IZZO
Jay-Z Lyrics

Get your damn hands up
Jay-Z is telling the audience to put their hands up and feel the energy of the song

That's the anthem, y'all got to feel me
Jay-Z is establishing that this song is the anthem for the night and the audience needs to feel the spirit of the song

Get your damn hands up (Holler!)
Jay-Z reiterates the need for the audience to put their hands up and add to the energy of the song

That's the anthem
Jay-Z reminds the audience that this song is the defining song of the night

That's the anthem, that's that's the anthem
Jay-Z emphasizes that the song is the anthem and there is no need for anyone to question it

Get your damn hands up (Holler! Holler!)
Jay-Z demands more participation from the crowd and encourages them to shout along

Get your damn hands up
Jay-Z repeats his directive for the audience to put their hands up

Y'all got to feel me, y'all got to feel me
Jay-Z reiterates the need for the audience to feel the spirit of the song and connect with him

(Push 'em up)
Jay-Z asks the ladies to push their hands up in solidarity

(Push 'em up) Ladies!
Jay-Z requests the women in the crowd to put their hands up to show their support and participation

H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A
Jay-Z introduces himself with his signature rap name and pays homage to his mentor and friend DJ Jazzy Jeff

Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the 8th Wonder of the World
Jay-Z invites the crowd to experience his performance as the 8th wonder of the world, an awe-inspiring feat

The flow of the century
Jay-Z is confident in his rap style and believes he has the flow of the century

Always timeless: HOV!
Jay-Z refers to himself as HOV and suggests that his music is always fresh and timeless

Thanks for coming out tonight
Jay-Z expresses gratitude towards the audience for attending his performance

You could've been anywhere in the world
Jay-Z acknowledges that the audience had other options of entertainment for the night, but they chose to attend his performance

But you're here with me, I appreciate that
Jay-Z expresses his gratitude towards the audience for their support and participation in his performance

For shizzle, my nizzle, used to dribble down in VA
Jay-Z reminisces about his past and how he used to play basketball in Virginia

Was herbing 'em in the home of the Terrapins
Jay-Z played basketball in a place where turtles (Terrapins) were common

Got it dirt cheap for them
Jay-Z admits that he sold drugs at a low price to his customers

Plus if they was short with cheese I would work with them
Jay-Z claims that he was lenient with his customers if they couldn't afford drugs and would work out a deal with them

Brought in weed, got rid of that dirt for them
Jay-Z introduced marijuana to his customers and got rid of low-quality drugs

Wasn't-born-hustlers, I was birthing 'em
Jay-Z asserts that he wasn't a natural-born hustler, but he helped create and mentor young hustlers

For sheezy, my neezy, keep my arms so breezy
Jay-Z uses slang to say that he keeps his arms free and easy

Can't leave rap alone, the game needs me
Jay-Z acknowledges that he is a vital part of the rap game and needs to continue his work

Haters want me clapped in chrome, it ain't easy
Jay-Z acknowledges that there are people who want to harm him and it's not easy to stay safe

Cops want to knock me, D.A. wants to box me in
Jay-Z acknowledges that law enforcement wants to arrest him and the District Attorney wants to prosecute him

But somehow I beat them charges like Rocky
Jay-Z compares himself to the character of Rocky from the movies who always emerges victorious and resilient

Not guilty, he who does not feel me
Jay-Z suggests that people who do not appreciate his work are not important to him

Is not real to me, therefore he doesn't exist
Jay-Z believes that people who don't appreciate his work do not have any value in his life

So poof! Vamoose, son of a bitch!
Jay-Z dismisses people who don't appreciate his work and calls them derogatory names

I do this for my culture, to let them know
Jay-Z does his work not just for himself, but also for his culture and to represent them

What a nigga look like when a nigga in a roaster
Jay-Z alludes to his own success and how he appears when he is driving a fancy car like a roadster

Show them how to move in a room full of vultures
Jay-Z wants to teach his community how to survive in a world that takes advantage of them

Industry is shady, it needs to be taken over
Jay-Z suggests that the music industry is corrupt and needs to be changed by people from his own community

Label owners hate me, I'm raising the status quo up
Jay-Z says that record label owners dislike him because he challenges and uplifts the status quo

I'm overcharging niggas for what they did to the Cold Crush
Jay-Z is charging a lot for his services because record labels have taken advantage of him in the past

Pay us like you owe us for all the years that you hoed us
Jay-Z is demanding record label owners to pay him and others fairly for the work they have done in the past

We can talk, but money talks, so talk mo' bucks
Jay-Z suggests that money is the most important thing and he needs to be paid well for his work

Hov is back, life stories told through rap
Jay-Z announces his triumphant return and how he expresses his experiences through his music

Niggas acting like I sold you crack
Jay-Z is fed up with people accusing him of selling drugs and giving him a negative public image

Like I told you sell drugs; no, Hov did that
Jay-Z clarifies that he had a past involving selling drugs but is no longer involved in that lifestyle

So hopefully you won't have to go through that
Jay-Z does not want to glorify his past or encourage others to follow that path

I was raised in the projects, roaches and rats
Jay-Z grew up in a low-income neighborhood with pests such as roaches and rats

Smokers out back sellin' their mama's sofa
Jay-Z alludes to the fact that drug use was common and that people would even sell their own furniture to buy drugs

Lookouts on the corner focused on the ave
Jay-Z mentions the presence of drug dealers on street corners, keeping watch for the police

Ladies in the window, focused on the kinfolk
Jay-Z talks about women peeking through their windows, watching their relatives and friends interact with the street life

Me under a lamppost, why I got my hand closed?
Jay-Z describes himself as standing under a streetlamp with his fist clenched, likely meaning he had drugs in his hand

Crack's in my palm, watching the long arm of the law
Jay-Z admits to having drugs in his hand while being aware of the police presence

So you know I seen it all before
Jay-Z is not new to the scene and has seen it all before

I've seen Hoop Dreams deflate like a true fiend's weight
Jay-Z has seen dreams of success and progress be destroyed, just like how drug addicts deteriorate in their appearance

To try and to fail: the two things I hate
Jay-Z strongly dislikes the experience of trying and failing

Succeed and this rap game: the two things that's great
Jay-Z believes the only two things that matter in his life are success and his career in the rap industry

What else can I say about dude? I gets bu-sy
Jay-Z brags about his accomplishments and how busy he is

I'm the definition of "half man, half drugs"
Jay-Z defines himself as someone who has had a past of selling drugs but has also become a successful performer

Ask the clubs, Bad Boy
Jay-Z asks his colleagues at the Bad Boy record label to confirm his successful career as a performer and businessman

After bucks, crush crews after us
Jay-Z suggests that his success has led to other performers being envious and trying to copy his style to achieve the same level of success

No games, we ain't laughing much
Jay-Z is clear in his intentions and is not in the music industry for entertainment or to have fun all the time

Nothing but big things, check the hit list
Jay-Z prides himself on his big hits and encourages the audience to check out his list of successful songs

How we twist shit, what changed but the name?
Jay-Z describes how he has evolved as an artist and changed his style over time, but still remains the same in essence

We still here, you rockin' with the best
Jay-Z confirms he is still successful, and the audience is appreciating the best performer of the night

Don't worry if I write rhymes, I write checks
Jay-Z suggests that he is not only a successful rapper but also a successful businessman who writes big checks as a result of his success