Heart of the City
JAY Z Lyrics

First the Fat Boys break up, now every day I wake up Somebody got a problem with Hov' Whassup y'all niggas all fed up cause I got a little cheddar And my records moving out the sto'?
Hov is experiencing a lot of beef from other rappers due to his growing success and record sales, as demonstrated by the demise of the Fat Boys and frequent criticism aimed at him.

Young fucks spitting at me, young rappers getting at me My nigga Big predicted the shit exactly "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems" gotta move carefully 'Cause fagots hate when you getting money like athletes
Hov is receiving disses from other younger rappers and has to move cautiously because of the extra attention fame brings, as Biggie prophesies in the lyric "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems". Hov has to be mindful about where the money comes from as “fagots” hate athletes and those with money.

Yung'uns ice-grilling me, oh, you not feeling me? Fine, it cost you nothing, pay me no mind Look, I'm on my grind cousin, ain't got time for fronting Sensitive thugs, y'all all need hugs
Younger rappers and haters are ignoring him and thinking he is out of touch. He doesn't care about their opinion and keeps grinding. Hov is baffled by the overly sensitive and tough 'gangster' personalities of today's rappers which are in juxtaposition with their need for loving embrace, which he suggests they need.

Damn little mans I'm just trying do me If the record's two mill' I'm just trying move three Get a couple of chicks, get 'em to try to do E Hopefully they'll menage before I reach my garage
Hov is just trying to be himself, and follow the next level of his dreams beyond a level others thought was success. If he sold two million records, he'd try and sell three. He wants girls to come and do E with him and to have a threesome before he gets home!

I don't want much, fuck I drove every car Some nice cooked food, some nice clean drawers Bird-ass niggas I don't mean to ruffle y'all I know you waiting in the wing but I'm doing my thing
Hov has done it all, he’s not after a lot, just some good food and clean clothes. He doesn't mean to stir up drama but knows his haters are waiting for him to fail while he continues to succeed in his endeavors.

Ain't no love, in the heart of the city I said where's the love? Ain't no love, in the heart of town Yeah
Hov feels the lack of love and support in the inner-city in spite of his grand achievements.

And then the Fugees gon' break up, now everyday I wake up Somebody got something to say What's all the fucking fussing for? Because I'm grubbing more And I pack heat like I'm the oven door?
After the Fugees break up, Hov is constantly under attack. He can't figure out why people are making such a fuss about him success, and why others may want to harm him. Hov is well-prepared to defend himself.

Niggas pray and pray on my downfall But every time I hit the ground I bounce up like round ball Now I don't want to have to kill sound ball Don't want to have to cock back the four pound bar
Hov's haters are always praying for his failure, but he manages to rebound every time like a basketball bouncing back. He doesn't want to get into a deadly altercation, so he's not going to take drastic steps like pulling out a loaded firearm.

Look scrapper I got nephews to look after I'm not looking at you dudes, I'm looking past ya I thought I told you characters I'm not a rapper Can I live? I told you in ninety-six That I came to take this shit and I did, handle my biz
Hov is more concerned with his family, he doesn't care about his naysayers, he is only focused on keeping his nephews secure. He is not worried about his haters, in fact, he doesn't even see them. Hov isn't just a rapper, he's a business man and his success proves this fact. He is also tired of being judged and just wants to live his life.

I scramble like Randall with his Cunningham but the only thing running is numbers fam Jigga held you down six summers, damn, where's the love?
Hov is in a constant state of scrambling and hustling like Randall Cunningham, but the only things that really matter to him are the numbers. He's been loyal to his fans and friends for six years, but still endures scrutiny without much compassion.

Niggas aren't ready for the revolution They're having a confusion Whoever wins the election Will have to approve the drugs that you use Medicaid, you lose But shit, it was nothing for me to cool Uh, y'all don't know what y'all was doing When y'all was declaring war with the boulevard families I was catching keys, being inconspicuous
Hov believes that his peers would not be able to handle a higher level of responsibility and change for the better. They are too confused and misguided. Hov himself feels lucky to have been able to turn his life around and evade detection from law enforcement. It wasn't always this easy for him and so he doesn't take his success for granted.

I was listening to officers Getting it cosigned from governors Sorry y'all, I won't mention your name I learned not to mention your name It's detrimental to ones health I'm tryna maintain, get a little wealth I got a sailboat, yachts and jets fool
Hov has connections with high-level authority figures and has learned who he needs to avoid. He's got a lot of assets now, including boats and jets, and wants to maintain and grow his wealth

Believe me, I'm a menace to society But women are more off my vibe than the sobriety All my niggas is trifling, bitches lickety splitting I'm so in love with living, I'm willing to die for the cause
Hov sees himself as a danger to society, but still women are attracted to him more than they are to men who are sober. His friends and associates are unreliable, but he's really into life itself and willing to die for what he believes in.

From prostitutes, to the politico's Niggas in hoboken know For what I'm getting, we should be playing Bid whist on the hill getting bent (bent) What up with my niggas? Mo' money, mo' problems?
Hov is involved with people from all walks of life. Everyone knows who he is and that he's doing well, so he thinks they should all just play a simple card game and relax. He's wondering what's become of his peers who are also making money and why things are so hard for them.

When you gettin' that bread Lucifer, son of the morning I'm going to chase you out of earth Lucifer, Lucifer I'm going to chase you out of earth
When you get rich, the devil will come after you. This refers to the idea that elites who are powerful and rich adhere to Lucifer and demonic values as part of the supposed Illuminati conspiracy theory. Hov rebukes it by demanding he will use his wealth and power to outshine the devil and to ward off its influence from thriving on Earth.

Ain't no love, in the heart of the city Ain't no love, in the heart of town
Hov reiterates his thoughts about the lack of love and compassion in the city and town.

Ain't no love, in the heart of the city Ain't no love, in the heart of town
Hov further reiterates his thoughts about the lack of love and compassion in the city and town.

Ain't no love, in the heart of the city Ain't no love, in the heart of town
Hov repeats himself again, emphasizing the point he's trying to make that there needs to be more love and compassion in society.