Illest Motherfucker Alive
Jay Z / Kanye West Lyrics


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1985 white Lamborghini countach, two of 'em
I need a slow motion video right now
Cause I'm moving in slow motion, slow motion
Feelin' like Hype Williams shooting a nigga
Shooting a nigga, hey hey hey
I need a slow motion video right now ay ay

Damn baby pussy can't be your only hustle
Unless you bad as Naomi Russell
I mean a lot of niggas got money
So basically, Russell ain't the only Russell
Russell brand, Russell crow
Zero zero zero zero, a whole lot of 0's
What you after, actor money?
You in line behind currency, yeah you after money
Bullet proof condom when I'm in these hoes
Got staples on my dick (why?) Fuckin' centerfolds
And I swear to god they so cold
Got a nigga in Miami wearing winter clothes
I got my fur on feelin' like Jerome
She got her fur too, we get our his and her on
Don't look at the jewelry, or get your blur on
Too close, you comatose so dope you overdose
Get back, you over close
Oh no, the hood was strugglin'
But then I blessed them with that polo
Niggas was making music and then my first solo
Collo Drolo sponsored by Manolo
She got Zeppi Notos ready for some photos
Yeah and I'm cold bitch, please try to keep the door closed
Lanvin thousand dollar tee with no logos
Let me show you what I see when my eyes closed

Take it how you want til a nigga dead
('Til then I'm the illest motherfucer alive)
Whole world aiming at a nigga head
(Because I'm the illest motherfucker alive)

Yeah yeah uh huh hold up
King Hov, I'm exactly what the fuck you think
Eleven in a row, Bill Russell rings, Michael Jordan swag
Y'all think Michael Jordan bad
Nigga I got a 5 more rings than Michael Jordan had
Elvis has left the building now I'm on the Beatles ass
Niggas hear watch the throne
Yeah it's like the Beatles back
Bey' Bey' my yoko ono,
Rih' Rih' complete the family
Imagine how that's gon' look front row at the Grammys
Fuck your awards like Eddie Morphy's couch
The Roc is in the building we should have stayed in the house
I don't even know what we doing here
Seems to me a complete waste of gear
Just a fuckin' waste of time, a complete waste of bottles
Niggas fashion is weak, they be wastin' all the models
Got the oversized Rolley let me show the how to do it
When I say it then you see, it ain't only in the music
Basquiats, Warhols serving as my muses
My house like a museum, so I see 'em when I'm peeing
Usually you have this much taste you European
That's the end of that way of thinking, nigga never again
Know when to leave when the heat is coming, I learned that
This is where De Niro would be if he ain't turn back
Fuck Sosa, this Hova this is real life
This is what the ending of Scarface should feel like

I need a slow motion video right now
Cause I'm moving in slow motion slow motion
Feelin' like Hype Williams shooting a nigga




Shooting a nigga hey hey hey
I need a slow motion video right now ay ay

Overall Meaning

In "Illest Motherfucker Alive," Jay Z and Kanye West trade verses about their immense wealth and success, juxtaposed with references to cultural icons and their own artistic prowess. The song opens with a reference to a 1985 white Lamborghini Countach, a classic exotic sports car that symbolizes their extravagance and luxury. They then reference Hype Williams, a prolific music video director known for his cinematic and stylized visual techniques, to indicate the grandiose nature of their lifestyles.


The lyrics also touch upon the idea of hustle, and Jay Z references adult film actress Naomi Russell as an example of someone who monetized their talents outside of traditional means. They also make references to other Russells, such as actor Russell Brand and basketball player Bill Russell, to reinforce the idea that there are many paths to success. The chorus "Take it how you want til a nigga dead / ('Til then I'm the illest motherfucker alive) / Whole world aiming at a nigga head / (Because I'm the illest motherfucker alive)" touches upon the realities of being successful and the scrutiny and backlash that comes with it.


Jay Z then compares himself to historical figures like Elvis and The Beatles, asserting that he has surpassed even their levels of greatness. He flexes his wealth and fashion sense, name-dropping expensive brands like Lanvin and Rolex, and emphasizes how he has incorporated art into his life with his Basquiat and Warhol muses. The song concludes with a final reference to the lifestyle of the rich and famous, with the chorus repeating the desire for a "slow motion video" to capture their opulence in its full glory.


Line by Line Meaning

1985 white Lamborghini countach, two of 'em I need a slow motion video right now Cause I'm moving in slow motion, slow motion Feelin' like Hype Williams shooting a nigga Shooting a nigga, hey hey hey I need a slow motion video right now ay ay
I'm stunting with two Lamborghini Countaches, and I need a slow-motion video to capture it because I feel like I'm directing a Hype Williams music video, shooting what feels like a movie.


Damn baby pussy can't be your only hustle Unless you bad as Naomi Russell I mean a lot of niggas got money So basically, Russell ain't the only Russell Russell brand, Russell crow Zero zero zero zero, a whole lot of 0's What you after, actor money? You in line behind currency, yeah you after money
You can't rely on your looks alone to make money unless you're as in-demand as porn star Naomi Russell. There are many wealthy people out there, so don't limit yourself. Actors like Russell Brand and Russell Crowe may make good money, but it's got nothing on the cash flow of currency.


Bullet proof condom when I'm in these hoes Got staples on my dick (why?) Fuckin' centerfolds And I swear to god they so cold Got a nigga in Miami wearing winter clothes I got my fur on feelin' like Jerome She got her fur too, we get our his and her on Don't look at the jewelry, or get your blur on Too close, you comatose so dope you overdose Get back, you over close
When I'm with these centerfold models, I make sure to wear a bulletproof condom and even have staples on my penis. These women can be heartless, which is why I've got my fur on like Jerome Bettis. I don't want anyone getting too close and overdosing on my awesomeness.


Oh no, the hood was strugglin' But then I blessed them with that polo Niggas was making music and then my first solo Collo Drolo sponsored by Manolo She got Zeppi Notos ready for some photos Yeah and I'm cold bitch, please try to keep the door closed Lanvin thousand dollar tee with no logos Let me show you what I see when my eyes closed
The hood was going through a tough time until I introduced them to Polo clothing. After that, I dropped my first solo album, which was sponsored by Manolo Blahnik. The women around me are dressed to kill, and I'm wearing an expensive Lanvin T-shirt with no logos. Allow me to show you how incredible my life is.


Take it how you want til a nigga dead ('Til then I'm the illest motherfucer alive) Whole world aiming at a nigga head (Because I'm the illest motherfucker alive)
People can say what they want about me, but until I'm dead, I'll continue to consider myself the best. The whole world is gunning for me, but that's just because they know I'm the greatest.


Yeah yeah uh huh hold up King Hov, I'm exactly what the fuck you think Eleven in a row, Bill Russell rings, Michael Jordan swag Y'all think Michael Jordan bad Nigga I got a 5 more rings than Michael Jordan had Elvis has left the building now I'm on the Beatles ass Niggas hear watch the throne Yeah it's like the Beatles back Bey' Bey' my yoko ono, Rih' Rih' complete the family Imagine how that's gon' look front row at the Grammys Fuck your awards like Eddie Morphy's couch The Roc is in the building we should have stayed in the house I don't even know what we doing here Seems to me a complete waste of gear Just a fuckin' waste of time, a complete waste of bottles Niggas fashion is weak, they be wastin' all the models Got the oversized Rolley let me show the how to do it When I say it then you see, it ain't only in the music Basquiats, Warhols serving as my muses My house like a museum, so I see 'em when I'm peeing Usually you have this much taste you European That's the end of that way of thinking, nigga never again Know when to leave when the heat is coming, I learned that This is where De Niro would be if he ain't turn back Fuck Sosa, this Hova this is real life This is what the ending of Scarface should feel like
I'm Jay Z, and I'm everything you expected me to be. I've got eleven rings like Bill Russell and the swagger of Michael Jordan, but with five more rings than he had. I'm taking over the music industry like the Beatles did. BeyoncΓ© is like my Yoko Ono, and Rihanna completes the family. Front row at the Grammys, we're going to look amazing. Awards mean nothing to us, we're just wasting bottles and models. With my oversized Rolex, I'm showing people how to do it in music and in fashion. Artistic geniuses like Basquiat and Warhol inspire me, my house is like a museum. Europeans usually have impeccable taste, but that way of thinking is ending. When things get too hot, it's time to leave. This is where De Niro would have been if he didn't turn back. Forget Sosa, this is real life - this is what the ending of Scarface would feel like.




Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kanye West, Shawn Carter, Mike Dean, Joshua Luellen, Scott Mescudi

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@thomasnelson5758

Co-producer Southside on Kanye's contributions to the beat in an interview with Respect Magazine:

"Q: I immediately recognized your drums on that beat, like the snare. How much of the record is your original beat, and what did Kanye add?

A: Kanye added mostly all the synths. I did the drums, the snares, the hi-hat, and the breakdowns. Basically I added the drums, and he put his Kanye classical, musical space-synth stuff to it.

Q: Yeah, the opera.

A: Yeah, the opera. You know how Kanye is. He go crazy with stuff like that. It’s like he sees a movie in his head or something."



All comments from YouTube:

@giovannimacdermott3030

Lowkey the best song on the album imo. Never get tired of it.

@slater3607

You my friend have good taste

@black914015678

This song is gold!!!!

@Svidrigailov1

This song is a beautiful ego trip. Gets me pumped

@eazyE93

Well said

@ihaveautism666

Ego trip, I like that

@ihaveautism666

@Clutch7 my ego has never lead me wrong my ego is my strength and power

@alanparsons994

There is a Finnish pop band "Egotrippi" which means ego trip ;)

@dedetmt2535

One of my max out songs lol

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@BEFORETHEMHYPEBEASTS

probably the greatest collab album of all time.

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