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Run This Town
Jay Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Feel it comin' in the air (yeah)
And the screams from everywhere (yeah)
I'm addicted to the thrill (I'm ready)
It's a dangerous love affair (what's up?, C'mon)
Can't be scared when it goes down
Got a problem, tell me now (what's up?)
Only thing that's on my mind (Whats up)
Is who's gonna run this town tonight (what's up?)
Is who's gonna run this town tonight (what's up?)
We gonna run this town

We are, yeah I said it, we are
This is Roc Nation, pledge your allegiance
Get ya'll black tees on, all black everything
Black cards, black cars, all black everything
And our girls are blackbirds, ridin' with they Dillingers
I'd get more in depth, if you boys really real enough
This is la familia, I'll explain later
But for now let me get back to this paper, I'm a couple bands down
And I'm tryin' to get back
I gave the other grip, I lost a flip for five stacks
Yeah I'm talkin' five comma's, six zeros, dot zeroes here it go,
Back to runnin' circles 'round niggas, now we squared up, hold up

Life's a game but it's not fair
I break the rules so I don't care
So I keep doin' my own thing
Walkin' tall against the rain (what's up?)
Victory's within the mile
Almost there, don't give up now (what's up?)
Only thing that's on my mind
Is who's gon' run this town tonight (what's up?)
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, heyy
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, heyy, (what's up?)
Is whos gon' run this town tonight?

We are, yeah I said it we are
You can call me Caesar, in a dark Czar
Please follow the leader, So Eric B. We are
Microphone fiend, it's the return of the God, peace God
(Ah! Ah!) And ain't nobody fresher, I'm in Mason
Martin Margiela
On the tape we're screamin' fuck the other side, they jealous
We got a banquet for the broads, they got a table for of fellas
And they ain't spending no cake
They should throw they hand in
'Cause they ain't got no spades
My whole team got dough
So my banquette is looking like millionaires' row

Life's a game but it's not fair
I break the rules so I don't care (what's up?)
So I keep doin' my own thing
Walkin' tall against the rain
Victory's within the mile (what's up?)
Almost there, don't give up now
Only thing that's on my mind
Is who gon' run this town tonight (what's up?)
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, heyy
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey (what's up?)
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, heyy,
Is who's gon' run this town tonight?

It's crazy how you can go from being Joe Blow
To everybody on your dick, no homo
I bought my whole family whips, no Volvo's
Next time I'm in church, please no photos
Police escorts, everybody passports
This the life that everybody ask for
This a fast life, we are on a crash course
What you think I rap for, to push a fucking Rav-4?
But I know that if I stay stun-ting
All these girls only gonna want one thing
I could spend my whole life good will hunting
Only good gon' come is as good when I'm coming
She got a ass that'll swallow up a g-string
And up top, uh, two bee stings
And I'm beasting, off the Riesling
And my nigga just made it out the precinct
We give a damn about the drama that you do bring
I'm just trying to change the color on your mood ring
Reebok, baby, you need to drop some new things
Have you ever had shoes without shoe strings?
What's that 'Ye? Baby, these heels
Is that a may? What?
Baby, these wheels
You trippin' when you ain't sippin', have a refill
You feelin' like you runnin', huh? Now you know how we feel, (what's up?)

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey hey, (what's up?)
Hey, hey, hey hey, hey, hey
Hey hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey hey, hey, hey
We gonna run this town tonight!

What's up?!

Overall Meaning

In the song "Run This Town," performed by Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West, the artists explore themes of power, success, and perseverance. The opening lyrics set the tone for the song, with the singer acknowledging the excitement and danger of being in a position of power. The chorus expresses a singular desire – to know who will run the town tonight – while the verses delve into the complexities of achieving and maintaining power. The artists use their verses to assert their dominance, whether through boasting about their wealth and success or crowning themselves as leaders of the game. Ultimately, the message of the song is that those who are willing to take risks and fight for their success will be the ones who come out on top.


Line by Line Meaning

Feel it comin' in the air (yeah)
There's a sense of anticipation everywhere.


And the screams from everywhere (yeah)
There's excitement and energy in the air.


I'm addicted to the thrill (I'm ready)
I'm always seeking out the next rush.


It's a dangerous love affair (what's up?, C'mon)
This lifestyle might come with risks, but it's worth it.


Can't be scared when it goes down
You can't let fear hold you back in this game.


Got a problem, tell me now (what's up?)
If there's an issue, let's deal with it head-on.


Only thing that's on my mind (Whats up)
I'm focused on who's going to dominate this town.


Is who's gonna run this town tonight (what's up?)
We're the ones who are going to take control tonight.


We gonna run this town
Our group is going to lead this city.


We are, yeah I said it, we are
We're confident in our abilities and power.


This is Roc Nation, pledge your allegiance
Our group has come together as one, and we require loyalty.


Get ya'll black tees on, all black everything
We represent our group with a uniform style.


Black cards, black cars, all black everything
We show our wealth and power with our black-themed possessions.


And our girls are blackbirds, ridin' with they Dillingers
Our female companions are fierce and ride or die.


I'd get more in depth, if you boys really real enough
I'd give you more details about our group if you could handle the truth.


This is la familia, I'll explain later
We're a tight-knit group with a code of silence.


But for now let me get back to this paper, I'm a couple bands down
Right now, I need to focus on making money.


And I'm tryin' to get back
I'm trying to bounce back from a financial setback.


I gave the other grip, I lost a flip for five stacks
I lost a coin toss and had to hand over $5,000.


Yeah I'm talkin' five comma's, six zeros, dot zeroes here it go,
I'm talking about $5,000 with five digits and six zeroes.


Back to runnin' circles 'round niggas, now we squared up, hold up
We used to be one step ahead of everyone, but now we're even.


Life's a game but it's not fair
Life can be unpredictable and challenging.


I break the rules so I don't care
I don't play by the same rules as everyone else.


So I keep doin' my own thing
I'll continue to live life on my own terms.


Walkin' tall against the rain (what's up?)
I'm confident and resilient in the face of adversity.


Victory's within the mile
Success is close, we just need to keep pushing.


Almost there, don't give up now (what's up?)
We're almost at the finish line, let's not give up now.


Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, heyy
Let's keep this energy up!


You can call me Caesar, in a dark Czar
I'm the leader, the king of this community.


Please follow the leader, So Eric B. We are
Everyone should follow my lead, like Eric B. and Rakim.


Microphone fiend, it's the return of the God, peace God
I'm an expert on the mic, and I'm back and better than ever.


(Ah! Ah!) And ain't nobody fresher, I'm in Mason
No one is as stylish or fresh as me, I'm in designer clothing.


Martin Margiela
Specifically, I'm wearing clothes by designer Martin Margiela.


On the tape we're screamin' fuck the other side, they jealous
On our mixtape, we're dissing our rivals because they're envious of our success.


We got a banquet for the broads, they got a table for of fellas
We have a table full of women, while our rivals have a table of men.


And they ain't spending no cake
Our rivals are cheap and not spending any money.


They should throw they hand in
They should give up because they can't compete with us.


'Cause they ain't got no spades
They don't have the skills to succeed in this game.


My whole team got dough
We're all wealthy and successful.


So my banquette is looking like millionaires' row
Our table at the banquet looks like it belongs to millionaires.


We gonna run this town tonight!
We're taking over this city tonight!


It's crazy how you can go from being Joe Blow
It's amazing how quickly your life can change.


To everybody on your dick, no homo
From being ignored to having everyone want to be around you.


I bought my whole family whips, no Volvo's
I bought cars for my whole family, not just cheap ones.


Next time I'm in church, please no photos
Don't take pictures of me when I'm at church.


Police escorts, everybody passports
We have police escorts and everyone has their passport with them.


This the life that everybody ask for
This is the lifestyle everyone wishes they had.


This a fast life, we are on a crash course
We're living life in the fast lane and it may lead to our downfall.


What you think I rap for, to push a fucking Rav-4?
I rap to make money and live a lavish lifestyle, not to drive a cheap car.


But I know that if I stay stun-ting
I know that if I keep showing off my wealth.


All these girls only gonna want one thing
Girls will only be interested in me for my money.


I could spend my whole life good will hunting
I could spend my life searching for something meaningful.


Only good gon' come is as good when I'm coming
The only good thing in my life is when I'm making money.


She got a ass that'll swallow up a g-string
She has a large butt that can barely be contained by a g-string.


And up top, uh, two bee stings
And her breasts are small like bee stings.


And I'm beasting, off the Riesling
I'm feeling great, probably because of the wine I'm drinking.


And my nigga just made it out the precinct
My friend was just released from jail.


We give a damn about the drama that you do bring
We don't care about the drama you bring to the table.


I'm just trying to change the color on your mood ring
I'm trying to change your mood and make you feel better.


Reebok, baby, you need to drop some new things
Reebok, you need to release some new products.


Have you ever had shoes without shoe strings?
Have you ever worn shoes without laces?


What's that 'Ye? Baby, these heels
What are those heels, Kanye?


Is that a may? What?
Is that a designer brand, I don't recognize it.


Baby, these wheels
No, these are my fancy car wheels.


You trippin' when you ain't sippin', have a refill
You're acting foolish even though you haven't had much to drink, have another.


You feelin' like you runnin', huh? Now you know how we feel, (what's up?)
You're feeling confident, well now you know how we feel all the time.


Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Let's keep this energy going!


Hey, hey, hey hey, (what's up?)
What's up, let's keep this party going!


Hey, hey, hey hey, hey, hey
Let's keep going!


Hey hey, hey, hey
Let's keep the energy high!


We gonna run this town tonight!
We're owning this city tonight!


What's up?!
What's going on?! Let's keep this party going!




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, A.E.P.I., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Athanasios Alatas, Dion Wilson, Jeff Bhasker, Kanye West, Robyn Fenty, Shawn Carter, NIKO GRAPSAS, MARINOS GIAMALAKIS, CHRISTOS VLACHAKIS, NIKOS DOUNAVIS, RIHANNA FENTY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@mahdipasague1517

Feel it comin' in the air
Hear the screams from everywhere
I'm addicted to the thrill
It's a dangerous love affair
Can't be scared when it goes down
Got a problem, tell me now
Only thing that's on my mind
Is who's gonna run this town tonight...
Is who's gonna run this town tonight...
We gonna run this town
We are
Yeah I said it
We are
This is Roc Nation
Pledge your allegiance
Get y'all black tees on
All black everything
Black cards, black cars
All black everything
And our girls are blackbirds
Ridin' with they dillingers
I'd get more in depth
If you boys really real enough
This is la familia
I'll explain later
But for now let me get back to this paper
I'm a couple bands down and I'm tryin' to get back
I gave Doug a grip, I lost a flip for five stacks
Yeah I'm talkin' five comma
Six zeros
Dot zero
Here it go
Back to runnin' circles 'round niggas
Now we squared up
Hold up
Life's a game but it's not fair
I break the rules so I don't care
So I keep doin' my own thing
Walkin' tall against the rain
Victory's within the mile
Almost there, don't give up now
Only thing that's on my mind
Is who's gonna run this town tonight
Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-hey
Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey
Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-hey
(Is who's gonna run this town tonight)
Hey-hey-hey-hey
We are
Yeah I said it
We are
You can call me Cesar
In a dark Czar
Please follow the leader
So Eric B. we are
Microphone fiend
It's the return of the god
Peace god...
(Auh! Auh!)
And ain't nobody fresher
I'm in Mason
(Ah!)
Martin Margiela
On the tape we're screamin'
Fuck the other side, they jealous
We got a bankhead full of broads
They got a table full of fellas
And they ain't spending no cake
They should throw they hand in
'Cause they ain't got no spades
My whole team got dough
So my bankhead is lookin' like Millionaire's Row
Life's a game but it's not fair
I break the rules so I don't care
So I keep doin' my own thing
Walkin' tall against the rain
Victory's within the mile
Almost there, don't give up now
Only thing that's on my mind
Is who's gonna run this town tonight
Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-hey
Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey
Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-hey
(Is who's gonna run this town tonight)
Hey-hey-hey-hey
It's crazy how you can go from being Joe Blow
To everybody on your dick, no homo
I bought my whole family whips, no Volvos
Next time I'm in church, please no photos
Police escorts
Everybody passports
This the life that everybody ask for
This a fast life
We are on a crash course
What you think I rap for
To push a fucking Rav 4?
But I know that if I stay stun-ting
All these girls only gonna want one thing
I could spend my whole life good will hunting
Only good gon' come is as good when I'm cumming
She got a ass that'll swallow up a g-string
And up top, unh...
Two bee stings
And I'm beasting
Off the riesling
And my nigga just made it out the precinct
We give a damn about the drama that you do bring
I'm just tryin' to change the color on your mood ring
Reebok
Baby
You need to drop some new things
Have you ever had shoes without shoe strings?
What's that 'Ye?
Baby, these heels
Is that a may?
What?!
Baby, these wheels
You trippin' when you ain't sippin'
Have a refill
You feelin' like you runnin', huh?
Now you know how we feel
Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-hey
Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey
Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-hey
(Is who's gonna run this town tonight)
Hey-hey-hey-hey



@user-mo8jw1yk1q

Feel it comin' in the air
Hear the screams from everywhere
I'm addicted to the thrill
It's a dangerous love affair
Can't be scared when it goes down
Got a problem, tell me now
Only thing that's on my mind
Is who's gonna run this town tonight...
Is who's gonna run this town tonight...
We gonna run this town



All comments from YouTube:

@AnnoyinDreamer_

We back in 2009? 😳

@jdub4998

Good 😂

@BernardoValeu

To stand once for all the Black History Month allied at the ROC Nation who support black artists primor!

@jlowphotog.

I think so

@chucke.cheese2212

@@jdub4998 Hell no that’s not good! 2009 was a bad year! Even 2019 was better than 2009!!

@MASERATIBOSS

😮😮😮😅😅😅

301 More Replies...

@SamuelPinzi

This song hits hard. It is actually a classic.

@BigSlee730

2010 was the best year of my life. This song reminds me of the good old days. It feels bad when you know that those days will never return again but hope what’s coming is better for all of us.

@sorryyourenotawinner2506

2010 was ass.. 2000's were THE BEST DECADE EVER

@iangelyou2722

Amen

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