[Jay-Z]
This song here..
.. is dedicated to Danny Dan, and may he rest in peace

Who at his funeral left us with the words that
he did it his way (uh-huh, uh-huh)
So, I have no other choice but to do it my way

Uh-huh, uh-huh

Uhh! While ^!$$%z are shootin stupid

I'm carefully plottin, ways to make it rotten
Well planned hits until you're long forgotten
Y'all ^!$$%z that utilize my style don't hurt me, cause on the low

half of these rappin-ass ^!$$%z wanna work for me
Now picture me standin on somebody block tryin to rock
I drop bombs and ^!$$%z see me with that dough by eight o'clock

My feet never touch the concrete, just street sweep awards
While you're starin on my dick ^!$$%, gimme yours!
I don't hassle with capsules cause that'll make the grass grow

and get a project ^!$$% paid up the $$#hole
if I'ma risk a frisk, gettin my wrists wrapped up in steel
I'm out here tryin to make a mill', my %#@! is real for real

While others worship guns I worship tons of money
tons of fun, laughin at %#@! that ain't even funny
So I ain't pressed to make a CD, I took it slow

Eighty percent of these ^!$$%z with deals
can't see me with the dough, uhh!


[Chorus: Jay-Z]

In my lifetime, I need to see a whole lot of dough

I need a whole lot of dough (for real!)
In my lifetime, I need to see a whole lot of stash
I need a whole lot of cash (stay real!)

In my lifetime, I need to see a whole lot of dough
I need a whole lot of dough *
In my lifetime, I need to see a whole lot of stash

I need a whole lot of cash

*1: (for real!)

*2: (true!)
*3: (true!)


[Jay-Z]
More ice than winter ninety-four
I toured the fifty states with a trunk of raw

Recrutin, I'm hittin shortiess with consignment, but don't play me
Ohh you gon' pay me, y'all ^!$$%z ain't crazy!
I'm laid back in the five thousand Italian leather seat recliner

under some ##&*%$, discussin the finer, things
My crib is mean, watchin a hundred inch screen
Lettin the shorties slide by once in a while and let em dream

They think I've mastered the game cause dames scream my name
with passion, I tell em stop flashin and start stashin
And we'll all get off the corner, the only heat you'll feel

is from a sauna, lettin bubbles shoot up your $$# if you wanna
And $#&@ that weed, it keeps you broke, invest in
pounds of herbs and profit if ^!$$%z wanna smoke dope

But keep your nuts cause this is a man's game
And we'll all pop champagne til it's a damn shame


[Chorus]

[Jay-Z]

I'm shootin to Vegas gamblin green-o at the casino
Schoolin the dice like Vinny Barberino
Welcome back, the ninety-four version of the mack

As soon as these ladies see me they don't know how to act
Cause like that, ^!$$%, never twist the cap of malt liquor
Only pop and droppin Cristal's down my throat, take a swigga

My style, ladies intoxicated by my profile
Your rollin with a pro with, money to blow child
You need to feel how sweet the skills be

to come and slide down Sugar Hill with me
The high roller, rolled up on your dice game
Unfold a pack of bills, grab my balls then bet it all

I never slept, cause sleepin keeps you deep in debt
On the block you lucky if you see my silhouette
I'm ghost, envied by most
So I keep a crew of crazy tenants that's sling toast, $#&@er


[Chorus]

[Jay-Z]
Haha, f'real! Jay-Z lives
Ski, Roc-a-Blok Productions, uh-huh, uh-huh

Dame Dash.. ha-ha
Roc-a-fella Records.. uh-huh
Everybody from Brooklyn
Sauce Money, Big Sarge, B Hah
DJ Clark Kent, everybody Uptown

?, my V-A click running thick
D'Shawn definitly in the house
Roughness y'all, this how we do