Where Have You Been
Jay-Z ft Beanie Sigel Lyrics
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Hey, hey dad, yeah, it's your boy
Remember me? I wanna talk to you scrap
I remember being kicked out the house
'Cause I looked just like you
Said I'd be nothing but a crook
Just like you
Where the just like you
'Cause all they said was little whitey look
I'm just like you
But dog I can't see it at all, shit
We never kicked it at all
We never pitched or kicked at a ball
Dog, you never taught me shit
How to fight, ride a bike, fix the flat
None of that sorts of shit
Nigga you was an abusive pop
Fuck you left me out to dry, stuck
Gotta teach news to box
Gotta teach news to bop
And that ain't the half of it man
I gotta teach news to block
It's about time we have a father to son (nigga sit down)
Sit down let me tell you 'bout your fatherless sons
How they grew to be men and father they sons
Father they daughters
Nigga, you left a fatherless daughter
I never follow your orders
Nigga you make me sick
Pussy you could, ooh
How you gonna leave these memories in the back of my mind
I can see it clear as day you smackin' my mom
I 'member that day you showed me that gat, that 9
Put it in my palm when I was young
And said that would be mine, you turned me out
The reason why I hit the block
Reason why I tried to hit them cops
Reason why I started hittin' shots
Reason why I started gettin' licked
And drinkin' syrup and skippin' court
Ginger bread man never think of gettin' caught
Look at your hands man damn you fought
Nigga you left my mom
Left us with no good-bye's
You left us out to dry
You left us with no letters, notes (nothing), no replies
No digits numbers was unlisted
You left me with some of my loneliest nights
Nigga some of my hungriest nights
Shit, one of the reasons for years (shit embarrasin')
Damn we used to think money was white
Yeah you gave us life like, fruit from a plant
We ain't eat right from them foods from them stamps
And to think you was my pop
Man I gotta stop, shit
Daddy, where have you been?
And when you come home, you got us here all alone
Mommy, where daddy went?
You always stick up for him, always said you'd make up for him
Mommy, what happened then?
What was you cheatin' on him? Why he's always beatin' on you?
Daddy, where have you been?
Nigga, you gon' hear me out
I wanted to walk just like you (remember?)
Wanted to talk just like you (word)
Often momma said I look too much and I thought just like you
Wanted to drink Miller nips and smoke Newports just like you
But you left me, now I'm goin' to court just like you
I would say, "My daddy loves me and he'll never go away"
Bullshit, do you even remember December's my birthday?
Do you even remember the tender boy
You turned into a cold young man
With one goal and one plan
Get mommy out of some jam, she was always in one
Always short with the income
Always late with the rent
You said that you was comin' through
I would stay in the hallway (waitin')
Always playin' the bench (waitin')
And that day came and went
Fuck you very much, you showed me the worst kind of pain
But I'm stronger and trust me I will never hurt again
Will never ask mommy, "Why daddy don't love me?
Why is we so poor?, Why is life so ugly?
Mommy why is your eyes puffy?"
Please don't cry everything'll be alright
I know it's dark now, but we gon' see the light
It's us against the world
We don't need him, right? (Right)
Mommy drivin' 6's now (yeah), I got riches now (yeah)
I bought I nice home for both of my sisters now
We doin' real good
We don't miss you now
See how life twists around, fucker?
Daddy, where have you been?
And when you come home, you got us here all alone
Mommy, where daddy went?
You always stick up for him, always said you'd make up for him
Mommy, what happened then?
What was you cheatin' on him? Why he's always beatin' on you?
Daddy, where have you been?
Nigga, you gon' hear me out
In Jay-Z's "Where Have You Been," the rapper addresses his father and the absence he faced in his life. He begins by pointing out how he was kicked out of his house because he looked just like his father, who was abusive towards him and his mother. He then goes on to say that his father never taught him anything - how to ride a bike, fix a flat or even fight. He feels like his father left him out to dry, instilling a need to hit the block, hit cops, shoot and skip court. He confesses that he tried to imitate his father and wanted to be like him but eventually landed in court instead of following his father's footsteps. The song ends with Jay-Z addressing his father, asking where he was when he was growing up and expressing his feelings of abandonment.
The entire song is a cathartic expression of one's emotions and the consequences of losing and being lost. The song, through its lyrics and emotionally-charged delivery, elicits a strong response from the listener. It serves as a testament to the fact that hip-hop is not just about bravado, but it can also be an outlet for combating demons.
* One of the interesting facts about the song is that it features the rapper Beanie Sigel, who delivers his own verse in which he talks about his father's death and his own struggles with fatherhood.
* The song is featured on Jay-Z's eighth studio album, "The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse," which was released in 2002.
* Despite the emotionally heavy theme of the song, it was not released as a single.
* In the tracklist of "The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse," "Where Have You Been" is sandwiched between two songs that feature famous collaborations - "The Watcher 2" with Dr. Dre, Rakim, and Truth Hurts and "All Around The World" with LaToiya Williams.
* The song was produced by two legendary hip-hop producers, Just Blaze and Jay-Z himself.
* The beat relies heavily on a sample from The Moments' 1970 song "Love on a Two Way Street."
* The song was praised for its authenticity and vulnerability, which marked a departure from the typical braggadocio rap that Jay-Z had become known for.
* In a 2017 interview with The New York Times, Jay-Z spoke about how "Where Have You Been" remains one of his most personal songs and how he is still deeply affected by his experience with his father's absence in his life.
* The opening line of the song, "Damn how I'ma say this shit?" suggests that Jay-Z struggled to process and convey his emotions in a public forum.
* The song's lyrics highlight the difficulty of growing up without a father and the impact that a father's abandonment can have on a child's life.
Chords used in the song are not known as it is predominantly a hip-hop track.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dwight Grant, Rafael Perez Botija Garcia, Edwin Delahoz, Shawn Carter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind