[Intro: Jay-Z]
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How can you fairly assess something from the outside looking in?
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Theres gotta be them times youll be wrong, nahmean?
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How can a muhfucka go round and hate a nigga
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He never even met that, he dont even know and shit?
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I think this rap shit is all beef
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[Verse 1: Jay-Z]
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Yall dont even know, every day Im living with stress
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Got up out the streets, you think a nigga could rest
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Cant even enjoy myself at a party unless
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Im on the dance floor, hot ass vest
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You think Im freaking these chicks, right?
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Try not to brush against they chest
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You get a lawsuit for shit like that, I feel trapped
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Swear to everything when I leave this earth
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Its gon be on both feet, never knees in the dirt
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You could try me fucka but when I squeeze it hurts
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Fine, well lose two lives, yours and mines
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Gimme any amount of time, dont let Ms. Carter grieve
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At the funeral parlor, dripping tears on my sleeve
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Told the judge, “Didnt budge, it was him or me.”
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And I aint trying to be hard but Im guilty as charged
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Put my mercy on this court and my faith in God
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And pray hard none of my nephews wanna be stars, lucky me
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[Chorus: Karen Anderson]
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You only know what you see
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You dont understand what it takes to be me
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[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
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I hate all girls with ulterior motives
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Thats why Im 20 plus years old, no sons, no daughters
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Hate putting my life in the hands of fake promoters
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Hear the hate in my voice, right? I hate that you noticed
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Niggas wanna strip you to the bone for shit you own
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Hate a nigga like that, faggot, get your own
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Hate that I cant roam the street without the clip and chrome
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Knowing one day Ima have to flip, cmon
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You know the shit dont stop til the Cris dont pop
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And you have to kill a nigga and your wrist dont lock
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Im trapped, the whole worlds against me in fact
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But aint no turning back, bring it on
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Hate the price of fame cause it cost too much
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Can I live without yall niggas saying I floss too much?
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Hate the way you make this hate flow all through us
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Steady looking for flaws through us, lucky me
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[Chorus: Karen Anderson, Jay-Z]
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You only know what you see
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You dont understand what it takes to be me
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You only know what you see
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Since I was four years old
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I been told, everything that glitters aint gold
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You only know what you see
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You dont understand what it takes to be me
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And now that Ive arrived
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I see those truths unfold before my eyes in a world so cold
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[Verse 3: Jay-Z]
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And niggas see you in the street, pretend to be friendly
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But I know any type of success breeds envy
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I know in the back of your mind youre conjuring ways to hem me
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Leave my friends in a circle pouring out Henny
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But Gs is heaven bound so how Im gon receive
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Anything yall pour to the ground, next time, throw it up
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And aint nothing changed so even in my afterlife, I show it up
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Dont grieve for me, my art remains
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Like a dart from the speaker to your heart
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Spiritually through the portal, now my words is immortal
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Dont plan to leave without a fight, I plant a seed I give life
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Though I cant see past the girls greed to call her wife
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Next time youre thinking heist, better be precise
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‘Cause Im fully prepared, one of us is gon leave here
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I have no regrets even though I wont see grow
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My godson Boogie, Sonny and Remo, lucky me
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[Chorus: Karen Anderson, Jay-Z]
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You only know what you see
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I been told, since I was four years old
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Everything that glitters aint gold
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And now that Ive arrived
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You dont understand what it takes to be me
~#**************#~
I see those truths unfold before my eyes in a world so cold
~#**************#~
Since I was four years old
~#**************#~
You only know what you see
~#**************#~
I been told, everything that glitters aint gold
~#**************#~
And now that Ive arrived
~#**************#~
You dont understand what it takes to be me
~#**************#~
I see those truths unfold before my eyes in a world so cold
~#**************#~
You only know what you see
~#**************#~
You dont understand what it takes to be me
~#**************#~
You only know what you see
~#**************#~
You dont understand what it takes to be me
~#**************#~
You only know what you see
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You dont understand what it takes to be me
