A Dream
JAY Z Feat. Faith Evans Feat. The Notorious B.I.G. Lyrics
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Last night I had a dream
Thoughts was racing through my head
It was all a dream
Felt so real to me
This is what was said
"Had a dream," I said, "'Bout who he said?"
"Dig what he said", "Proceed," he said
"Indeed," I said, so, breathe I did
"Don't repeat what I say," I said, he said nothing
He agreed with his head, he just nodded like this
What I believe to be a yes I repeated what was said
"It came to me like a whisper last evening," I said
"What's the deal playboy?" was the greeting he said
First thing I wanted to know, what's the reason he was dead
"Mo' Money, Mo' Problems, better believe it," he said
"Careful what you wish for you might receive it," he said
"I see," I said, "jealousy," I said
"Got the whole industry mad at me," I said
Then B.I. said, "Hov' remind yourself
Nobody built like you, you designed yourself"
"I agree," I said, "My one of a kind self"
Get stoned every day like Jesus did
"What he said," I said, has been said before
"Just keep doing your thing," he said, say no more
Was it all a dream
Was it all a dream, was it all a dream
Was it all a dream
Was it all a dream, was it all a dream
It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up! magazine
Salt'n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine
Hanging pictures on my wall
Every Saturday, "Rap Attack," Mr. Magic, Marley Marl
I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped
Smokin' weed and bamboo, sippin' on private stock
Way back, when I had the red and black lumberjack
With the hat to match
Remember Rappin' Duke? "Duh-ha, duh-ha"
You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far
Now I'm in the limelight 'cause I rhyme tight
Time to get paid, blow up like the
Born sinner, the opposite of a winner
Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner
Peace to Ron G, Brucey bB, Kid Capri
Funkmaster Flex, Lovebug Starsky
I'm blowin' up like you thought I would
Call the crib, same number same hood, it's all good
Uh, and if you don't know, now you know, nigga
Was it all a dream
Was it all a dream, was it all a dream
Was it all a dream (was it a dream)
Was it all a dream, was it all a dream
(It was all a dream)
(It was all)
(It was all, a dream)
(It was all a dream)
(It was all, a dream)
(It was all)
"I see," I said, "jealousy," I said
"Got the whole industry mad at me," I said
Then B.I. said, "Hov' remind yourself
Nobody built like you, you designed yourself"
"I agree," I said, "My one of a kind self"
Get stoned every day like Jesus did
"What he said," I said, has been said before
"Just keep doing your thing," he said, say no more
The song A Dream by JAY Z, featuring Faith Evans and The Notorious B.I.G., is a reflective composition about the rapper’s past and his rise from humble beginnings to musical success. The song begins with JAY Z sharing a dream he had about B.I.G., where he received words of wisdom from him about the challenges of fame and success in the music industry. The song then transitions into a nostalgic reflection of JAY Z’s early years, where he recollects his love for hip hop, hanging posters on his wall, and listening to classic hip-hop; it is a time capsule capturing the essence of JAY Z's youth.
The lyrics of A Dream speak to JAY Z’s personal triumphs, the highs and lows of his journey to success, and the lessons he has learned throughout his career. The reference to B.I.G in the song is notable because their relationship was tense due to their ongoing rivalry. The song's message acknowledges the rapper's tenacity and perseverance, standing as an example of how to push past struggles and to pursue one’s dreams. Faith Evans and The Notorious B.I.G. provide a soulful backing track to JAY Z's introspective rhymes, which serve as a reminder that with determination and hard work, even a dreamer can become a successful person.
Line by Line Meaning
It was all a dream
The singer is stating that what they are about to describe was a dream
Last night I had a dream
The singer had a dream the previous night
Thoughts was racing through my head
The singer's thoughts were racing through their mind during the dream
It was all a dream
The artist is reiterating that what they are describing is a dream
Felt so real to me
The dream felt very realistic to the artist
Had a dream,' I said, 'Bout who he said?' 'Bout B.I.G.,' I said, 'That's big he said' 'Dig what he said', 'Proceed,' he said 'Indeed,' I said, so, breathe I did 'Don't repeat what I say,' I said he said nothing He agreed with his head, he just nodded like this What I believe to be a yes I repeated what was said 'It came to me like a whisper last evening,' I said
The singer is recounting the conversation they had in their dream with The Notorious B.I.G. and Faith Evans, wherein The Notorious B.I.G. whispered something to the singer that they repeated back to him
'What's the deal playboy?' was the greeting he said First thing I wanted to know, what's the reason he was dead 'Mo' Money, Mo' Problems, better believe it,' he said 'Careful what you wish for you might receive it,' he said
The Notorious B.I.G. greets the singer and reveals that he died due to the problems that come with fame and success, warning the singer to be careful what they wish for
'I see,' I said, 'jealousy,' I said 'Got the whole industry mad at me,' I said
The artist identifies jealousy as the reason for the industry being mad at them
Then B.I. said, 'Hov' remind yourself Nobody built like you, you designed yourself' 'I agree,' I said, 'My one of a kind self'
The Notorious B.I.G. offers words of encouragement to the artist, reminding them that their unique qualities are what sets them apart from others
Get stoned every day like Jesus did
The artist compares their daily weed-smoking to Jesus' rumored use of psychedelic substances
'What he said,' I said, has been said before 'Just keep doing your thing,' he said, say no more
The Notorious B.I.G. encourages the singer to keep doing what they're doing without saying anything further
It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up! magazine Salt'n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine Hanging pictures on my wall Every Saturday, 'Rap Attack,' Mr. Magic, Marley Marl I let my tape rock 'til my tape popped Smokin' weed and bamboo, sippin' on private stock Way back, when I had the red and black lumberjack With the hat to match Remember Rappin' Duke? 'Duh-ha, duh-ha' You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far Now I'm in the limelight 'cause I rhyme tight Time to get paid, blow up like the Born sinner, the opposite of a winner Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner Peace to Ron G, Brucey bB, Kid Capri Funkmaster Flex, Lovebug Starsky I'm blowin' up like you thought I would Call the crib, same number same hood, it's all good Uh, and if you don't know, now you know, nigga
The artist reminisces about their humble beginnings, listening to hip-hop on the radio and hanging posters of their favorite artists on their wall. They describe their rise to fame and success, referencing their former struggles and giving shoutouts to people who supported them along the way
Was it all a dream (was it a dream)
The singer questions whether their dream was actually real or just a figment of their imagination
Was it all a dream, was it all a dream
The singer reiterates their uncertainty about whether the events in their dream actually happened
It was all
The singer once again affirms that what they experienced was only a dream
It was all, a dream
The song concludes with the artist repeating the same phrase, emphasizing the dream-like quality of their experience
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, MTUME MUSIC PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9
Written by: Christopher Wallace, James Mtume, Jean Claude Olivier, Sean Puffy Combs, Shawn Carter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind