Encore )
Jay-Z Lyrics


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Thank you, thank you, thank you, you're far too kind

Now can I get an encore, do you want more
Cooking raw with the Brooklyn boy
So for one last time I need y'all to roar

Now what the hell are you waiting for
After me, there shall be no more
So for one last time, nigga make some noise

Who you know fresher than Hov'? Riddle me that
The rest of y'all know where I'm lyrically at
Can't none of y'all mirror me back
Yeah hearing me rap is like hearing G. Rap in his prime
I'm, young H.O., rap's Grateful Dead
Back to take over the globe, now break bread
I'm in, Boeing jets, Global Express
Out the country but the blueberry still connect
On the low but the yacht got a triple deck
But when you young, what the fuck you expect? Yep, yep
Grand opening, grand closing
God your man Hov' cracked the can open again
Who you goin' find doper than him with no pen
Just draw off inspiration
Soon you goin' see you can't replace him
With cheap imitations for these generations

Now can I get an encore, do you want more
Cooking raw with the Brooklyn boy
So for one last time I need y'all to roar

{What the hell are you waiting for?}

Look what you made me do, look what I made for you
Knew if I paid my dues, how will they pay you
When you first come in the game, they try to play you
Then you drop a couple of hits, look how they wave to you
From Marcy to Madison Square
To the only thing that matters in just a matter of years (yea)
As fate would have it, Jay's status appears
To be at an all-time high, perfect time to say goodbye
When I come back like Jordan, wearing the 4-5
It ain't to play games with you
It's to aim at you, probably maim you
If I owe you I'm blowing you to smithereens
Cocksucker take one for your team
And I need you to remember one thing (one thing)
I came, I saw, I conquered
From record sales, to sold out concerts
So motherfucker if you want this encore
I need you to scream, 'til your lungs get sore

It's star time
This man is made! He's killing all y'all jive turkeys
Do y'all want more of the Jigga man?
Well if y'all want more of the Jigga man
Then I need y'all to help me, bring him back to stage
Say Hova, c'mon say it!
HO-VA! HO-VA! Are y'all out there? (HO-VA! HO-VA!)
Are y'all out there? C'mon, louder!
Yeah, now see that's what I'm talking bout
They love you Jigga, they love you Jigga!

I like the way this one feel
It's so motherfucking soulful man!
Yeah okay

So this here is the victory lap
Then I'm leaving, that's how you get me back
After a year of them sixteen's, it's one point two
And that's two point four, and I'm only doing two
You wanted to gain attention new dudes
I can get you BET and TRL too
You wanna be in the public, send your budget
Well fuck it, I ain't budging!
Young did it to death, you gotta love it
Record companies told me I couldn't cut it
Now look at me, all star-studded
Golfer above par like I putted
All cause the shit I uttered, was utterly ridiculous
How sick is this?
You want to bang, send Kanye change, send Just some dust
Send Hip a grip, then you got' spit
A little something like this





{What the hell are you waiting for?}

Overall Meaning

The song "Encore" by Jay-Z is a celebratory track about the rapper's incredible talent and success in the rap game. The opening lines of the song express gratitude and praise for Jay-Z's fans. He then asks for an encore, inviting his fans to join him in appreciation for his impressive career. Throughout the song, Jay-Z boasts about his lyrical prowess and financial success, drawing comparisons to legends like G. Rap and even the Grateful Dead.


The second verse of the song addresses those who may have doubted Jay-Z's abilities or tried to hold him back at the beginning of his career. He uses his success as a way to prove them wrong and inspire others to pursue their dreams despite opposition. The chorus is repeated multiple times, emphasizing the importance of the fans' support in Jay-Z's career, and showcasing the energy that he brings to his performances.


Overall, "Encore" is a song that pays tribute to Jay-Z's legacy, acknowledges his achievements, and encourages listeners to embrace their own strengths and pursue their passions. It showcases Jay-Z's clever wordplay and charismatic delivery, as well as his ability to create expressive and meaningful songs.


Line by Line Meaning

Thank you, thank you, thank you, you're far too kind
Expressing gratitude for the audience's positive reaction


Now can I get an encore, do you want more
Asking the audience if they want another performance


Cooking raw with the Brooklyn boy
Performing passionately with Jay-Z's unique style


So for one last time I need y'all to roar
Asking the audience for one final display of enthusiasm


Now what the hell are you waiting for
Urging the audience to participate in the performance


After me, there shall be no more
Implying that Jay-Z is the best and no one can top him


Who you know fresher than Hov'? Riddle me that
Challenging others to find someone more talented than Jay-Z


The rest of y'all know where I'm lyrically at
Asserting that Jay-Z is at the top of his game, and others know it


Can't none of y'all mirror me back
No one can duplicate Jay-Z's unique style


Yeah hearing me rap is like hearing G. Rap in his prime
Jay-Z's rap is as good as G. Rap's in his prime


I'm, young H.O., rap's Grateful Dead
Comparing himself to a legendary band and emphasizing his youth


Back to take over the globe, now break bread
Jay-Z intends to dominate the rap industry and make money


I'm in, Boeing jets, Global Express
Listing the luxurious lifestyle that comes with his success


Out the country but the blueberry still connect
Even though he is abroad, Jay-Z's connections still allow him to have access to luxuries


On the low but the yacht got a triple deck
Emphasizing the exclusiveness and vastness of his yacht


But when you young, what the fuck you expect? Yep, yep
Explaining that his extravagant way of life is expected because he is young and successful


Grand opening, grand closing
Highlighting his extraordinary achievements in the rap industry


God your man Hov' cracked the can open again
Jay-Z is reigniting his greatness


Who you goin' find doper than him with no pen
Challenging others to find someone as talented as him without needing to write lyrics down


Just draw off inspiration
Jay-Z's talent comes from his inspiration and not from writing lyrics down


Soon you goin' see you can't replace him
Jay-Z's talent is undeniably unique and cannot be easily duplicated


With cheap imitations for these generations
Newer rappers cannot measure up to Jay-Z's talent


Look what you made me do, look what I made for you
Jay-Z's talent and success are a result of his fans supporting him


Knew if I paid my dues, how will they pay you
Jay-Z acknowledges the fans who have supported him from the beginning- this success is a result of them supporting him way back when he was new and unknown


When you first come in the game, they try to play you
When Jay-Z first started rapping, people did not take him seriously


Then you drop a couple of hits, look how they wave to you
Once he started making hits, he garnered widespread support


From Marcy to Madison Square
Jay-Z is talking about his humble beginnings in Marcy Projects in Brooklyn and his rise to performing for thousands of fans in Madison Square Garden, one of New York City's largest music venues.


To the only thing that matters in just a matter of years (yea)
Jay-Z became one of the most important songwriters in the rap industry within a short amount of time


As fate would have it, Jay's status appears
Jay-Z's success is predestined and logical given his talent and work ethic


To be at an all-time high, perfect time to say goodbye
Jay-Z is at the top of his game and he uses this moment to announce his retirement


When I come back like Jordan, wearing the 4-5
Jay-Z will return to the rap industry like Michael Jordan returning to basketball


It ain't to play games with you
Jay-Z's return is not for trivial purposes


It's to aim at you, probably maim you
Jay-Z intends for his return to be competitive and aimed at other rappers in the industry.


If I owe you I'm blowing you to smithereens
Jay-Z will have no mercy if people owe him anything.


Cocksucker take one for your team
Jay-Z will take rough action with little mercy if needed.


And I need you to remember one thing (one thing)
Jay-Z wants his fans to remember to support him


I came, I saw, I conquered
Summarizing Jay-Z's journey and success in the rap industry


From record sales, to sold-out concerts
Jay-Z has had great success from both his songs and his live performances


So motherfucker if you want this encore
If the fans want Jay-Z to return and perform again, they need to prove it


I need you to scream, 'til your lungs get sore
Jay-Z wants an enthusiastic reception from his fans as proof that they want him to come back


It's star time
Jay-Z is a star and is treating his final performance as such


This man is made! He's killing all y'all jive turkeys
Jay-Z is celebrating his talent and success, implying that he is better than everyone else


Do y'all want more of the Jigga man?
Asking if the fans want more of Jay-Z's performance


Well if y'all want more of the Jigga man
If the fans do want more, Jay-Z wants them to help him return to the stage


Then I need y'all to help me, bring him back to stage
Jay-Z is requesting the audience's help in bringing him back to the stage


Say Hova, c'mon say it!
Asking the audience to say Jay-Z's nickname, which is Hova


Are y'all out there? (HO-VA! HO-VA!)
Asking the audience to confirm they are present and want him to return


Yeah, now see that's what I'm talking about
Thanking the audience for their support and enthusiasm


They love you Jigga, they love you Jigga!
Recognizing Jay-Z's success in the industry and how much his fans appreciate him


I like the way this one feel
Expressing how Jay-Z is enjoying the final performance


It's so motherfucking soulful man!
Describing his performance as passionate and emotional


So this here is the victory lap
Treating the final performance as a celebration of Jay-Z's success


Then I'm leaving, that's how you get me back
Jay-Z will only return to the industry if he feels that he is truly missed


After a year of them sixteen's, it's one point two
Despite taking a year off, Jay-Z's continued success is represented by his album's sales


And that's two point four, and I'm only doing two
Jay-Z is making a lot of money from little work


You wanted to gain attention new dudes
Jay-Z wouldn't have come back if he didn't feel he had pressure from younger, new rappers.


I can get you BET and TRL too
Alludes to the idea that Jay-Z has influence and can help newcomers gain attention


You wanna be in the public, send your budget
Jay-Z will only work alongside those who can afford it


Well fuck it, I ain't budging!
Jay-Z won't compromise on his integrity or talent


Young did it to death, you gotta love it
Jay-Z's success is a product of his talent and hard work


Record companies told me I couldn't cut it
Jay-Z faced challenges and obstacles from record companies and critics


Now look at me, all-star-studded
Jay-Z's success is far-reaching and includes other celebrities and successful people


Golfer above par like I putted
Jay-Z is as good at what he does as a golfer who shoots a score better than an average golfer, with ease




Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KANYE WEST, SHAWN CARTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@KingDami1999

Every time Jay and Ye connect they are the greatest musical duo ever

@billybathgate6751

Hovahovahovahobahova

@seerenita

This song is perfection! Larger than life type

@heinekenforbreakfast

You want to bang, send Kanye change

@idle-new

Too bad they are in it together anymore

@shortie9103

Ye did take the biggest L vs either though

16 More Replies...

@DeadHandX

Its crazy how many people come back to this everyday... this song is masterpiece!!!!

@iam93born

Yes. And a Happy New Year to you.

@haikalalif1552

people come back to this everyday and this music video only got half of million viewsπŸ˜‚

@angelafaison

Facts!!

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