jean, the goddamn boy ain't mine
I am denying the paternity claims like Michael Jackson did in his song 'Billie Jean'.

And the Roc break up, had the people losing hope
When my record label, Roc-A-Fella Records, disbanded, fans lost hope for my future success.

Can't lie they had Muhammad Hovi on the ropes
The situation had me (Muhammad Ali) in a vulnerable and difficult position.

Now I'm back in the go mode, back in the go-go's
I am back in my hustle and grind mode, just like in my earlier days.

Throwing the diamond up, reppin' the logo
I am representing and paying homage to Roc-A-Fella Records by throwing up the diamond hand sign.

Rose gold rose flow
I have a rose gold style and flow that is unique.

I'm okay though
I am doing fine despite the challenges I have faced.

What don't kill me makes stronger than before so
I have become stronger and more resilient because of the challenges I have faced.

Here we go and I'm not domino
I am not going to fall apart like a domino effect when things get tough.

When it all falls down
When everything falls apart.

I'm like Kanye's jaw
I am like Kanye West's jaw, which famously did not break despite a car accident.

I might break but I don't fold 'til I hold the sky in my hand
I may struggle, but I will not give up until I achieve my ultimate goal of reaching the highest levels of success.

Yeah, that's my goal
My ultimate goal is to reach the highest levels of success.

And then I bid you Freddy Adu
My success will be so great that I will retire to enjoy it, like Freddy Adu retired from soccer at a young age.

Prodigal Child, y'all not ready for the fu-ture, ture
I am a prodigal child and my future success will be beyond what people can currently imagine.

Then I disappear in the Bermuda Triangle
I will disappear into obscurity like the ships that have vanished in the Bermuda Triangle.

My name will be viewed such
My name will be remembered and my legacy will be celebrated.

Here's to the man who refused to give up
Cheers to me, the man who did not give up in the face of adversity.

I want the sky nigga, church
I want the highest levels of success and nothing less.

I want the sky, baby
I want to achieve greater success.

I want the sky, baby
I want to achieve greater success.